elibonk

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is such a well-rounded show. From the production and cinematography to the color grading, music, and set design, everything is incredibly well done. One thing I especially loved was the storybooks featured throughout the series. The stories themselves are beautifully written, and the illustrations and animations that accompany them are absolutely gorgeous. It’s one of the most visually impressive dramas I’ve watched.

First off, I have to talk about the acting because it was absolutely outstanding. Specifically, Seo Ye-ji and Oh Jung-se, who plays Sang-tae, were incredible. I think Seo Ye-ji needs more lead roles. Not only is she absolutely beautiful, but she was also the centerpiece of this entire series. I’m not saying she carried the show, because the entire cast was fantastic, but her performance and character were easily some of my favorite parts. I absolutely loved Ko Moon-young.

Oh Jung-se also deserves a ton of credit for his portrayal of Sang-tae. His mannerisms, expressions, body language, and the way he portrays an autistic character were incredibly impressive. I can only imagine how difficult a role like that would be to pull off convincingly, and I think he did an amazing job.

Now, something I really appreciate about this series is how differently it approaches love and relationships compared to most other romance dramas. Usually, you have two people who fall in love, overcome some obstacles, get together, and that’s essentially the story. But It’s Okay to Not Be Okay dives much deeper into understanding another person, why they behave the way they do, and how their experiences have shaped them.

And I think that’s where the show shines.

For me, the highlight of this series wasn’t necessarily the romance, but rather the characters and the different conflicts they have to overcome. There are so many smaller, intricate storylines that all contribute to the characters’ development. Whether it’s Gang-tae learning that he needs to care for himself instead of constantly sacrificing his own happiness for others, or Sang-tae gradually gaining his independence, there are so many meaningful moments throughout the series.

What makes these moments especially impressive is that the writers don’t constantly shove their messages in your face. They don’t feel overly dramatic, forced, or cheesy. They’re naturally woven into the story, and I think the writers did a fantastic job of resolving many of these conflicts in satisfying ways.

I also found myself tearing up surprisingly often throughout the series. There are so many emotional moments, and I think that comes down to how invested you become in these characters. You want to see them succeed, overcome their struggles, and find happiness.

However, I’d be lying if I said there weren’t some things that really pissed me off.

First of all, the decisions some of these characters make are absolutely infuriating. Our male lead drove me fucking crazy at times, and honestly, his brother might have been even worse. About halfway through the series, Sang-tae started getting on my nerves so much that I was getting angry whenever certain situations came up.

Now, I’ve always said that you know writing is good when a character can make you genuinely angry. And for the most part, I think that’s true here. Even when these characters make horrible decisions, you can usually understand where they’re coming from. Their actions are shaped by their personalities, past experiences, and the relationships they’ve developed.

But that doesn’t mean every decision is justified or even makes sense.

Even Ko Moon-young, who was easily one of my favorite characters, had moments where I couldn’t understand why she was acting a certain way. Sometimes she’d get incredibly angry or make a completely unreasonable decision, and I’d just be sitting there thinking, “Why the fuck are you acting like this?” I understand that her personality is a huge part of her character, but I don’t think that automatically excuses every questionable decision she makes.

Another criticism I have is the pacing toward the end of the series. Around episodes 12 through 14, I actually started losing interest. Things felt like they were slowing down, and I ended up putting the show on hold for about a week or two because I just wasn’t particularly motivated to keep watching. However, when I eventually picked it back up, I was immediately reminded of why I loved the series so much in the first place.

I also have absolutely no idea what the writers were trying to accomplish with the nurse’s crush on Gang-tae. I understand that not every romantic storyline needs to result in two characters getting together, but the way this one was introduced and structured made it seem like something more significant was going to come out of it. Instead, it felt like it didn’t really go anywhere, and I was left wondering why they bothered setting it up in the first place.

And while I mentioned earlier that the romance isn’t necessarily the highlight of the series, I do wish we had gotten more screen time of our main couple actually enjoying being together.

I’m not even necessarily asking for more intimate scenes, although I definitely wouldn’t have complained. Their chemistry was fantastic, and when we actually got to see them kissing and being affectionate, it was really good. I just wish we had gotten more moments like that.

It felt like so much of their relationship consisted of them arguing, getting upset with each other, or dealing with another conflict. And while I understand that those conflicts are important to the story, I would’ve loved to see more of them simply being happy together. Sometimes I just wanted them to stop fucking arguing for five minutes and enjoy each other’s company.

Ultimately, though, I think It’s Okay to Not Be Okay succeeds at something that’s much more important than simply delivering a satisfying romance.

It creates characters that you become invested in. Characters that make you angry, sad, happy, frustrated, and emotional. Characters whose decisions make you question why they’re behaving a certain way and encourage you to understand their perspectives, even when you don’t necessarily agree with them.

And I think that’s what makes this series so special.

It’s not just about two people falling in love. It’s about people learning to understand themselves, overcoming their own struggles, developing independence, and figuring out how to care for others without completely neglecting themselves.

So if you’re going into this series purely for the romance, I think you’re approaching it with the wrong expectations. The romance is certainly an important part of the story, but it’s far from the only thing that makes it worth watching.

For me, the real strength of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is its ability to tell a larger story through so many smaller, meaningful conflicts, all while making you care about where these characters end up.

Despite some frustrating character decisions, questionable romantic subplots, and a stretch of episodes that lost my attention, I still think this is an incredibly well-written, beautifully produced, and emotionally impactful series.

And it’s one that’s going to stick with me.