Está bien no estar bien (2020)

Good Enough

" It's okay to not be okay " is a conceptional drama. It nailed the atmosphere and the whole gothic, fairytale, mysterious, dark and eerie. The addition of the books worked fantastically, the setting was brilliant and the clothes of the leading lady influential.

The story, however, of the drama was stretched. Looking back into it, nothing happened for some episodes, and the final result was the kind of 'easy' conclusion of the whole mother mystery. The side stories were underdeveloped and boring too. So, no, they didn't work on the story too much, as they focused on the clever dialogue and the atmosphere.

Nevertheless, even though storywise my rating would have been 5.5, I can't really rate it less than 7 because of the performances. The three main actors were breathtaking, especially in the dramatic scenes and one should only watch it for those performances only! (and no, I'm not a fan of the actors, but I can't stress enough how excellent they were! plz give them an award!!)

So, overall, seven out of ten (10/10 for the actors, 5/10 for the story)

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A New KDrama Classic

“It’s Ok to Not Be OK” is nothing that I expected it to be. It’s a mix of psychological thriller, comedy, romance, and melodrama but with the theme of a beautifully told dark fairytale. There are no magical creatures or supernatural events, but there are 3 unique and memorable characters who make this story feel larger than life. Seo Ye Ji, Kim Soo Hyun, Oh Jung Se give brilliant performances. From the very first episode, when I still wasn’t sure what to expect, all three had character introductions that were epic, and let me know right away that this drama would not disappoint. For all 16 episodes, I remained impressed. These three have such strong chemistry together that any flaws in the story were easily overlooked, and it just kept getting better with each episode.

I’ll start my specific praise for the cast with See Ye Ji as Ko Moon Young. She is perfection in this role down to her flawless outfits and eye glitter. Her sinister smile, soft deep voice, and unapologetic confidence made her likable villainous demeanor seem effortless, but she is just as great at showing vulnerability and pain, and over the top silliness as well. Moon Young might be a controversial choice as a strong female lead, but from her very first scene, I knew she would become one of my all-time favorite KDrama characters. I want to be Ye Ji when I grow up and I’m already very grown! I also love the idea of a cynical children’s author. It’s as if this role was made just for her. I was not familiar with her as a lead before this drama, but now I’m definitely her fan. She is perfectly matched with Kim Soo Hyun, as Moon Gang Tae. I already loved him in “You Who Came from the Stars” where he plays a similar poker-faced and responsible character matched with a strong and unpredictable sexy lead, but in this drama, he gets to show way more range (and be human lol). As Moon Gang Tae he is charming and heartbreaking. I think his matured boyish good looks make him also seem perfectly cast as a young man forced to be responsible at an early age, who is somewhat naive and over his head but also wise beyond his years. I also loved the contrast of him being unsophisticated while she was always fashion-forward and elegant. Their very first moments together are already exciting and super hot without anything happening but close talking and intense looks. I kept calling their specific chemistry “sexy dysfunction” because in real life this super-empath and borderline sociopath match would be toxic AF, but in KDramaland they challenged each other exactly the way they needed to, and I loved rooting for them no matter what. Let’s also face the fact that they look gorgeous together. Maybe there were too many wrist grabs, but when they are done so well are there really too many? The love story drives this storyline for sure, in many ways, but it’s really the love story of a trio including Oh Jung Se as Moon Sang Te. It’s hard for me to pick a real favorite out of the three but Oh Jung Se really gave a performance worthy of his own paragraph of praise for sure!

There are a lot of actors who have done a great job playing characters with disabilities or disorders, and I was afraid that his role would just be used to add cheesy melodrama, but I was so wrong. To not award him for this performance would be a serious crime. Sang Tae was the character most likely to make me cry for sure but he was also the character most likely to make me laugh literally out loud and cheer. The brother-bond with Gang Tae warmed and broke my heart so many times. His bonding, rivalry, and banter with Ko Moon Young were some of my favorite moments in the whole drama. In many ways, this character is the glue that makes this story so strong. With a cast this amazing it’s hard to pick a breakout favorite, but I think anyone who watches will agree that this performance is one of the best in a drama period.

Besides the Main Trio, the rest of the cast is also great, although at times easily overshadowed. One of my favorites, Kim Mi Kyung, is among the cast, and she is always great as some version of the best Mom. She’s also in another drama I started watching at the same time (“Was Is Love?”) playing a very similar role and I’m still never tired of seeing her. I loved Gang Tae’s loyal BFF (so adorkable), The endearing Hospital Director, The Patients, Park Jin Joo being weird and quirky as usual, Gang Young Nam as the head nurse, as well as the amazing younger actors in the flashback scenes… There are no weak links in the cast, and even seemingly minor characters are important to the story. Kim Joo Heon and Park Kyu Young were also characters I loved although I admit their storyline did feel a little too much like filler at certain points. It’s hard to say too much without giving something away but none of the problems I had with characters were based on performance. There was a great overall ensemble cast feel that was awesome and didn’t have to rely on dragging out love triangles or overblown rivalries. For a story with such a heavy fairytale feel it also felt very genuine.

