It’s Ok Not to Be Ok: The Movie Review

It’s Ok Not to Be Ok: The Movie Review

In this day and age, the stereotypical film series revolves around frightening mysteries or action-packed police chases, but It’s Ok Not to Be Ok tells an entirely different, more compelling story, and was one of the best dramas I have ever watched. The rom-com drama directed by Park Shin-woo is an emotional drama series filled with sweet memories and dark times. Screenwriter Jo Yong based the drama on her love story with a man who had a personality disorder. Following the road to emotional healing for an antisocial children’s book writer and a selfless psychiatric ward caretaker, this family-friendly drama may seem shallow and predictable at first but grows into a heartwarming storyline that everyone should try watching. Starring the pair of Kim Soohyun and Seo Ye-Ji as star-crossed lovers alongside actors Park Gyu-young, Oh Jung-Se, and Kim Joo-hun, the Korean drama series aired on June 20, 2020, and is streaming worldwide on Netflix.

The drama takes place between the cities of Seoul and Seong-jin, South Korea and follows the heartfelt story of three adults traumatized by cases of parental abuse and murder when they were kids, and learn to accept other people into their hearts and overcome their life-altering dreadful memories in the fairy tale romance. Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-Hyun) lives with Moon Sang-tae(Oh Jung-Se), his autistic older sibling. Ever since Sang-tae witnessed the murder of their mother, they have mostly traveled from city to city. In any place they settle in, Gang-Tae takes up work as a caretaker in a psychiatric ward. One day, he coincidentally encounters Ko Moon-young (Seo Ye-ji), a successful children's book writer who is rumored to have an antisocial personality disorder while working in a hospital. Certain conditions forced Gang-tae to work in Seongjin City's OK Psychiatric Hospital, which was the same city where they all grew up. Ko Moon-young meanwhile develops a romantic fascination with Moon Gang-tae after learning that their pasts have overlapped. She accompanies him to Seong-jin, where the trio continues to repair their mental wounds of each other. They resolve many troubles as the plot unfolds, gain support from each other, and keep going with their lives.

To begin with, the plot, in particular, was extremely unique and brought good awareness to people who struggle with everyday mental health issues, which have “hit home” for several viewers. It connects to completely relevant mental healing topics and sends out a good message. The creative aspects of the show and the way they have incorporated a specific fairytale to explain the character's moods and actions in each of the episodes are new and unprecedented. In addition, the realistic portrayals of each character should also be mentioned, especially the actors who played roles of mentally disabled characters. From the start, the connection between the two brothers was commendable, the actor who plays Sang-Tae deserves an award for his acting in this show. The undoubtedly amazing chemistry between the lead roles brings the drama to life, and the writer has really taken the time to let the relations between the characters naturally progress forward as they experience events in life together, which has made me giggle, cry, and laugh out loud in almost every episode. These details provide the viewers the time and reason to invest in the lives of the characters and experience their struggles, their vulnerabilities, and their relationships. The positive relationship between the cast seen on and off the screen makes the scenes more realistic to watch. The writer has skillfully combined the script with comedic relief intertwined with the heartbreaking moments.

The soundtrack and cinematography of this drama have also received numerous amounts of positive feedback. In particular, the OST songs “In Silence” and “Lighting Up Your World” have been great at helping to capture the moments, as the songs help add a distinctive memory to the viewer that corresponds to certain happy, or sad times in the drama. Although the soundtrack added to the already amazing scenes, the cinematography of this movie was quite something to remember. The shots and angles of the set were creative and the execution of the green screen background dramatically set this apart from other productions. Scenes that were shot with green screen backdrops were perfectly edited giving the audience the illusion that they are looking at the actual structure which was crucial to the overall viewing experience. The realistic set embodied what it was truly like to work in a mental hospital with the correct equipment, realistic treatment methods, and costume to bring the set environment and characters together as one. Another commendable aspect of this drama was the way the writers dealt with the sensitive topic of mental illness and the autism spectrum. The mental and emotional stress caregivers go through and sometimes their need of being assisted in life have been unspoken about until now, and this drama has been able to accurately, respectfully, and realistically portray these struggles.

To conclude, It’s Ok Not to Be Ok provided a greatly needed breath of fresh air from the regular boring plot lines and was a well-executed take on this sensitive topic. The overall experience of watching it was incomparable to almost any other drama in the industry, therefore being the perfect selection for all young teenagers and even adult drama lovers alike. With the quality acting, great production value, and meaningful message towards viewers, It’s Ok Not to Be Ok surely would please any crowd. Whether you are a drama lover or want a place to start watching the genre, It’s Ok Not to Be Ok is guaranteed to make you feel ‘over the Moon’ while watching the events unfold before one's eyes.