Morning Comes to the Mental Ward (2023)

Social Commentary or Mental Health?

If you want a drama to accurately represent and inform viewers about mental illness, then this is not for you. If you want reasonable characters and complex dialogue, then this is not for you. If you want mature characters who are expected to act their age, then this is not for you. If you enjoy a watered-down and amateur screenplay about human interactions that also deals with mental issues, and tries to hide its flaws with pretentious moralizing, occasional comic relief, and a flurry of needless romance, then this is right up your alley!

Although the shows has a stellar start with interesting safety facts and quirks about working in a psychiatric facility, that is about the extent of where the facts regarding mental illness are informative. At one instance, the show briefly mentions the scientific and physical (neurochemical/anatomical) explanations for mental illnesses, but very soon after, it completely dispels or forgets the physical and tries to mainly attribute the cause to societal pressures and injustices. In other words, it is the overbearing mother, the despotic manager, or the predatory capitalistic society that is causing our mental health crisis. And the universal remedy is that people just need to take their meds and have others accept them; or, for those suffering from severe OCD, fall in love and be cured! This is a completely naive picture that an introductory course in psychiatry will quickly dispel. To make matters worse, the "prescriptions" aren't scientifically backed advice but are seemingly a mixture of the writer's dogmatisms, sociological assumptions, and attempts at psychoanalysis. The patients become the victims of the overused trope: "society is the problem." Therefore, society must change; not the patients. Once their external environment changes, the patients, too, will magically begin to improve. Quite ironically, like the situation with the overbearing mother, the drama reeks of victim mentality and a denial of the victim's actual condition.

What this drama portrays for the "mentally ill" are those who have had their worldviews, ambitions, goals, and desires destroyed by societal pressures. Then, it throws in various mental illnesses ad-hoc. These situations may describe some cases, as traumatic experiences can trigger underlying issues or make one more susceptible to developing underlying conditions, but the environment is rarely the cause. The environment does not force your physical make-up to change and leave you in an inelastic, neurochemically impaired state which is predominantly the situation for patients who require long term stays at a psychiatric ward. The mentally ill aren't exclusive to members of society who have had difficult and restricted lives or those who have failed at their chances for glory. They exist for all types of people and can happen to anyone, anytime: with or without reason, poor or rich, successful or unsuccessful, sociable or reclusive, physically fit or unfit, etc. Like, seriously. What will the writer claim was the catalyst for John Nash's schizophrenia and psychosis? Too much success? For possessing too much mathematical prowess? Or, Robin William's depression? Too great of a comedian? For possessing too much fame and wit?

Beside the mental illness stuff, the drama is quite over-the-top and immature; it constantly establishes a sense of brooding for rather very shallow perspectives. The first 2 episodes seem to set the tone for the remainder of the drama, so if that's your cup of tea then go for it. It clearly wasn't mine which is why I had to drop.

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It may not be boring for fans of slice of life genres, but this is not my cup of tea.

Jung Da Eun is transferred to the psychiatric ward of her hospital, she tries her best learning how to help and care for her patients. Disclaimer: I don’t have the experience nor knowledge on the subject matters so there will be no commentary on whether the portrayal regarding the mental health issues is relatable, accurate or not. But I would not recommend it to anyone struggling with their mental health, as the graphic depiction of self-harm and suicide might be triggering.

First impression, the drama seems to be an exact opposite of Daily Dose of Sunshine, it’s more like Daily Dose of Chaos. As the story unfolds, the trauma and mental health problem of everyone is shown, not only patients but also the caregivers. You'll follow these characters through their rollercoaster of emotions, some hitting their sunshine moments, while others navigating their twists and turns. I find the show is unique in showing the hallucinations from the patients’ perspective, some are quite comedic.

With the pacing, I honestly feel bored upon the halfway mark, but it may not be boring if you can relate with the characters emotionally, I just find it lacks engaging moments. Also, the solutions for the patients’ issues feels oversimplified, that their problems are solved with new habits, simple actions or short conversations, while often recovery needs time, even with all the desperate efforts. I get that it want to show good arcs and delivers feel-good vibes by the ending though… Or else, it might be too depressing to watch.

