Even though most people are enjoying Nevertheless because of its relatable plot and characters, some fans and viewers kept on thinking that it's about time a second lead comes out and stirs the pot to a different direction. Imagine the glee everyone experienced when the drama finally introduced Do-hyeok into the plot. Do-hyeok provided the much-needed balance in the drama and he completed the recipe for a typical K-drama: the second lead who will make the plot more interesting on how he expresses his feelings to the female lead.
Actor Chae Jonghyup gave justice to the character: a simple, heartwarming, and understanding guy who presented a stark contrast to Park Jae-eon and his cold, uncaring stance towards Yoo Nabi. Chae Jonghyup did not overdo it nor kept it half-baked, and he just simply went for it, which people loved, because finally, someone's taking Nabi's side and protecting her, as she deserve.
However, this was not Chae Jonghyup's first major drama as he has been acting for quite some time. You can say he's like Kim Seonho -- a seasoned rookie actor with a few dramas under his belt, who slowly rose to popularity because of one drama. Pretty much the same with Kim Seonho and Startup. He started acting a year later after Song Kang's debut, but he has the acting chops to prove he's a force to be reckoned with.
Some of his works include the JTBC drama Sisyphus: The Myth and the hit SBS drama Hot Stove League. His affable charms, his handsome face, and solid acting chops have sealed the deal for him, thus allowing him to appear in several dramas to showcase his skills and add more meat to his resume.
Soon after, he was casted for Nevertheless, and while he was introduced at the beginning, his character was not that established compared to Park Jae-eon and Yoo Nabi. However, he conveniently swooped into the plot and succeeded in charming the fans who are already sick and tired on how Jae-eon treats and objectifies Nabi at times. For them, Do-hyeok was a breath of fresh air, that much needed kimchi kick from the greasiness of the current plot.
Chae Jonghyup received the brief and handled it well -- he overdelivered, in fact. He played the role of a palate cleanser in a drama that is already not seeing good ratings, but thanks to his character and his acting chops, the viewership has maintained a solid following and viewers are asking for more.
Aside from Nevertheless, he is also appearing in another drama -- The Witch's Diner produced by TVING, an online provider. He is acting alongside Song Jihyo and Nam Jihyun. He plays one of the leads there and he is also handling it well. It is noteworthy that both dramas are overlapping but it didn't harm one another, in fact it helped establish Chae Jonghyup's reputation here as a versatile actor who can do whatever role the director wants him to do.
We wish him all the best and we hope he gets more acting offers!
