It's Okay to Not Be Okay (2020)

This drama gives impact with their initial episodes, but fell flat and get confused afterwards.

This drama gives a great impact with their initial episodes (1-3), but unfortunately fell flat and get confused afterwards (imo).

FL and SML (brother) are really carry on this drama on their shoulder. Without them, i don’t really think want to finish this and it’s kinda sad because of the big name of KSH. I love him in LFTS as an alien but in this drama, his character almost feel like the same. His hairstyle, his attitude, his gesture, the way he talk and cried... i really want to sympathize with him as a character, but end up skip almost his crying scene for the entire episodes (T_T). The only drama that i really like him as a character is in “The Producer.”

The story itself is kinda confusing. What do you really want to tell? About mental illness, healing process, love story, or thriller? The combination of lots of genre didn’t really work in this drama (imo, i don’t wanna upset anyone). There is so much information that really don’t take the story anywhere. And it really bothers me that the FL doesn’t get any treatment whilst her behavior is really disturbing and danger for anyone around her (push someone from the stairs-not cool, driving like a maniac when angry and threating someone to fullfill your request-not cool, always scream at people-not cool and many more). I also don’t get why FL falls in love with ML (apart from his physical that really annoys me and it serves as fan service a lot of time T_T). There is no consistency on the characters also (the brother can act like an adult with high function intelect shows, but sometime he respons something like childlike with no intelect at all). I am not expert on this at all, but saying as a viewer who want to enjoy a “fantasy” drama that feels logic at least. And don’t get me started with the confusing timeline and lots of surprises that not necessary at all.

But, if you want to watch drama with full of beautiful people, fancy costumes, good CGI, don’t care about stuff that really matters in real life, and want to know about mental illness then this drama is for you :)

I will recommend anyone to watch “It’s Ok It’s Love” instead if you want to see about mental illness and healing process through being loved by someone. They focused on the main theme of mental illness that the ML suffer (JIS really good in this drama) and other characters with some condition were just information for viewers, that people with condition still can be fully function in their life.

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The same old clichés!

The story is not something that unique. Like most Korean love dramas it is full of predictable twists, childhood and parent relationships, jealousy and love triangles, characters trying to act cool and make the other lead jealous. For example, the other girl who loves the main lead has done nothing wrong but love him, give him a home and a job but still he never appreciated her enough and just uses her whenever he needs her. I know that happens in real life too but that's not ok as it is always shown in Kdramas. To be honest, watching that time when she is drunk and slaps the female lead and curses the male lead felt really good!
Also, again, like most other Korean dramas they just suddenly jump on a motorcycle to rescue their love in sadness. Ok, I'm not saying that's bad, but that happens in all Kdramas and sometimes it is performed even better. This show has a lot of these old cliches and I don't want to bore you mentioning all of them. Most scenes were based on them and even though it had other moments too, it was not satisfying enough.
As for the acting, the main male lead has this poker face a lot of times that I couldn't really connect with. The acting is not something that unique either. It is just fairly done.
I liked the cinematography for the first few episodes (which it just suddenly stopped). This small part is well done, but that's never enough to make a drama unique.

I want to point out some of my other views regarding the story.
let me first say that I love realistic dramas. Shows that mirror our daily problems which can happen even in a fantasy.
I don't like a show because everybody does, or hate it because everybody does so.

How probable is it that you willingly choose the same career of a mother whom you don't actually like? I'd say none.

The main reasons why I had problems with this show:

First of all, I love serious people, but I don't like arrogant ones. It's the easiest to be rude to others and angry if you're facing problems (or having mental issues). Blaming everything and everyone around you, thinking you are mistreated or you are better than others is very immature - Even though there is always a source for every bad trait of a person and they have to fix themselves and don't think it's ok to continue like this unless love happens and because they are not fine they can hurt others and people should always understand them. So, I don't want to watch the life of a person like that.

