It's Okay, That's Love (2014)

So far, HANDS DOWN THE BEST KOREAN DRAMA I'VE EVER WATCHED. I've never cried so much for a Korean drama and honestly when I finished this drama, other dramas seem a little dull in comparison. Even when I know I should't compare, I just couldn't help it. My mind keeps wandering to this drama even when it has ended.

I have never felt this way to a drama before because most dramas seem like it would just belong in la la land. But, this is different. There is enough reality, enough humour, enough love (obviously), enough knowledge about the world of psychology between the characters, enough chemistry between the actors and it is one perfect love story filled with pain and the understanding between the characters and of course, sincere love.

I started to watch this drama because of Gong Hyo Jin. She's a talented actress, getting to know her through Master's Sun. Then when I watched her acting with Jo In Sung, they are perfect, talented actors. I ship Jae Yul and Hae Soo so much!

To those who have doubts about watching this drama, I highly recommend you this drama if you want something new (psychology) to learn, with bits of love and humour here and there. They are funny! Honestly, it has opened up my mind more about psychology and what can I say? I understand enough to empathise. So, I'll end here, and Happy Watching!^^ :D

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So close

This one took me REALLY long to get through, and I'm not sure why. On paper it has everything I love — a strong female character, mental health, tragic backstories.

But I really just couldn't connect to the female lead. Insecurity is something I understand, but when every other line out of her mouth was "did you do this with all your girlfriends?" or "are you breaking up with me?" or "are we even dating?" it just made her very overbearing and unlikable.

I really liked the main plot about JJY dealing with his abusive childhood, but it really could have come earlier. There were some subplots that I felt didn't really add much to the story, and more time could've also been dedicated to Hae-soo's sexual fears, which I thought was never addressed as much as I wanted it to. The second ship was also kind of out of nowhere for me and didn't make much sense.

Because of all those criticisms, I was pretty much stuck on episode 8 for months and just never felt the urge to watch. Once I did, it was the last few episodes where we really fleshed out JY's plot that really had me buy into the drama.

Ultimately, this was still a pretty good watch, though I'm surprised it's rated so highly. My favorite part is undoubtedly the OST.

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True Love Prevails Through All Obstacles

I struggled to watch this show because of the raw and difficult emotions that touched me in ways I didn’t even think possible. As I watched the story unfold I was left with a feeling of being lost. I’ve always felt my life was complex. I’ve made decisions that took me down difficult paths. I learned early in life that decisions have consequences. After watching this unique story my life felt less complicated. I don’t know if that’s good or bad but I know I just watched something that had an impact on me. Very few writers can accomplish that in sixteen hours.

I’ll be honest, I don’t usually watch shows like this. It would probably be on my hold list by episode four but one of my friends liked it enough to rate it all 10s. I don’t think I’ve run up against a show that had so many ratings of 10 before. I had to see why. I’m also a self-professed romance junkie so I also watched it thinking there just might be something there for me to watch. Boy was I surprised.

The characters were well thought out even though I wasn’t always fond of them. In many cases, their stories were distinctive and intertwined with each other. The mental illnesses often manifested into violence that kept you wondering what was next. As I watched I really didn’t care who committed what crime or who was rejected by some romantic advance. I just watched trying not to let any of it bother me. As the reality of what these characters face in their everyday existence displayed on the screen I became immersed into a world I’d never seen before.

Their house had a unique living environment that I didn’t understand at first but that’s the beauty of a well-written script. As personalities, illnesses, and family issues came to life I began to understand. The story is gently tied together at times and mashed together when it was needed. Every character and every side story was well done and fun to watch. I finally understand why this show received so many 10s.

The romance I was hoping for, went beyond my expectations. I watch a romance that prevailed through the most difficult obstacle a couple can face, mental illness. I watched a man confess his love and maintain that love even when it wasn’t being returned. A love that saved his life. I watched a woman in love, who didn’t understand how to deal with it, give in to a beautiful passion. I watched two souls come together bound by a deep love for each other. They tested their love and never gave up on each other. I watched the blossoming of true love.

