It's Okay, That's Love would be a very basic, romantic kdrama, but the story centers around mental health issues and that is something pretty new in kdramas. Good Doctor touched upon autism, but this kdrama delves a bit into all sorts of mental illnesses. All in all I would recommend this kdrama to anyone who loves polished, really top of the line production values, great acting, comedy, tragedy, a multifaceted story and romance all merged together.
STORY:
This drama has one of the best stories I've seen. There are no huge plot holes that lessen the enjoyment and the characters also seem deep and realistic. The story will keep you in it's grip until the end. My only complaint would be the way the story portrays mental illnesses. They do show you the despair and fear of people having mental health issues, but still it all seems rather simplified and naive. That is totally understandable though - who would want to sit through a kdrama where the problems in life remain unsolved and everyone just suffer endlessly?
ACTING/CAST:
This drama also had great casting. Needless to say both of the main actors (Jo In Sung & Gong Hyo Jin) were perfect. They were both believable and had to work hard for their salaries... crying, laughing, joking, going through almost every emotion in existence. Also their chemistry was magical.
The supporting characters were wonderful. Sung Dong Il and Lee Kwang Soo were responsible for almost every comedic scene in the series and they pulled it off really nicely.
MUSIC:
The OST was quite heavy in songs with english lyrics. It went pretty well with the overall mood of the drama, but there were maybe 3-4 songs that were used VERY often. The songs were good though and didn't ruin anything, but I still wish that kdramas would use more than just a handful of songs. It seems like it's an industry standard to play the same ballad every time when there is something romantic or otherwise notable thing going on in the drama, but maybe someone should break that rule.
REWATCH VALUE:
I can see myself watching this drama again maybe in 5-10 years, but it's not like Coffee Prince or Queen In Hyun's Man which you can watch multiple times, because It's Okay, That's Love is sort of painful and more tragic.
ps. In case you are wondering why I only gave this series an 8.5 rating - it all comes down to personal preference. I just prefer kdramas that are maybe a bit lighter and even more romantic. I watch western tv series for heavier content and when I watch kdramas I'm pretty much just searching for something with A LOT of romance, cheesiness, cuteness and maybe a bit of action, but not really for content that is emotionally draining.
Was this review helpful to you?
I have never felt this way to a drama before because most dramas seem like it would just belong in la la land. But, this is different. There is enough reality, enough humour, enough love (obviously), enough knowledge about the world of psychology between the characters, enough chemistry between the actors and it is one perfect love story filled with pain and the understanding between the characters and of course, sincere love.
I started to watch this drama because of Gong Hyo Jin. She's a talented actress, getting to know her through Master's Sun. Then when I watched her acting with Jo In Sung, they are perfect, talented actors. I ship Jae Yul and Hae Soo so much!
To those who have doubts about watching this drama, I highly recommend you this drama if you want something new (psychology) to learn, with bits of love and humour here and there. They are funny! Honestly, it has opened up my mind more about psychology and what can I say? I understand enough to empathise. So, I'll end here, and Happy Watching!^^ :D
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This drama is one of the best dramas I've ever watched!! I've watched so many dramas in my life but this one has a special spot in my heart. To start off with there are amazing actors, an amazing plot and amazing background music. However, this drama is so special because it doesn't just talk about "the chase". It talks about real relationships that take effort and require sacrifices. It talks about flawed people coming together and realizing that it's okay to have flaws because at the end of the day, we're all imperfect.
Another reason why this drama is awesome is not only because the main couple have amazing chemistry, but also that the other characters were equally good and I was intrigued by each of their stories. When I started watching this drama, I only read the synopsis so I thought it was a typical lighthearted love story. During the first episode, I already knew that this was going to be different. The heroine isn't your typical sweet, obedient heroine. She is feisty and confident and she has her own opinions that aren't easily swayed.
Lastly, this drama is more than just a drama. It's not something you watch for fun and pleasure. This drama really makes you think about your life and how you interact with the people around you. It reminds us to step up and not allow others to be ostracized in our society. I want to applaud the writer for tackling mental illness because it is such a hard topic to talk about but he really wanted to change Korean's views on people who struggle with mental illnesses and he wanted people to become more open-minded. In my opinion he succeeded in challenging us to not judge a book by its cover. This drama is really in alignment with my personal view that as humans we were created to have deep relationships with one other and support each other.