Secondly, the beautiful dresses and the cinderella complex! You may think what on earth you're talking about, but let me explain. The FL is far too dramatic. She has everything one could wish for. She has money, talents, she has a beautiful face, good people around her, and still, because of her past, she acts like she is the only one with problems without trying to work on them with the proper psychologist and overcome these problems, while people facing issues like hunger and inequality don't act rudely to that extent. I know that even rich people can suffer from all sorts of issues, but still, they have one very big problem less than others and they can actually pay for treatment. There is a difference between dying from hunger and suffering from past traumas which you can at least try to fix( with the money of course! Doing yoga, going traveling, seeing a psychologist, relaxing, and ...)

Thirdly, It still is full of cliches. In the end, she needed someone (read one man) to enter her life, so she could understand that she has problems and she has to change so she could be a better person for him, instead of fixing herself for the sake of herself and everyone around her. And the fact that even with her success she should still have a romantic life to be complete. ( I know this is a romance genre but still! )

lastly, It's completely mainstream, and still very stupid, of Korean shows when the protagonists' bad actions are always justified in a way, while those who do some bad things towards them are the mere evil ones. Let me make an example, if you have seen Revenge, the American show, you never feel like the female lead having done all sorts of things to get on with her plans is somehow justified. It's like she knows doing this she is no longer an innocent and decent person and she can never go back. Knowing that we can understand her better and like her better. The bad things she has done become a very important part of her, that sticks with her, even if she goes on with her life. Asian dramas always make everything about evil or good rather than the reality of the grey or black personality of people. Like they magically change to this person with a clean slate at the end. We are responsible for our actions and if someone does something bad to us or if we have traumas and mental problems it never justifies our bad behavior. We have to compensate for these rude actions, that's the proper response.

I want to see a Korean drama in which a woman helps other women without being arrogant (being serious still) or rude while having a bigger understanding of the world trying to be better while putting aside her own jealousy when she is communicating with a love rival, and love, well, that can happen too! But I guess I ask too much from this (dramaland) fantasy world. They are made for that purpose. :D

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One of the best Kdramas out there, imo

Never in my life have I ever watched a drama as it was airing. Never. I always waited until it was completed because I'm one impatient fella~ But this drama got me so curious since before the first trailer came out. Kim Soo Hyun, one of my fav actors, was officially casted for a drama role since his military discharge and Seo Ye Ji had caught my attention since 'Lawless Lawyer'; her voice was golden. So when the first trailer came out, I remembered being so intrigued with the couple's visuals and chemistry, I never stopped waiting for the 1st episode to come out already.

The show's over but I still need more! I've literally turned into an addict! I'm not satisfied with 16 eps. I can't believe it's over... I walked into this drama only knowing bits and pieces, and now, I walk out of this with a heavy heart, missing it like crazy. This was such a well-paced and life-learning series.

The story, from the get-go was nothing I've ever seen before. I don't remember watching anything quite like this. The added effects, animations and the cinematography tripled my excitement, and the uniqueness of how each episode title relates to the story of that particular episode increased my anticipation for the next ep. Each episode also has a lesson to teach us, and every week, the episodes keeps getting better and better. There's not one episode I've watched with dry eyes.

Also, from the first trailer itself, they tell us something about butterflies. This was the ONE thing I was so DESPERATELY curious about. They explain it in the later episodes, but butterflies are the main imagery of this drama. So beautiful, yet they hold an underlying despair.

"Don't let the past trap you, or you'll end up like me."
"The past can trap me? Then I can just open the door and get out."
"No, you can't. You won't be able to see the door."

I feel like every one of the characters in this drama has their own "mental illness", you know? Either subtly or quite obviously, and I'm excited to see whether they try to overcome it or learn to live with it. Most especially Goo Moon Young. Also, remember that "your eyes can tell stories your mouth never could." This was Moon Gang Tae His eyes ... they tell a thousand stories.

Another reason this drama intrigued me was the chemistry between Soo Hyun and Ye Ji. I've honestly never seen chemistry more explosive, more beautiful, more visually-appealing, more REAL than these two. And that's saying something. Also, Moon Sang Tae, he's a character I've began to love over the course of the drama. His character development, his kindness, his innocence and just about everything about him was so pure and beautiful. The trio have an amazing relationship with each other and no matter what, they're family.

