It's Okay to Not Be Okay (2020)

Hauntingly Beautiful

I was waiting for the show to air on Netflix in my region for a couple of months now. It just got added this week so I binge-watched it in a couple of days (which I now absolutely regret, so I started rewatching it at a slower pace).

I have been personally dealing with depression half of my life, and I've come a long way, however, this show managed to open old wounds that I've ignored and in a way, make me realize that I need to heal as opposed to just living in a numb state of mind.

The main characters have all done an outstanding job at their roles. Kim Soo Hyun as the loving, caring brother, who bottles everything up, Ye Ji as the writer that can't connect to or seem to process her feelings and lastly, Oh Jung Se with his beautiful portrayal of someone with Autism. The stories and the messages they entail are where the beauty lies. I also absolutely loved the Tim Burton type of animation incorporated into most of the episodes. The cinematography was marvelous.

I finished watching the show yesterday morning and I've had a lump in my throat ever since. It gave me all the feels, from sadness to being frustrated/ angry to weeping like a babe to pure happiness. And although there was one revelation at the beginning of episode 15 that felt anticlimactic, it was so trivial to me because the story and the focus on the emotional healing was what made the show, so it really didn't bother me as I considered it a side thing.

I don't think I'll be getting over this show anytime soon, and I recommend watching it at a slower pace and not binging in order to appreciate the shows beauty in the smallest details.

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Must watch !!!!!

Firstly , the story is Amazing ...and the plot twists are just awesome !! ...at first I watched this drama mainly for Kim so hyun bcoz it's his first drama after serving military but I fell in love in seo ye ji !!! ...loved her way of style and acting ..she went into the character of ko mun yeong very well ..I really appreciate the acting of the cast ! Wonderful ❣️
I can't forget to appreciate oh jung se ...he really did acting of moon sang tae very well !!!
When it comes to OSTS ....I can say the are addictive ... especially the background music of its okay not to be okay !

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No specific spoilers

First let’s start with the portrayal of Koreans or Korean women rather as sexual beings,the fact that Koreans are the most conservative people and they made a drama like this showing emotions and sexual desire is amazing to witness. Shows that they are people too and there is no shame in desiring something. I like those parts a lot. It wasn’t anything slutty,it’s just how we humans are built.

Secondly,I loved how Sangtae grew as a character,as someone who has an autistic family member,witnessing some of their characteristics in Sangtae made my heart feel at ease. They are people too and living with a disability shouldn’t define their entire being. The portrayal of him being able to associate peoples feelings made my heart flutter especially when he was taking care of Munyeong,and he could tell what she was feeling.

Thirdly a new side of koreans dealing with mental illness. I won’t get too much into it but we all know it’s something they overlook.

Fourthly the relationship between Gantae and Munyeong is so complex but beautiful. They have good chemistry. They evoked feelings of loneliness and longing I didn’t know I had.

Lastly I honestly recommend this drama. It’s amazing. Please go watch it if you haven’t. I tried not to put any spoilers. The ending was so beautiful. The way Sangtae found his own path made me cry. I loved the way the characters kept developing,they weren’t stagnant. The supporting cast also didn’t feel like the supporting cast,the way they also developed without actually relying on the main characters was beautiful to see. I wish I hadn’t watched this drama because I want to experience it again with fresh new eyes.

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MY FAVOURITE DRAMA EVER!!!

It's Okay to Not Be Okay it by far my favourite drama I've ever watched. Where should I even begin explaining.

First of all, the Characters: This isn't your typical the boy gets the pretty girl story, here the girl Ko Munyeong is a savage, speaks her mind type who gets whatever she wants no matter what, even if she has to kill. The male protagonist, Moon Gang Tae, is a unique character, he has quite some childhood trauma so he's able to hide his feelings very easily, he's also one of the few people who isn't scared of Ko Munyeong. Moon Sangtae is Gangtae's elder brother who has an autism problem, he acts like a child and has a fear of butterflies due to some circumstances.

Next the acting: Kim Soohyun and Seo Yeji have GREAT chemistry and can tackle such hard roles. Oh Jungse probably has the hardest character to portray in this drama but he executed it very well.