Thanks to all of you that encouraged me to watch this beautiful story with your ratings. The music was perfect and the subtitles were handled with care.

Watch this story and you will understand.

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Hello everyone on Mydramalist =) This is the first time I'm writing a review so I hope you guys enjoy it.

This drama is one of the best dramas I've ever watched!! I've watched so many dramas in my life but this one has a special spot in my heart. To start off with there are amazing actors, an amazing plot and amazing background music. However, this drama is so special because it doesn't just talk about "the chase". It talks about real relationships that take effort and require sacrifices. It talks about flawed people coming together and realizing that it's okay to have flaws because at the end of the day, we're all imperfect.

Another reason why this drama is awesome is not only because the main couple have amazing chemistry, but also that the other characters were equally good and I was intrigued by each of their stories. When I started watching this drama, I only read the synopsis so I thought it was a typical lighthearted love story. During the first episode, I already knew that this was going to be different. The heroine isn't your typical sweet, obedient heroine. She is feisty and confident and she has her own opinions that aren't easily swayed.

Lastly, this drama is more than just a drama. It's not something you watch for fun and pleasure. This drama really makes you think about your life and how you interact with the people around you. It reminds us to step up and not allow others to be ostracized in our society. I want to applaud the writer for tackling mental illness because it is such a hard topic to talk about but he really wanted to change Korean's views on people who struggle with mental illnesses and he wanted people to become more open-minded. In my opinion he succeeded in challenging us to not judge a book by its cover. This drama is really in alignment with my personal view that as humans we were created to have deep relationships with one other and support each other.

Thank you so much for reading this review and I sincerely hope that you enjoy this drama as much as I did =)

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What can I say...This drama was BEAUTIFUL <3
I want to say this is a perfect drama lol - it's very unique and written so extraordinarily <3
Story: Doctors that deal with the mind and a writer who has a past - really makes you think what lies behind a person's outer personality. I really really liked how this drama portrayed this and how things were eventually revealed and how they dealt with it -
Cast: Jo In Sung - he really won me over as Jang Jae Yul, I loved his personality and I loved his painful past and how it was brought across to us viewers - very heartbreakingly sad - I really felt for his character. Ji Hye Soo - she definitely had issues but Jae Yul really brings the best out of her. (hard not to spoil lol)
Music: Perfect each and every song <3
Re-watch Value: 10/10 - most definitely going to re-watch this drama - one of the best made this year!
Want to say more but the words just won't come....

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the start of the story is all over the place that I can't figure out, its messy and refreshing. It has its dull moments where I had to skipped the scene to get to the interesting part in short it has no consistency. I had the urge of dropping it but you know what made me stay? my CURIOSITY!! I think the drama starts at ep11 then the peak of the story is at ep 14 (my favorite ep.) The last 3 eps leaves a great impact to me, it was beautiful, w/ that it manage to save the imperfection of this drama that's why I rate it 8. It definitely didn't waste my time.

there's something I like about the characters their bluntness and honesty. The romance is not a sweet candy neither cheesy but it definitely felt like real its more mature :) the title says it all^^

cast:
no doubt! w/ JIS and GHJ team up its just AMAZING!! plus the supporting role ~kyaaaa!! our squishy kyung soo, jang! and you better look forward to kwang soo'S love story!~ kekekek

music;
omggg!!!! kekeke.. I love it! thumb up! its chill and cozy! special mention to chen-chen! *cough* I'm an exo-L

rewatch;
I have no plans to rewatch it again since my curiosity had been answered.