Now for the music, oh, the music, man. I've got no words for the music in this drama. EVERY SINGLE ONE of them is a masterpiece! Every. Single. One. The aesthetic and the feelings that well up inside of you when you watch the scenes as the OSTs play in the background are unbelievable. Sometimes you can't help yourself from smiling, but most of the time you end up with a few or more tears. Fyi, I've added them all to my playlist ^_^

All in all, this show was a crying FESTIVAL and Moon Sang Tae was MVP! And that DARN DEER omg!
Tbh all the characters were so lovable (except that evil villain ofc)~ And all the side characters were worthy of being main characters. They were the stars of their own story and I just really liked them all~

I'm telling you this with utmost sincerity. You won't regret watching this drama. At the very least, just give it a try. The aesthetic, chemistry, acting, music, Kim Soo Hyun's eyes, Seo Ye Ji's voice, and Oh Jung Se's character. They are all best-sellers for this drama <3

I'm sorry if this review was all over place. It's my first time loving a drama this much and writing a review this long omg

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OVERRATED

I was really looking forward to watching this drama especially when I heard Kim Soo Hyun was playing the male lead, however unfortunately I was extremely disappointed.
I suspect it also has to do with my high expectations of this drama but honestly not only was the storyline average but also the soundtrack and character development wasn't intriguing.
I feel like it got so much attention because of the good looks of the main characters but I felt that their chemistry wasn't amazing and their relationship was overly complicated.
I didn't feel moved at all watching this and the ending wasn't satisfying. It has an interesting concept however lacked thematic value.
Overall it was an alright drama and there were some heartwarming moments however definitely did not deserve the praise that it had received.

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pure, healing and beautiful

the plot is nothing special, the story is really basic but somehow this is one of the most beautiful dramas I've ever watched, and not just in 2020.
there are 2 things I love that as long as they don't mess it up then I'll give the drama a 10/10 without a second thought. one is a strong independent smart capable diverse female character, honestly they can never go wrong when they have a female character that carries her own weight if not more.
And two is character driven slice of life healing dramas, I LOVE these types of stories, they are just raw and emotional and sad but beautiful enough to make you feel jealous

at a certain point in the drama they handled the mains "complicated" bickering relationship, they focused on Moon Sang Tae's natural jealous feelings because he was no longer his brothers "one and only" and it could've gone really badly if the writers used it for cheap angst but they handled it so beautifully that the developing relationships became 1000x better.

"mystery" wise I do think they lacked a little, but it's becasue they didn't use it for cheap thrill and looming danger but it was the base for their healing.
even throughout their "inevitable breakups" it was never about their selflessness or selfishness but it was another natural step to overcoming their past and struggles.
I was worried after ep14 that things might get off track but they stayed true to their story and I'm really pleased about where it's going

side character wise, again they lacked in delivery, the side stories and the effects they used to deliver the stories were beautiful and heartbreaking but I felt like they weren't 100% invested in their stories and they felt like mere time fillers, like Yoo Seung Jae never got any character depth and even though Jo Jae Soo was Moon Gang Tae's best friend for 10 years I couldn't understand how they all miraculously ended up in ok town (I'm sorry I don't know the name of their location xD)
that didn't make their unexpected friendships and familial bonds any less meaningful, but I wish they gave them a little more thought

the editing is beautiful, moonyoung's fairy tales and the use of fairy tale resembles, the ost and moonyoung's OOTD's just made this drama more enchanting and amazing~

I never rewatch stuff but it's only ep15 and I already miss them so much that I'm crying so I'd like to rewatch this again and again and again ;D

watching the ending I'm even happier now, this drama didn't use the past connections and the trauma as the main dish, it was always just the spice.
like in itaewon class the revenge and past trauma was the last big fight and the end was just a cleanup but this, it was always about the "cleanup" and I'm really satisfied with everything

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This year's one of the best drama!

Whoa! my reaction when I started to watch this drama, I wasn't sure before how it will turn out but it was amazing thank god I listen to my insticts and watched cause it was pretty amazing.

But it's not for anyone I say because you will love or hate it.

