Written by Savannah Woods
Netflix’s 2020 K-Drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is almost over and if you aren’t already watching this romantic drama, what have you been doing during quarantine? At a time when mental health issues are rising alongside the global pandemic, a romance centred around mental illness and trauma might just be the catharsis you need. However, if you still need convincing, here are ten reasons to watch it!
1. The Eye Candy Leads
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay stars two of South Korea’s most attractive actors: Seo Ye-ji stars as Ko Mun-yeong, a children’s book author with antisocial personality disorder, and Kim Soo-hyun as Moon Gang-tae, a habitual caretaker who works as a nurse at a psychiatric hospital while taking care of his older brother who has autism.
Kim Soo-hyun is Korea’s highest-paid actor and IOTNBO marks his first starring role after being discharged from the South Korean military. Not only are the two actors stunning alone, but onscreen together they somehow make each other seem even more beautiful.
2. Ko Mun-yeong’s Outfits
A large portion of why I eagerly await the new episodes every Sunday is to see what Ko Mun-yeong is going to wear. Mun-yeong is a highly successful children’s author and the inheritor of a large fortune, and it shows in her wardrobe. Every episode features at least one designer outfit that will make you audibly gasp.
3. Realistic Portrayals of Mental Illness and Neurodiversity
The entire series revolves around mental illness and neurodiversity with a major setting in the series being the OK Psychiatric Hospital that Gang-tae works at and in which Mun-yeong’s father resides.
Mun-yeong herself is diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder and her character demonstrates many of the clinical traits seen in real people with ASPD, while avoiding some of the most inaccurate and stigmatising features often portrayed in media. She feels little remorse for her actions, is wildly impulsive, can be aggressive and violent, and struggles with empathising with those around her. She is not shown as evil or malignant, and the show never suggests that she has no emotions (a stereotype common in media surrounding ASPD).
In fact, Mun-yeong feels everything very strongly and struggles to hide her emotions. Personality disorders usually manifest in childhood, so I anticipate the remaining episodes will examine Mun-yeong’s trauma and lead to at least a bit of healing.
Another main character, Moon Sang-tae (Gang-Tae’s older brother or “hyung” in Korean), is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He struggles with understanding nuances, has difficulty controlling his emotions, has a fixation with dinosaurs and children’s books, and is shown studying a chart of facial expressions so that he can recognise other people’s emotions.
While not portrayed as exceptionally bright, Sang-tae is a brilliant artist who is able to largely navigate the world on his own. He works part-time at a pizza shop, handles public transportation with ease. He is not helpless by any means, and his character seems to deeply desire greater independence. In a press conference promoting IOTNBO, the actor who portrays Sang-tae, Oh Jung-se stated:
“There’s a line from the drama that says, ‘There are more patients out there who aren’t wearing hospital gowns.’ If you meet someone like Sang-tae, who is on the autism spectrum, on the street, I think it would be nice if people could think ‘I would like to be with that person’ instead of ‘I would like to help that person.'”
4. The Mystery
Like a dark fairytale, IOTNBO reveals deeper layers for every character with each episode. The greatest mystery is what caused Mun-yeong to become the person she is today. While I won’t give spoilers, you’ll be on the edge of your seat as you play detective and psychologist through each passing episode.
5. There are so many K-Drama Reunions!
- Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Chang-wan were BFFs in My Love From Another Star
- Oh Jung-se and Kim Mee-kyung were in Plus Nine Boys together
- If you watched Netflix’s Romance is a Bonus Book, you’ll remember the cute office couple of Kang Ki-doong and Park Gyu-young
- One of the most popular K-Dramas in recent years, the historical Hwarang features Kim Chang-wan and Seo Ye-ji
6. The CHEMISTRY!!!
The chemistry between our two leads is unreal. While their relationship seems to start from a dangerous place, as the story progresses, viewers will discover how entangled their lives are. They act as each other’s perfect match, but whether that match is referring to the match that ignites an explosion is yet to be seen. Gang-tae is able to calm Mun-yeong’s emotional chaos, while Mun-yeong offers Gang-tae freedom he has never had before. When they are together, the two can finally have sincere smiles, instead of the smiles they fake around others.
7. The Show Imparts an Important Message
While IOTNBO is a romance, the core focus of the show is on healing. Each character, including the side characters, begin the series as complicated and hurt people. It seems that the show is leading up to each of the characters finding a bit of peace and recovery.
8. The Side Characters
While the main three cast members make up the bulk of the show, four side characters stand out: two of Gang-Tae’s friends and Mun-Yeong’s Publisher and Art-Director.
Park Kyu-young plays Nam Ju-ri, a kind nurse at the OK Psychiatric Hospital and Gang-tae’s childhood friend with a not-so-secret secret: she’s in love with Gang-tae.
Kang Ki-doong plays Jo Jae-soo, Gang-tae’s best friend/sidekick, that follows the brothers every time they move. Jae-soo seems to understand that he will never be as important to Gang-tae as Sang-tae is, but strives to be a supportive friend, even hiring Sang-tae in his pizza shop.
Kim Joo-hun plays the 38-year-old CEO of Mun-yeong’s publishing company, Lee Sang-in. He seems to be protective over his star author and maybe holds romantic feelings for her.
Park Jin-joo plays over worked and underpaid Art Director, Yoo Seung-jae. She is a breath of fresh air and realism, being aware of Mun-yeong’s difficult personality and the irresponsibility of her company’s CEO.
9. Kim Mi-kyung
If you are an avid K-Drama fan, you will instantly recognise Ju-ri’s mother Kang Soon-Deok. Actress Kim Mi-kyung seems to be in EVERYTHING, usually playing a nice ahjumma or a character’s mother. Without fail, if Kim Mi-kyung is in the scene, she seems to steal it!
10. The Gorgeous Sets
From the tiny apartment shared by the Moon brothers at the beginning of the series to the mid-century modern inspired OK Psychiatric Hospital to Mun-yeong’s family’s sprawling dark fairytale mansion, every scene in IOTNBO is set within a backdrop that tells a story. The colour palettes of each location add to the emotional weight of not only each scene but also the emotional weight of each character’s story.
Fun fact: Mun-yeong’s mansion was almost entirely made of CGI! The entrance was built on the grounds of the Sanida Cafe, but every other part of the cursed castle’s exterior was CGI!
Still unsure if this K-Drama is right for you? Watch the trailer below!
Just started to watch-Really enjoying the show so far.
The two leads are made for each other!
Seo Yea -Ji-beautiful
She looks the part.
She is so classy.