Thank you so much for reading this review and I sincerely hope that you enjoy this drama as much as I did =)
Was this review helpful to you?
Jo in sung- my boo, apart from good looks this guy is a serious actor. He owned the character and i felt his emotions.
Ji hae soo- she has an inner beauty and the more u watch her the more u realise. Since pasta i like her and roles. She was a great doc, girlfriend and a flirt
Kwang soo- giraffe is a promising actor and this role was just perfect for him. He researched tourets syndrome and gave a great performance. His bromance with sung dong il was my favorite of 2014 following lee gun and tak gwanlija from "fated to love you" they were crazy esp when playing games sometimes i would burst out laughing and choke on my drink.
Lastly the music was great. Best of luck by Chen (exo), crush by punch, love fiction by ulala
Was this review helpful to you?
This drama was just so great to watch! Everyone is crazy and I just love it!
Gong Hyo Jin strikes my heart once again with her amazing acting skills. It may sound wrong, but I just love when she cries. She can deliver the emotions so clearly without being so dramatic. And my god she's just too adorable! Even her cruel character can't stop me from loving her! This was my first time seeing Jo In Sung acting and I have to say, he did a great job playing his blunt character. His expression was just A+ every time he conversed with GHJ's character. It's too bad both actors have their respective life partners already because their chemistry was fantastic! The supporting cast was also wonderful. I'm used to seeing Kwang Soo in Running Man, so it was a nice surprise seeing his acting skills.
The story was superbly written! The end was a little cliche, but I always feel that way towards dramas. I have to give the writer(s) my love because they created such realistic characters. The dialogue was one of my favorite things about this drama. The relationships and arguments were more relatable than the usual impractical situations in kdrama. Which brings me back to the cast's wonderful acting that portrayed it all.
The music. THE MUSIC. I have never loved so many of the songs in a drama before. Usually it's one or two at most, but this drama just had the best music. I feel that the best bgm is when it enhances the emotions of the scene. And this drama did that. I, like many others, were frantically searching for all the songs played because they were just so good. I'd even say that the music has a lot to do with this drama's success.
Overall, this drama did not disappoint. It was more than I expected and I truly loved every episode. The story and characters are fresh and amazingly played by the perfect cast accompanied by emotionally stirring music. You will not regret watching!
Was this review helpful to you?
A drama dealing with mental illness and love, that is right up my alley if you know the type of dramas I am into. The ones that can make you cry, sobbing and wondering how you will go on after that episode, and yet can make you smile from ear to ear from the romance and laugh till your stomach hurts from the comedy. Those types of dramas have a specific mixture that if one out does the other, it just might fall apart, but luckily this drama was balanced well. I am all for dramas where I cry every single episode, however, I think I may not have cried in a few because they were so heartwarming, and I loved that. It didn't have me dying of dehydration from lack of tears, but it didn't leave me wanting an emotional connection between the characters and their circumstances either.
There is so much I want to say about this drama, and yet I will not ruin it for those who have yet to see it. It is a drama you have to watch to be able to truly understand its greatness. The writing in this drama is fantastic. The way the characters are written and how the twists and turns in this drama come together, and when you finally see a character realize their situation and come clean about how they feel, it leaves you in an emotional state, whether happy for them or bad for them. I didn't feel like one character was written in, just to have a certain person play them or to be there for no reason, I felt that everyone had their part and they contributed to the overall story, even if they were not the main character, which is always good. I hate when there are random characters and they serve no purpose, but this drama gave them reasons and they fit well into the story line.
The acting in this drama was fantastic, how else can I put it? We had some of my favorite actors and actresses in this drama and I was not disappointed at all. It was really good to see Zo In Sung in a drama since his drama That Winter The Wind Blows last year, which still is one of my favorites. I’m going to have to add another one of his dramas to my all time favorite lists yet again. He did such a fabulous job as our main character. His story is our main focus and he did a wonderful job playing his broken character. The character we could connect with and love, and feel for. He did an amazing job and I expect nothing less from him. His acting, to me, is always top notch and I enjoyed him in this drama and I hope to see him in another drama this year if possible, if not I suppose I can wait till next year. Kong Hyo Jin is one of my favorite Korean actresses and I think she did an amazing job as well, coming back from her fantastic performance in Master’s Sun, which is one of my favorites from last year as well, I was not disappointed at all with her in this drama. I think she always plays a character that seems to go well with her appearance, and this is no exception. Her character can be rude and needed sometimes, but in the end, you have to love her, and she pulled it off well. I couldn’t see anyone else playing that role, and the two of them, In Sung and herself, make the best couple.