I did give the story a 10 score because I loved it so much, but I admit that some parts could have been stronger. Some of the backstories, I felt, were revealed and resolved too easily. The story does focus more on relationships than details, and I was absolutely satisfied with that. Don’t get scared off by the psychiatric hospital setting if that’s not your thing, it’s more about the characters and their self-discovery, not treatment and many of those parts are relatable and inspiring. I also loved that every episode had a specific fairy tale theme. It was a great way to foreshadow some things without giving anything away. The direction was also so beautifully done, incorporating picturesque scenes, and storybook-style imagery. The direction helped tie all the various genre elements together so seamlessly. I also felt like great care was taken in how even minor scenes were shot. It’s the director who did “Jealousy Incarnate”, an all-time rewatchable favorite of mine. The way animation was incorporated was so good too, and never overdone. The way the mystery was solved was underwhelming, but the actual ending episode was so moving, bringing earlier images and scenes full circle into the story (I loved the illustrations!). I was afraid that the end would be disappointing but it ended up being better than I even imagined it could be, while still being simple and true to the story. Every question I had wasn’t answered but the ones that mattered to me were, so everything felt resolved. I was definitely dehydrated from all the happy tears too.

Would I watch this again? Many times. The story is so well told, with characters I already miss, and it probably is a little more entertaining at the start knowing the whole story ahead of time. Since the mystery isn’t the strongest part of this drama nothing is really lost knowing what comes next, and I can enjoy certain performances in earlier scenes differently. There’s also plenty of rewindable moments with Soo Hyun and Ye Ji playing so well off of each other. This is one of those dramas that I will end up watching multiple times… Like Sang Tae watching Dooly. (lol)

The only area I didn’t give a perfect 10 was music. Don’t get me wrong, the music is great in general and well incorporated, but there was no memorable song that could justify a 10 from me, besides the “OK” hospital’s sing-along song which was cute.

Overall this drama easily has become one of my all-time KDrama favorites, which I would have never guessed from the cast and description. This drama definitely deserves its high ratings. If you’re looking for an original story without necessarily reinventing the drama-wheel, this one qualifies for sure. If you want to fall in love with characters and see them grow and evolve in a satisfying way this drama specializes in that. It’s not too dark or too lighthearted and has enough elements to please many different drama moods. I laughed and cried so much. I didn’t know eating porridge could be so emotional or that deer could be so hilarious. I love the themes of choosing your own happiness, defining your own family, and empowerment and freedom through self-expression and self-determination. This drama itself echoes Ko Moon Young’s perspective on fairytales… they exist not as escapism but so we can face reality, and like a children’s fairytale book I wanted to read (or watch) it again as soon as it was done. I rarely give all 10s and this one came extremely close! This is definitely a new KDrama Classic.

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Great acting by a blockbuster cast, led down by an underwhelming script.

Oh Jung Se and Seo Ye Ji nailed their roles spectacularly. The focus on mental illness was great but not developed strongly - especially KMY's ASPD - no diagnosis or treatment was even mentioned. Plot was slow and predictable, with not many surprises. The First leads had good chemistry, however, the pacing on of their relationship was too fast - leading to a burn out in the 2nd half of the series. Second leads could also have been developed even further - NJR, JS, LSI etc. Felt that many of these characters didn't really have a 'role' in plot.

Overall, comfortable to watch, great visuals, excellent acting but could have been so much more if the story was more developed and well rounded.

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Blows everything else I've seen out of the water - true masterpiece

I have to thank my friend for sending me the trailer of this show before it started. I initially had no desire to see this drama as I thought that the synopsis sounded like something I wouldn't be interesting. As soon as I saw the trailer I knew I had to see this. (I even got my husband on board to watch it with me and he fell in love with the show as well.) The music was haunting and Seo Ye Ji's voice was sexy as heck. I'm in. And I'll fully admit that this was so much better than I ever could have expected. The story is one of a kind. There is something for everyone in this show. Drama, Melo, Romance, Comedy, Mystery, and Healing. I laughed and I cried. There was so much heart in this drama - it was so well-written and well-acted. Watching the main trio heal from their trauma touched my heart so much, and I also loved the fairy tale backdrop for the show was well as the episodes themselves.

This was the first time I've watched Seo Ye Ji, but safe to say I am now a fan. She was simply gorgeous as Ko Mun Young. She had times where she was fierce and times where she showed innocence. The acting from all three leads was phenomenal. Oh Jung Se as Moon Sang Tae completely stole the show so many times though - he may have been my favorite character of the entire show. All three of them acted their hearts out in this. They all had scenes that drew on my emotions and brought tears to my eyes.
I have to give props to the supporting cast as well. Everyone really did a phenomenal job with this show. I have nothing but praises for all of them.