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Good but not great

This is a good drama and I liked it more than I thought I would. I was not interested in a hospital drama since Hospital Playlist. This is not the place to compare those two dramas. Daily Dose of Sunshine does something we see not often enough in Kdramas: It's topic is mental health and mental disorders set in a psychiatry. I think this topic is really important. At the same time there is a need to not only scratch the surface. Here are my thoughts on this show:

What I liked:
- It's sweet
- It's been a while since I saw Park Bo Young, her character was relatable and likable
- I was really invested in the second couple (Sadly more than the main one)
- Covers mental health
- They should bring out a Fantasy drama :) (Those who watched the show will know why)
- From nurse to client, shows everyone can develop a mental disorder
- The pleading for more awareness

What I disliked:
- The story felt very linear and predictable, even boring at times. That's because many of the "cases" in this drama were resolved in the same way. Sometimes not deep enough and too quickly solved for my taste.
- The Work with the clients felt completly flat. At some points the message seemed like "Take your medicine and you will be happy again". I did not like this simplicity. I would have liked to see the doctors work more with the clients and the process of the long way to recovery (see with the case of panic disorder, was resolved quite quickly)
- At first I was interested in the main romance plotline, I even liked both male leads. But after a while I lost interest and the plotline seemed unnecessary. The second couple was more interesting.


Good but not great and a lots of room for improvement.

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Good but not great

Like a lot of Kdramas this was a good show that would have achieved greatness if they dropped the romance altogether. The mental health issues and the professions and industry in general were portrayed really well. The non-romantic aspect of the daily lives of the nurses were also really good, particularly the episode that focused on Lee Sang-hee's character (that story would have had way lesser impact if it wasn't for Sang-hee though, one of South Korea's most criminally underrated great actors). It was funny at times as well and had amazing visual fx.

The romance, however, is uh, very problematic. Unacknowledged power-dynamics issues, rich guy-poor girl story, white knighting, coming on a bit too strong that borderlines of creepiness, anchoring one's mental health issue on somebody else entirely (cracking compulsion disappears when girl is around) etc. all tied-up neatly by the big red bow of romcom--a typical kdrama pitfall. If you want a drama that talks about poignant societal issues and also handles romance well with a touch of comedy, this really isn't it. Try Because this is My First Life or Hospital Playlist or Crash Course in Romance instead. If you can stomach the iffy romance, then give this show a try.

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Good Drama but needs Trigger Warnings

Side note: Going into this drama, I didn’t expect how deep and dark this drama was meant to be. I think neither the poster nor the trailer did justice to how heavy the topics discussed in the drama were. I feel like some sort of trigger warning should’ve been put out prior to releasing the drama.

Pros: I honestly really liked the romance between the leads. The ML was very understanding and I thought his presence was a good diversion from the topics discussed. I also thought the cinematography (e.g. colorful psych ward, sunlight shining through, clouds when depressed, the FL house/neighborhood, etc.) was beautifully done.

Cons: I didn’t understand how the second romance plot line contributed to the whole picture about mental illness. It was interesting to watch the nurse gain her freedom and find herself by the end of the drama, but I feel like I would’ve liked more from their story line. Additionally, imo the story would’ve benefitted from 4 more episodes? More detailed discussions/examples of mental illnesses would have truly added to the emotional sensitivity and understanding the writer wanted to portray.

Overall: This was a beautifully done story with an emotional depth that would take a while to fully encode. I probably will not be rewatching this drama in the near future, if ever. At this point in time in my life, considering my mental health, I sought out for an escape, instead I was engulfed in a sensitive storyline requiring a lot of venerability.

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Mental issue and heartwarming

A drama about mental illness that often happens to people regardless of age and when it comes. Every episode of the case is different. This drama can bring the audience into the story and experience it for themselves. It is enough to know that we should not diagnose ourselves after watching it, if you feel you have the same experience, don't be afraid to consult for our own mental health. i love thiss storyyy you have to waching on netflix ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️✨✨✨✨✨✨🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

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Unbelievably real and hardworking drama... Love was put in this project and I wholeheartedly felt it

A true ode to psychiatric professions with imo perfect execution... that gives brightness and dignity to heavy topics.

How needed was it...I did not even realize. not just for Korea but the rest of the international audience. It is just strange execution. Very careful, I would say.

Viewers are constantly made to be switching perspectives. First you are a sufferer, then caregiver, and then parent or a loved one, and then friend of a sufferer. Too many! And regardless, each perspective was never superficial, exaggerated or careless take on the topic.

About lessons...
In one memorable episode, in bouts of frustration, a depressed patient expressed their rejection of diagnosis to their bipolar neighbour. And in response, the bipolar patient said how "when our ear hurts we trust ENT doctor to know what to do. When we get stabbed we trust surgeon to know what to do. Why don't we trust psychiatrist to know what to do when our mind is sick. We are not objective about ourselves. That is why we trust them." -- Something along these lines -- I absolutely loved these peaks of non pretentious wisdom.

