Sin Embargo (2021)

One of the worst kdramas I have watched

The show started out great. It was refreshing to see an adult relationship treated realistically rather than like two teenagers trying to figure out their first kiss like so many kdramas. After the initial "Wow, they are really doing it", it went downhill though. The female lead late in the series called herself pathetic in a voiceover and she was. I get the heart is going to do what the heart wants and she was obviously in lust with the male lead but she just showed no common sense. Obviously I don't know all of the psychology events the female lead has gone through in her life to get to this point in the story but to me, it seemed she was looking to be loved, to be part of a warm, loving relationship but her actions were always the opposite. She had just gotten out of one bad relationship and immediately jumped into another worse relationship taking no time to process her feelings. She spent most of the episodes looking miserable. You could tell she did not want to be in a friends with benefits relationship but her character was weak and continually let herself be drawn back in by the male lead even though it made her unhappy. Her actions were just not something that I could relate too.

I know some people just fall under the spell of another and cannot help themselves but the scene in the rain should have been a big red flag to the female lead when the male lead showed his true colors. He physically assaulted her by twisting her arm, forcing her to drop the umbrella and he showed how cruel and manipulative he was but yet she ignored all of that in the end. That is when I truly felt she was just pathic and I lost interest in her character.

The whole second male lead part of the story could have been dropped because I knew she would not choose him in the end. She never showed one bit of affection towards the second male lead. She never held his hand, took his arm, hugged him or even thought of kissing him while she continually slept with the first male lead. The writer could have at least made it seemed as if she thought of the second male lead as more than just a friend and there was a possibility of them getting together in the end but I never got that feeling. She never gave the second male lead a chance so there was never a doubt that the second male lead was going to lose out even though he was offering her the type of loving relationship she wanted. It was just a waste of time, just filler.

The female lead seemed to despise the life her mother was leading, going from relationship to relationship but that is exactly the path the female lead was following. There is no way I could see her relationship with the male lead lasting. Even when the male lead was supposedly missing the female lead and wanting to change for her, he still picked up that woman in the bar, asking if she wanted to see his butterflies. The way that women flocked to the male lead, it was just a matter of time before some new, interesting woman came into his life and he would go back to his old ways.

Overall, who wants to spend hours watching a pitiful character be miserable and never learning, never changing and knowing that her life will be a train wreck.

P.S. Don't get me started on how ugly the art was. I know I am not sophisticated when it comes to art but what was the thing with the rail road ties? It look like it was just a fence. And the female leads sculpture was not much better.

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A really special one

For me, when watching a drama it is always important what kind of feelings it gives me. I can tell I'll love a drama when I get so involved in the drama that I literally can feel it. And I felt this one. It gave me feelings on another level, the atmosphere, music and everything was perfect! A totally different vibe from usual dramas – but not a drama for everyone.

I first resisted in starting this when it was announced but I got so curious when the first episode aired, so I gave it a try and then waited every week till it was finally saturday to watch the new episode. I am sad that it is over now but I will definitely re-watch it.

As for the characters. I think most of them did a great job in portraing their characters. I think a lot of people can relate to Na Bi – as some might have similar experiences in life. For me, I saw a character development and I think she realized a few things during the drama that are very important for her life. The same for Jae Eon – I liked his development and I could see him struggle with his feelings just as I could see Nabi and the others struggle. Do Hyuk on the other hand did not have a big character development for me. I feel like he stayed quite the same over the drama, which is not a bad thing of course but I feel like he should have realized some things for his life as well.

The music – as already mentioned – was perfect. It matched the drama so well and made the whole atmosphere into something special. Whenever I listen to the OST I immediately get reminded of the drama, and that´s a good thing for me.

For me, as I do art myself, the art aspect was a plus point, which made the whole setting more attractive. And I have to mention that Na Bi´s sculpture at the end was stunning. I also liked the cooking scenes, as I enjoy cooking too.

