It's Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) User Reviews (674)

Shadowy fairytale

[aayatfatma · 10/10 · 22 June 2020]

EDITED REVIEW- I wrote my earlier review after watching the second episode, and am editing now after watching the last episode. I am in tears and the joy I am feeling right now is heart warming. This drama was so beautiful and fabulous... I have no words. The story line is so good, you will be in tears and you will think again about K dramas, its that beautiful. Every character development is smooth, and its not complete 360 change which usually is shown. Its just becoming better. The costumes, music, scenes, dialogues, actors, editing, production... everything is so perfect I-... Its just awesome. This show didn't disappoint me even for single second. The last episode is so beautifully, you will be crying that it ended and be happy about the ending the characters got. And Boy did the actors act?! Kim Soo Hyun is famous I get it, but Oh Jung Se?!! Major shout out to him and Yoo Sae Ji!! these two acted so good that I got moved for real. I have seen Oh Jung Se acting as support actor in so many dramas, but this? This is how a good actor makes a supporting character into a Lead character. Its brilliant. New respect for both Oh Jung Se and Yoo Sae Ji. This show is a must for everyone who thinks they are 'Not Okay'. This show will show you that being 'Not Okay' is 'okay'. You can have flaws too, and you will see that everyone has them too. You will see that being not okay is what makes you human.

OLD REVIEW- I have watched many k dramas, and this is very different. Maybe because it's a Netflix original, but it has the touch of more than just k-drama. Whole production idea is different, including the story book display. Great concept. It's not the flowery, lovey dovey k drama fairy tale. It's a dark fairy tale. So i would recommend it for anyone, who likes k drama's concept of childhood friends meeting again and dark deep dialogues. To say it's playlist is good, would be an understatement. Just two episodes and I am already in love with it.

Unique and powerful

[bpemkvqq · 10/10 · 2 July 2020]

This drama is very different from your typical kdrama. It addresses the sensitive topic of mental health and it has me completely hooked after watching only the first few episodes. The actors have great chemistry; their charisma is insane. I really enjoyed the animations that were incorporated into the film. I highly recommend everyone to try experiencing this great drama for themselves because it will surely not disappoint.

Addictive!

[amawansui · 10/10 · 28 June 2020]

A very well made drama. Interesting storyline, cast, strong female lead, and great cinematography. It has deep meaning behind the plots. As long as you get over the 1 episode, which to me was kinda boring, you'll get hooked!

Tim Burton x K-drama!

[pilawsopo · 10/10 · 4 July 2020]

This k-drama feels different and I love different! I'm astounded with the animation, cinematography, writing, and acting. I smell Baeksang Arts Awards.

Real topics! Stunning Cinematography!

[jcwins · 10/10 · 30 June 2020]

I just finished four episodes of this show and all i can say is WOW! This one is a MUST watch even if your not into korean tv shows you still have to watch this one. It's truly moving. The acting is simply amazing and the issues are real and I feel so many people can relate to the issues because in life everyone goes through alot of downs and this show truly covers peoples dark areas inside themselves they want to hide. Its a stunning show please watch if you haven't yet!

Stunning!

[pamelajane-91957 · 10/10 · 1 July 2020]

After watching many dramas, this is by far the best I have seen so far. This is why... Every scene is beautiful in it's own way. I felt an emotional connection to all of the characters and have become invested in the story. It brings the topic of mental health to the fore front so is very current. The chemistry portrayed between the two lead actors is heart stopping......just kiss already!! 😘

I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS SHOW!!!!

[gianglelee · 10/10 · 1 July 2020]

An absolute must watch kdrama of all time!!!! This has been upgrading Kdramas to another level of amazingness. You should experience it yourself and I'll bet that you will not regret or feel like youre wasting your time for this. This is a masterpiece.

