It's Okay To Not Be Okay

 

It has been a marvelous 8 weeks with these trio. How do I move on?

It's Okay to not be Okay is one of the best dramas of 2020. If there's anything redeeming about this crappy year, it's this series (and sige na nga, pati CLOY).

I've seen my share of KDramas that tackle mental illness but this by far, is the one I like the most. With mental illness being more recognized and veering away from being taboo, it gives viewers another picture on the lives of families struggling with these realities.

Some of the scenes are romanticized but the lines are eye opening and perhaps, even heart-wrenching. It was satisfying to see the characters grow into the better versions of themselves. They managed to face all the hurts and pains and learned how to heal. Comparing their characters in the finale vs the pilot, they surely have come such a long way. 

I loved how Sang Tae, the older brother "grew" up and realized that he's the hyung. The waterworks came when Sang Tae told his younger brother that Gang Tae belongs to Gang Tae and that he was not born to be the caregiver of his older brother. 

I liked that each episode revolves around a certain fairy tale. My favorite, by far, is the one from the pilot as it set the tone for the whole drama. It also has one of the most poignant lines, for me:

'Hurtful, painful memories. Memories of deep regrets. Memories of hurting others and being hurt. Memories of being abandoned. Only those with such memories buried in their hearts can become stronger, more passionate, and emotionally flexible. And only those can attain happiness.'

So don't forget any of it. Remember it all and overcome it. If you don't overcome it, you'll always be a kid whose soul never grows."

The pilot episode is whimsical which caught my attention. And the female lead, Seo Ye-Ji was so unlike any other. She carried being a bitch so well and her distinctive voice put her above other Korean actresses.  She has come a long way from the teeny-bopper love interest of GDragon in BigBang’s MV Let’s Not Fall In Love.

I’ve seen Kim Soo Hyun in previous dramas but this is his first post-military stint full length project (not counting his cameos in Hotel del Luna and CLOY). I knew that he’s a brilliant actor but he blew my mind again with his performance here.

Oh Jung Se is a revelation. I first saw him in Touch Your Heart but this one, is his best (next to Camellia where he won best supporting actor in the recent Baeksang awards). He made my heart ache with his thoughtful portrayal of a person with mental disabilities. And when he took time off his busy schedule to meet with a fan who has the same condition as his character, my tears started to flow. And he even came dressed as Sang Tae!

I love the story. I love the acting. I love the cinematography. I love this drama!

And that finale. It certainly wrapped everything up and allowed us to say goodbye to characters that we've invested 24 hours of our lives with. It was fulfilling to see the cameos return and their stories incorporated in KMY'S final book. I'm amazed how the writer managed to bring everything together in the end.

If I’m going to nitpick, I’m not satisfied with the explanation of Ko Moon Young’s mother. After scaring us for so many episodes, that's it? 

Also, though there were some nice songs in the OST, nothing that would stick in my mind.

I've said my share of goodbyes to awesome dramas in the past two years that I've been watching. But this one will stay with me for a long, long time.

Rating: Five Tissue Boxes!

Ps

Remember that sometimes, it really is okay not to be okay.

Watched: June 29 - Aug 9, 2020

Moon Embracing the Sun

Ever since my sister and sister-in-law found out that I've been watching Korean dramas, they've been bugging me watch this. I finally gave in after watching Kim Soo-hyun at My Love from the Star.

Moon Embracing the Sun is the first Joseon-period drama that I've watched. The other series (Legend of the Blue Sea) had old Korean scenes in it but not the whole drama. This one had them wearing hanboks from the start up to the end.

This series was shown January - March 2012, definitely older than any that I've watched. It starred Kim Soo-hyun and Han Ga-in as the two leads with Jung Il-woo and Kim Min-seo as the second leads.

