It's Okay Not To Be Okay | The Seoul In Me

Synopsis:

Moon Kang Tae has been taking care of his autistic older brother, Moon Sang Tae, since he was young to the point he forgot anymore who he is and what he actually needs. He works as a nurse and annually transfer from one hospital to another when his mother’s death anniversary comes that agitates his brother due to trauma in witnessing their mother murdered in front of Moon Sang Tae. While Ko Moon Young is a beautiful, known and successful author of satirical children’s book who had a very dim childhood background ending up her father being locked up in a psychiatric hospital and her mother presumed dead. Their paths met and their ill-fated relationship started at OK Psychiatric Hospital and flourish as they figure out how to surpass their emotional traumas and become truly a family.

Characters:

Kim Soo Hyun as Moon Kang Tae
Seo Ye Ji as Ko Moon Young
Oh Jung Se as Moon Sang Tae
Park Gyu Young as Nam Joo Ri
Kang Ki Doong as Jo Jae Soo
Kim Mi Kyung as Kang Soon Duk
Kim Joo Hun as Lee Sang In
Park Jin Joo as Yoo Seung Jae
Lee Ul as Ko Dae Hwan
Woo Jung Won as Do Hee Jae
Moon Woo Jin as Younger Kang Tae
Kim Soo In as Younger Moon Young
Lee Kyu Sung as Younger Sang Tae
Park Seo Kyung as Younger Joo Ri
Kim Chang Wan as Oh Ji Wang
Jang Young Nam as Park Haeng Ja
Jang Gyoo Ri as Sun Byul
Seo Joon as Kwon Min Suk
Choi Woo Sung as Oh Cha Yong
Kim Ki Chun as Kan Phil Ong
Jung Jae Kwang as Joo Jung Tae
Ji Hye Won as Lee Ah Reum
Kang Ji Eun as Park Ok Ran
Joo In Young as Yoo Sun Hae
Bae Hae Sun as Kang Eun Ja
Jung Seung Gil as Corrupted Book Critic
Han Ki Joong as Kwon Man Soo
Kwon Dong Ho as Ah Reum’s Ex-Husband
Kwak Dong Yun as Kwon Ki Do on Episode 3-4, 16
Jung Sang Hoon as Motel Owner on Episode 5
Choi Daniel as Choi Daniel on Episode 7

My Review:

I watched this k-drama because of Kim Soo Hyun, who is a very good Korean actor and this is his comeback after being gone to fulfill his military constriction. When I read the summary of this plot, I thought it wasn’t going to be that good but, I was totally surprised how well written the k-drama was and how great every actor did to make their characters come to life in the small screen.

So, What do I Like About this K-Drama?

(1) It is not anymore surprising that Kim Soo Hyun did what he do best, act well. He has done his character justice being Moon Kang Tae, who can pretend emotions he actually doesn’t feel. What’s even more brilliant is that he was able to effectively convey the challenges of a family member to bear the burden of taking care of someone we love and mentally challenge.

(2) Seo Ye Ji as Ko Moon Young with her very small waistline and her unique fashion style in the k-drama has delivered her role to a “T”. She has brought her misunderstood character with so many emotional conflicts while maintaining to be stoic and uncaring in a whole new level of impressiveness. She made her character lovable and relatable even if she’s most of the time eccentric and may even be considered cruel.

(3) The superb talent of the entire cast of this K-drama made it a pleasure to watch. However, for me, it was Oh Jung Se as Moon Sang Tae made this K-Drama fully worked and a success. His acting talent in portraying an autistic man was breathtaking and emotionally captivating. As a person with disability myself, he was able to translate the real emotions and feelings of someone who are living with such condition. I believe, in my humble opinion, that he should get an award and recognition for this k-drama as he truly deserves it.

(4) I love that the director and the writer were able to work well together and deliver the story that could have resulted to become banal and ordinary to something worth spending 16 hours of your life.

(5) This k-drama gave so many lessons about life and insights on the struggle of people who have undergone traumatic childhood, suffer mental challenges and the challenges that the people around them go through as they rustle their feelings of both love and hate to the situation they feel they are trap to live in order to take care of someone who is part of who they are and family. Such as this “What the Shadow Witch had stolen from them was not their true faces, but, their courage to find happiness.”

What I do Not Like About this K-Drama?

I don’t have much complain on this Korean drama. It was done well in tackling a topic about mental health and its challenges while providing good entertainment.

Would I recommend this K-Drama? Yes

My Rating to this Drama
( See My Rating System: ) 5/5 Stars

OST:

01. Breath – Sam Kim

02. You’re Cold – Heize
03. Sketch Book (It’s Okay to Not Be Okay Opening Title) Sketch Book – Janet Suhh
04. My Tale – Park Won
05. In Your Time – Lee Soo Hyun of AKMU
06. Hallelujah – Kim Feel
07. Little by Little – CHEEZE
08. Puzzle – Yongzoo
09. Wake Up – Elaine
10. Got You – Ga Eun
11. Your Day – Kim Ki Won feat. Kim Bom
12. In Silence – Janet Suhh
13. I’m Your Psycho – Janet Suhh
14. Lighting Up Your World – Janet Suhh
15. Quelemente – Lee Jong Soo | Na Byung Soo
16. Song for Election (Symbol No. 1 Kwon Man Soo) – Funny J
17. Sew Your Heart – Kim Kyung Hee
18. Brother (Kang Tae, Sang Tae’s Theme)Brother – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
19. Her World (Moon Young’s Theme) – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
20. Destiny is Nothing – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
21. Kang Tae & Jae Soo’s Speed Instinct – Kim Kyung Hee
22. Facing the Fate – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
23. River of Loneliness (Kang Tae’s Theme) – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
24. On The Road, Left Alone – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
25. Through The Dark Tunnel of Time – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
26. Their Own World – Lee So Young
27. It’s Okay – Nam Hye Seung | Go Eun Jung
28. Woorunggakshi – Nam Hye Seung | Go Eun Jung
29. Rooftop March (Chopsticks Variation) – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
30. Butterfly (Do Hee Jae’s Theme) – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
31. Jae Soo and Alberto – Nam Hye Seung | Jun Jung Hoon
32. A Hidden Heart – Lee So Young
33. Bluebeard – Nam Hye Seung | Jeon Junghoon
34. The Dusk of The City – Lee Soyoung
35. For Joo Ri (Fur Elise Variation) – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee
36. Publishing Company Sang Sang Lee Sang – Nam Hye Seung | Park Sang Hee

It’s Okay Not To Be Okay

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