Everyone needs to decide for themselves if they like the ending, if they want her to end up with Jae Eon, Do Hyuk or alone. And I believe eryone has the right to do so, and everyone should respect the opinion of the others. As for me, I am really happy with the ending and I would have been sad to see an other one! So this drama is definitely a 10/10 for me and I hope many other people will discover it and be as happy watching it as I was! (And it was the best to watch it when its dark with a few candles, to just forget the world and dive into the drama)

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A Good Show that Many Will Dislike but I enjoy

Note: This is a show where the ending is predictable and less important than the process. So spoilers won’t affect too much of your experience, or so I think.

Let it be clear that many people will not like this show, even though it is a good show imo. One major reason for dislikes is probably that the main story of this show is about an ostensibly unhealthy relationship. There is no deny of it, and the show is conscious of the fact that the central romantic story is deeply unhealthy. In fact, the multiple relationships depicted in the show all have clear problems that are so unlikeable that most causal K-drama reviewers (esp. in the West) cannot tolerate. But this is not a show that tries to justify unhealthy relationships or glorify problems in romantic relationships. Rather, it is a show that depicts how an unhealthy relationship can gradually become a healthy one, and it has done a good job of telling such a story. If you can bear through the discomfort that the show brings and carries it till the end, you may find catharsis in the end and in how mature the show surprisingly is.

I will not focus on specific plots, since all shows carry some plot holes that affect the story. All I will say is that the plot holes of this show do not affect too much of my enjoyment of it. Instead, it is the topic of this show that I want to highlight in this review. As I said earlier, it is a show about gradually turning an apparently unhealthy relationship into a healthy one. Let us pause for a moment and appreciate the courage for staging an unhealthy relationship in a TV show. The show does not shy away from the fact that main characters are college students who are carried away by their hormones and have no clue of how to be earnest, caring, and accommodating in a relationship. The relationships that are hence developed bear the poisonous fruits such as unnecessary mind-game, dramatic and moronic dialogues, ridiculous breakups, silly stubbornness, and avoidable damage that are characteristic of dating experience of college age. These easily identifiable problems also make this show difficult for audiences who cannot bear with these problems. If you have passed the college age or rather, the age where these problems finally becomes manageable, you may find the show reminiscent of past experience and appreciate the fact that these real problems are being depicted in their raw discomfort. This is one reason why I like the show.

Another reason for my enjoyment and appreciation of the show is how mature the characters are in dealing with all the problems they have. They show the rare awareness of problems, precious willingness and may I say, unconscious wisdom to give in, confess to each other, and repair their relations. One particular moment captures my attention. In the end, when the male protagonist asks the female protagonist whether she will regret dating again after all the drama they went through, she says affirmatively that yes, she will regret. But she is still willing to try. This complex attitude can easily drive the hygienic minds crazy, but truly is touching to me, for it signals the rare passion that still burns brightly after deep disappointment. Another touching point is the choice of the female protagonist. In the end, she chooses not the person who would be best for her, but the person who she loves the most. It is a choice that no one can comfortably affirm that it is absolutely right or wrong, but an undoubtedly human choice that often does not follow “reason” and “logic.” Such an ending, therefore, can again be highly uncomfortable to many audience. But I appreciate and enjoy the openness of such depiction in a TV show. If I may add a third point, let’s look at the ending again. It is not only a reunification of the main characters, but an attempt to try again. This is yet another reason why I think Western audience may have a hard time with this show: When, in the pop culture of U.S. for instance, do you ever hear the recommendation to “try again” when a relationship falls apart? The most you hear is to “move on,” “break up,” esp. when one of the partners shows clear problems. Yet in here we see something different, an willingness and attempt to forgive and restart. Much can be said about it, and I will only point out that neither choice is clearly right, but a conscious attempt of “let’s try again” is harder than the default choice of “giving up.” These points are why I think that beneath the surface of a college romance, the show is surprisingly mature, esp. in the growth of characters and its expression of human experience.

I hope I have conveyed why I genuinely enjoyed t he show and why perhaps you may as well. Thanks for reading.

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No final, poderia ter sido melhor!