NOT YOUR TYPICAL ROMCOM TV SHOW

[sanadominique · 10/10 · 2 July 2020]

Even though this show just recently started streaming, it already got me hooked on its first four episodes. I can say that this is not your typical romantic comedy tv show because the story line doesn't just focus on that alone. It also promotes mental health awareness, which I think, is not always seen on tv shows. It shows that there are different kinds of mental illnesses and how each one should be given of importance and should not be neglected. Anyway, its a tv show that is worth watching and looking forward to the next episodes.

THE BEST KDRAMA I'VE EVER WATCHED

[aramel-30745 · 10/10 · 13 August 2020]

This drama set the bar too high. The Acting, writing, scoring, cinematography, transition, screenplay, plot, the use of fairy tale metaphors, the chemistry between the actors, everything is just on another Level: Such a masterpiece.! It's Okay To Not Be Okay is more than just drama. It's A Life lesson.

Beautifully written story, BUT with on major plot flaw

[skistud-55685 · 6/10 · 31 March 2021]

Let me start by saying this is an excellent acted psychological drama/love story, with the main protagonists scarred by events or situations they have been in during their life. The main setting is a psychiatric hospital & I will not go into the main storyline details b/c that can be read in a synopsis.

I wanted to give this drama an 8 or 9/10, but there is one RIDICULOUS plot twist that I cannot forgive so I've only given it a 6/10.

*****SPOILER ALERT******

Okay, let us talk about the mom of the daughter still being alive. It really goes off the rails on this "twist" in Episode 14. In Episode 13, the mom was shown explicitly being thrown off a 2nd story balcony by her husband & directly landing on the side of her head on the below stairwell. She suffered SEVERE hemorrhaging that would have killed her; but let's say for "creative license" sakes she survived this event. She would have had a SEVERE traumatic brain injury & would be eating through a straw the rest of her life! But there is more. Her husband then throws her body that's inside a bag into a cold lake. So basically, she's now dead X 2.

But nope, she's been alive the last 20 yrs. & is now the head nurse at the psychiatric hospital! Say what?? It's explained that she looks nothing like her younger version b/c of plastic surgery; and by looking at the difference b/t the 2 mom actors, extensive/multiple plastic surgeries! I don't know how she found time to go to nursing school.

If that isn't enough bad writing, it's shows the mom/head nurse helping a patient kill himself that occurs in Episode 1. But there are surveillance cameras in his room. A detective with more than 1 brain cell could look at the surveillance camera to show her helping him commit suicide! But that would have been the end of this drama after 1 episode.

To me, this type of writing is an insult to the viewer. I understand in many dramas you must suspend belief to a point. But this "suspension" is Friday the 13th Jason type-suspension. And this is not a Friday the 13th type drama. Overall, it is a beautifully written drama showing how 2 scarred individuals fall in love while one grows a soul & the other finds life beyond helping others.

My recommendation is to watch this drama but have your favorite hard liquor of choice available in Episode 14..........it might make the ridiculous plot twist go down better.

Just MARVELOUS! Must Watch.. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[suesichan · 10/10 · 30 June 2020]

Let me say that the writers did a marvelous Job! On top of that the best of the best S. Korean actors portraying these characters and doing it brilliantly is great! Oh Jung Se, you are going to win best supporting actor again! I've seen other dramas he's in and this one is something different for him, 🙇.. and he's doing it very well! And to the main lead: The BEAUTIFUL n TALANTED: Kim Soo-Hyun, watching each episode you can feel his sadness, his love, the caring, he has for his brother (Oh Jung-Se) the character his portraying he nailed it! Ye-Ji Seo, great character for you! Love it! Worth to watch, if you like mysteries, and dark drama..

Wonderful Story Marred by an Unfortunate but Significant Flaw

[fake_moviestar · 7/10 · 10 August 2020]

Okay, so let me start by saying I loved the whole concept of this show. The slightly "other-worldly" feel of it makes this show feel very different from anything I have ever seen. The acting is phenomenal, from Soo-Hyun's heartbreaking performance, to Ye-Ji's feisty, sadistic-but-fun anti-heroine, to Jeong-Se's unreal acting as an autistic man that is on par with Dustin Hoffman's Rain Man. The music is lovely, and the slow-build romance between Moon-Young and Gang-Tae is so wonderful to watch.

