It's Okay to Not Be Okay
It's Okay to Not Be Okay
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It's Okay to Not Be Okay

"When you can't control yourself, count to three."

8.5
Yr 2020
Status Ended
Your Verdict
Unrated

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Series Brief

Overview

Desperate to escape from his emotional baggage and the heavy responsibility he’s had all his life, a psychiatric ward worker begins to heal with help from the unexpected – a woman who writes fairy tales but doesn’t believe in them.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 85 /100

It's Okay to Not Be Okay is widely regarded as a unique and ambitious K-drama that distinguishes itself through its dark, whimsical tone and its focus on complex mental health themes. Critics frequently praise the series for its original premise, excellent character development, and evocative exploration of trauma. The show is noted for its ability to balance emotional weight with romance and comedy, creating an engrossing experience for its audience.

While the drama is often celebrated for its mesmerizing portrayal of human nature and impressive soundtrack, it is acknowledged as a challenging watch given its sensitive subject matter. Certain reviewers highlighted the strong performances, particularly by Oh Jung Se, though some perspectives suggest the show's moral boundaries and character choices provoke deeper reflection.

“It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is one of the most unique K-Drama romcoms.”

“A meaty, dark, whimsical melodrama that examines the difficulties faced by people suffering from trauma and mental illness.”

“It’s Okay To Not Be Okay mesmerizes with its brilliant sketching of human nature in its various shades.”

“The series has an original and heartwarming premise with excellent character progression and interesting themes.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Netflix
US • UK • CA
Netflix Standard with Ads
US • CA • UK
Rakuten Viki
CA • US
Why fans love it

The series balances sharp comedy with a deliberate look at mental health. By pairing an anti-social fairy tale writer with a psychiatric ward worker, the narrative moves away from traditional romance tropes to prioritize the process of emotional repair. The presence of an autistic character offers a rare, nuanced perspective on how deep connections form between people who have spent their lives navigating different kinds of exclusion.

Oh Jung-se delivers a standout performance that anchors the show during its most vulnerable moments. The writing finds humor in the friction between its leads while remaining grounded in the reality of their trauma. It manages to feel both reflective and chaotic, leaning into the complexity of the characters rather than smoothing over their frayed edges. This is an exploration of how stories, even those that seem fake, influence the way people perceive their own healing.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 63
Regulars 9
Longest run 16 eps
Show 55 more
Bae Bo-ram as Myoung Ji-Suk 1 episode Woo Jeong-won as Do Hee-jae 3 episodes Cho Si-yeon as Lee Seul-bi 1 episode Min Young as Lee Seul-bi's Mother 1 episode Kim Jin as Nurse 1 episode Son Kang-gook as Kim Seung-cheol 1 episode Kwon Ye-Eun as Go-eun 1 episode Kim Woo-kyum as Caregiver 1 episode Kim Tae-hoon as Doctor 1 episode Yoo Seung-il as Angry Professor 1 episode Jung Seung-kil as Book Critic 1 episode Kim Geon-ho as Book Signing Parent 1 episode Lee Ji-hae as Book Signing Parent 1 episode Jo Yi-hyun as Dinosaur Boy 1 episode Lee Young-sook as Kwon Man-su's Wife 2 episodes Han Gi-joong as Kwon Man-su 2 episodes Kang Woo-je as Kwon Man-su's Assistant 2 episodes Park Seo-kyung as Child Nam Joo-ri 2 episodes Kwon Ha-young as Kang Eun-ja's Daughter 2 episodes Kwon Dong-ho as Lee Ah-reum's Ex-husband 1 episode Lee Hwa-young as Lee Ah-reum's Mother 1 episode Jeon Jun-woo as Lee Ah-reum's Brother 1 episode Lee Sun-Young as Nurse 1 episode Bae Yu-ri as Man-su's Daughter 2 episodes Min Kyung-jin as Yoo Sun-hae's Father 1 episode Bae Seong-il as Detective 1 episode Kim Yun-seul as Kindergarten Girl 1 episode Choi Se-in as Kindergarten Girl 1 episode Kim Sang-il as Admin Manager 1 episode Park Chul-Min as TV Reporter 1 episode Yu Mi-ran as Landlord 1 episode Kim Ju-hun as Lee Sang-in 16 episodes Jang Young-nam as Park Haeng-ja 13 episodes Jang Gyu-ri as Sun-byeol 10 episodes Lee Eol as Ko Dae-hwan 8 episodes Kim Su-in as Young Ko Moon-young 5 episodes Kang Ki-doong as Jo Jae-soo 13 episodes Park Jin-joo as Yoo Seung-jae 12 episodes Moon Woo-jin as Young Moon Gang-tae 4 episodes Lee Kyu-sung as Young Moon Sang-tae 6 episodes Choi Hee-jin as Kang-tae & Sang-tae's Mother 5 episodes Jung Ji-hwan as Publishing Staff 2 episodes Jung Ji-hyeon as Publishing Staff 2 episodes Ko Han-min as Publishing Staff 2 episodes Ryu Yeon-seok as Publishing Staff 2 episodes Cheon So-Ra as Publishing Staff 2 episodes Kim Chang-wan as Oh Ji-wang 13 episodes Kim Ki-cheon as Kan Pil-wong 8 episodes Choi Woo-sung as Oh Cha-yong 6 episodes Kim Mi-kyung as Kang Soon-duk 10 episodes Jeong Jae-kwang as Joo Jung-tae 6 episodes Chi Hae-won as Lee A-reum 6 episodes Kang Ji-eun as Park Ok-ran 5 episodes Joo In-young as Yoo Sun-hae 6 episodes Seo Joon as Kwon Min-seok 3 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Costume Design
Writer
Martial Arts Choreographer
Director of Photography
Co-Director
Director
Music Director
Signal Match

Similarity

Where It's Okay to Not Be Okay overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) illustrator brotherhood romcom romance dark comedy psychiatric hospital antisocial personality disorder anti-social bromance caregiver psychiatric ward mental health healing traumatic childhood dark fairy tale reflective autistic female writer heartfelt romantic drama empathetic
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
June 20, 2020
Status
Ended
Origin
KR
TMDB Votes
1,521