Finally the story: The story is full of twists and turns and includes a mystery, and romance part of it, the story is so well written that I can't get enough of it. It's also really unbelievable how 2 of the main characters even fall in love in the first place. IT'S VERY REWATCHABLE! I know that I'm not speaking for only myself but a lot of people watching that they are not ready to let this drama go when it finished.

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A drama with it's highs and lows

I watched this show based on friend's recommendation with expectation of good drama. This show does shed light on mental challenges different set of people face in their lives, as story progress the show focuses on each character reasons for their difficulties but glosses over the importance of self healing instead rely on dramatic external factors for healing.

Acting wise, all 3 leads are good, it is oh jung-se (moon sang-tae) who manage to made me tear up a little. Cinematography, children book stories and family bond among all 3 leads are USP of this show; there is plenty of character development for the leads but i am not convinced on the progress.

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from the moment i saw the trailer the series was an instant hit, and it did. the cast were tremendous with their roles. i'd like to commend oh jung se playing sangtae cause he did an astounding job. the drama is really an eyeopener to sensitive topics about mental health, social wellbeing and many more. oh and have a mentioned the soudtracks for this drama, literally screams perfection. cinematography on point as expected from tvn. i just want to say that this drama will always have a special place in my heart it really is beautifully made and changed my perspective in a lot of things. 10/10 would recommend for avid drama watchers.

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K-drama has just had the most dramatic shift in history

Okay, that might be too much but for me it is.

Now, what to say...I have A LOT to say about this drama.

The storyline is one of the best I’ve seen in Korean Drama history. Though, mental/psychological/psychiatrical stories have been made before but this drama truly dug deep into its theme. I applaud the writers for creating such a masterpiece and laying out the plot very well. To be honest, a mix of the usual cliche stories we often see are still in the drama but tweaked so—I’m sorry—damn well that it wasn’t boring to watch. I like how exactly connected the title of the episodes are not only with Gang Tae and Moon Yeong but even with the extended stories of the supporting roles at the hospital. It’s very much clear how well the whole plot has been thought out, wonderful job!

The characters were beyond amazing. Their stories were all complete. All characters (at least those that matters) have their background stories and I like how well they were written. Starting from their mental/psychological needs to how they got it and how they were able to overcome it. I’d say that the characters were completely and perfectly sculpted. Each character has a reason why they are in the drama. And I also like how the friends surrounding the three of them never pulled them down but waited and kept on encouraging and supporting them no matter what. Kdrama writers...please take notes.

The whole series is full of symbolisms and contrasting ideas and I LOVE IT! The butterfly, the red shoes, the long hair, the scars, the bandages, the drawings—literally oozing with symbolisms that I made it a game to find them while watching. And then the contrasting ideas: the butterfly could be both a symbol for being psycho or a cure; the fact that Sang Tae was considered the liability but most of the time his words give the greatest realization to Gang Tae; the fact that Gang Tae was so good with his job—controlling/appeasing people with mental/psychological/emotional needs—but he’s in complete turmoil; the fact that Moon Yeong helped a lot of people overcome and pick themselves up when she’s the most broken one; and a lot more.

Cinematography! Wow just wow. I don’t know much but just the way it’s different from other dramas already deserve an acknowledgement from me. The transitions of the scenes are almost peculiar but it’s so fun. I also like how they actually show what each person is feeling or thinking in actual representations. At first I thought it has horror but then realized that they just wanted to let us see inside, and that’s really cool.

Need I say more about the cast? Sublime! Kim Soo Hyun has always been good, so that 인정! Oh Jung Se truly truly did such a good job portraying a person with autism. But the most I’m impressed with is Seo Ye Ji, I’ve always liked her, but I get to like her even more; I cannot imagine her not acting as Moon Yeong, she’s PERFECT for the role!