I've said before that the OST has to be really outstanding for me to take notice because I'm not much on noticing music. This show had one of the best OSTs I've ever heard. (surpasses Goblin and Mr. Sunshine which had been my two previous mentions for best OST.) Janet Suh's In Silence (and I'm Your Psycho), Lee Sun Hyun's In Your Time, Elaine's Wake Up (opening credits), Ga Eun's Got You, Kim Feel's Hallelujah - some of the best tunes from the show.

Best of all, this has been one of the most satisfying endings of any show I've watched lately. It was more than I even hoped for. It was just beautiful all the way around. I've been through a string of great shows with lackluster endings, but this show brought its 'A game' for every episode right up until the final credits of the very last episode (and Netflix even treated us to a final credit blooper reel!)
This show is a definite re-watch.

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A beautiful K-drama that respectfully explores mental health

This genuinely might be one of the best K-dramas I've seen in a while. The chemistry between all the actors is immense, and that's not to put into question the pure acting ability each of them possessed. Every character in the drama felt genuine and authentic, and not at all forced or downright disrespectful to those who do have such disorders in reality. The romance was beautifully developed, and the relationships between all the characters blossomed in a way that seemed realistic and not rushed. The plotlines were well thought out with little to no plotholes that come to mind; in a way, the story comes full circle and has a fitting ending. Definitely a recommended watch, and arguably the best K-drama of 2020.

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A REALISTIC FAIRYTALE

Yes, my review title might seem like an oxymoron, but it is the best way in which I can describe this drama. I didn’t know what to expect, since I quite literally stumbled across it after watching a slew of subpar ‘drama classics’. The title intrigued me and I thought: “Alright, this may just be a complete waste of my time or one of the best decisions I have ever made.” And I’m so glad that it’s the latter.

First of all, I adore the format in which this drama is presented to us. Each episode is named after a fairytale of some sort and more often than not it mirrors what the episode is about. It’s stunningly shot to boot. The first meeting of Gang Tae and Mun Yeong, under those cherry blossoms straight up reminds me of a Disney movie. But don’t be fooled.

This drama is teetering on that beautiful line between realism and surrealism, by tastefully presenting and discussing themes surrounding mental health in a surrounding and with characters who still make you feel like you’re a part of their world. Our troublesome trio Gang Tae, Mun Yeong and Sang Tae form a bond that is seldom seen in dramas. A familial bond made through similar pain, understanding and experiences, since they are all outcasts in their own way.

I don’t have enough praise for the acting. Genuinely, these actors deserve global popularity and recognition for their work here. The way they work off of each other is beautiful to see. Oh Jun-se really blew me away with this role. He’s a really talented actor and I hope to see him in awesome projects like this one! Seo Ye-ji and Kim Soo-hyun don’t fall behind either. They are a bomb together, in the best possible way. I’ve seen that Ye-ji is quite self conscious about her voice but I love it, and her. It takes a lot of talent to play a role so different from your personality so convincingly.

This drama is a really dark, twisted delight and I could relate to Mun Yeong more than I’d like to admit. In fact, there was one scene with her father that seemed like it was outright pulled from my life.

The soundtrack is also beautifully haunting and appropriate. Now for the cons, of which I only really have two. A big one would be the character of Mun Yeong’s mother and the way she was handled. I would’ve preferred if she wasn’t even shown fully or if they wanted to show her then it would seem highly appropriate to have Mun Yeong deal with her primarily, instead of having Gang Tae be that resolving link. It was a nonsensical decision in writing which has, so far shown to be exceptional. It is a clunky blip in an otherwise tight storybook. I would’ve also liked to see character development for other characters.

Alas, it is still an amazing body of work and has my GLOWING recommendation. We absolutely need more dramas like this.

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very good for episode 1-5 and painful boring for the rest.

Episode 1-5 is very good.
Then suddenly I felt like everything change except the cast.
Its like they change the director, script writer and I almost thought they change the person who subbed!

Its okay to went downhill for a few episodes, but this is totaly extreme downhil.
As Indonesian I will say, keren banget awalnya dan abis itu boring abiss!!!

why? where's the consistency?
what happened?
too many unnecessary draggy scene.

let's not talk about almost not once person other than the cast seen. Hemat budget?
mungkin Kim So hyun budgetnya sudah mahal.

Anyway, of course all the actors acts are excellent.
Too bad thats almost the only thing good.

quite dissapointed.

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I was expecting more

I like the drama but it left me wanting.

