E Nebună, Dar E-a Mea (2020)

A Dark Fairytale to Warm Your Heart

Let me say, just wow!! This drama quickly scaled the list to become one of my favorite dramas in such a short amount of time. I’d hike it up there somewhere between Hotel Del Luna and Black (2017). Yea...that’s how much I liked it.

It’s Okay Not to be Okay (or Psycho But It’s Okay) is a darker, edgier drama that hits on real-world issues like mental-health in a fanciful, almost fairy-tale way. But truth be told, I was locked in immediately by the playful, whimsical Tim-Burton style animation that was introduced in episode one. The continuous references to the Adams Family through imagery and dialogue was delightful, dark, and delicious, like drinking espresso with bitter dark chocolate.....yum.

Seo Yea Ji ROCKED this performance!!! Okay? At first, it was hard not to notice the similarities between her and Jang Man-Wol (played by IU in Hotel Del Luna). But let me tell you something...this lady stands firmly on her own. I found it hard not to intensely care for her even while portraying a cold, bloodthirsty, emotionless psycho. There’s something notably charming and warm about her presence and style.

I loved Kim Soo Hyun as the main character/love interest. He played the part very well & spoke volumes with his eyes alone. The chemistry between him and his autistic brother Moon Sang Tae (played by Oh Jung Se) was amazing!! Sang Tae was a character that latched firmly onto my heart and would not let go. It was hard not to care for him deeply.

All in all, give this highly underrated drama a watch. Seriously....we must value even the little things that give us room...to simply breathe....

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absolutely don't hesitate to watch

I'm sad it's over and I'm sad I waited so long! This title is on several top drama lists for a reason- don't get swayed by the "it's about mental health" storyline.

I remember starting this drama over a year ago and thinking, oh this might be too dark for me based on the first 5 minutes.

But after being unable to find something to grab my attention after several other starts of highly recommended dramas (hospital playlist, prison playbook) I decided it was time.

To absolutely be dramatic, it sucked me in and saved me.

The leads couldn't have been casted better- of course they're stunning- but dimensionally gorgeous and wounded and well played.

She's psycho and aggressive and he's heroic and tortured and they're PERFECT.

Pacing flew by and the every episode a fairy tale kept the charm of the theme on point.

Trauma, mental health, special needs, and all the wounds we carry with us day to day make this drama even more special and soulful.

DON'T miss it!

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From a psychology major

I found this drama very beautiful, it conveys a lot of mental health issues very well, although a bit very dramatized, just like any drama. As a Psychology student myself, I am not extremely knowledgeable, super advanced in the field of mental health, however I loved to see a few of the most hot topics in the field talked about, mainly topics related to childhood trauma and autism. Autism sure can be a challenge to live with, and this show portrays how easy it is to interact and befriend unique people, people that communicate and see the world in a very different, peculiar way. Moon Sang Tae is an extreme example of an autistic person, showing symptoms such as difficulty identifying emotions, repetitive movements & speech, poor eye contact, focusing intensely on one topic, social withdrawal, extreme sensitivity to external stimuli (lights, sounds), poor ability to stay on topic when answering questions, fixations on certain objects or activities, aggressive behaviour (either with self or others), and so on. This diagnosis was challenging for his family, especially his mother who raised Moon Gang Tae to take care of his brother and protect him. What made this show more realistic and painful were Moon Gang Tae's feelings of abandonment, when all of his mother's attention was towards his special needs brother. These feelings made Moon Gang Tae struggle with getting close to other people.

On the other side, there is the "sociopath" lady, Go Moon Young, who appears to suffer from anti-social personality disorder. Now, I've seen some pesky reviews saying that she's the villain, an awful woman, she shouldn't be with Moon Gang Tae, when in reality she is a victim herself. I firmly believe she is not a psychopath, as she shows massive genuine remorse throughout the show, she shows she is capable of empathy and putting herself in someone else's shoes. I personally loved to see a show offering hope even for the "monsters". She is a victim who has never really addressed the trauma she went through in her childhood, therefore acting upon her poor coping skills and defense mechanisms. Anti-social personality disorder is a result of severe childhood trauma and neglect. She was raised by an extremely abusive and controlling mother, who isolated her and demanded her to behave in a cruel way. Go Moon Young shows symptoms of anti-social personality disorder such as illegal behaviours, stealing, repetitive lying and deception of others, often for her own amusement, impulsiveness, reckless behaviour, aggression, irascibility manifested through violent acts or speech, disregard towards one's personal safety, disregards towards possible dangerous consequences, irresponsibility regarding her career life, severe lack of empathy, presenting hedonic behaviors as well, following her own urges and wishes at all costs. Her relationship with Moon Gang Tae is considered to be a pretty toxic one, she disregards many of his boundaries, deliberately makes him uncomfortable in many instances, does not care about his needs as much, she becomes anxiously attached to him, demanding for his attention at all times. On the other side, Moon Gang Tae is very cold towards her, rejecting any way of emotionally or physically approaching her, his personal walls being very tall. However I firmly believe they are very mature in their thinking and behaviorus, they are capable of learning and transforming, they are capable of healthiness, just like any other of us. Sure sometimes they might say or do silly stuff, or hurting words. Mistakes are all part of learning, progressing, as long as they are accepted and stored as lessons.