My last thoughts would be regarding Sang Tae and Gang Tae. As a person with a sister with special needs too, I’ve been continuously affected and touched by most of the scenes between brothers, especially about “Moon Gang Tae is for Moon Gang Tae”...this feeling is inevitable and yes it’s not easy to overcome and I like how that’s the final scene; that everyone is their own and that it takes time to understand and accept. I also like how in the whole series, no unnecessary scenes where Sang Tae gets bullied by extras just for the sake of making a point that he’s different or just to say that he’s being discriminated and looked down upon. We don’t need that and I’m thankful for that writers.

Truly amazing drama. Will definitely be watching it again soon just so I could see what I missed before.

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Master piece!

Strong storytelling, i love how they put all the pieces together and slowly develop the characters. It make the audience emerging with protagonists. The emotional engagement is absolutely beautiful. The order, the pace, the acting are meticulous. I would rate 12/10. I never watch any drama or movie with this kind of theme, the bromance, the love they have for each other are just really touching. I can put myself into their shoes by watching this whole series. Fabulous. Everyone acting skills are on point, especially KimSooHyun(main male cast), OhJungSe(the brother) and ParkGyuYoung are particularly good. I am totally astonished by it. I never expect they can be that good, all the tiny details and facial expressions are excellent. All the characters are really realistic, very 3d, the dilemma in life, the selfishness, the conflicts, what they experience shape who they are, their personality, their identities. The interactions and conversations between characters are interesting to watch.

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Best❤️

It is a very unique drama that really needs to be appreciated. It was a big step to produce a full-length drama tackling about different mental health disorders. This drama is very psych-heavy but I guess people need to be aware of these disorders too. They need proper treatment and not judgement. The story is a bit cliche but they really added a unique touch to it. Since this Psych-themed drama shows how their thoughts run in their minds, I love how they portray these thoughts using animation and exaggeration (for differentiation from reality). People with mental health disorders might not be able to distinguish reality from their imaginations, thoughts, or fantasies, but the people around them could. We should show them that we understand them and we care for them (Just like how Gang Tae does it). It's good that they get treatment. I just wish Mun Yeong will also get treated. I know her character will still develop so let's wait for it. However, we must not romanticize her inappropriate actions. She has anti-social personality disorder which makes her unable to distinguish between right and wrong. This must not be tolerated and Gang Tae is doing a great job correcting her. This is still ongoing but it already made us feel different emotions. It's good that people are becoming more aware of different mental health issues and the triggers that can be associated with it. Thank you, It's Okay To Not Be Okay :)

Music, animations, acting 100% Seo Yeji's voice? 101%!!

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A drama you keep in mind for a long time.

If you haven’t watched this drama I suggest you do it. It will be a roller coaster of emotions. This is one of those dramas you keep in mind for a long time.

It has been a really long time since i watched a good drama without having to skip some parts and very visually pleasing. The storyline was simple yet the actors made it even more interesting and watchable.

1. Ko Moon Young is now on my top favorite actress list. She appears very mysterious, serious and with a great sense of fashion. I’m tall and slim like her which gave some cool ideas about outfits I could wear. She appears tough but deep inside she is very soft and sensitive wanting to receive unconditional love. Despite the fact her mom wanted for Ko Moon to be just like herself, an evil, selfish, killer but Ko Moon became the best version of herself because she is now surrounded with love and a has a new family to lean on.

2.About artistic and design part I’m speechless. The colors in every scene, i mean everything is so detailed and aesthetically pleasing. The gothic aesthetic mixed with modern its so beautiful. Ko Moon Young’s inside part of the house Is a place I would like to explore. If i ever encounter an old 100 year old building or older ugh just let me be there living my fantasy.

3. Psychological. The story tells us how not everything we see or hear appears to be like that. People are very good at hiding their emotions and true feelings at some point but not for long. It’s the fear of rejection, low self esteem perhaps a goal they have to achieve, that makes them to lie. You can’t lie your true self and you know it. The more you do it the more hurt you’ll get. So it’s better to speak the truth when you feel ready.

I could rewatch this drama anytime it’s so visually pleasing, especially Ko Moon Young scenes. Her fashion is always on point. You don’t get to see people dressed up like in everyday life so it’s exiting. ❤️
Lot’s of Love
G.
Albania

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