I'll recommend it if you want something new, mature romance, if you're into or you want to try a psychological type drama. My advice? don't read spoilers, best thing to do is to keep yourself from reading comments!! lol

overall this drama will give you 3 options:
a. best drama ever
b. boringness to the point of dropping it.
c. curiosity and appreciating it at the end

well I'm letter C. what group do you belong to? if you happen to watch this drama I'll be glad to know your answer! :) for now ~goooooood night to me!!! n_n

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I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started watching this. For me I didn't know what to watch, and none of the dramas that were currently out were catching my eye. I thought I'd give this a shot. Oh my goodness! I pretty much watched the first 6 episodes in a row. This drama had my attention right from the start. This drama is so well written. The story is pretty unique. I don't really like psychology that much so I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I might have changed my mind after watching this. The drama shows how different characters cope with their mental illness. I think that is my favorite thing about this show. So often society says that people with these problems CAN'T live normal lives, but this is not the case. (Oh how I could get on my soapbox about that.) I think the writers did try to make it as believable as possible.

I cannot tell you how much I love this cast. I will say I didn't expect much out of D.O, but he did a good job. I was glad to see some old face. I think everyone worked well together. I think the cast fit their parts perfectly.

The music was really good. There were a couple of songs that were just meh, but over all it was good. None of the songs are super annoying. My favorite song was Hero by Family of the Year. I have been playing it constantly.

I will for sure be watching this drama again at some point. It's just so amazing. I think when ever I feel like my life is falling to pieces; I'll watch this and remember that it's going to be ok.

This is such an inspiring story. I really hope more people decide to watch it. It's such a lovely drama. You will cry a few times, but just so amazing. There are several dramas that let me down this year, but this one delivered.

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It’s that time again, where another amazing drama must come to an end. I always hate these times, when dramas are so well written, acted, shot that I never want them to end, let alone be only 16 episodes long. It’s Okay, That’s Love is one of those dramas that I wish, and I think deserved 20 episodes, but who knows how the story would have turned out if it was extended? Well, we will never know because we got our ending and we have to deal with it.

A drama dealing with mental illness and love, that is right up my alley if you know the type of dramas I am into. The ones that can make you cry, sobbing and wondering how you will go on after that episode, and yet can make you smile from ear to ear from the romance and laugh till your stomach hurts from the comedy. Those types of dramas have a specific mixture that if one out does the other, it just might fall apart, but luckily this drama was balanced well. I am all for dramas where I cry every single episode, however, I think I may not have cried in a few because they were so heartwarming, and I loved that. It didn't have me dying of dehydration from lack of tears, but it didn't leave me wanting an emotional connection between the characters and their circumstances either.

There is so much I want to say about this drama, and yet I will not ruin it for those who have yet to see it. It is a drama you have to watch to be able to truly understand its greatness. The writing in this drama is fantastic. The way the characters are written and how the twists and turns in this drama come together, and when you finally see a character realize their situation and come clean about how they feel, it leaves you in an emotional state, whether happy for them or bad for them. I didn't feel like one character was written in, just to have a certain person play them or to be there for no reason, I felt that everyone had their part and they contributed to the overall story, even if they were not the main character, which is always good. I hate when there are random characters and they serve no purpose, but this drama gave them reasons and they fit well into the story line.

The acting in this drama was fantastic, how else can I put it? We had some of my favorite actors and actresses in this drama and I was not disappointed at all. It was really good to see Zo In Sung in a drama since his drama That Winter The Wind Blows last year, which still is one of my favorites. I’m going to have to add another one of his dramas to my all time favorite lists yet again. He did such a fabulous job as our main character. His story is our main focus and he did a wonderful job playing his broken character. The character we could connect with and love, and feel for. He did an amazing job and I expect nothing less from him. His acting, to me, is always top notch and I enjoyed him in this drama and I hope to see him in another drama this year if possible, if not I suppose I can wait till next year. Kong Hyo Jin is one of my favorite Korean actresses and I think she did an amazing job as well, coming back from her fantastic performance in Master’s Sun, which is one of my favorites from last year as well, I was not disappointed at all with her in this drama. I think she always plays a character that seems to go well with her appearance, and this is no exception. Her character can be rude and needed sometimes, but in the end, you have to love her, and she pulled it off well. I couldn’t see anyone else playing that role, and the two of them, In Sung and herself, make the best couple.