The plot was very interesting and addictive and main thing it's originality. I love the character development it was one of the best thing of this drama because you see every character is developing in their own way in every episode and it was refreshing to see. I also love those stories or I can say fairy tales.

Acting was topnotch, and ost was incredible (it's in my fav songs list).

Overall this drama was amazing and worthwatching !!

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Started off strong . . .

I'm not going to lie, I have a strong Kim Soo Hyun bias and have been really looking forward to his post-military duty drama comeback. I think the concept of the story was intriguing, the cinematography: excellent, the cast: spectacular, the soundtrack: addictive, but the execution didn't quite reach the desired effect. I do give a lot of props to the writers for writing stories within the story. The illustrations and moral messages of Moon Young's fairytales were so poignant and beautifully written. I'm grateful for this drama because it introduced me to the talent that is Seo Ye Ji. She is gorgeous, her acting is top-notch, and her voice is absolutely mesmerizing.

The story started off so strong and made me jump to my tv at 9am every Sat/Sun morning to watch this drama as soon as it was released...sadly, a little past the midpoint it fell victim to the k-drama slump and lost its momentum. There was also a huge question left unanswered: how the hell did Moon Young's mom survive all those years?

The drama does take an interesting look at mental health since essentially everyone in this drama have their own varying conditions but it's also very insulting to healthcare workers. Never have I seen more incompetent, irresponsible, and gossipy caregivers. I certainly wouldn't trust this staff to look after my family members. The staff handle altercations so carelessly that it's a wonder they haven't been shut down yet.
Anyways, Gang Tae and Sang Tae's relationship is absolutely heartbreaking. This pair of brothers depend on each other so much that it actually caused a slump in both of their mental health developments. Fueled by love, guilt, and responsibility, Gang Tae sacrifices all of himself and more for Sang Tae however, this is a double-edged sword since the result is that Gang Tae has no life of his own and Sang Tae is smothered by Gang Tae's mothering. Enter Go Moon Young. She is the exact opposite of selfless Gang Tae. She's bold, selfish, unapologetic, and demanding with everything around her. If she likes something, she will stop at nothing to own it. . .which includes Gang Tae.
The beauty of their relationship is that Moon Young forces Gang Tae to act for himself and learn that it's okay for him to be a little selfish. In return, Gang Tae teaches Moon Young to not only think about her own needs. They also have a wonderful group of friends who at times, act as their enablers and at other times, help to raise them up when they crumble.

Overall, it was very enjoyable and it's an delight to watch these 3 characters love, hurt, and grow together as friends, siblings, lovers, and people.

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BEST KDRAMA EVER!!!

Well, this is my very first review on this website and in general cause I've never written one so please bear with me if I start swooning over something while reviewing it lol. Let's begin!

First of I wanna say that this is the perfect cast ever. From KSH and OJS's versatility to our underrated queen's crazy acting we totally got surprised! Ngl but like many people I came here to check out KSH but I got mesmerized with SYJ too. The side characters are so amazing too and they've got their own character development and story going on which is pretty great as so many dramas tend to neglect it. If you're tempted by cast you're in for a treat.

Next let's talk about the story. So a lot of people say that this is a very slow drama and there's not much happening here or there's no plot twist or climax or this drama is overrated and stuff. Guys, lol just wanna say one thing that this drama for sure is not everyone's cup of tea. There doesn't have to be a plot twist every 2 episodes for this to be a MASTERPIECE! It's not an action/thriller. This drama is more character driven. There are some flaws in the story but nothing can be perfect! I'm not saying the story isn't good. The story is fantastic imo but the people who come in with high expectations for the story tend to get disappointed. In the great words of KSH this is a “HUMAN HEALING DRAMA” so keep that in mind. This drama has the best characters and the best character development. From the leads to a recurring character. This drama is about experiencing their journeys, their mental breakdown and their healing. You wouldn't be disappointed. I promise. Also take it as a drama lol. Some people start comparing it with real life but this is still fiction and it's here to teach you some morals.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CHEMISTRY AND THIS WAS THE SWOON PART I MENTIONED EARLIER!!! I swear to God KSH and SYJ are the most beautiful human beings I've seen in one frame. I saw the poster and the poster alone had so much chemistry that I was like COUNT ME IN! These two have so much sexual tension that I can't help but ship them irl lol. It hurts. For me this is my favorite couple now. It's gonna be tough to see them paired up with another actors in future lol. Hoping for another drama from them. Guys, these two produce so much electricity that they can light up North Korea fr. I love them so much! If you're into the drama just for romance this is the one you're looking for. AND THE KISSING SCENE *chef's kiss*