I am proud of the director.
Also the male lead was absolutely refreshing and charming in his quirky ways. (i might have changed my husband preferences)
Want S2 for relationship development.

Do not miss. Despite heavy topic, you leave with important lessons and light spirit.

--How privileged is to be a neurotypical and how much more empathy we can offer!

Thanks for reading!

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The dosage is super effective in the first half but abruptly ineffective during the last part

Psychological dramas are one of my top favorite concepts in K-Drama and I always look forward to what their stories have to bring to the audience. Daily Dose of Sunshine is a great show but loses its charm when it focuses on the life story of the main character, Jung Da Eun. The romance is the major factor why I am not satisfied with the story progression. I don’t feel any butterflies and just want to skip most of the scenes from the main character. I guess if they ended up the two best friends became the main couple, I may have enjoyed it somehow.

On the good side, I get to see heartwarming yet tragic stories about people who are facing such mental illnesses and how they move forward in the real world. Jang Dong Yoon once again proves how versatile he is as an actor. He nailed his character who suffers from panic disorder. I like how his story concluded and the other featured characters with mental illnesses.

The most valuable role in this drama has to be the head nurse. I like her strong, positive, and thoughtful characteristics. I just feel a little bit disappointed with the overall production since they already started with high impact but failed to give consistency and it ended up getting tiring. The other staff from the hospital have a better story to offer. Nevertheless, I still like the show and how it tackles mental awareness for people who are ignorant and have little knowledge regarding these disorders.

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Dr Dong (ML) ruined the drama for me

I have a love-hate relationship with this drama. It started off beautifully and I liked all the characters (except for the ML who was the proctology doctor Dong Go Yoon. I'll explain this in a bit). I feel like the story could've been a lot better if they focused less on the love story between the leads. I also was on the wrong side of the love triangle which didn't help with my enjoyment rating. Aside from that, it was a cute little drama. I liked that it was only 12 episodes and there weren't many filler episodes.
Stop reading if you don't want spoilers ;)

Plot wise, the story was kind of predictable at times. I knew the death of Da Eun's close patient Kim Seo Wan (WHO I LOVED SO MUCH *CRIES*) would be too much for our FL and I knew that she would end up becoming a patient in a psychiatric facility. Obviously despite the predictability, I still enjoyed watching the show unfold and seeing her descent into mental illness/depression and how she managed to recognise her condition and learn to care for herself. The drama made me cry at times, especially with the way the FL was treated once she returned to work by some of the psychiatric patient's relatives and even the way the apartment complex was treating the Head Nurse for trying to move into the building with her sick sister.

Things I loved:

The drama did a fantastic job at showing how each person felt dealing with their mental health episodes. The other male lead, Da Eun's best friend Yu Chan (THE BETTER MAN) suffered anxiety and panic attacks. There were a few scenes where they showed how he felt in that moment by contrasting it to water that would slowly start at his feet and then rise up until it swallowed him whole. Another mother of a patient who was overworking herself had an attack where she was walking in the City and then suddenly each of the buildings started disappearing around her until she was just essentially left in an open white void of nothing. Even seeing the dragons that my favourite character Kim Seo Wan wanted to slay was really tragically beautiful. The visuals in this drama were well done and on point.

I also loved the side couple's romance. I found their love story to be better than the main leads. Truthfully I was team Yu Chan and Da Eun. Friends to lovers is the superior trope and the storyline had so much potential. I would've loved to see them end up together but she went for the most boring character ever. So side couple >>> main couple.

Things I hated/ Weakest part:

Kdramas need to stop romanticising males who stalk their love interest. I really loved this drama and wanted to watch it but every time Doctor Dong Go Yoon was on screen, I felt physically sick . I find it extremely uncomfortable to watch when the ML thinks it's okay to suffocate the FL with inserting himself into her life ALL THE TIME. The scenes where he was waiting for her at the bus stop everyday, letting buses go past and then trying to make it out like he just go there and it was a coincidence that they were both waiting for the same bus didn't sit well with me. I could just be nitpicking and maybe most people would find this cute but to me it really triggers me. I have been in situations where guys come on too strong and love bomb you and essentially suffocate you by constantly being around you and it's annoying. I don't see how Da Eun fell for him. Also his count down until he could ask her out again made me furious. Even when he was told that Da Eun was depressed and not coping too well and NOT to go to her house, he still went with flowers. I'm sorry but he really irritated me. He was also a shit friend to Yu Chan. He knew his friend liked Da Eun and he still pursued her. Even when Yu Chan asked him not too, he didn't care and disregarded his friend. I hated him. I hated his character and he ruined the show for me. I also hated him cracking his knuckles in every scene. I felt sick whenever he was on my screen.