Sung Dong Il and Lee Kwang Soo did an amazing job as well, playing our housemates and fellow doctor and patients. Sometimes I feel like Kwang Soo isn't given the credit that he deserves, but after seeing this drama I think it’s safe to say that our baby Kwang Soo (even though he is much older than me) is a great actor. No one ever doubted Sung Dong Il, I love seeing him in more and more dramas as the years go by. He is such a hot tempered man, if you have seen Dad, Where Are We Going, and he plays characters like that well, as well. However he can put his emotions into a scene too, so he is the total package. I love that man and Kwang Soo and I was so happy to see them perform in such a great drama with such well-rounded characters. Jin Kyung also did a fantastic job as well. I love her, and she always plays characters that I love for some reason. I loved her in this and I thought she was a fantastic addition to the drama cast. Lastly, I want to talk about D.O. from EXO. I would love to talk about the rest of the cast but for time sake, I will have to sadly gloss over them, however, D.O. is someone I must talk about. He played such an important role in this drama, and I was a little apprehensive, to begin with. You know I'm not a huge fan of dramas using idols, especially since in my opinion 95% of them cannot act and are only put in dramas to raise the viewer ratings. However, D.O. can act, and I was super surprised by that. I'm not an EXO fan at all, but I'm giving him credit. He did a fantastic job playing such an important character. He had me tearing up so much in this drama and I think he will make such a great actor as time goes by.

This drama had one of the best OSTs of this drama season, and I may go as far as one of my all time favorites. The songs went with the scenes well, and they had lyrics that made you feel even more when the scene was going on. I loved it, and it's a total must buy in my opinion. The cinematography was also outstanding in this drama, and that is a very big deal to me. I loved all the shots, and the drama just looked so clean and bright, when it needed to and dark and bleak when the scene called for it. There weren't any strange and out of place angles or extreme close-ups for no reason. I love that. Though everything seemed to be flawless in this drama, in my opinion, it did have one setback, which I don't think is really such a big deal, but I want to point it out anyway. The ending.

[READ ON IF YOU DONT CARE ABOUT KNOWING IF THE ENDING IS HAPPY OR NOT]

The ending left me happy, and that’s a good thing, however, it didn't leave such a strong impact like I was expecting. I went into the last episode thinking I was going to bawl my eyes out and die after watching it, but in the end, I cried maybe in the first half or so but the ending just made me smile. I thought that maybe more details on the life of Jae Yoel after he had said goodbye to Kang Woo would have been more interesting, not really happy, but more interesting than a cheerful happy ending, however that being said I still loved the ending and I was happy things worked out in the end.

[END THOUGHTS..SAFE TO READ]

Overall, I thought this drama was fantastic. It's a drama I can see showing my friends and watching over and over again because it has such an impact on me. I had such an emotional and strong connection to its characters and it always left me wanting more and more. It had all the makings of what I love in a drama, so if you like tears, cheers, and love then I think you will like this drama, and I recommend it to hell and back for everyone because of Im pretty sure this is one of my all time favorite dramas now.

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Don`t trust the cheesy poster, this is a MASTERPIECE

I’ve recently gotten into kdramas in particular and because of the current situation, I’ve had the opportunity to find gems that will stay in my mind forever. This is one of them.
After finishing another great drama( “It’s Okay to Not be Okay”), this was suggested to me as a sort of, apt replacement. And, it didn’t disappoint. First two to three episodes are probably the weakest, only because of unknown confusion, since you can’t really figure out what’s going on, but don’t be afraid and DON’T drop this drama, you’re in for a ride of emotions.
What I loved about this drama(apart from the music which I’ve been blasting for a solid month now), is the unspoken chemistry between all of the characters, especially main leads. These are Gong Hyo-jin and Jo In-sung’s best roles, by far, and that’s saying something, since they are both immensely talented. And others are great in their roles as well, especially Lee Kwang-soo. The struggles of characters are believable and the way they are talked about and discussed is too. You won’t find immature conflicts that can be resolved by just TALKING in this drama and I can’t believe how much I needed that. There’s no petty jealousy quarrels, no tiring love triangles, just trials and tribulations that somewhat broken humans go through. There wasn’t one moment in this drama that I thought was boring or unnecessary. And cinematography, at times, appeared masterful. This is not one of those artsy dramas where you need to find the answer in each frame. In turn, it is warm, understated and special.

