Should be next on your list to watch?

8 REASONS WHY IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY SHOULD BE NEXT ON YOUR LIST

1. NOT YOUR TYPICAL MALE LEAD
Kim Soo-hyun plays the role of Moon Kang-tae, a young man in his late 20’s who works as a community health worker at a psychiatric ward. Kang-tae also takes on several part-time jobs just to make ends meet—something you don’t usually see in K-Drama Land where CEOs, chaebol heirs, captains, kings, princes, doctors, professors, famous writers, and other well-off male leads abound—turning away from the trend of the rich guy role. As a health worker, Kim Soo-hyun dons a scrubsuit (swoon) and it just makes your heart flutter watching him take care of different types of patients. And with all the sibling rivalry going on in most dramas, seeing a character who is so fragile and sensitive towards his brother just melts our hearts (and we all know Kim Soo-hyun always delivers when it comes to dramatic scenes so prepare your own boxes of tissue).

2. STRONG, FASHIONABLE FEMALE LEAD
Just recently, strong female leads are popping up on almost all dramas. Adding to the list is Seo Ye-ji, who plays Ko Mun-yeong, a successful and popular children’s book author who suffers from anti-social personality disorder. Although she comes off as selfish, arrogant, and rude, this strong personality is also her charm (yes, her dark-humor actually adds spice to the drama). Also, when I say strong, I mean someone who knows how to fight back against troublemakers! Talk about girl power! Don’t even get me started about Mun-yeong’s enviable wardrobe. Can I just say she slays every outfit she wears? Go girl, make the world your runway!

3. REVERSED ROLES
Unlike most dramas where the male lead is wealthy and the female lead is financially mediocre, the roles played by Soo-hyun and Ye-ji are actually the opposite. Kang-tae is the poor one here and Mun-yeong is the affluent one. Also, while it is common in dramas that the man does extravagant or heroic acts to win the girl’s heart, Mun-yeong is one of the few female lead characters who actually makes an effort and goes all out to chase after her leading man. Despite the role reversal, chemistry remains undeniably strong between these two! ❤️

4. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
The drama sheds light on various mental health disorders, one of which is effectively presented by none other than Baeksang 2020 Best Supporting Actor Oh Jung-se, who plays the role of Moon Sang-tae, Moon Kang-tae’s older brother who suffers from autism spectrum disorder (ASD). I cannot stress just how convincing Jung-se’s portrayal is of someone with ASD. From his posture, to his stance, to his gait and the way he talks as well as his facial expressions—his acting skills are spot on (I could smell another Baeksang award for him!) Since the setting seems to be mainly at the fictitious OK Psychiatric Hospital, it’s safe to say we could look forward to seeing more mental health issues being tackled as the story progresses. Additionally, it is great to see another aspect of mental health awareness—that is, seeing it from the caretaker’s point of view as they impart the struggles and frustrations they have to deal with in their line of work. With this drama, I’m crossing my fingers that people will finally see and understand how challenging yet fulfilling it is to take care of persons with mental illness.

5. ATTENTION TO DETAILS
I have to applaud the research that has been done for this drama. As someone who has dealt first hand with children with special needs, it is very satisfying to see the effort the production crew made just to make everything as realistic as possible. From the labels plastered all over the Moon brothers' house, to the repetitive TV lines spoken by Sang-tae, to the fixations of Mun-yeong and Sang-tae on specific objects, I could say it’s a job well done in delivering the realities that come with mental illness (planning to post more on this subject later).

6. CINEMATOGRAPHY
One word: WOW. Each scene is breathtakingly shot it’s like a moving piece of art. The camera angles are well-thought of that every time you take a screen shot, it always comes out pleasing to the eyes. Oh, and did I mention the aesthetically pleasing color palette? Again, one word: WOW.

7. ELEGANT ANIMATION
The animation in the introduction immediately reminded me of a Tim Burton production with its dark theme. It was haunting yet soulful as it narrated the inner struggles of Mun-yeong. The animations done to convey what went on in Sang-tae’s mind was beautifully done as well, showcasing the colorful and creative world of persons with ASD.

8. OST
The drama’s soundtrack is captivating and beautiful, leaving you wanting to search for it immediately as soon as you hear them play in the background. Each song fits the scene it plays on perfectly, it’s like all your emotions have been converted to music.

If these aren’t enough reasons to convince you to watch, I don’t know what will be. Come on, you know you want to watch it now too! Catch It’s Okay to Not Be Okay every Saturday and Sunday on tvN and Netflix (9PM KST)!

Note: CTTO

Lees verder