Sung Dong Il and Lee Kwang Soo did an amazing job as well, playing our housemates and fellow doctor and patients. Sometimes I feel like Kwang Soo isn't given the credit that he deserves, but after seeing this drama I think it’s safe to say that our baby Kwang Soo (even though he is much older than me) is a great actor. No one ever doubted Sung Dong Il, I love seeing him in more and more dramas as the years go by. He is such a hot tempered man, if you have seen Dad, Where Are We Going, and he plays characters like that well, as well. However he can put his emotions into a scene too, so he is the total package. I love that man and Kwang Soo and I was so happy to see them perform in such a great drama with such well-rounded characters. Jin Kyung also did a fantastic job as well. I love her, and she always plays characters that I love for some reason. I loved her in this and I thought she was a fantastic addition to the drama cast. Lastly, I want to talk about D.O. from EXO. I would love to talk about the rest of the cast but for time sake, I will have to sadly gloss over them, however, D.O. is someone I must talk about. He played such an important role in this drama, and I was a little apprehensive, to begin with. You know I'm not a huge fan of dramas using idols, especially since in my opinion 95% of them cannot act and are only put in dramas to raise the viewer ratings. However, D.O. can act, and I was super surprised by that. I'm not an EXO fan at all, but I'm giving him credit. He did a fantastic job playing such an important character. He had me tearing up so much in this drama and I think he will make such a great actor as time goes by.
This drama had one of the best OSTs of this drama season, and I may go as far as one of my all time favorites. The songs went with the scenes well, and they had lyrics that made you feel even more when the scene was going on. I loved it, and it's a total must buy in my opinion. The cinematography was also outstanding in this drama, and that is a very big deal to me. I loved all the shots, and the drama just looked so clean and bright, when it needed to and dark and bleak when the scene called for it. There weren't any strange and out of place angles or extreme close-ups for no reason. I love that. Though everything seemed to be flawless in this drama, in my opinion, it did have one setback, which I don't think is really such a big deal, but I want to point it out anyway. The ending.
[READ ON IF YOU DONT CARE ABOUT KNOWING IF THE ENDING IS HAPPY OR NOT]
The ending left me happy, and that’s a good thing, however, it didn't leave such a strong impact like I was expecting. I went into the last episode thinking I was going to bawl my eyes out and die after watching it, but in the end, I cried maybe in the first half or so but the ending just made me smile. I thought that maybe more details on the life of Jae Yoel after he had said goodbye to Kang Woo would have been more interesting, not really happy, but more interesting than a cheerful happy ending, however that being said I still loved the ending and I was happy things worked out in the end.
[END THOUGHTS..SAFE TO READ]
Overall, I thought this drama was fantastic. It's a drama I can see showing my friends and watching over and over again because it has such an impact on me. I had such an emotional and strong connection to its characters and it always left me wanting more and more. It had all the makings of what I love in a drama, so if you like tears, cheers, and love then I think you will like this drama, and I recommend it to hell and back for everyone because of Im pretty sure this is one of my all time favorite dramas now.
Was this review helpful to you?
True Love Prevails Through All Obstacles
I struggled to watch this show because of the raw and difficult emotions that touched me in ways I didn’t even think possible. As I watched the story unfold I was left with a feeling of being lost. I’ve always felt my life was complex. I’ve made decisions that took me down difficult paths. I learned early in life that decisions have consequences. After watching this unique story my life felt less complicated. I don’t know if that’s good or bad but I know I just watched something that had an impact on me. Very few writers can accomplish that in sixteen hours.I’ll be honest, I don’t usually watch shows like this. It would probably be on my hold list by episode four but one of my friends liked it enough to rate it all 10s. I don’t think I’ve run up against a show that had so many ratings of 10 before. I had to see why. I’m also a self-professed romance junkie so I also watched it thinking there just might be something there for me to watch. Boy was I surprised.