I wanna wrap this up by saying that there's a lot of fairy tales in the drama that are shown from a different perspective which is rather harsh and more closer to the door of reality. It's ironic cause fairy tales are supposed to be a strawberry world where everything is perfect but this drama tends to take a darker turn on them and show the reality behind them and suddenly you question the way you're looking at life. This drama highlights a famous prover i.e. “don't judge a book by it's cover”. There are so many people out there who need help and just want someone to reach out to them but people are rather judgey and that's the nature of our society. But when the person just can't take it anymore and decides to end his/her life then suddenly there are a lot of people crying for you after you're gone. As someone once said “not everyone wants to die. Some people just wants to be able to close their eyes and feel alright. Some people just want their sufferings to end”. So everyone please just show someone near to you that you care and god knows if that can make a huge difference in other persons life like KMY. She just wanted someone to be by her side. So everyone be happy, happy happy!

Last but not the least, the transitions, editing and the OST!!! This drama is a package and if you're missing out on this i don't know what to do. This is my favorite drama now. Now I'm going cause I wanna rewatch it lol. Oh did I mention that this is a 100% rewatch worthy cause I myself have watched each episode more than 20 times. I'm obsessed and bye now. Thanks for reading xoxo!!

Just a reminder don't be overhyped by anything this is just my pov. Go in with the least expectations and that's how you can enjoy the drama even more haha! ~

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Avereage Drama wherein People are Just hyping the Shit Out of it

The Drama was really good at the beginning and deserved all the praise it deserved at first. But after the first few episodes, The writer and the director just got lazy, the production quality dropped and turned out to be an average Romance drama with a Ridiculous plot twist.

The Performance of Seo Ye Ji and Oh Jung Se was really good an was perfect for their characters, but Kim Soo Hyun's performance was just average and nothing more than that. Although all the other side characters did a pretty good job, Kim Soo Hyun's acting became a negative influence on the drama.

The typical push and pull which started from the 7th episode itself even before properly developing the Romance and continuing it upto the episode 14 is also one of the most cliche' things, from wherein the drama started to Disappoint.

Don't even get me started with the plot twist, it was so ridiculous that it completely ruined some characters, Made them inconsistent and also even made the initial interaction of leads into a ridiculous one. What I hated the most about the writing was that not only did they ruin the Second half of the drama, but also the good parts of the drama after the plot twist and saying that it was all her doing. I just can't seem to understand why people are just overlooking over the ridiculous plot twist and inconsistent characters by saying that no drama is perfect. For God sake, the Defining plot twist of the drama is what they ruined and people are just ready to overlook that fact. (Typical Fanbase)

The Second half of the drama is full of Cliche' Romance and typical fan service which could've been nice to watch if the drama was consistent in its tone and Characters. And the Ending, Mental illness is such an easy thing to cure if it's not for our Main Characters. Many of the patients in the hospital were cured (that too offscreen), because why not, nobody cares about the Side characters. Can't believe it is the same drama wherein they used a good amount of screen time in some episodes for us to empathise with side characters.

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An average drama which is overrated because of powerful chemistry

Let me be honest here, like everyone else I like the chemistry between leads. It is very powerful and not to forget characters are interesting by own. But calling it a masterpiece seems little overrated. It was started and promoted that FL is suffering from ASPD, if it were BPD I will adjust but this disorder is a very strong topic which needs to handle carefully. Do the writers know what SOCIOPATH means? They promoted it like now everyone out there thinks that people with ASPD are cool and badass? Why? Why do you have to ruin it using it as a promotion? FL is already interesting, even without adding such a thing. Let's focus on how they handle other character's mental problem treated, this drama shed light that mentally disabled people and all those who deal with mental problems need to treated with emotions too. But where was the professional help?? All the characters and head of the psychiatric hospital seem so ridiculous.