Aside from my rant about Dr Dong, I did like the show and I could've rated it a ten, but he ruined my experience for me and therefore, I probably won't be rewatching this again in the future.

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The good
The cgi
The way the cgi represented the mental illnesses
Park boyoung’s acting all around and her character 👍🏻
My JDY🫶🏻
Old guy, nurse?

The bad
Not as deep as they thought they were
Love triangle 😮‍💨
Romance wasn’t the focus but it was triple the dragging point
Annoying rich guy poor nurse🫡
Fls “romance” flirting method by repeatedly repeating what the ml said with oh yeah, oh right, cutely over and over again 😬
Eventho short I zoned out multiple time
The patients were horrible actors I couldn’t connect at all

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Emotionally Heavy With Endearing Characters

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I saw that this drama had won awards, so I thought “why not?” I was in the mood to cry.

Acting/Cast: Park Bo Young (박보영) is hit or miss for me, but in this drama, she is a hit. Portraying mental health issues must be difficult, but I think everyone did a great job. I really liked the male lead (the surgeon). He was an interesting character with a quirky personality. I don’t think I’ve seen a male lead quite like him before, so I enjoyed watching his character. I also liked the patient that the female lead befriends - Kim Seo Wan played by Noh Jae Won (노재원). His acting was amazing; he felt like a real person, which is vital in allowing the audience to really be able to connect with him. Without him and his performance, I think this drama would have received much lower ratings. 10/10

Writing: I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I thought this drama was going to be a formulaic show that focuses on a new patient each episode. Nope. This drama focuses on the female lead and her own mental health. I was thrown off. It was a pleasant surprise because I can’t stand those formulaic shows. It was strange though, because this drama goes from quirky and goofy to extremely dark…some of the most depressing stuff I’ve seen in a Korean drama. I wasn’t complaining since I tend to enjoy darker themes with a focus on psychological aspects such as depression and suicide. Since the writers went in that direction, I think the story line of the female lead’s best friend - Song Yu Chan played by Jang Dong Yoon (장동윤) – was too much. I think it was a waste of time and unnecessary to the main plot. The character itself is fine, it’s just his storyline that I thought was weak. Instead of wasting time on his storyline, I think that they should have given more attention to the female lead’s storyline. Her storyline felt unresolved and even rushed at times. I felt the pacing was off and that, as a viewer, I was getting emotionally whipped around way too much. I think that giving more time to the female lead would have helped slow down the pacing a bit. I don't like how her storyline felt incomplete, as well, and left me unsatisfied with the ending. However, I think this drama portrayed the psychology of a depressed person very well. I was pleasantly surprised by that. 5.5/10

Direction/SFX/Music: I see that viewers have been comparing this drama to It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. I didn’t see a resemblance. I found myself comparing this drama to The Atypical Family (which has a mental health plot disguised as a superhero plot.) It had a similar quirky vibe that feels somewhat fantastical. The music, in particular, reminded me of The Atypical Family, which gives this drama a sort of eerie vibe, too. I didn’t know what to make of the plot because of these things; I was getting mixed messages. However, the uncertainty kept me engaged. Was it going to suddenly turn dark? Will it turn into a fantasy? Will it turn into a thriller? I think this confusion actually helped me identify with the female lead more though. I also have to say that the CGI is this drama is pretty impressive. 6.5/10

Entertainment Value: I was highly entertained while watching. The strangeness of the drama, although confusing, was entertaining to me. I liked the characters. I liked the darkness of the plot. However, I can say I was disappointed by the ending. Actually, I didn’t even realize it had ended. I though it was going to have 16 episodes. At the end of the last episode, I thought it was just segueing into the next episode. Maybe they did it that way to leave it open for a season 2? At any rate, I wasn’t ready for the drama to end - the fault of which lies with problems regarding the drama’s writing (pacing issues and not enough time spent on the female lead’s story). Unfortunately, unsatisfying endings can do quite a bit of damage to the lasting memorability of a drama. 6.5/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 7/10. A pretty solid rating for me (anything 6 and above is in the recommended zone). Not a perfect drama, but highly entertaining. I cried A LOT watching this drama. It is extremely emotionally heavy, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you aren’t prepared to get really sad. Man…I almost felt like I was experiencing what the female lead was going through. I can’t say anything more because I don’t want to spoil it.