The characters were well thought out even though I wasn’t always fond of them. In many cases, their stories were distinctive and intertwined with each other. The mental illnesses often manifested into violence that kept you wondering what was next. As I watched I really didn’t care who committed what crime or who was rejected by some romantic advance. I just watched trying not to let any of it bother me. As the reality of what these characters face in their everyday existence displayed on the screen I became immersed into a world I’d never seen before.
Their house had a unique living environment that I didn’t understand at first but that’s the beauty of a well-written script. As personalities, illnesses, and family issues came to life I began to understand. The story is gently tied together at times and mashed together when it was needed. Every character and every side story was well done and fun to watch. I finally understand why this show received so many 10s.
The romance I was hoping for, went beyond my expectations. I watch a romance that prevailed through the most difficult obstacle a couple can face, mental illness. I watched a man confess his love and maintain that love even when it wasn’t being returned. A love that saved his life. I watched a woman in love, who didn’t understand how to deal with it, give in to a beautiful passion. I watched two souls come together bound by a deep love for each other. They tested their love and never gave up on each other. I watched the blossoming of true love.
Thanks to all of you that encouraged me to watch this beautiful story with your ratings. The music was perfect and the subtitles were handled with care.
Watch this story and you will understand.
Was this review helpful to you?
Don`t trust the cheesy poster, this is a MASTERPIECE
I’ve recently gotten into kdramas in particular and because of the current situation, I’ve had the opportunity to find gems that will stay in my mind forever. This is one of them.After finishing another great drama( “It’s Okay to Not be Okay”), this was suggested to me as a sort of, apt replacement. And, it didn’t disappoint. First two to three episodes are probably the weakest, only because of unknown confusion, since you can’t really figure out what’s going on, but don’t be afraid and DON’T drop this drama, you’re in for a ride of emotions.
What I loved about this drama(apart from the music which I’ve been blasting for a solid month now), is the unspoken chemistry between all of the characters, especially main leads. These are Gong Hyo-jin and Jo In-sung’s best roles, by far, and that’s saying something, since they are both immensely talented. And others are great in their roles as well, especially Lee Kwang-soo. The struggles of characters are believable and the way they are talked about and discussed is too. You won’t find immature conflicts that can be resolved by just TALKING in this drama and I can’t believe how much I needed that. There’s no petty jealousy quarrels, no tiring love triangles, just trials and tribulations that somewhat broken humans go through. There wasn’t one moment in this drama that I thought was boring or unnecessary. And cinematography, at times, appeared masterful. This is not one of those artsy dramas where you need to find the answer in each frame. In turn, it is warm, understated and special.
In fact, there is one scene that stood out to me and hit me so hard I started bawling. I won’t spoil the scene in question, as it is the most pivotal scene for our main character, but the way it was constructed, from the way the camera zooms in and out, the “Hero” song that softly plays in the background...All I’m gonna say is that this scene will change your perception of many things regarding mental health and help you learn.
As for the romance aspect, as I’ve mentioned previously, it’s great. The relationship between
Ji Hae-soo and Jang Jae-yeol is like a dance. It’s careful, wary, done with great effort and most importantly, is electric. When wrong steps are taken or when errors are made, they`re talked about and they are plausible. Because, as much as we would all like a drama male lead who looks good and says all the right things at the right time, I think that this kind of romance is what we should all strive for realistically. You can take the wrong turns and misunderstand, but communication is key and there's no place for hesitation. And I`m not saying this just because Jae-yeol is exactly my type. Also, with this drama, Gong Hyo-jin became my favorite Korean drama actress and I went on a drama marathon of her projects. So take that as you want.
Now, for drawbacks of this drama, I would say there are only two and they are minor. First, the sets at times can look a bit too perfect and not lived in enough. The house where they live is fine, but the cafe, the hospital etc. sometimes look like they came out of a commercial and that can break the immersion for a bit. That`s just my personal opinion. Another one for me is the character of Jae-yeol`s brother. Sometimes he can feel like a cog in a machine necessary to start drama and chaos and he can be a bit one dimensional. Also, and this is my problem with most Korean dramas, as that`s the format that they are in, some background stories of minor characters could`ve been left out and it would make no difference at all.