In terms of acting, the believable one for me is Oh Jung Se as Sang Tae. I expected more from Soo Hyun acting. Ye Ji is a good actor, might look up more of her dramas. The supporting characters are good too, I enjoy the side stories. There's good comedic timing too. The actors just did not make me feel invested on their characters, I really did not feel the sincerity of it, I don't know how to explain it, that's just how I feel when I watched it.

The story is okay, I don't think the script really delve in the mental side of what I thought this drama is all about. The plot holes, the mother plot. It did not grab my attention as I hoped, the last episode is really nice though. What I did not like too much about it is like I feel there's confusion on what they want to show, if they want to show the realism or the fantasy of it, so I guess it's better to view this as a fairy tale story.

The OST is okay, there's one song that they play that really reminded me of the Jonas Brothers song.

Overall, the drama is good to watch, beautiful production and transitions. The drama is ok and many will like this kind of show, I guess it's not my taste.

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A must watch!!

I don't usually watch dramas while they're airing because it's agonising having to wait a whole week for the next episode. However, I couldn't hold myself back from checking out this drama. The plot and casting really caught my attention and I wasn't disappointed when i started watching it.

Although the series mainly focusses on Kang Tae and Moonyoung, the supporting cast receives attention too with their own stories and scenes that makes the plot even more likeable. The story is unique but easy to get the gist of and perfect for people who are looking for a slow burn romance! You'll fall in love with each character as the drama progresses. I personally love when main characters develop in dramas because it keeps me wanting to watch more and 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay' has just that and more. Not only does this drama have a unique storyline but it also shares real life issues dealing with mental health and healing. It's a series viewers can both enjoy and learn from!

Each and every scene delivers stunning cinematography and smooth directory. I love the fact that the drama has small references from fairytales since Moonyoung is a story writer and it's probably part of the whole theme. Kim Soohyun and Seo Yeji deserve multiple acting awards because their emotional acting is on point! I have to also mention that the fashion of Seo Yeji's character is beautiful because she manages to pull off literally every outfit she wears. I also really love the OST, my personal faves are In Silence and Wake Up!

I just can't help but love this series!!

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A healing drama

Pros:
A healing drama for sure, it'll definitely be missed. Every single detail had so much dedication. I knew I'd like this drama but I didn't know it would be one of the best ones I've watched so far. Everyone who was involved made this one a masterpiece. This drama isn't for everyone but if you need some warmth in your heart you'll enjoy watching it. Kim Soo Hyun, Seo Ye Ji and Oh Jung Se had an amazing chemistry as the main trio. I've lost the count of how many times I smiled, laughed and cried during the episodes. Oh Jung Se deserves awards for his breathtaking acting, he was so perfect. OST, acting, cinematography, fashion, production: all on point so I fell in love instantly. They used a lot of transitions for the first half of the show, it was really cool. I also liked the way they showed the audience how was the world through the patient's own eyes. There were times I'd feel their pain and got emotional because it was too heartbreaking. The character development was superb. The haunted castle matched Mun Yeong's mood and they also incorporated the fairy tales well. I appreciate all those great pieces of advice: they gave us many motivational, warm, inspirational and realistic quotes. So many life lessons to think about. I had so much fun reading and making theories week after week, it was very entertaining. (SPOILER) I liked that they gave new perspectives to almost everyone. They could follow their path allowing themselves to be happy somehow. All those patients had new beginnings as well, they deserved it a lot. The long dreamed trip happened and it was amazing!

Cons (SPOILER):
I'd like to point out some things. Episodes 14-15 seemed like a roller coaster of things all happening at the same time. They didn't explain how her mom survived, so what really happened? All of it was her father's disturbed vision? If not how did she escape from the haunted castle?

Aside from this it was a special drama worth watching so I'd definitely recommend it! I will miss the trio and the drama itself, really. Cast, crew, writer, director they need to be praised for the beautiful and memorable work they have done ♡

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This is the best serial ever

Normally i dont write reviews but this serial it made me fall in love with everything there is in this world . The year when this serial was broadcasted was 2020 the worst year ever in a century but this serial kept me going .It made me laugh want like litterally want crave for more more more which is happening after a long time .i was going through a kdrama slump i got this serial and trust me this is a very beautiful serial i loved every aspect of the story line one episode will make u hate on character but in the next u will love them this proves everyone is a human we will do some things that will make others angry but we are humans sarams we do stuff there will be someone or something that will help us love us .i dont know what i am writing but i am just in soo much emotions maybe ill come back and edit this but lets just say i am a bit psycho but its okay .
This serial made me crazy for kissing scenes ( bates motel family ). The story ,the acting the directing everything was just spot on i was thinkimg the mothers plot was not necessary but i was wrong it was needed to show how ppl who had past troubles in life can move on and live togther when they love each other....beautiful messages i fell in love witg fairytales . I wish everyone enjoys the serial like us

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