There Will Be No Red Flag Above My Door, I’m In Love
Episode 5 of Nevertheless begins with Jae-Eon overhearing a couple of girls talking about him. Specifically, they comment on his dating and how Na-Bi is ruining her school life by getting involved with him. This then catches us up to the moments last week, as a random guy shows up and smacks Jae-Eon in the face. These antics interrupt Sol and Ji-Wan while they’re arguing. Together, they phone the police and break all of this up. Outside, this man reveals himself to be the brother of a girl he’s currently dating. So he is seeing someone else! Anyway, Na-Bi questions him and calls Jae-Eon out for lying, questioning exactly what the nature of their relationship is. Given he called her a friend earlier in the conversation is enough for Na-Bi to end things. Jae-Eon’s whole demeanour changes and he nonchalantly agrees. She scoffs, calling him a jerk until the end as she walks away. Elsewhere, Bit-Na continues to be caught up over Kyu-Hyun, shocked when he ends up eating mint ice-cream out on a date. Given he originally told her he didn’t like it because it’s akin to “eating toothpaste”, it’s a tough pill for her to swallow and she hurries off. Well, to begin with anyway. It turns out this blind date doesn’t go to plan and Kyu-Hyun is ditched by her. When Bit-Na finds out, she’s shocked that this girl would reject someone as good looking as him. Meanwhile, Na-Bi reels over her break-up with Jae-Eon. So much so in fact, that her Professor worries that she’s distracted and won’t be able to finish her piece. This continues back home too, as she mulls over her final moments with Jae-Eon and struggles to eat. When she rings Jae-Eon later that day, she realizes his number has been disconnected. Despite their break-up, Na-Bi is obviously still missing him. Well, Na-Bi ends up running into Jae-Eon in the hallway the next day. She quizzes him about the necklace but he simply shrugs, telling her to throw it away. As Na-Bi walks away, Jae-Eon receives a call from Seol-A and hurries off. It turns out the girl has severe anemia and it seems like Jae-Eon has been paying her medical bills. He even puts his hair down too. This changed hairstyle is something Na-Bi suggested he do, so it’s clear that he likes her. Well, Na-Bi instead heads back to see Do-Hyeok. They sit and eat food together, where he mentions how much he likes her artwork and has a good feeling about it. Do-Hyeok obviously likes her, and the chef can sense it too, He even makes an additional dish for Do-Hyeok to give her. That evening, Bit-Na gets blind drunk. When Kyu-Hyun finds out, he heads down to pick her up. He tells the others that he’ll take her home, as the other drunkards stumble away. Alone, Bit-Na calls him out for the mint ice-cream debacle as the pair trade misunderstandings. It turns out he’s suffering from insomnia and he tried mint ice-cream as it’s supposed to be a good cure for it. He’s been thinking of her since their evening together and Bit-Na obviously has feelings for him too. She eventually agrees to jump on his back, as Bit-Na asks him not to see anyone else and just to date her instead. After a run-in with Jae-Eon outside, the kids prepare for a series of presentations where each of these sculptors discuss their themes and projects. Na-Bi is completely thrown by Jae-Eon showing up as she discuses what her project is about – which includes a possibility or hope of something happening. Each of the sculptors are given up to three helpers – and Jae-Eon is the only one who raises his hand to help Na-Bi. Jin-Su also volunteers too but his feels more like a sympathy vote. Tellingly, Na-Bi decides to tie her hair back through all this. Jae-Eon admits that he was drawn to her work and thinks it could be good to use metals. According to him, this is strictly work-related. That evening, Na-Bi and Jae-Eon end up at the latter’s studio. With Jin-Su running late, the pair have a chance o talk. He mentions how he wants to change now bit by bit. Still, it doesn’t stop him getting handsy with Na-Bi and guiding her over to the metal works. Jae-Eon teaches her how to use the different tools, deliberately keeping himself close to her. Well, Jin-Su doesn’t show and Na-Bi eventually ends up heading home. The pair start to grow closer together again, this time as friends. Na-Bi’s focus returns and her art sculptures get a thumbs up from the professor too. To top it off, a famous artist is heading into town and Jae-Eon suggests they go together. Later that day, Na-Bi bumps into Seol-A outside. She drops her lighter with a butterfly insignia on and they get talking. It turns out she’s actually dating Jae-Eon and did so in the past too. When Na-Bi finds out, she symbolically takes her hair-band out and walks away.
The Episode Review
Poor Na-Bi, she’s been ignoring these red flags for the past five episodes and now it blows up in her face in the worst possible way. Seeing who Seol-A is to Jae-Eon is certainly eye opening and she could well be the “one” constant in his life. The fact she mentioned the butterflies and how he needs to let them go seems to hint that she’s well aware of his connections. Or she could well be trolling him and not actually dating after all. Either way, Jae-Eon is bad news. The fact that he’s so touchy-feely and supposedly into her work are both pretty suspect and Na-Bi continues to fall for it time and again. A more fuzzy and warm subplot is that of the growing ties between Bit-Na and Kyu-Hyun. This romance has such a nice ebb and flow, with the misunderstanding trope front and center. This week though it’s well and truly toppled, leading to what seems to be a beautiful sign of things to come. While a little slow at times, Nevertheless is one of those endearing, engrossing slice of life dramas that manages to capture the raw energy of modern romance perfectly. There’s a lot of angst and heartbreak in this but it’s juxtaposed by some gorgeous cinematography and a sublime soundtrack. Now if they could just hurry up and release more tracks that would be great!
