tvN’s upcoming K-Drama It’s Okay To Be Not Okay starring Kim Soohyun and Seo Yeji is a romance series between a psychiatric ward helper and a children’s literature writer. With a star-studded cast and crew behind this drama series, we are expecting It’s Okay To Be Not Okay to be this summer’s next big hit. 

Synopsis

Moon Kangtae (Kim Soohyun), who doesn’t believe in love, works as a community health worker at a psychiatric ward. This is until he meets Ko Munyeong (Seo Yeji), a children’s literature writer who also happens to have an antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). The pair will be joined by Moon Sangtae (Oh Jungse), Kangtae’s older brother who is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and Nam Juri (Park Gyuyoung) who happens to be Munyeong’s elementary classmate. Juri currently works as a fellow helper alongside Kangtae and harbors unspoken feelings for him. 

Trailer & Impressions

With just the above trailers and teaser, there is a lot to unpack. Giving credit where it is due, the trailers are wonderfully shot and edited. Both teaser and trailers, although short, manage to shed some light on the direction of this K-Drama.  

The first trailer takes on Kangtae’s perspective, delving into his character’s backstory and motivations. It seems that he has been tasked by his mother to take extra care of his brother, Sangtae, who has autism. This results in an emotionally unavailable version of Kangtae due to the heavy responsibility he has been shouldering since he was young. 

In trailer #1, we see several shots of Sangtae having a nervous breakdown in public and in the next several shots jumping carefreely and holding on to a make-believe balloon after losing it. The duality of Sangtae’s character as someone with autism is something we can look forward to, as this is probably one of the rare instances of Korean media representing this sensitive condition in a drama series. Actor Oh Jungse’s acting abilities will be put to test here, and judging from the trailer itself, we can expect him to perform well. Whether the bromance between the brothers turns out to be fanservice-y or goes beyond skin deep will definitely affect the overall quality of the drama.

From what we see in both videos, Munyeong looks to be an intimidating and influential writer, judging from her striking fashion choices and the air of indifference with which she carries herself. Her personality seems to be brash and self-indulgent, cutting her own finger and even scaring off a child with her witch story. We also have a shot of Sangtae scribbling on the book written by Munyeong and it seems that Sangtae holds her and her stories in high regard. Yet in the latest trailer #2, we see Munyeong grabbing Sangtae by the back of his head and forcing him to apologize. There is also a shot of Kangtae pulling Sangtae away from attacking a vulnerable Munyeong and it seems that Sangtae is very much involved in the story and the romance with the two leads.

Watching teaser #2 is a great explanation as to why Seo Yeji was cast for this role. Her low and sultry voice in teaser #2 complements Munyeong’s moody and aloof character; I was completely enamored by her. As of writing this article, her promotional video is the most-watched in The Swoon YouTube Channel and this alone speaks volumes about the impeccable casting decision of the production team. With such a character setup, the drama should be expecting the bulk of viewers to take a liking to Munyeong’s thorny and straightforward personality and fawning over her aesthetics and styling at the same time. The latest trailer reveals some of Munyeong’s backstory and vulnerabilities as she requests Kangtae to be her “safety pin” which is presumably for her antisocial personality disorder. At this juncture, her character is still pretty much shrouded in mystery. I am fervently praying that the writer and director will do her character justice.  

What is not fleshed out in the trailers is Nam Juri’s unrequited love for Kangtae, although we do get a pretty quick scene of Munyeong grabbing Juri’s hair in trailer #2. This love triangle will possibly take up a substantial arc of its own, but I do hope it does not overshadow the bigger issues the drama is leading us to think that it will explore.  

Verdict: Watch or Pass?

The chemistry of the two leads looks to be pretty good, and if anything else, we would say watch for Kim Soohyun. This is going to be his official comeback to the small screen following his enlistment, with his last series being Producers. His latest cameos in Hotel Del Luna and Crash Landing On You trended real-time on Korean search portals, showing how he is still THE Kim Soohyun and how his legion of fans wait tirelessly for his comeback because of their trust in his acting capabilities and stunning visuals.

Besides Kim Soohyun, the rest of the cast are pretty well-rounded with several notable works under their belts. Seo Yeji starred in Hwarang and Lawless Lawyer and Oh Jungse appeared in When the Camellia Blooms. Actress Park Gyuyeong played several supporting roles in dramas such as Romance is a Bonus Book. Director Park Shinwoo, who is in charge of this project, has also worked on Jealousy Incarnate and Hyde Jekyll, Me. 

Personally, the premise of this series and the line-up is promising enough for me to give its first four episodes a watch. With several aces in their hand, the creators have a solid chance in making It’s Okay To Be Not Okay the next big hit. I believe many of us, myself included, are also hoping that mental health issues are given the spotlight they deserve and not romanticized for the sake of it.

Still undecided? Just give the first episode a watch yourself! It’s Okay To Be Not Okay is now available on Netflix.