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It's Okay to Not Be Okay

사이코지만 괜찮아 ‧ Drama ‧ 2020
Completed
kenzie
0 people found this review helpful
Nov 23, 2025
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

"The Person I Like the Most is Myself."

I can't believe that I have put this drama off for so long. I've been hearing about it since I first started watching them and was planning on watching it after I finished Queen of Tears but obvious recent events put me off. I won't be mentioning any of the controversies regarding the main leads because this review is purely about the show.

I had no idea that this drama was so heavily focused on mental health or that most of the drama would take place in a mental health facility but as someone who's not only a psych major but also has mental issues of my own, this drama hit very close to home.

I loved that we not only got to learn about the main characters and how they started to accept their past and work on themselves but also seeing the characters in the facility and their stories was amazing. Usually when I watch dramas, I don't care at all about most side characters but I got so attached to this drama. There wasn't one single weak episode and even the side characters were amazing actors.

I also love how this drama went against so many common tropes that typically upset me, for example: didn't make Munyeong forgive her father when he was dying because the trauma doesn't just go away just because he's dying. This is genuinely one of the best k-dramas out there and I will 100% go back to this and bring up everything it did correctly whenever other shows make me mad lol.

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Completed
yibeu
0 people found this review helpful
Sep 27, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
i regret the fact this is the first drama i've watched because it made my standards be WAY TOO FUCKING HIGH!!!! was she a little crazy? absolutely .. but i also loved how everything was connected from the stories to just the subtle things i could only quite catch on later or when i was rewatching. i liked the way they portrayed autism i feel like it opened my eyes a little bit to it the actor did a super good job !!!! the brothers dynamic was so beautiful it made me so damn emotional. like seriously i'm pretty sure i almost cried because of this show a couple of times. i do want to rewatch it properly because there's just so much to talk about and i wanna add everything to this

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Completed
u11748593
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 21, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Acting like rent was DUE

Title says it all. Every actor brought their A game. To a degree where I couldn’t believe I’d seen them act in other shows because they held so true to their characters. It was bittersweet but life often is. A story about learning to love and be loved and the mortifying ordeal of being seen. I’ve never felt so invested in side characters and quite frankly, only about 2-3 out of the entire cast felt like a true side character. The characters were fleshed out to a “t” and the ups and downs were believable. Your heart ached when they cried and life was unfair. You laughed when they were ridiculous and out of pocket. You felt butterflies when you saw someone be loved for who they were instead of who the world thinks they should be. No notes, just watch it.

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Completed
Khaotoph
0 people found this review helpful
Feb 7, 2026
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Captivating Story, Subjects, and Acting

I started watching this at the recommendation of a friend and it was fantastic. I was blown away at the storyline, and how the writers tackled and incorporated themes of mental health and illness throughout the drama. The leads are both amazing actors and deliver their roles well (character of one of them outside of acting excluded from analysis) and each episode delivers a more nuanced and complicated layer and development to each character. The series is long but never feels slow and every episode feels important in the overall plot and story development.

I love how Ko Mun Yeong is misunderstood and portrayed, as well as overcomes obstacles and inclinations about the way she was raised and the sociological and environmental influences she faced from her mother. Despite the seriousness of the series overall, the humor and dark fairytale like story are captivating. Visually, the drama is wonderfully done and even the support case in the drama is outstanding.

As one of my first non BL dramas, this set a high bar for other dramas to live up to! Definitely watch this if you want character depth, a different style love story, and characters that sometimes break the traditional K-Drama molds of leads.

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Completed
Sanne
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 17, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

i loved it

i laughed, cried, got mad, screamed, cried and laughed some more but most importantly i loved it.

the story and characters are great, but the message about everyone having their own trauma's and getting over them or learning to live with them is so important. that there are always people around you that care for you no matter how lonely you feel or how much you tend to push them away.

i think everyone should watch this drama because there is a good message behind it, you'll learn a lot from it. you never know what happend in someones life no matter how much they pretend to be fine.

i really needed this in my life and i am glad i watched it.