In fact, there is one scene that stood out to me and hit me so hard I started bawling. I won’t spoil the scene in question, as it is the most pivotal scene for our main character, but the way it was constructed, from the way the camera zooms in and out, the “Hero” song that softly plays in the background...All I’m gonna say is that this scene will change your perception of many things regarding mental health and help you learn.

As for the romance aspect, as I’ve mentioned previously, it’s great. The relationship between
Ji Hae-soo and Jang Jae-yeol is like a dance. It’s careful, wary, done with great effort and most importantly, is electric. When wrong steps are taken or when errors are made, they`re talked about and they are plausible. Because, as much as we would all like a drama male lead who looks good and says all the right things at the right time, I think that this kind of romance is what we should all strive for realistically. You can take the wrong turns and misunderstand, but communication is key and there's no place for hesitation. And I`m not saying this just because Jae-yeol is exactly my type. Also, with this drama, Gong Hyo-jin became my favorite Korean drama actress and I went on a drama marathon of her projects. So take that as you want.

Now, for drawbacks of this drama, I would say there are only two and they are minor. First, the sets at times can look a bit too perfect and not lived in enough. The house where they live is fine, but the cafe, the hospital etc. sometimes look like they came out of a commercial and that can break the immersion for a bit. That`s just my personal opinion. Another one for me is the character of Jae-yeol`s brother. Sometimes he can feel like a cog in a machine necessary to start drama and chaos and he can be a bit one dimensional. Also, and this is my problem with most Korean dramas, as that`s the format that they are in, some background stories of minor characters could`ve been left out and it would make no difference at all.
Finally, THE ENDING OF THIS DRAMA IS SO SATISFYING. Oh man, I love it so, so much. And thank you, drama writers, for including normal words like condom, which seem to be the bane of all existence dramas-wise, since they are an absolute NO-NO. I don`t know, it`s refreshing. Overall though, if you haven`t watch this drama. It`s a masterpiece, like my title suggests. And I hope I`ll see Gong Hye-jin and Jo In-sung together in another project, because that will be another treat for my mind.

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Absolutely crazy and beautifully real.

This drama was just so great to watch! Everyone is crazy and I just love it!

Gong Hyo Jin strikes my heart once again with her amazing acting skills. It may sound wrong, but I just love when she cries. She can deliver the emotions so clearly without being so dramatic. And my god she's just too adorable! Even her cruel character can't stop me from loving her! This was my first time seeing Jo In Sung acting and I have to say, he did a great job playing his blunt character. His expression was just A+ every time he conversed with GHJ's character. It's too bad both actors have their respective life partners already because their chemistry was fantastic! The supporting cast was also wonderful. I'm used to seeing Kwang Soo in Running Man, so it was a nice surprise seeing his acting skills.

The story was superbly written! The end was a little cliche, but I always feel that way towards dramas. I have to give the writer(s) my love because they created such realistic characters. The dialogue was one of my favorite things about this drama. The relationships and arguments were more relatable than the usual impractical situations in kdrama. Which brings me back to the cast's wonderful acting that portrayed it all.

The music. THE MUSIC. I have never loved so many of the songs in a drama before. Usually it's one or two at most, but this drama just had the best music. I feel that the best bgm is when it enhances the emotions of the scene. And this drama did that. I, like many others, were frantically searching for all the songs played because they were just so good. I'd even say that the music has a lot to do with this drama's success.

Overall, this drama did not disappoint. It was more than I expected and I truly loved every episode. The story and characters are fresh and amazingly played by the perfect cast accompanied by emotionally stirring music. You will not regret watching!

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Actually while watching I was pretty upset with myself for not liking this drama like I should. Then I had an epiphany during the final two episodes. It's Okay, I Love you deals with important issues. The biggest one being mental health. The reality was for me the story and pacing worked against itself.

