It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020)

Best Kdrama I've Watched

I've watched up to a total of 70+ dramas and I have to say that this must be my number 1. I kept watching ever since the drama premiered up until the last episode. And now that the drama ended, honestly, I feel slightly empty and I am not ready to move on. First of all, the best part of this drama is the character development. If you watch the interviews and press conferences they kept emphasizing that this drama should be a "human healing" drama. And truth be told, the healing journey of the characters were portrayed beautifully and was also wrapped up perfectly. And we could see the development not only in their personalities but in their relationship with each other as well. This goes to the second point of the interesting depths of the characters, particularly the main 3, Gangtae, Sangtae, and Moonyoung. Most Kdramas have 2D characters and they do not go in-depth towards the layers of the characters. However, this drama gave such fresh new characters, particularly for Munyeong and Sangtae. Munyeong is not the typical "weak, feminine" female character that a lot of kdrama characters have and she has so much more layers other than her "antisocial" personality. She also dresses very well. Sangtae is an autistic character and we also don't see this a lot in other dramas. This drama successfully brought onto the kdrama scene new characters and topics such as mental health that are rarely highlighted.
The second point is the emotional delivery. Throughout the drama, I felt like my heart was ripped apart and then mended and then ripped apart again. I honestly do not know how many times I have cried when watching it. I could feel the emotions of the characters and their pain and that is why it was very easy for me to cry along with them. Moreover, I found myself relating to their pains which makes it more emotionally engaging. I feel like the traumas and the pain these characters have would somewhat be relatable to most people.
The third point is the casting and the acting. I gave it a 10/10 because I sincerely could not imagine other actors taking the role of Gangtae, Sangtae, and Moonyoung. I don't think I have to say a lot about Kim Soo Hyun. He is a talented actor and very very handsome. Although in the beginning, his acting could be seen as rather flat, but as the drama goes on, we get to see why he didn't show many expressions and we also get to see more emotional delivery and dynamics in his acting. Seo Ye Ji is the perfect Ko Mun Yeong. I am honestly speechless with her portrayal of Ko Mun Yeong because she played her perfectly. Her expressions and how she delivers her lines successfully demonstrates Munyeong's bulldozer personality. She was also able to portray Munyeong's personal pains which made my heart break real bad. I feel like she really understands Ko Mun Yeong inside out and therefore she was able to play Munyeong flawlessly. Lastly, but definitely not the least, Oh Jung Se as Moon Sang Tae is just phenomenal. You just 100% believe that he is autistic and sometimes when I watch their behind the scenes or interviews I kind of get shocked that he is not really autistic. Even his small gestures with his fingers and his eyes really brought Sangtae to life.
When talking about casting, we have to take into consideration the chemistry between the actors. Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Ye Ji's chemistry is out of this world. I don't know if it is because they are great actors or if it's because they look alike that made their chemistry so phenomenal. They both were able to portray that they were really in love and makes you want to really root them that they actually are in real life. Honestly, they are also the ultimate visual couple. I really couldn't stop being in awe of their beauty when watching. Moreover, the chemistry between the three main actors was also amazing. You really could see that they are a genuine family.
Overall, every episode was perfect and beautiful. The director also was able to deliver aesthetic scenes which makes it enjoyable to watch. The OSTs are also beautiful, it gets stuck in my head but it's not on Spotify yet so I'm sad. The only one lacking point of this drama (SPOILER) is the lack of explanation of Munyeong's mom which I thought could be written better. But after analyzing it and after watching the best drama ending ever, I've settled with that it was not important. The explanation was not important for Munyeong because she just wants to forget her completely and thus maybe that is why we shouldn't be bothered either. Oh and honestly I think Jaesu kind of deserved better. He was so loyal but I feel like he was always taken for granted. I also gave the rewatch value 10/10 because even after 3 days since the finale, I am still rewatching clips and is already planning to rewatch it. OH and one of the best things should be the witty references to the previous episodes in ep 15 and 16 such as the deer and the saranghae part.

Lire davantage

I never leave a review, but this show deserves it.
Just the fact that they went in and dealt with mental health issues so beautifully is an amazing start already. Pair that with some of the best of acting I've seen, and a great script and the recipe is this amazing work of art.
There were unexpected twists and beautiful character growth. This show grabs you from the get go and doesn't let go.
I will say it's not for everyone,it does deal with very heavy issues, but it truly does it in such a beautiful way.
The amount of detail in this show is also very good and the attention paid tp the mental health problems is done well.
I loved this drama from begining to end, and it's one i will be re watching for sure.