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Completed
EmmaHasan
0 people found this review helpful
Jul 12, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Mind-blowing, Refreshing & Awesome Acting

I loved the story. In many dramas they use mental illness as a tool to stretch the storyline, but in this drama it is all about mental illness & focusing on that.

First & foremost, I loved the cast's acting a lot. Mainly Oh Jung Se & Seo Yea Ji acting. They stand out a lot to me. I know Kim Soo Hyun is a big shot actor, but they did a fantastic job playing an autistic character & antisocial personality disorder respectively. It's not easy to act as an autistic person how much of a good actor you're, sometime actors overdo it & it turns out fake & unrealistic. But Oh Jung Se did an excellent job playing an autistic character. Also loved how Seo Yea Ji played a character who is expressionless or can't express herself. I became a fan of hers.

I love Ko Moon Young dressing style. She is a badass woman. Love her.

Poor Moon Gang Tae, the patient puked on him & his helpless face.

Laughed how Moon Gang Tae saved Lee Sang In from falling

Loved how Ko Moon Young helped Moon Sang Tae in the event.

I would also do the same thing as Ko Moon Young, even if I’m not a fan of Kim Soo Hyun but uff the shirtless scene. The way she was checking out his abs & touching them.

I laughed so hard when Ko Moon Young was moaning in the middle of the clinic & said she is horny, poor Moon Gang Tae embarrassed look is so cute.

The way Ko Moon Young said “Do you want to sleep with me?” in front of everyone is epic scenes. This scene made me wang to watch the drama.

Laughed so much when Ko Moon Young said tiny to the patient.

The scene where Moon Gang Tae stands in front & Ko Moon Young came at high speed is also another scene which made me watch the drama.

I never liked Moon Gang Tae's mother. Even if she loved him, she never expressed herself, instead said so many hurtful things to him. If she had shown a little bit of emotion, he wouldn't have suffered so much.

Loved Ko Moon Young expression when she said" I’m a kid".

The sudden confession of Ko Moon Young & Moon Gang Tae walking away is hilarious. Later on, Moon Gang Tae did the same thing to Ko Moon Young.

Moon Gang Tae expression when Lee Sang In said he was Ko Moon Young man was cute.

Laughed how Moon Gang Tae saved Lee Sang In from falling. It reminds me of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha scene.

Loved how casually & unbothered way Ko Moon Young asked Moon Gang Tae if he ever slept with someone & to carry her around.

Ko Moon Young looks so cute with that expression when Moon Sang Tae said she wasn’t looking pretty with her new style.

Jealous Moon Gang Tae is so cute.

It’s cute & hilarious how Ko Moon Young & Moon Sang Tae fight with each other over Mang Tae & Moon Gang Tae face after seeing it.

It’s funny how Jo Jae Soo prevented Lee Sang In from kicking Yoo Seung Jae.

Need a friend like Jo Jae Soo. He is always there for Moon brothers. Supporting them, helping them in every kind of situation.

The way Ko Moon Young was angry with deer for interrupting her moment with Moon Gang Tae is hilarious.

Ko Moon Young looked cute when she was all scared.

Ko Moon Young favourite line “Do you want to die?”

Ko Moon Young tells Moon Gang Tae she won’t have his child. She is always saying inappropriate things out of nowhere & whenever he is drinking. Let the guy brink peacefully.

Laughed so hard when Ko Moon Young said they should have a son in the middle of a store & how embarrassed Moon Gang Tae was.

It was so emotional & as well as sweet when Moon Sang Tae fed & took care of a crying Ko Moon Young.

I loved Ko Moon Young & Moon Sang Tae relationship. I used wach clips on social media of them & always thought that they were siblings.

Frustrated Moon Gang Tae cursing the deer is so cute & hilarious.