Now moving to leads, all the feminist out there found it cool when FL harass or force ML to do things which he doesn't want. Probably he falls in love later but TOXIC is TOXIC. No doubt, the chemistry in undernying. And the biggest mystery about FL Mom doesn't live up to expectations.

As individual characters, I like all the characters. They are at least emotionally relatable to some extent.

ACTING-

When I say that story is mediocre but actors put their souls, I mean this. Seo ye Ji and Oh Jung Se nailed their roles even though character was flawed at a time. Compare to his previous dramas, Kim So Hyun is good here not exceptional but enough to hook me with his character. The acting of Seo ye Ji stood out most for me in this one, she showed emotion with her eyes.

MUSIC -

This drama is one of the best albums out there. Nothing more to say, each soundtrack hit differentt

REWATCH VALUE -

I won't go for rewatching often but yes I can definitely rewatch some of the clips but not the whole drama since I couldn't cooperate with the story.

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It's Okay To Not Be Okay Is...Okay

I'm not a fan of romance whatsoever but I am a fan of great storytelling when it involves small doses of romance. That being said great storytelling also involves great screenwriting where the dialogue is clear and compelling and doesn't leave all the heavy lifting to the viewers. But what 'It's Okay To Not Be Okay' suffers from is its heavy reliance on flashbacks. It's okay when you're recapping episodes and if they are used sparingly for dramatic effect but if you have to continually remind viewers of certain plot points then it seems to indicate a lack of confidence in the story itself. The likelihood of a man with an autistic older brother falling in love with the daughter of the woman who murdered his mother is a hard sell. And even with some strong individual performances at times by the show's leads, I didn't buy it. I wasn't convinced of the motive that caused the mother to kill in the first place. I also thought the show did a very poor job of exploring the real-life stigma that people with mental health issues face.

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A Bittersweet Fairytale...

It is undeniable that even amongst the drama-watcher community, there tends to be a notable problem of more well-known dramas being “ overrated” or “ glossed over” from noticeable flaws by biased fans of certain actors, actresses or directors, and “ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay” is certainly no exception .

Written by lesser-known screenwriter Jo Yong ( After The Rain, Jugglers), ‘It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ plays itself upon being an “ atypical” romance between a stoic, yet kind-hearted psychiatric health worker called Moon Gang Tae ( Kim Soo Hyun ) and the eccentric children’s writer Ko Moon Young ( Seo Ye Ji) as they both try to find new ways to heal and recover from their past traumatic wounds along the way ...

Before talking about the interesting joys and delights of characterisation in the show, it is first prominent to commend most of the cast for their performances. Oh Jung Se was undeniably brilliant within his role as Gang Tae’s older autistic brother Moon Sang Tae; a performance which was angst-ridden and heartwarming for viewers over the course of series . Parallel to Jung Se, of course, was undeniably Seo Ye-Ji’s performance as the witty, sardonic yet complicated children’s writer Ko Moon Young; purposefully comical and flamboyant, yet intricately heartbreaking as well.

Truthfully, however, the show’s acting quality could sometimes be a mixed bag, not least from Kim Soo Hyun as our main lead. Although Soo-Hyun is undeniably a brilliant and talented actor, his role as Gang Tae was a little lacklustre and “ wooden” at times to say the least. This is not to say that his performance was unwatchable nor was it “ dire” , however, considering his reputation as a top-notch actor, it was a little surprising that Soo-Hyun didn’t truly add anything to his character . On the other hand , perhaps some of this can also be attributed with screenwriter Jo Yong’s deliverance of characterisation and several plot inconsistencies as well.

As a concept, ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ did not truly step upon new ground with its setup of the recently popular “ reversed gender trope ” in Korean dramas (where the female lead “ calls the shots”, and the male lead is nothing more than the “ object of obsession” in her eyes at first). Nevertheless, one of the undeniable great strengths of ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ was its ability to write several fairly “ fleshed-out” main characters who gradually grow over the course of the series .