Lire davantage

She's hella toxic

Well, the drama had a really good story, I really like the main male character, but Muyeong is just too shitty... She does whatever she whants, have really problematic actions and even so Gangtae was falling in love with her... If it was the opposite, the guy doing all those kinds of things I think more people would also find it problematic. The turning point for me to drop it was that he was falling in love with her, even if she was hella abusive with him and even used his brother to manipulate him. If the story continued and they helped each other to heal themselves and just be friends I would like the plot, but Gangtae falling in love with her was the end of it for me hahahhah

Lire davantage

Overrated mess

Cliche, tropey, messy. Thanks for all the puffy reviews for making me waste my time watching this less than mediocre story. Y'all really need to get TASTE before giving 10* reviews just because you stan the male lead actor or think the leads are attractive.
Autism story is nothing to write home about, there are tons of other series that tackle this subject better. Netflix Atypical for example does it 100000000000000x better.
Female lead is toxic af, even sexually harass the ML and the super woke viewers think this okay because of what exactly? If y'all had any coherence you wouldn't ship this couple.
Lots of mental illness used for comic relief or depicted in a stereotypical matter like the lady who sobs everytime because she gets triggered over the most inane things. Depression aint cute, funny and is definetly not like that IRL.
The manic episode used for comic relief yiiiikes
Faux woke series for faux woke people tbh

Lire davantage

Great Series

Great Writers, Great Actors, Great plot-line... The filming locations and sites used have been wonderful to the story line... Thoroughly enjoying this show... I laugh and cry with them... Only seen 10 episodes so far but I've loved each and every one of them ... The show gets better each week and episode... The main character actors (Ms Ko and Gang Tae) are incredible and talented... The actress that plays Ms. Ko is absolutely ravishing and gorgeous... Her wonderful extensive wardrobe enhances upon her visual beauty... She comes across as intense as she plays this complicated person with deep psychological issues/problems... The actor that plays Gang Tae is also a gifted and talented actor... He too is able to bring and define his feeling to the viewer...Great job...

Lire davantage

Excellent (9.8)

This review may not be super helpful, but I absolutely loved the series. Please note that I’m an extremely harsh grader and that’s why this show is not a 10. If anything, I would probably rate this series a 9.8. The acting was excellent. I LOVED the incorporation of the psychological elements of the story and the main characters novels. The plot was phenomenal, I loved the romance. This series was what I would consider to be as close to perfect as a K-Drama has ever been minus the ending which I thought was a bit weak. Either way, I absolutely loved this series and the actors were all incredible. This was so well done, I can honestly not recommend this enough.

Lire davantage

Life Isn't Always Fair!

14/01/2023

This is more or less about a 30 year old male that puts his whole social life on hold because of an older autistic brother only to have his world turned upside down when he meets a female author with a personality disorder.

It's not one's everyday typical type of romance which is rather refreshing plus it is quite intriguing observing the dynamics between a relatively "normal" guy and these two high maintenance characters in his life.

However, there is alot more to the story than just this chance encounter as there is actually history shared between them that goes back to their childhood plus something more than that - that is twisted.

One of the saddest lines ever from Moon Kang Tae (Kim Soo Hyun) that touched me to the core:

"I never want to be born again."

From a conversation between his "fake" mother and himself when she told him to repay her by being reborn again as her son, but he didn't want that because of all the burdens and hardships of his current life with his brother.

Kang Tae can't be in a real relationship because his brother requires full attention not to mention the guilt he carries of leaving his autistic brother to drown (almost) once and wanting him to die when they were younger as well as wishing a number of times that he was just "normal."

In addition, with the murder of their mother as youngsters and the case still being unsolved it still impacts on the two brothers in some ways - what they don't know, however, is the person responsible is connected to them including Go Mun Young, the author.

This unravels more and more in the later episodes until it is no longer a whodunnit anymore.

So, we have three beautiful damaged souls trying to survive life the best way they can all because of one selfish, sadistic, narcissistic person in their past that set that path in motion.

It is a brilliant and unique series which I thoroughly enjoyed!

