The friendzone exists, but there are also people who expect to be dated for being nice and that isn't a real friendzone even though it gets called it.

The real friendzone is when you start out as friends with a girl. She doesn't want to date you or she's taken, and you don't want to date her (yet) but you're both happy being friends.

And then you fall in love with her. And pain. Pain for everybody. THAT'S the friendzone.