Ko Moon-Young wasn’t supposed to be your typical “ Princess” heroine ( even labelling herself to be the “ Pretty Witch” of the story) ; she is successful and a talented writer, but intrinsically insecure and traumatised by her complicated past and her estranged relationship with her seemingly mentally-ill father as well. It remains apparent after finishing the show that Moon-Young often allowed her dark and twisted fairytales to adorn her view of the world; fairytales were once used commonly as morality tales to scare children and adults away from danger, a bittersweet belief (, which despite Moon-Young’s often reckless behaviour, )she applied full-heartedly to her own reality and comes to several harsh wake-ups calls by stepping away from these beliefs over the course of the series.

It is therefore apparent that just whilst Moon-Young is your “ atypical, yet typical” heroine, Moon Gang Tae is your “ usual, yet unusual ” knight in shining armour.

Gang-Tae is hard to really describe or feel true emotional attachment towards as a character ( perhaps explaining why Soo Hyun’s performance felt a little lacklustre at times) , due to his often stoic expressions and unreadable personality ( especially in comparison to Moon-Young) over the course of the series.

Nevertheless, it’s wrong to entirely dismiss Gang-Tae as a “ terribly-written character” , as his “ apathy” is often broken in the face of his trauma and clearer feelings( particularly towards his brother and later Moon-Young) in the second-half, however, the biggest problem about Gang-Tae’s characterisation was often a consequence of his sudden transition feeling a little purposeless.Although the show attempted to explain this characterisation by having to look after Sang-Tae as the “ carer” in their fraternal relationship, as well as evidently irked by Moon-Young in the beginning of the show, considering the extent of some of his traumas, Gang Tae’s reactions and coming to grips with them often felt lacklustre and perhaps resulted in Gang Tae merging into a “ stock male lead” over the course of the drama.

Naturally this draws us up onto the aspect of relationships in ‘ Its Okay, Not To Be Okay’. Perhaps the most praiseworthy thing to note about the programme is that although it is a “ romance” drama, it points out many different types of relationships ; from paternal ( such as the case of Kim Mi Sung’s character Kang Soon Deok and her adoration for her daughter Nam Joo Ri played by Park Gyu Young) ,to the fraternal bond between Gang Tae and Sang Tae and to the obvious romantic bond between Gang Tae and Moon Young over the course of the series.

In the case of the latter relationship , the show had an odd balance between genuine and striking similarities between the polar opposites acting as their magnetic force to stick together, as well as later riding upon several cliches which intrinsically took certain earlier driving factors from their fairly well-written and blossoming relationship. The ending was undeniably sweet, though perhaps a little anticlimactic for some watchers (considering the darker themes tackled).

The obvious and evident pairing overshadowed in the show by Gang Tae and Moon Young’s romance , occurred between Nam Joo Ri(Gang-Tae’s “ lovelorn” best friend) and Moon Young’s colleague and CEO of the publishing company Lee Sang In ( Kim Joo Heon). By default their pairing should have perhaps been the most grounded portrayal of the most “ normalised” romantic relationship in the show , however, by investing so much time into Gang-Tae and Moon Young’s, Sang In and Joo Ri’s pairing felt lacklustre , incredibly forced and a cliche setup between the “ extras”, rather than fleshed-out and realistically built-upon over time.

So, is ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ actually worth watching? Although there were a couple of questionable acting moments, cliches and plot inconsistencies, ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ was still a good drama, and certainly shouldn’t be dismissed as “ mediocre” ; the plot was intriguing, the cinematography was creative and beautifully shot, the OST was eclectic and themes of mental-health as well as psychology were fairly well-tackled and portrayed. ( Perhaps one of the most gripping scenes in the whole series came from a veteran soldier experiencing a bout of PTSD and the horrific scenes through the cinematography he was seeing on a normal bus ride.) ‘ It’s Okay, Not To Be Okay’ is undeniably not a flawless show, however, it is certainly still worth a watch ( not least for Moon Young’s more and more extravagant attires by each passing episode).

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