The way Ko Moon Young called out Moon Gang Tae for kicking her leg & him playing all innocent is so cute & funny.

Loved Troublemaker Trio trip.

Enjoyed the drama a lot.

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Completed
6 Code
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 27, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 10

Great cast

One of 1st Kdramas that i watched and i really enjoyed it. you can feel their pain and love which is a big plus point for me.
All the actors were great, however Oh Jung-se was on another level. Every single scene of him i was amazed of how well he is performing. So realistic. I loved him so much. I loved his bond with Seo Yea-ji in the series. it was so fun to watch.
i loved how the characters were far from being perfect and full of flaws which was beautiful.
N the Villain gave me chills to be honest. So mischievous n evil.
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Completed
Nightingale
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 2, 2025
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

HEAVY

this is such a healing drama for me :’) they complimented each other so well. a girl who doesn’t care about her emotions and a guy who bottles up his. two troubled person finding solace, warmth, and comfort with each other :’) i just didnt like the usual cliche “childhood friends” it still would have been good without that but doesn’t really take away from the beauty of this series. the casting is so good, NO ONE could have played munyeong and gang tae better than yea ji and soo hyun. the ost are soooo amazing and catchy
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Completed
Wolfgang
0 people found this review helpful
Oct 5, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Beautiful

Since this show had such an unique atmosphere, extraordinary actors, superb OST and fairy tale feeling, im giving it absolute 10/10. I loved it, really i watched it alone once and then again with my girlfriend and she loved it too.

There is one flaw though.
Since there us plenty of people talking about how good it is (and it was) im gonna talk about the flaw which bothers me a little in this show and thats the disorder FL has. I dont know what its called but its some kind of sociopathy and i dont really think that its curable. Even though its a healing drama, i dont think this is healable. This spoils a little bit the message in the end because if it was reality i believe this realationship would end very very bad... I think many people overlook this cause FL is such a beautiful person but it kind of send wrong message. She behaves really mean like REALLY MEAN sometimes but because she is beautiful and cute is it ok to overlook that? The show us so good but this was bothering me a little. It sends a wrong message really.

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Completed
Anolord
0 people found this review helpful
Jul 11, 2026
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers

Two Wounded Hearts, One Unforgettable Love Story — A Masterpiece About Healing and Growth

It's Okay to Not Be Okay is not just a romance drama; it is a story about three people who are hurt in different ways and slowly learn how to heal together.

From the beginning, Moon Gang Tae and Ko Moon Young have a fascinating dynamic. Gang Tae looks like someone who has everything under control, but inside he is exhausted from spending his entire life taking care of his older brother while ignoring his own emotions. Moon Young appears confident and fearless, but behind her strong personality is a lonely person who has been searching for love since childhood.

Their relationship is what makes this drama unforgettable. At first, their personalities clash constantly, but slowly we see that they understand each other's pain better than anyone else. Gang Tae brings warmth into Moon Young's life, while Moon Young helps Gang Tae realize that he also deserves to be cared for.

One of the most emotional parts of the drama is Moon Young's character development. She starts as someone who pushes people away and uses her sharp words as a shield, but as we learn more about her past and her relationship with her mother, we understand why she became that way. Seeing her finally confront her childhood trauma and realize that she was not responsible for the pain she experienced was heartbreaking.

Gang Tae's journey is equally powerful. He has always sacrificed his own happiness for his brother, Moon Sang Tae. The moment he finally admits that he is tired of always being strong and wants someone to take care of him too is one of the most realistic and emotional scenes in the drama.

The bond between the brothers was actually one of my favorite parts. Sang Tae was not written as just a side character; his growth was important. Watching him overcome his fears, understand Gang Tae's feelings, and become more independent made their relationship very meaningful.

The romance between Gang Tae and Moon Young is also different from typical K-dramas. Their love story is not perfect, but that is what makes it feel real. They both have flaws, they hurt each other, but they also help each other become better versions of themselves.