Now for the flaw - the "villain." I absolutely HATED the whole plot-line of Moon-Young's evil mother. It would have been fine if she had remained dead and was just this haunting, painful roadblock for Moon-Young to get over. But instead she somehow survived a fatal fall down a staircase and being thrown into a lake by her husband? And no, this miraculous survival was never explained. Also her face completely changed, and apparently she just got plastic surgery to change her appearance, but somehow no one knew about this? Don't forget she is supposed to be an incredibly famous and popular author. And she was perfect at faking being a really nice and wonderful nurse at the psychiatric hospital that her husband just so happened to be admitted to - how did she even get the job? She just had a fake name and resume? Did no one ever check up on this woman? Honestly it was so dumb and unrealistic, and when she finally showed her "true colors," she was just so over the top "evil" that it was laughable and totally ruined the whole mood.

The show was saved by the performances of our main characters, but I'm glad they left the reveal of the mother till almost the very end, otherwise I might have stopped watching altogether. I think its worth a watch for the good reasons mentioned above, but the mother story line is something you will have to just ignore.

A lot of fanservice and too much hype

[miaharpr · 5/10 · 12 August 2020]

I love Kim Soo Hyun, let's get that out of the way first. He's the reason why I watched this show. He's a remarkable and versatile actor and devastatingly handsome. I've followed his career since Dream High and loved every one of his dramas...except this. I can see the premise of the show, and it was actually promising at the beginning. As someone who suffers from mental health issues, I could relate with that aspect of the show, although as one of the reviewers mentioned, it glamourized mental illness...that part of it I didn't like. I do appreciate the healing side of the show and how the characters eventually experience growth and transformation. I also liked how they related every episode to a fairy tale. The concept was there, the execution, not so much. Sometimes the acting was too cheesy. I even felt KSH hammed it up in certain scenes. I liked the Sang-tae actor, he deserves an award for his portrayal. I also liked the secondary characters like Juri, Jae-Soo, and Manager Lee. KSH and Seo Ye-ji did have chemistry off screen (I watched BTS too many times to know), but I personally felt something was missing from their on screen chemistry. The plot was predictable-I already knew, for instance, in episode 2 or 3 who her mother was-and the script was pretty basic. It didn't give me anything new or something to ruminate on. It was literally just a CW show with Korean actors, and one of the reviewers on here actually mentioned how the appeal of kdramas is that they are for the most part more chaste...this was pretty daring, I must say. Very Hollywood, indeed...and I guess that's the effect of kdramas becoming more internationally known, and with the Netflix crossover, one can definitely feel the Western influences on the show (e.g. music soundtrack which I felt didn't match the show's mood). There were many ship-worthy scenes, which I would like to go back to, but the beauty of Gang-tae and Moon-young's relationship was "the chase". Once it got to ep. 15 and 16, where the two become an item and do their business, it lost its appeal for me. It seems like the show knew what the audience wanted and gave it regardless of whether the quality was good or not. Some scenes could have been done differently or left to the imagination, but I'm obviously the minority on this. Then the villain which **spoiler alert** the show built up to be this super evil and scary witch-once she makes her reveal, she's eliminated in the same episode like a pesky fly lol a little anti-climatic. I laughed because she waited, what was it, 25 years? To have her revenge. It would have been better if she just tormented her daughter from afar. She got caught by the police so easily and wasn't much of a threat. Finally, never in real life would I buy a book by Moon-Young for a child lol what crazy parent would? And ep.16 was unnecessarily long...even felt longer than the Lord of the Rings 3's ending.

