K-Drama Review: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay I By Philip Chong Wan Ning

by - September 18, 2020


“This is a story of three friends: A Boxed Man, a Masked Boy, and an Emotionless Princess. The three friends set out on their camping car to find their real faces.”

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay or in Korean: 사이코지만 괜찮아 (Psycho but It’s Okay) is a Netflix Original South Korean romance drama directed by Park Shin-Woo of Studio Dragon which aired for 16 episodes from 20 June to 6 August 2020. Kim Soo-Hyun stars as Moon Gang-Tae, a psychiatric caregiver whose brother, Moon Sang-Tae, was diagnosed with autism. The siblings find themselves running away to a different city every spring as a past trauma in the form of butterflies comes to haunt Sang-Tae. The cycle continues yearly until finally, they meet Ko Mun-Yeong: a highly successful children’s storybook author who suffers from an antisocial personality disorder. Together, the trio faces find solace in one another, helping each other (as well as many others along the way) recover and heal from their twisted and intertwined past.

Source: AsianWiki

1. The Theme: Let’s Talk About Mental Illness 
Most people describe this drama as “refreshing” because of the heavily discussed topic of mental illness and I, too, agree with most people. This drama gives a fresh new perspective on patients of a psychiatric ward and even went as far as providing a touching backstory for each of their minor characters. For example, it is easy to label an ADHD patient as “crazy” or “high”, but how many times have you thought that the reason for the patient’s behaviour could be due to a lack of attention during early childhood?



This drama features different types of mental illnesses through their patients in OK Psychiatric Hospital, ranging from patients with denial syndrome to bipolar personality disorder. I applaud this drama that addresses and openly discusses mental illness, especially in an era like today where the ever-so-prevalent issue of mental illness is seen as a taboo.

2. The Concept: Butterflies as a Symbol for Healing 
The drama has an ongoing reference to butterflies, seeing that it comes from the Greek word “psyche”. This is a very strong concept for a drama about mental illness as, although the word psyche can be referred to as “psycho”, it is also a symbol for healing. In the drama, the trio and the psychiatric patients who are viewed as the “psychos” go on a journey of self-healing. This is especially apparent for Moon Sang-Tae, who’s childhood trauma is directly related to the butterfly murderer of his mother. I think it is very clever writing to be able to weave this insect so intricately into the backbone of the storyline. Furthermore, I am a huge fan of the ending where the writers summarize the adventure of the trio with the psychiatric patients in Ko Mun Yeong’s book “Finding the Real Face”. I think it rounds the story up nicely and translates their healing journey in a creative way.

Source: Dramabeans


3. The Design: Korean Tim Burton 
The design of the scenes in the drama that are based on fairy tales were executed flawlessly. I enjoyed the Tim Burton-esque aesthetic that bleeds through Ko Mun-Yeong’s cold demeanour and style. The cinematography and the setting of the drama complemented each other very well, giving the clear juxtaposition of the hectic lifestyle in Seoul versus the humble hometown vibes in Seongjin City. I appreciated the effort of the animations and illustrations that were littered across the drama, and my personal favourite was the scene where Moon Sang-Tae was going to get Ko Mun-Yeong’s autograph and the scene was viewed from his perspective: a perspective where colours were brighter and decorations sprang to life.

Source: Soompi

4. The Cast: Seo Ye-Ji, sarangahandago 
It is a K-drama, so of course, the actors and actresses are drop-dead gorgeous. With the addition of Korea’s highest paid actor, Kim Soo Hyun, I would personally say the casting was almost perfect. However, I would like to mention two actors who deserve a standing ovation: Seo Ye-Ji’s Ko Mun-Yeong and Oh Jung-Se’s Moon Sang Tae. Seo Ye-Ji’s role as Ko Mun-Yeong was, to say the least, iconic. From her facial expressions, to her mannerisms, to even the sudden tantrums and cold shoulders, Seo Ye-Ji nailed this role flawlessly. Aside from that, her deep voice really defines the uniqueness of Ko Mun-Yeong’s lines. On the other hand, I really commend Oh Jung-Se’s portrayal of the autistic Moon Sang-tae. It was a very well-researched portrayal that is accurate and not over-exaggerated, as with most roles involving mental disability. I felt that Oh Jung-Se captured the character’s habitual expressions very thoughtfully. 

On a side note, I was told that Oh Jung-Se does not re-enact the role of an autistic patient during live shows and talks for satire, a move I deeply respect. 



5. Critic: But It’s Okay 
Honestly, I think that the mystery component of the drama was a bit underdeveloped, hence if you are a mystery buff, brace yourselves as it can be underwhelming. Although the main genre of this drama is romance, I felt that the major plot twist towards the end of the drama lacked a bit of context as to how it happened, and that the background supporting this sudden twist felt like a jigsaw puzzle that is missing a few pieces. I can understand if the plot twist was meant to intentionally throw the viewer off guard but, personally, I would appreciate more justification on the mystery aspect of the drama as it would smoothen the narrative of that particular story arc.

As one of my favourite K-dramas of all time, I would highly recommend this impactful drama to anyone who is suffering from or curious about mental disability, K-drama buffs, or anyone who wants a good laugh, really. For me, this drama taught me that, to overcome a trauma, one must face it head-on instead of running away from it. Open up to others about our mental state; normalize the state of being not normal and know that, at times, it is okay to not be okay.

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is available to stream on Netflix.

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