Why Song Kang’s Ja-eon in Nevertheless saw polarised reactions from fans: Was he a toxic womaniser, or just plain confused?

Toggling between his feelings for Na-bi as well as continuing his Casanova-like behaviour, Ja-eon was at odds with himself. He feared commitment but he knew it was comfort to be around her, something that worried him more. On the other hand, she knew that he wasn’t the best choice in terms of companionship, but kept finding her way back to him. The attempts to break away from each other owing to Na-bi’s brewing distrust were unsuccessful, and invariably, they would be trapped in a rather confusing relationship, without actually dating. Finally, both of them come to terms with themselves, and a rather redeemed Ja-eon realises that there’s more than one reason why he’s so attracted to Na-bi.

Song Kang and Han So-hee in Nevertheless (Photo: Netflix)

Nevertheless is one of the few dramas that attempted to delve into the nuances of attraction, the awkward place between lust and love, and constant struggle between instinct and desires. It’s possibly why the show led to such polarised views, as many slammed it for being dragged out and flat, while others appreciated this unusual look (for a K-drama) at relationships. The ratings were low, and yet the show was minutely discussed on Reddit and Twitter, as fans tried to decode Song Kang’s Jae-eon. He was said to be ‘dangerous’ and quite the flirt, and though Na-bi was still healing from her previous heartbreak, she couldn’t quite resist his advances. Thrown into the mix was Chae Jong Hyeop’s chirpy and decidedly emotionally more stable Yang Do-heok. Na-bi’s choice left the fandom divided as many raged that Do-heok deserved better and that Ja-eon was toxic and problematic. Others sympathised with Jae-eon and said that he had redeemed himself towards the end of the show.

So was Jae-eon really such a toxic womaniser? Considering the history of many toxic male characters in innumerable K-drama shows, where they were shown as the strong, macho leads that one is compelled to root for (Lee Min-ho in Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, Lee Jong-suk in Pinocchio, to name a few), Jae-eon was a rather unsettling change. You knew you couldn’t root for him, you would rather be team Potato Boy (as the fandom called Yang Do-heok), but you somehow empathised with him, anyway. The word toxic didn’t seem to really fit him, or was it just the sheer acting prowess of Song Kang that made one believe in him. The veneer of smarminess slowly faded away through the episodes, and he brought forth a rather realistic character. He seemed to in perpetual conflict with his own feelings, and unsure of what he really wanted — a very relatable flaw.

He was actually caring to Na-bi and looked out for her, whenever he could, without committing himself to her, because she also didn’t seem sure if she wanted that as well. He yearns for her when she isn’t there, and is sensitive to her boundaries as well. His jealousy at one point gets the better of him, and he severely regrets it later. He does show character development throughout the season slowly, and halfway through, he realises that the price of his constant confusion is too high as he might lose Na-bi, the one person who has had genuine effect on his life. I saw him as a person who was working hard on overcoming his weaknesses.

(Photo:Netflix)

In their final reconciliation scene, he has a few tears of joy and relief when she finally meets him after a cruel fight, and it’s the most emotion he has shown throughout the series, apart from looks of longing and desire. You see him as he is broken and flawed, but trying to put aside all his issues for the girl that he’s finally fallen in love with. It’s a separate question of whether she should have gone back to him or whether they will manage to have a healthy relationship, something sadly we will never know.

It’s a pity that the show was slammed by many so brutally and ignored by others. It had a nuanced approach towards relationships and the chemistry between the characters was almost hypnotic. Song Kang took on a brave career choice with Nevertheless. You can love or hate the show but you can’t deny that Jae-eon was one of the most complex characters in K-drama history.