Overall a very beautiful drama, with ups and downs, it is a very hopeful drama especially for people struggling with mental health, that comes to show that no matter what dumps life has dragged you through, you will find your light to shine someday, it is possible to overcome your fears, it is possible to live a fulfilling life, it is possible to get out of the darkness, bitterness and suffocation. Yes, I admit that this drama is obviously dramatized and not all of us will heal through the power of love, healing is such a rocky adventure, sometimes it feels like you went back from where you started, other times it feels like you've progressed so much. Healing is not linear, and for sure it is not simple, but it can sure be a fun adventure! Sometimes it takes place next to another person struggling with their own heavy burdens. Don't forget guys, sharing your burdens will make it easier for you! Talking to someone else, getting the professional help you need, it all can help! It is never too late to start your healing journey, these guys were in their late 20's!! You can start healing at any age, you can work on yourself at any age! Stay hopeful, little butterflies.

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its a fairytale worth telling

When I rewatched the show again, I thought I would love it less or would find something to nitpick about but I never expected to fall deeper in love. I found myself appreciating aspects of the show, I had not considered the first time.

There are many reasons to love the show, its cinematography, the music, the top-notch acting skills, and the gorgeous dresses Seo yeo Ji wore but I feel the true quality of this show was its writing. I loved how fairytales were used to depict the harsh realities of mental illness. It allowed the audience to picture what people with mental illness and healthcare workers endure through the innocent eyes of a child, a venture that though challenging, the writer was able to pull off. The ability to use innocent, child-like words to portray the insecurities and pain, most people go through is indeed something to admire.

The acting is also something that should be commended, the actors were really able to get into their characters allowing the audience to really experience how they felt and the reason why they lived in the way they chose to, especially the actor who played the autistic brother, he played the role to perfection. The interaction between the brothers was a beautiful aspect of the story, I felt it truly portrayed all that a family is supposed to be, the struggles, the sacrifice, the pain but yet the enduring love that kept them growing. I loved the progression in their relationship, a time to lean on each other and a time to let each other go to pursue what they wanted, and how love could be extended to people outside the family was indeed amazing.
The chemistry between the main characters was funny, deep, embarrassing but beautiful.

I also loved the interaction between the fairytale and the point they were trying to make in the episodes, I loved the symbolism as well e.g the butterfly, though very dark but apt, It gave a different perspective to what we think we know, it was indeed a fairytale worth telling.
P.S I wished the Manager got a better ending, he was hilarious but yet loyal, I had hoped his efforts would pay off.

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IT'S PRETTY GOOD

I do like the storyline,plot twist and the love hate relationship between mun yeong and gang tae and how three of them manage to escape from the trauma they have,they are many good things we can learn from watching this and it's not boring because the story is not that slow even if they did not include the psycho mother in the show,it will still be a banger!!

It's one of the perfect romcom drama i've seen and the love hate relationship tho,it's remind me of our beloved summer!! don't forget about the acting,the trio really did great at their acting! i've seen the behind the scenes and all of the actors and actress are really good at each other and the main cast's chemistry is sooo good!! maybe it's because both seo yea ji and kim soo hyun is in the same company so their chemistry is on another level,i hope both of em will be in the same drama again as the main lead!

I am not sure about the ending tho,maybe they should expand the ending like what did gang tae and munyeong do after sang tae leave them and show us if sangtae really become a succesful person,they need to show us who will be the next director in the hospital,what happen ju ri and what happen to ms ok ran that running awayyyy,and atleast show us that munyeong is pregnant (they already in a bed once thoo😺) and it will be hilarious to see gang gae's reaction to it, overall is okay but they just need to adjust the ending a little to make it more perfect!!!

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One of my Top Ten

I have watched so many k-dramas that it is rare for me to fall in love again but "It's Okay to Not Be Okay," totally did that for me. I watched the whole thing in two days on the edge of my seat. To be honest, it was the characters. Here you have one extremely unlucky sane person surrounded by a host of crazies. The closest two crazies to him are polar opposites. The characters are unbelievably consistent and well portrayed to the point that you absolutely believe. I had to actually go and look up other footage of Oh Jung Se to make sure he wasn't impaired as portrayed in the show.

The show is a triumph of, "making the best out of what you have," as Kim So Hyun pieces together happiness and love with his too closest companions while keeping the rest of his universe in tack and running as smoothly as possibly. I came away from the show with this strange, "wow my life isn't so bad," kind of liberation. This show also reinforced one of my fundamental beliefs that everybody is crazy, you just have to work with it.