A Much Needed Apology to Mental Health Patients From the So called Normal Society

[Trisha1407 · 10/10 · 29 July 2020]

This show itself is an apology letter to people who are mentally different from the society we have created thinking they don't understand us but it is exactly the opposite. This show gives its audience what we expect from a classic yet different drama. The transaction from one scene to another is so smooth that you don't realise the effect as anything dramatic. The emotions of loneliness Sadness Happiness Jealousy Love are so amazingly portrayed that you feel like this is no big deal but will let you understand human nature. Also how many times have you felt the need to ignore and not be bothered about those mental patients that we have separated from our regular society. Think.

Drama of The Year

[nabixyou · 10/10 · 2 August 2020]

Literally a masterpiece. There's so much more than the visuals of main character. But the way this drama explain how life works through the fairy tale is just.. so pure. You don't even have to think of anything while watching it, the drama will heal you.

Without a doubt, this series is the best South Korean series has been ever made in history.

[ahmedgorshy · 10/10 · 11 September 2020]

Without a doubt, this series is the best South Korean series has been ever made in history without exaggeration. In the beginning, I was not really interested in this show, but the perfect acting of its actors made me convinced that I would continue watching and with each episode the series' magnificence, enthusiasm and events increased. I want to talk about Soo-hyun Kim and Ye-ji Seo They are undoubtedly the best original Drian romance story and their representation is convincing and realistic without making a frequent occurrence in all the other Korean soap operas. This is the best Korean series and it makes the rest of the series garbage next to it. Rate 9 but give it 10.

BEST KDRAMA EVER

[miajabanes · 10/10 · 2 July 2020]

It's only been 4 episodes but it's the BEST K-Drama I've EVER watched. I'm confident they can keep up the energy! LOVE THE PAIRING!!!!

Amazing

[liceth-27379 · 10/10 · 29 June 2020]

This drama is perfecto, the main characters, the story, the ost and the chemestry is on point.

It's ok not to be okay best drama

[abymarecha · 10/10 · 28 June 2020]

Best k drama Wouldn't change a thing about my review .

It has its moments

[sunshalani · 6/10 · 7 February 2022]

I really wanted to say it is amazing but I can't.

It starts off really well and interesting and yes the leads and some of the supporting cast did a great job in terms of the acting but for me I have to connect and have empathy with the characters and as far as the female leads character is concerned I could not. Yes she had a hard and toxic childhood, but that does not give permission to be cruel and spiteful as and when it suits her. I could have been won round had the scriptwriters not included a scene where she tears the butterfly's in half, but after seeing that scene, I just could not see her in any other light but cruel. As others have said there are many who have had a tough childhood and a turbulent relationship with her parents, but they grow up to be compassionate people regardless of their issues. If you dig deep enough you can always find reasons for even the most ruthless person, but that does not make it OK. As for being a famous children's book author - what parent would allow their children to read such dark stories

There are some light and humorous moments, the autistic brother and the Director of the psychiatric ward are fantastic, but at times I found it very slow. I am at episode 8 and struggling to keep going. The premise of the story is good and it has some interesting themes, but I think the scriptwriters didn't take into account that once you present a character in a cruel light they risk losing support for that character.

WOW WOW !! Acting is Superb, do not miss this...

[suesichan · 10/10 · 30 June 2020]

The writers did a marvelous job with the storyline, and to have S.Korea's top actors n actress portray these characters makes it even more beautiful.. I have to say I've watch Oh Jung-Se- ( who is the brother) act in a lot of other shows, but this series , Oh- I hope you win best supporting actor award, your acting role in this series, is so different from your other roles and you mastered it! Bow down to you Oh Jung-Se.. And of course the main lead actor- the BEAUTIFUL and TALANTED: Kim Soo-Hyun I gotta say for someone who hasn't done a new series or movies in awhile came out strong with his acting, but of course that's why he's the top korean actors in S.Korea.. Watching him "work" this character in details, you can see he has his entire heart/mind in this for the next 16 episode, the connection between him and his brother (oh Jung-Se) melts my heart, the sadness in his eyes, the love, the laughter, we can see it through his acting.. so far just 4 episodes, and I see awards coming their way! Great work, just beautiful!