Let us be honest. The beginning is one hot mess. Some ideas definitely were well thought out and carried, but I feel like the majority of it was just a jumble mess for the writer. The reveals of key plot points about the characters should have been revealed earlier on. While many aspects, such as who Kang Woo was to Jae Yeol, were emotionally moving and packed a punch how they played out I felt the timing was drug out. For me what would have made a more convincing plot was if Hae Soo secret was revealed and she healed with help from Jae Yeol. Then she discovered his illness halfway through the drama. Their love then helping him to become better. The focus being how he stayed healthy and their love grew. The more I think about it the more I realize that It's Okay, That's Love missed a lot of its potential.

Not to mention its side characters. There is so much going on here and I not only thought the main story was missed, but that the side characters deserved more. Such as Soo Kwang and So Nyeo! They're love story is one of my favorite things about this drama. Both actors are awesome together and had so much chemistry. I have to be honest I'd love to see more of actress Lee Sung Kyung, she played So Nyeo, in warmer roles like this. Somehow I've now seen everything she's been in and unconsciously stalked her dramas. I think she's a lead worth of breaking out of her role as a mean girl. (As in her later roles she's been typecast as the mean girl.)

This drama is beautiful, and the director clearly loved facial close ups. Many scenes let the actor's expressions speak for them. Though I won't lie that some of these meaningful close ups are glamor shots. I think the main idea was that the eyes are the window to the mind.
The music is fun and fits the drama. Catchy enough, and the main one is a remake of an American song that I really like. (Though thanks to auto insurance commercials I'm not quite as fond of.) However, once this drama leaves my head the music shall go as well.

Overall It's Okay, That's Love is very warm. It tackles the issues half heartedly and never fully commits. While I thank it for addressing mental health it makes it seem flippant at times. Hae Soo and Jae Yeol have a great romance and that's where the true power and appeal of this drama come from. It's nice seeing them touch and love each other. Though I felt distant from the drama as much of Hae Soo's motivations are kept a secret until later. The timing and unsteady feet of the plot is a hindrance to it. This is a drama where I understand why it got so much love and high ratings, but I'm not able to get lost in the buzz. I ended up watching this because I loved Dear My Friends, and I have to say I prefer that drama to this one. I'm actually kind of nervous about viewing some of this writers author works.

While viewing I really enjoyed the drama, but really only the middle the most. Some of the episodes I have a high rating to out of guild and that they almost brought me fully on bored. I'm still feeling guilty that I didn't like it more. There are many great things present. The bond of family and forgiveness. That even if you're ill you deserve happiness. To think of yourself and not to be afraid to realize you're not well. The strength and bonds of family. Oh, and forgiveness and acceptance. I could over analyze what makes it great, and what eventually pulled it apart for me.

I think if you find the first episodes a hot mess, you'll probably fall on my side of the fence. If those first episodes seem brilliant you're gonna love this and not over think it.

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It would be so wrong if i don't write a review for my favorite drama.
At first i hesitated, judging from not-so-intriguing poster and trailer, it feels like your typical boring rom-com with the handsome rich but arrogant male lead chasing for the poor ignorant female heroin as the main plot. Then i decided to try it (because of Jo In Sung, most of it, i couldn't resist him). But i was wrong. I think it was one of my best decision..i'm surely and deeply in love with this drama after watching a couple episodes.

This drama has flaws here and there (see, i can't give a solid 10 here, no matter how much i love this one) especially about the mental illness subject. I study medicine and i have met and seen schizophrenic patients before. i think that..some symptoms and signs do not match with what they call the schizophrenic here. Okay i'm going to stop here lol.. Apart from that, the acting, the chemistry (the best one i've seen, believe me), the music, covers that all.

I think of this drama as my first love in dramaland, it's really, perfectly, my style! (just like the couple say). No matter how many dramas i watch, i keep comparing those to IOTL. I blame my love for this drama because they set the bar so high for the others. If you're hesitating to watch this..please, don't be.

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