Eu gostei não vou mentir
O tema do drama foi muito bom, tudo que relacionou a ele
Essa coisa mais realista, do relacionamento de pessoas mais jovens e o amor e além da representatividade com o casal das meninas.
O Jae eon sempre gostou dela mas o passado dele que nem explicou muito porque ele não gostava de relacionamentos o impediu de querer estar com ela né?
Acho que eles foram amadurecendo ao longo de tudo e ficou claro que ela não ficaria com o Do Hyeok.
Não sei, eu realmente não entendo muito como diferenciar, será que o Jae eon e ela estão num relacionamento abusivo?
Senti falta de falar sobre o passado dele na questão de relacionamento. Teve episódios bem lentinhos que poderia ter falado disso!
Enfim, acho que é isso que tenho pra falar.

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Did it for Sol and Ji Wan

I started this drama mid through with low expectations since all the comments I saw rambled about how toxic Na-bi and Jae eon´s relationship was. Well, ladies and gentlemen, the criticism is well deserved.

The main couple´s relationship should have never worked out. Unfortunately. Well. We know how it went.

Whenever Na-bi was around Jae eon, she kept feeling insecure while second-guessing herself. She constantly repressed her feelings and words. The best way to exemplify this is by using her statements. "Jae eon keeps making me think the way my annoying ex did." "Jae eon makes me feel anxious." "My anxiety about Jae eon hasn´t disappeared, but..."
When I reached the last episode, I was so saturated that I couldn´t even stand to look at Jae eon´s face. No matter how much he redeemed himself, the past holds too much of their relationship. Progressing from that is not realistic. A continuance between their relationship is just toxic.

"-Na-bi, you know what? Flowers don´t bloom just for one butterfly."
"-What are you saying?"
"-Jae eon is like that flower. Full of vanity, a symbol of seductive beauty that withers once it´s plucked."
I wish Na-bi had listened to Bit Na. My girl knew what she was saying.

Truth be told I only completed this series for Sol and Ji Wan. They were my breath of fresh air. It would have been lovely if they could have more screen time, but I´m not too upset. Okay. I sort of am. You can´t tell me that you have time to give a "happy ending" to a toxic relationship, but not explore Ji Wan and Sol´s story properly.

It felt only appropriate to end this review with my favorite quotes. "Sol. Can you hold my hand again? I like you the most. I like you more than my mom and dad. You´re my favorite person in the world."

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tóxico e sem sal

Não vi muitos doramas, mas esse deve estar no meu top 5 dos piores. Não tenho muito o que criticar quanto à atuação, música, fotografia ou direção, mas o enredo é meio sem noção.

(spoiler a partir daqui)

A protagonista é basicamente uma batata, que não tem vontade própria. Não toma nenhuma decisão por si só, e se arrepende de praticamente tudo que os outros decidem por ela. Quando surge uma oportunidade de fazer diferente ela deixa pra outra pessoa decidir novamente. Isso se repete até o último minuto do último episódio. A galera coreana curte essas paranóias?

O protagonista é um manipulador. Fãs mais determinados podem defender que ele deve ter algum trauma não explicado. Bem, quem não tem? kkkkk Mesmo sendo confirmadamente um babaca e traído a confiança da Na-Bi várias vezes, em toda oportunidade que aparece de explicar maus ententidos e apaziguar os ânimos, ele faz exatamente o contrário. A série dá a entender que ele supostamente tem algum interesse pela Na-Bi, mas quando surge algum boato e ele vê que ela tá sofrendo, faz questão de tirar sarro com a situação ou não falar nada. Não entendo de psiquiatria, mas talvez seja algum traço de psicopatia? O dorama se passa inteirinho nesse jogo de desprezo/atenção.