ADDITIONAL NOTE:

I first saw Kim Soo Hyun in HOTEL DEL LUNA only dont really remember his character so perhaps it was quite minor and then recently in ONE ORDINARY DAY which was truly outstanding although I have yet to watch a few parts l missed as I don't like violence and also a few episodes from MY LOVE IS FROM THE STAR which is not too bad.

I read he is the highest paid or one of the highest paid Korean actors and I can see to an extent why that would be with ONE ORDINARY DAY and ITS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY, but I would really like to see more versatility and if he can pull off comedy which is really hard to do. I need more proof!

I know some think he is very handsome and attractive, but it is his eyes really that are alluring and height rather than anything else.

There are a few better looking Korean and Chinese male actors I reckon.

Lire davantage

a singular and unique story, interpreted by magnificient actors

it's okay to not be okay has to be one of the most unique and well interpreted dramas out there. the story is compelling, discussing important topics such as mental health, and the actors did a fantastic job at displaying the struggles and emotions of these complicated characters. each episode will get you to cry, laugh, shiver and smile.

the direction of the drama is also really unique, the atmosphere is one of a kind. no episode will get you bored. on the contrary, you won't be able to suppress your need to click on "next episode" hahaha! the twists and discoveries, the resentment and the heartache, the brotherhood and the love,,, every emotion is portrayed so powerfully.

oh sung jae's performance as moon sang tae is absolutely mind-blowing, and kim soohyun as well as seo yeji's chemistry and internal struggle was remarkably played.

overall, this drama is really special. it deals with hard topics, and manages to portray the universe of psychiatric hospitals in a non stereotypical way. it's 100% worth the watch, but get the tissues ready!! <3

Lire davantage

well developed characters that portray mental trauma in different scenarios

I'm glad I jumped on this train while this drama still has hype because the content is truly something. The first thing that stood out to me was the title. Mental health and overcoming the past are the two most important themes in this drama, but the way they were handled by the writers is really remarkable. Just about anyone can pick out a character that relates or speaks to them because they were created so realistically and they are so humanely flawed that anyone can resonate with at least one character. In one way or another they are struggling to deal with traumas from their pasts and they are all crippled because of it. I'm pleased that the writers committed to the theme and the episodes were very in-depth when it came to dealing with mental health. This drama provided so many scenarios that showcased the many different types of trauma, and executed it in a way that goes straight to the heart and leaves you breathless.

The leads, as well as the others are so well developed. This is my first Kim So Hyun drama, and I'm so impressed with the range and raw emotion he was able to show through this role. I'll definitely be checking out his other works in the future. Oh Jung Sae as Sang-tae was amazing. His portrayal of an autistic adult deserves an award and I mean it. Gang-tae's relationship with his brother was so pure and wholesome. I smiled a lot during this because of them. Munyeong was truly something. She reminded me so much of myself. This wasn't just a love story about two broken people fixing each other, but a tale that teaches us to not only remember our past but to overcome it. After all, the past shapes who we become. For "if you can't overcome it, you'll always be a kid whose soul never grows."

Rewatch value is strong. I'll definitely watch this again in the future. Definitely recommend. 10/10.

Lire davantage

How do we look upon ourselves and allow us to grow?

What captured me about this dramas was several things.

* The beautiful story of how many broken humans still can heal and mend their shattered beings through love.
* The amazing portrait of a autistic human we get to watch - what skillful acting. Wow!
* The way these children's story books integrated with the story
* The lesson we all can learn from about not merely look to the first appearance of people we meet.
(most people are so much more than what first meets the eye).

Of course there were many other things I loved about this drama. Small details of various importance. Like the fact that as a swede I liked the fact that instead of driving a Kia the main characters drove a Volvo. :)

Anyhow... In my book this is without a doubt one of the best dramas of 2020.

Lire davantage

this is an amazing drama. dont give up in the beginning, be patient!

I already loved Kim Soo Hyun because of secretly, greatly and my love from the star. so I already had high expectations. but what I wanted to say was that this drama is absolutely amazing and will bring tears and laughter. every episode includes a small story which surprisingly were amazing and held strong morals. I promise that once you watch the first and second episodes you will get sucked in. So please be patient during the first and second because they are necessary in order to understand why the characters are the way they are and looking back at it, they are necessary in order to show the entirety of the character development. (and there's a lot). anyway, this is an amazing drama so please give it a chance <3

Lire davantage