The unique fairy-tale storytelling, beautiful cinematography, amazing acting, and emotional soundtrack make this drama stand out. Every character has a purpose, and every story connects to the main theme of healing.
Some people may find Moon Young's personality difficult at first, but her transformation is one of the best parts of the drama. Watching her learn how to love and be loved is incredibly satisfying.

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Completed
m5m
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 23, 2026
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Overall a great series, despite a bad plot hiccup late in the series.

First, the bad: This show would have deserved a higher ranking from me, but has to take a hit due to a serious mess-up in the plot in episodes 13-15 when the story just goes down the crapper with a completely unrealistic evil-mommy-returns-from-the-dead sub-arc. Not only is the premise for this particular arc completely implausible, the show implements it by using just a ton of really bad, cheap, stereotypical plot devices. In particular, they lean heavily into 'misunderstandings'. due to excessive lack of communication and 'white lies' between the various protagonists and support characters. The show through the first 12 episodes is so good that the hard turn into the ditch of cheap drama tropes in 13-15 is very jarring. Fortunately, the 16th & final episode returns to what made the rest of the show so good.

Now, the good: This show's real plot premise is wonderful and interesting. They flip several classic plot tropes over, in particular by having the female lead (Seo Yea Ji, as Ko Mun Yeong) be a sociopath - yet one the audience actually loves and sympathizes for. Usually, her sort of sociopathic character is either the villain or at best the annoying unrequited love interest. SYJ is absolutely wonderful in this role. Her character's eccentric mannerisms are simultaneously rude and frightening and yet also incredibly endearing. Your heart goes out to her more and more as you understand the pain her character has been forged through. Another trope flip is that the ML, Kim Soo Hyun as Moon Gang-Tae, is, well, kinda often useless due to his own heavy emotional baggage. He's incredibly frustrating and often and emotional coward (he's called out for this repeatedly by multiple characters) and as the series progresses actually outhunt becomes less and less useful for even the 'physical' heavy lifting. But again, despite behaving in so many ways that irritate and frustrate you, his character still gains your sympathy and you want him to survive, thrive and be happy.

Finally, gotta mention Oh Jung Se's brilliant performance as Moon Sang-Tae. He delivers a brilliant performance that just has to be seen. My words of praise wouldn't do it justice.

The rest f the cast is excellent as well. Every character is interesting. The production values are also top notch. The wardrobes, cinematography and music are especially all great. My only quibbles would with the directing, tending to dwell too long on characters just staring into space a lot - that happened far too often in this story and felt like it was often just filling screen time.

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Completed
Layeeqa Samreen
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 9, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10

Good Representation of Mental Health.

I’ve been watching kdramas for a very long time and I’ve watched every genre and tone that kdrama has to offer, kdrama has quite a lot of cliches but still some of them are really good. It’s okay to not be okay is one of those few dramas that keeps you hooked and has a completely different setting rather than the ordinary romantic dramas. The show captures each point beautifully and keeps you wanting more. This show is not your regular kdrama. It has something different about it (in a good way) that makes it one of my favourites. The chemistry between the leads is one of the most captivating part of the show. I like how the emotions are potrayed in this drama. Every character has a different story to tell and the writers, directors have done a beautiful job in bringing out those emotions. Even the actors have acted beautifully. Kim soo hyun’s acting is so perfect here, he brings out the reality ij every scene to the point where you actually start feeling his emotions. Oh Jung-se is another highlight of the show, playing an autistic character such beautifully and he never fails to astound us. Seo Ye-ji playing a cold hearted woman but yearning for love is beautiful. I highly recommend y’all to watch this show. Trust me it will not be a waste of your time. 😉

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It's Okay to Not Be Okay poster

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  • Score: 8.8 (scored by 167,771 users)
  • Ranked: #148
  • Popularity: #3
  • Watchers: 289,716

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