For the first cultural post, I will talk about the Korean Drama, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay or 사이코지만 괜찮아. This drama was released on Netflix starting on June 20, 2020, and aired 16 episodes. The story was written by Jo Yong and starred actors Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Ye Ji as the two main protagonists. This romance drama was aired internationally through Netflix and gained a lot of popularity for its interesting plot.
The story is revolved around the ill-fated love between Moon Gang Tae, a health worker at a psychiatric ward, and Ko Moon Young, a well-known children’s book author. Moon Gang Tae does not have time for love, because of his busy life and his need to protect his older brother who has a mental disorder. However, one day while working at the psychiatric ward, Ko Moon Young came to read her newly released book to the patients. However, trouble rises as an escaped patient goes on a rampage to find her daughter and take her life with his. Among the chaos, Ko Moon Young finds herself confronted at the backstage with the delusional patient and she begins to provoke the patient, calling him a coward for wanting to take the life of his daughter instead of just his own. The angered patient tries to attack Ko Moon Young, but she retaliates. Right before she attacks the patient, Moon Gang Tae stops her and begins their first encounter. Gang Tae tells her to calm down and not to provoke the patient but is surprised by her assertiveness. Gang Tae continues to be patient and tells her to leave, but Moon Young begins to grow interested and starts to pursue the emotionless Gang Tae. Thus, beginning the comedic sequence of Moon Young trying to gain the attention of Gang Tae.
I first heard of this drama through friends, who told me that this was a must-watch. I believe, this drama is unique and has a lot of charm to it. The characters are well cast, and you begin to get attached to the characters more and more as you watch the series. Another interesting aspect of this drama is the fact that the drama raises awareness regarding psychological disorders. From Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to Multiple Personality Disorder, various psychological disorders are portrayed in the drama to raise awareness. I thought this was very interesting and something that made the drama more informative. However, my main praise goes to the actor who plays the role of the older brother, Oh Jung Se, who plays Moon Sang Tae. This actor has gone above and beyond and manifested an autistic character very well. There was an article that came out that a fan who has autism loved his character so much that Jung Se met up and spent the day with the fan and acted as his character for the day.
I highly recommend this drama to anyone who is looking for a romance, comedy, and mystery drama that embodies a modern take on Romeo and Juliet. Though the plot may seem slow at times, it is worth the watch and one that will make a lasting impression on the viewer.
Comments
I haven’t watched this show yet, but I just might! The plot seems to be written well and I agree that it does sound like traditional Korean drama. I also like that they’re raising awareness about psychological disorders while creating this show since it’s not a common topic that is talked about in Korea.