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Daily Dose of Sunshine Indeed --- This is why I am drawn to K-dramas

Wow, just wow, I am overwhelmed by this drama. What a gem! The story, the acting, the cinematography, the imagery, the colors, the brilliant and creative visuals inside the minds of those who have mental illness and those working so hard to help them reach that healthy spectrum and how it affects them mentally but most importantly emotionally. Where to start: I will begin with the story and the message and then talk about the different actors who touched me throughout the journey. I loved how it loudly and clearly called to attention how thin the line is between mental health and mental illness and how important it is to understand that mental health is a scale, and there is no clear-cut line between what is considered normal and abnormal. We all experience various emotions and struggles in life, and seeking help is not a sign of weakness but rather a courageous act of self-care. I read somewhere that has stayed with me where the writer said that mental health is a continuum, and we all fall somewhere along the spectrum. Another thing that this drama did very well is bring much-needed awareness to the importance of quality health caregiving, spending time with patients, listening to them, interacting with them, and not just giving out prescriptions to maximize time.

I was particularly drawn and impressed by this message -- asking for help is not a weakness, no matter how much a taboo it may be, and debunking the idea that mental health is only relevant when one is struggling with a mental illness. I loved the message, I loved the delivery, and I loved the importance of clarity of the message. I also loved how it raised the question of who cares for mental health carers, from doctors to nurses. The show did a great deal of showing snippets of this with trainee Nurse Ji Seung Jae and others. But the best was how it gradually showed the bond caregivers create with patients while helping ease their mental illness and the constant exposure to human suffering, and sometimes death can lead to mental illness. Jung Da Eun's loss and how she tethered the mental health scale was, to me, the core of this drama. And how her mind naturally decided to lean into Kim Seo Wan's world for her grief was a touch of brilliance. Just because someone (doctor, nurse, layman) may seem perfectly normal on the outside, it doesn't mean they aren't suffering from a hidden mental illness, and it doesn't mean they are crazy; it just means that life has become so difficult to handle that they lose touch with reality for some time and need help finding their way back. How long that takes doesn't matter; what matters is that they make it back all the way.

Now, actors Park Bo Young, Yeon Woo Jin, and Jang Dong Yoon were brilliant together; their friendship with each other separately and eventually together was uplifting to watch, as was Chang Ryul as Doctor Hwang Yeo Hwan—his struggle with love and acceptance along with Nurse Lee Hye Won. Her mother is an entirely different story. It seems every K-drama must have one of those; I have come to accept it. I wish the message with those types of mothers, fathers, and siblings is to cut ties with the toxicity. Just because they are family doesn't mean they deserve to be in your life. I wish to see this loud and clear in kdramas and pray it translates to life, back to Bo Young, Woo Jin, and Dong Yoon, among others. I loved the bond they had as kids and how they built on that and, in adulthood, worked in the same field more or less and cared for each other's mental health, be it in a professional or personal setting. I don't typically like how kdrama depicts love triangles because it doesn't do it correctly. A love triangle is when one person in a romantic relationship with someone is at the same time pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with someone else. It is not a love triangle when one person loves a second person, who loves a third person; to me, that's just unrequited love. But that's just how I see it. That said, I loved how neither of them, especially Song Yu Chan, let it come in the way of his friendship with Jung Da Eun but, more importantly, Dong Go Yoon.

All the actors were impressive, but three stood out to me the most: Jeon Bae Soo as Nurse Yoon Man Cheon and, last but not least, Lee Jung Eun as Head Nurse Song Hyo Jin. The care and reserved passion Nurse Yoon showed to the patients and his colleagues, especially Da Eun, won me over each time. What a great actor, indeed. The other was Noh Jae Won as patient Kim Seo Wan, a fantastic actor. How he articulated Kim Seo Wan's struggles, bridging the world in his head with the reality on the ground, was utterly brilliant. Kudos to the writer; ingenious. He had me all twisted up in him and the world he created for his peace of mind. I was also totally impressed by his physical changes as he took us on that journey with him, which is why losing him was such a blow. I understood how and why Da Eun's mind decided to deal with it the way it did. As for Head Nurse Song Hyo Jin, she was a rock throughout everything that happened despite having to deal with hurtful stigma on her sister and, ultimately, her. Nothing is worse than defining one by one's illness rather than who they are as an individual. The same goes for Da Eun; having to deal with discrimination from the families of mentally ill patients, she was trying so hard to help for being on the spectrum herself. That was hard to watch, but I loved her determination more than anything, not letting it trigger or pull her back. I pray this drama is a stepping stone to overcoming the stigma of mental illness, helping many of us speak out against stigma, and instilling courage in others facing similar challenges as outlined in Daily Dose of Sunshine. I highly, highly recommend this drama!

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