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It's Okay to Not Be Okay (사이코지만 괜찮아): Plot, Characters and Cast
It's Okay to Not Be Okay (사이코지만 괜찮아, Saikojiman Gwaenchana) is a dark-edged romantic comedy and psychological drama that tvN aired in 2020, in 16 episodes. It was written by Jo Yong and directed by Park Shin-woo. It marked Kim Soo-hyun's return to TV after his military service. Its Korean title literally means "psycho, but it's okay." Here you have the plot, the characters, the cast and a playful Saju for each one.
- Cast
- Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, Oh Jung-se, Park Gyu-young, Kim Chang-wan
- tvN
- 2020 · 16 episodes
Plot (no spoilers)
Moon Gang-tae works as a caregiver in psychiatric wards and moves to a new city every year with his older brother, Sang-tae, who is autistic. He stopped thinking about his own dreams years ago: everything revolves around protecting his brother. Sang-tae loves drawing, has routines that can't be broken and is terrified of butterflies because of something that happened when they were kids. Gang-tae is kind to everyone, but he never lets anyone get too close.
Then comes Ko Moon-young, a hugely successful children's book author with a sharp tongue and very little empathy. Her stories are dark and her manners are worse. After a chance encounter, she becomes fixated on Gang-tae and decides she wants him. When he starts working at OK Psychiatric Hospital in Seongjin, the town where they all lived as children, she moves there right behind him. Waiting for them are director Oh Ji-wang, with his unusual methods, and nurse Nam Ju-ri, who has quietly loved Gang-tae for a long time. Between patients, fairy tales and secrets from the past, the three leads discover that to heal, you first have to stop pretending everything is fine.
Characters and their Saju
Moon Gang-tae 문강태
Kim Soo-hyun · Yin Earth · The Garden
Gang-tae is a psychiatric ward caregiver who lost his mother as a child and lives entirely for his brother. He is patient and empathetic with everyone except himself. He has put his own feelings on hold for so long that he has almost forgotten he is allowed to want something.
If Gang-tae had a Saju card, it would be Yin Earth · The Garden: he feeds everyone growing around him and never asks for anything. But a garden needs rain too; his lesson is to let someone take care of him for once.
Ko Moon-young 고문영
Seo Yea-ji · Yin Fire · The Candle
Moon-young is a famous children's book author, stylish and unfiltered, with antisocial traits and a hard childhood. She says exactly what she thinks, even when it hurts. Once she sets her sights on Gang-tae, she won't take no for an answer. Under all that armor is someone who never learned to feel safe.
If Moon-young had a Saju card, it would be Yin Fire · The Candle: a small, intense flame in the middle of a dark castle. She can burn anyone who comes too close carelessly, but she is also the only light reaching the corners nobody else wants to look at.
Moon Sang-tae 문상태
Oh Jung-se · Yang Wood · The Great Tree
Sang-tae is Gang-tae's older brother. He is autistic, lives in a world of his own and dreams of becoming an illustrator. He is also a big fan of Moon-young's books. His total honesty and unexpected one-liners give the series some of its sweetest and funniest moments.
If Sang-tae had a Saju card, it would be Yang Wood · The Great Tree: he grows straight, with no tricks and no hidden sides. He can't lie, and that's his greatest strength. His roots are his routines; with them steady, his branches reach higher than anyone expected.
Nam Ju-ri 남주리
Park Gyu-young · Yin Wood · The Climbing Vine
Ju-ri is a nurse at OK Psychiatric Hospital and Gang-tae's co-worker, and she is quietly in love with him. She is shy, sweet and a little jealous when someone gets close to the person she likes. Her mother is the hospital's head cook, and that relationship has a story of its own.
If Ju-ri had a Saju card, it would be Yin Wood · The Climbing Vine: delicate, flexible and always looking for a wall to hold on to. Her growth comes when she finds out she can climb toward the light on her own.
Oh Ji-wang 오지왕
Kim Chang-wan · Yang Water · The Ocean
Ji-wang is the director of OK Psychiatric Hospital. His methods are unconventional and sometimes look eccentric, but he truly cares about his patients and often helps them get better. He acts as a kind of mentor to Gang-tae and to everyone who arrives at the hospital broken.
If Ji-wang had a Saju card, it would be Yang Water · The Ocean: wide, calm and able to take in any storm without overflowing. There's room in him for every story. Whoever dives into his advice comes out lighter.
And what would your Saju be? Find out free with your birth date.
Why so many people fell for it
It's Okay to Not Be Okay mixes romance, dark humor and fairy-tale visuals to talk about mental health without preaching. The three leads carry real wounds, and watching them heal together is moving without getting syrupy. On top of that, the storybooks in the show really exist. Netflix carries it in many regions, including Latin America. In Korea it was the most talked-about drama online for eight weeks in a row, and The New York Times named it one of the best international shows of 2020.
Facts
- Writer Jo Yong created five storybooks for the show, illustrated by artist Jamsan; all five reached the top 20 bestsellers at Kyobo and YES24.
- It was nominated for Best TV Movie or Miniseries at the 49th International Emmy Awards.
- Oh Jung-se won Best Supporting Actor at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards for playing Moon Sang-tae.
Ending (spoilers)
Show the ending
Spoiler: Moon-young faces the truth about her family's past and finally breaks free from it. The three publish a picture book together and go on a road trip in a camper van. Sang-tae chooses his own path as an illustrator, and Gang-tae and Moon-young end up together, with nothing left holding them back.
If you liked it, watch next
- Extraordinary Attorney Woo 2022 · ENA
- Hotel del Luna 2019 · tvN
- My Love from the Star 2013 · SBS
Frequently asked questions
What is It's Okay to Not Be Okay about?
Moon Gang-tae, a psychiatric ward caregiver who lives for his autistic brother, crosses paths with Ko Moon-young, a children's book author with antisocial traits. Together they begin to heal wounds from the past.
How many episodes does It's Okay to Not Be Okay have?
It has 16 episodes, each running about 70 to 85 minutes. tvN aired it from June to August 2020.
Are the storybooks in It's Okay to Not Be Okay real?
Yes. Writer Jo Yong wrote five storybooks that were published as real books with illustrations by Jamsan, and all five made Korea's bestseller lists.
Who's who in the It's Okay to Not Be Okay cast?
Kim Soo-hyun is Moon Gang-tae, Seo Yea-ji is Ko Moon-young, Oh Jung-se is Moon Sang-tae, Park Gyu-young is Nam Ju-ri and Kim Chang-wan is director Oh Ji-wang.