Se não fosse a quarentena, seria mais um dorama que eu teria dropado no primeiro episódio. Acabei dando uma chance torcendo pra Na-Bi se ferrar o suficiente pra pensar na própria vida (fui infeliz). Queria que tivessem desenvolvido melhor os personagens secundários, que mesmo com histórias clichês, ainda davam um calorzinho no coração. Comparado ao casal principal, a maior parte do tempo você fica se perguntando "que?" ou "como assim?" sem entender o que está acontecendo. Não é que a decisão seja estúpida, é que não faz sentido mesmo. A mina acabou de ter uma desfeita horrível com o relacionamento e se apaixona por outro maluco no mesmo dia num bar a ponto de sofrer emocionalmente toda vez que se encontram... isso faz algum sentido? Na vida real, em algum tempo ela se daria conta de que estava frágil emocionalmente, mas acabaram tentando romantizar essa confusão mental. E quando o Jae Eon pega outra menina na frente da casa da Na-Bi, ela vê, fica em pedaços e beija ele assim mesmo? UAHSDUHASUDHAHAS sabe, o problema aqui não é a atitude que ela toma, mas o processo antes disso. Ela se abala emocionalmente, briga com ele, ele diz que é daquele jeito, ela não aceita e depois finge amnésia -até aí ok, de repente ela decidiu meter o louco por um dia, mas não. Depois disso ela começa a surtar mais uma vez e põe a culpa no cara justo quando ele decidiu ser cara de pau o suficiente pra ser sincero uma vez na vida. Eu nem sabia mais o que eu estava vendo.

Do ep 1 ao 10 você vai ficar ofendido no lugar Na-Bi assistindo ela ser tratada como um pau de selfie - bem aleatório mesmo, às vezes você usa, às vezes não.

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Bem ruinzinho

Park Jae Eon ele é do tipo controlador que pode passar o rodo mas não quer que a pessoa que ele está ficando faça isso, ele quer determinar quando começa e quando termina as coisas, tanto que quando apareceu outro cara na vida da Na Bi ele fez questão de se aproximar mais dela e mostrar que ele estava ali. Ele não gosta de se comprometer e não mostra isso para as mulheres que ele fica, sempre dá falsas esperanças para elas.

Quanto a Na Bi, ela tem baixa autoestima, saiu de um relacionamento tóxico e abusivo e criou uma dependência emocional por Park Jae Eon, ele mexia com seu psicológico (mas também ela não era florzinha toda que se mostrava no começo).
Ela tinha o amigo Do Hyuk, vulgo batatinha, que acabou se confessando e ela não tinha sentimentos além de amizade por ele e continuou dando esperanças ( ainda bem que pelo menos no fim ele se livrou dessa).

A princípio eu achava que Na Bi e Jae Eon tinham visões muito diferentes de futuro, mas no fim pra mim eles eram farinha do mesmo saco, porque ela sabia que não era amor, que iria sofrer e se arrepender mas ainda assim queria estar nessa enrola com ele.

Sério, cada um teria que ter seguido seu caminho separados e fazendo uma boa terapia.

Eu sinceramente prefiro os casais secundários principalmente a Bit Na e o Nam Kyu Hyun.

Nevertheless é uma romantização de relacionamento tóxico e o povo passando pano só porque o personagem era bonito.

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a uniquely frustrating plot

I agree with the others in the review section saying how realistic the drama/plot/feelings are. Not everything in life is just going to be following the typical kdrama relationship, there *will* be relationships where one person is stringing the other along, leading to miscommunication and toxicity. First of all, I'd like to applaud the writer for even thinking of creating such a fxckboy of a character for the male lead, as you don't see that very often. The female lead's character (imo) literally *makes* the whole plot possible as she's a submissive, gullible, helpless romantic. These two types of characters/personalities, when put together, obviously would create a huge headache that would be painfully entertaining to watch. In my case, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the drama, but at the same time, I had to pause every 10 minutes to think about how mad the plot (mainly the female lead's decisions) made me. If you've got a weak mental and can't tolerate people playing with another's feelings, this one's not for you. Mental masochists, grab some snacks as you'll probably finish this drama in a single night.