Anyway, don't miss this one. Besides the intriguing characters the last 8 episodes are hilarious. One of the best.

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This drama healed me

I can't explain how close this drama is to my heart. It talks about trauma and mental health. I love how beautifully they have portrayed these in the drama. And especially I like how in every book Ko Mun Yeong had written, they deliver a message. And I hear many people say they don't like this drama because of Mun Yeong's personality. Guys!! She has been suffering from mental trauma since childhood!! How can you expect her to be a normal happy person? And the ending had brought tears to my eyes. It wasn't a sad ending, but it somehow made me feel so many emotions. It was beautiful, warm and inspiring. Definitely recommend!!

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If Tim Burton's son was Korean and was trying his hand in movies

This drama felt different from all the countless others I've seen, and I liked that about it. This drama can't be put in one box, it felt refreshing. My weaknesses are stories about found families and this slapped my loneliness right in the face. Thanks for that.
If you're looking for something to quench your cravings for romance, this will not be it. Watching this you will see so much more than just blunt romance, instead, you'll be thrown into a story full of traumatized people finding healing and happiness with the help of people around them, with a subtle dark twist to it. All the characters were unique but relatable enough so that everyone could find themselves in at least one character.

Autism is a taboo topic anywhere in the world, but especially in the more socially conservative Asian countries, so to have a main character with autism spectrum disorder was what made me wanna watch it more. With Extraordinary Attorney Woo and now this, it makes me happy to see that being different is being normalized. <3 But the ending was a bit unrealistic when it comes to a person who is on a spectrum, especially on that level, but still, good for them for trying.

The main couple represented two traumatized people finding refuge in each other, helping one another to open up and see the world in more colors. It really shows how you can live all your life isolating yourself from others, thinking that you're stronger alone, but what makes us human is the need for others. We thrive in communities, no matter how small or big they are.

And I totally agree, after watching this drama I also wish I wasn't the oldest daughter, but had an older brother who could look after me.

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"But the heart is a liar. It stays quiet even if it's hurting."

I loved the plot of this show, and there was amazing character development for majority of the cast. That's something a lot of dramas don't do, they simply focus on the main leads and have the supporting cast just there, you know?

Go Moon Young...YO I LOVE HER. Literally one of the best female leads I've ever seen. She's very straightforward, and inconsiderate about the feelings of others, as she didn't grow up because of the heavy influence left by her mother. Moon Kang Tae wasn't a weak person, even if he comes off that way. I didn't agree with that, he's definitely strong but chooses to let life treat him the way it wanted to. But in the end, he learns that you can't choose what life does, but you can choose how you react to it. Moon Sang Tae learned how to be independent, and to not be overprotective over Kang Tae. Nam Joo Ri wasn't a bad person, she just didn't like how certain things went. She's a caring person, so obviously she'll be annoyed when she sees something she doesn't like. I loved the director of the hospital, he's an actual quirky genius. If I ever had a boss like him, I know I would be very happy. Jo Jae Soo was an unnecessary character in my opinion, I think he was just there to prove Kang Tae's character development for being able to rely on others. Lee Sang In was a funny character, I liked him. A lot of people maybe misunderstand him as unprofessional, but he's just very protective about Moon Young, which I find kind of cute. Joo Ri's mother is a sweetheart, and I love her close relationship with the director. I loved the art director, she always made Sang In mad without even trying, and she did her revenge with the last copy of Moon Young's mother's book. The patients were good too, I liked the friendly vibes that gave off for the most part in their interactions.

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A stunningly beautiful Drama. Amazing story set in a Psychiatric hospital and a Fairy Tale Castle.

This is an absolute masterpiece of a Drama. A Fabulous Story set in a Psychiatric Hospital and a Fairy Tale Castle. What an atmosphere. A Beautiful Romance for a Very Deserving Traumatised Couple of outstandingly amazing leads. The autistic brother's acting was unbelievable. I hope he got an award for his performance. Loved the Characters in the Hospital. This is in my Favourite Top 3 Dramas and I have seen scores of them. It is difficult to give this enough praise. The main leads were both exquisitely Beautiful and Stunning Actors. Lots of fun and fights from Great Supporting actors. Loved the Psychiatrist and the Crazy Publisher. Great Creepy Witch of a mother. I loved this so much and watch it as a treat again and again.

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what child me thought love would be like

first of all: they are both SO HOT. a major theme is realistic ideas about love between traumatized people, and that's delicious. the Looks (clothes, fashion, etc.) Yea Ji is serving are Giving to the point that they could be speaking complete gibberish and I would finish the series. the cinematography and Burton-esque cartoon sequences feed my inner child in a way few things in my adulthood have, in such a pure fashion. most of all, i re-watched this with a very good friend (who doesn't watch kdramas) over the span of a year, and she finished it with me and loved it.

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