Finally, THE ENDING OF THIS DRAMA IS SO SATISFYING. Oh man, I love it so, so much. And thank you, drama writers, for including normal words like condom, which seem to be the bane of all existence dramas-wise, since they are an absolute NO-NO. I don`t know, it`s refreshing. Overall though, if you haven`t watch this drama. It`s a masterpiece, like my title suggests. And I hope I`ll see Gong Hye-jin and Jo In-sung together in another project, because that will be another treat for my mind.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This drama was kind of magical. When I watched this I never had the desire to watch the next episode as soon as possible. But then when I started to watch the episode and I was totally hooked. It was witty, entertaining, gripping and fast paced. Then the episode ended and I didn't have the desire to watch the next episode again. But when I watched it, it was so great again.
I know, that it sounds weird, but it's just how I feel about this drama.
STORY
The story was original and unique. We could say that nothing actually happened in this drama, but if you look closely, you'll see how great the storyline was. My favourite part was the beginning (I mean the first 5 episodes or so) and then the ending. I think that the ending of this drama was probably the best I've ever seen. It wasn't rushed, and it was just perfect!
Watch this drama just because of the ending! It's worth it!
ACTING
Every actor in this drama did an amazing job! The actors were outstanding! When the story seem a bit boring, you are still hooked because of the great acting.
It was 2nd drama I watched with Jo In Sung (1st - That Winter, The Wind Blows, I liked his hairstyle there more :D) and I have to say that I liked him in both dramas. Here, his acting was so natural, he did a great job. There were few scenes in the hospital which weren't that good but overall, his acting was great!
As for Gong Hyo Jin. It was my 2nd drama with her as well (1st - Thank You). I have to say this: "She is an actress with capital A." I think that her acting skills are amazing! In my opinion, she isn't really pretty, but she is attractive.
As for my lovely Kwang Soo. He didn't disappoint me, as usual. He did a great job, playing a person with Tourette. He's an actor with capital A, as well, in my opinion.
And at last, I would like to mention Sung Dong Il. I loved him in Reply 1997 and here I loved him even more. What and actor! I loved the scenes with him and Kwang Soo!!!
MUSIC
Music was perfect! Some of the songs in the OST are already on my list of most played songs. The whole soundtrack is a masterpiece. Love it! Love it! Love it! One of the best soundtracks I've ever heard!
There are a few reasons why not watching this drama. However, there are more reasons why to watch this drama. Great drama! One of the best dramas of 2014!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
It's Okay, That's Love was such a great drama! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it! Hooked from the very first episode, I found myself loving every moment. The story was interesting, music was catchy as hell, cast was superb, and it was genuinely 'laugh out loud' funny, so why didn't I rate this drama higher??I'm still questioning myself on that front tbh. I think it's because I found Ji Hae Soo annoying half the time. It's definitely because of her, because I have no other complaints about this drama. This is my second drama with Gong Hyo Jin, and I've come to the conclusion tht I just don't like her characters all tht much. I'm not saying Ji Hae Soo was horrible or anything, but her behavior was just unnecessary half the time, and I really didn't like her attitude tht much. Of course there were moments when she didn't annoy me, but for the most part, I didn't really care for her. Jang Jae Yeol on the other hand is my love. This is also my second drama with Jo In Sung, and is it possible for me to be more in love. He's amazing, I loved his character, and he portrayed him very well. The side characters were great too! Loved everyone!
This story is genuinely intriguing. First of all, I don't know if I'm a dummy for not realizing it, but there is a plot twist about halfway through the drama and it took me for a loop! Don't read spoilers for this drama, because it's soooo much better when ur watching and something ttly unexpected happens. So I can't really say much about the story without spoiling it. It's Okay That's Love's genre is obviously romance, but I can honestly tell u that I was more concerned with everything else tht was going on. Of course the romance was super sweet and cute tho, I really did like it, but not as much as everything else.
Also, this drama is sooooooo funny. Omg I found myself laughing more times than I could count, I constantly had to watch the parts tht made me laugh. The music is also something else. Everytime I hear it I'll definitely think of It's Okay That's Love.
This drama was such a fantastic watch, I'd def watch it again! I definitely recommend it! One of the better kdramas I've seen for sure!
Sidenote: I just remembered one of the main reasons Ji Hae Soo annoyed me so much. The reasoning/explanation behind her issue is so incredibly lame I just cannot. Anyways, don't let my minor complaints fool u, because this is a really good drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