Good Enough

[PennyReviews · 7/10 · 21 September 2020]

" 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)

The most overrated series in kdrama history

[magnoliacream · 5/10 · 14 June 2021]

This drama's high rating is absurd. Viewers were continuously exhorted on fan sites to rate this show 10/10, never mind the forced acting, the dragging pace and the appalling lack of originality of the series. Fans have even been shamelessly trying to grab the "most-watched Netflix series in 2020" crown, based on inaccurate statistics in a site not affiliated with Netflix that tended to give dramas shown later in 2020 higher points than those shown earlier. Official Netflix reports have given that crown to other kdramas.

The idea of fairy-tale themed episodes is merely a copy of ABC's Once Upon A Time TV series. The storyline where the leads turned out to know each other in the past is so overused in kdramas I could not help but roll my eyes when it also came up in this fan service. Excusing a person's rotten behavior because of things that happened in her past is a rotten cliche. There are countless brave and strong people who have survived much worse trauma than what the spoiled annoying female lead went through without becoming witches. But hey, dress her up in gorgeous clothes and serve up more sex and fans would go gaga. Just turn a blind eye to the harassment the male lead suffered from the female lead. Had the genders been reversed and it was a female being harassed by a predatory male, the outrage would been deafening. But no, the harasser is dressed in designer clothes and you have to understand, she is sick having been through a rough childhood, so let her be. In fact, shower this drama with awards. Sicko predators out there could take a pointer from this drama on how to get away with bad behavior. (sarcasm alert)

Another proof of the ridiculous adulation this drama got - other kdramas are slammed for product placements, yet, the signature clothes blatantly and glaringly worn by the female lead even garnered awards!

To fans of performers, please rate responsibly, not blindly giving top marks just to put your idol's show up some lists or to influence awards committees. This has already discouraged people I know from watching more kdramas, wary all kdramas are as bad as this or even worse, since this has such a high rating. Rhapsodizing this as a family show is really going overboard unless you wish to raise wannabe predators. But they would all get cured in the end, right? So, rhapsodize away. (sarcasm alert 2).

A healing drama

[houhouer · 10/10 · 2 July 2020]

This drama raised sensitive issues in which you can identify yourself . I just love how it's not only a drama but a healing process.

Brilliantly moving and original story. Seo Ye Ji is a star.

[phd_travel · 10/10 · 9 August 2020]

So many things about this series are exceptionally good. The journey of healing and learning of each of the characters from the main leads to the various patients is very moving. Admirably tasteful way to deal with mental and emotional issues on screen. The central love story is so involving because their pain feels profound. The incomparable Seo Ye Ji as writer Ko Moon-young is unforgettable - strong and vulnerable, finally a real step forward for K drama heroines. Enjoy each sentence she utters in her signature low voice. She has some memorable and often hilarious dialogue. A far cry from the Cinderella type heroines of early melodramas. And her outfits are stunning - perfectly suited to her tiny waist. Kim Soo-hyun is well cast as caregiver Moon Gang-tae. He isn't a larger than life hero but instead a man with pain and burdens. He looks more mature here. The pairing of the two leads is right. Much better than The King Eternal Monarch where there was little chemistry between Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun. Oh Jung-se gives a likable convincing performance as autistic Moon Sang-tae, In less capable hands the character could have been annoying or tiresome but he made the brotherly relationship very touching. The production values are very high. From the well integrated animation of the stories to the quirky Tim Burton style house, it all has a high quality feature film standard feel to it. To cap it all off the ending is a good and satisfying one. For all those who have been disappointed by unsatisfying endings in K dramas this one helps to makes up for some of them. A must watch.