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DROPPING BC NABI WTF

SPOILER AHEAD! PLS DONT READ IF U DONT WANNA RUIN ANYTHING UR IMAGINING ABT THE PLOT!


when i first started it i got so excited nd curious bc the teasers were giving me buterflies but since it was on going and theyre trending on twitter i kepf seeing spoilers on my tl and at first twas alright but BROOO i cpuldnt take Nabi's dumbness ljke WHY WOULDD U PICK THE GUY WHO KEEPS TOYING U?? AHHH JINJA BICHEOSSO i liked the potato guy better even if Jae On was like hotter hehe MAJOR SECOND LEAD SYNDROME!

I also hate the girl that keeps meeting up with Jae On, i liked the side love stories better!! I endured watching more since i loved what was going on with Bit-na's relationship with her friend
and Sol with her bestfriend, but i couldnt take fr i hatw how dumb Nabi is lmaooo i wanted her tp have a healthy relationshjp bc of what happemed to her and his ex but urghhh she just wouldnt learn her lesson ugh..

But props for giving us more screentimes for the intimates scences hahaah one of the reason why i kept going too aside from i love the casts

Qnyway im jjst expressing my thoughts, watch this at your own risk or if u like toxic, push and pull relationship, with anxiety warning disguised as butterfly in stomach kinda things!

I might finish this someday but not right now tho i still cabt get over it

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From Lust to Love

This drama is not for everyone as a lot of people seek for love in dramas but this started with lust . It starts with sexual tension that slowly turns into obsession towards each other then wanting to be together.This does depict the situation where people really cannot show their true feelings to other people.

It's a slow burn with some artistic and visually rich both in atmospheric and appearance of all actors. All the songs provide a perfect ambience for all kinds of situation shown. "LOVE ME LIKE THAT" is my favorite.

I love the fact that Yu-Nabi made the fact clear "HEART WANTS WHAT IT WANTS". People cannot force their feelings knowing the fact that other person can make you happy but you wouldn't be able to feel that happiness no matter how much we try. Moreover, Park Jae-on does bring the best out of Yu-Nabi that is most important in any relationship.

What more stands out is supporting cast. Oh bit-na character is something that made me watch this drama more. After watching this I am happy that I didn't miss beautiful and confident female actresses that backed each other directly and at times indirectly.

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Nevertheless, this show fell apart in the last quarter

This was the first Kdrama I couldn't binge in one sitting and I think that meant the anticipation for each episode was higher - so were the inevitable satisfaction and then disappointment.

Nevertheless was a solid drama that was actually a very good drama until the end. The side romances, particularly the burgeoning lesbian romance were arguably more interesting and there was actually something delightful in seeing Sol realise that her feelings were reciprocated. I could have watched an entire show about that arc. As it is, Na-bi and Jaeon were interesting but full of cliches. I lost my mind at how he refused to explain to her a very simple truth about the circumstances of his relationships with other women when it would help his cause, especially when he got beaten up. His refusal for honesty coupled with his insistent reiteration that Na-bi was the one were confusing. His actions never supported his words. I thought the highs and lows of their relationship were beautifully realistic in the sense that she understood he was toxic and began managing her own heart, but only feebly. Although Jaeon's lack of transparency was frustrating, and his persistence was borderline unethical, the first half of the show was worth watching. Na-bi is a warming character who is navigating education whilst refusing, and failing, to get sucked into another heartbreak.

The story, for me, derailed with the cliched love triangle attempt. Viewers knew that 'potato boy' never had a chance. He was there as an interesting obstacle, but it wasn't even interesting. It made Jaeon's jealousy and continuing refusal to be honest all the more infuriating. The show did have some sweet and tender moments but they were a rarity by the end because it was clear Na-bi and Jaeon were incompatible. The resolution that was seemingly made in the penultimate episode was undone very quickly, although with some very good acting. That's the other thing, the acting was never an issue. All the actors performed their roles superbly. But some of the writing and character decisions were baffling. I just can't understand how the writers in this day and age thought to end the story like that whilst Na-bi is under the impression that Jaeon is someone who toys with people's feelings.

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