This historical drama, which has elements of fantasy, was adapted from a novel written by Jung Eun-gwol. It revolves around a king from the Joseon period and his attempts to be with his loved one and at the same time, fight his way through the political intrigues to solidify his hold on his throne.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Kim Soo-hyun
If I took notice of him at My Love from the Star, this series made me love him more. Even the actor who played his younger version, Yeo Jin-goo, was superb. Soo-hyun was only 24 when the drama was shot but he had shown acting maturity that can be the envy of actors his age. He also won the Best Actor award for this series in the 48th Baeksang Arts Awards (Korea's version of the Golden Globes) and the MBC Drama Awards.
I also love his character here. I love how he grew into such a strong person and to have enough guts and courage to fight for his convictions and for the woman he loves.
When he cries, he definitely gives his all. Here's a clip below posted by TV-People where Kim Soo-hyun's character finally learned the truth about his beloved and how much she suffered.



The Story
The final episode was so suspenseful that I cheered when a key person made a vital decision which turned the tide of the story. I cried so much over this drama and all the twists were properly unraveled and closed. I actually loved it when the contrabidas got their comeuppance and it was bloody like the way they deserved it. Hehehe.
This won Best Drama in the 2012 Baeksang Arts Awards and tons of other nominations and awards.
Definitely one of the best ones that I've watched.

The Oppas
In the past dramas, I'm just used to seeing one or two oppas during the series. This was the first time that I experienced multiple ones that I was smiling the whole time I was watching them.
The younger versions of their characters are not excluded from the list.

• Yim Si-wan, who played the younger version of Heo Yeom (the brother of the female lead)
• Lee Tae-ri, who played the younger version of Prince Yang Myung (the brother of the male lead and the second lead as well)
• Song Jae-rim, who played the bodyguard of the king. I would swoon whenever he would do his swordfights and such. The moves are so graceful it looks as if he's dancing.

Jung Il-woo, Kim Soo-hyun and Song Jae-rim

Instant Korean History and Cultural Lesson

Watching the series gave me an idea on what Korean culture is all about. One thing's for sure, anything that involves a throne would lead to a lot of bloodshed and sacrifice. 

Other than that, I enjoyed seeing the intricate hanbok costumes and the elaborate headpieces (the thing that looks like a chopstick but with decorations at the end) the designs of which emphasizes their social rank. Makes me want to wear one when I eventually visit Korea.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT IT

I found it a tad bit too long. I really felt sorry for the character of Han Ga-in especially all the sufferings that she had to undergo. Moreover, the main characters did not appear until the 6th or 7th episode. But I can forgive them for this because of how everything was resolved in the end.

RATING

Highest rating should be five tissue boxes but this deserves 6 tissue boxes for the story and acting. It also made me appreciate Sageuk dramas more.

Watched: June 25-28, 2018

My Love from the Star

This series came out earlier compared to the previous three dramas--December 2013 to February 2014 to be exact. It again stars Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun as leads with Park Hae-jin and Yoo In-na as second leads.

I watched this next after Legend of the Blue Sea because I wanted to give Jun Ji-hyun another chance. And also, I was curious as a local adaptation of the series was recently shown here in the Philippines with Jennylyn Mercado playing Ji-hyun's role. In case you're curious, the first episode can be found below.


Like the previous drama, there were romantic fantasy elements in the story. The male lead, Do Min-joon (played by Soo-hyun), was an alien trapped on earth more than 400 years ago. He lived a solitary life with only one person whom he called as friend. With only 3 months left before he leaves, he meets the character of Ji-hyun, Cheon Song-yi, a top Hallyu star who became his next door neighbor. They got embroiled into each others lives and eventually falling for each other.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT

Kim Soo-hyun
To be honest, I didn't like him at first. He was so stoic and detached. There was no way I could empathize with the character which was so disheartening. But in the last few episodes, he was able to show emotion which managed to make me shed some of my frustrated tears.
And could this boy cry. When he cries, he really does give it his all. It was an unapologetic waterfall display of tears, snot and saliva. He's not your typical "beautiful" oppa but his acting is definitely stellar.

Joon Ji-hyun
Now this is one character that suited her to a T. She was able to play it well and being a top Hallyu star in her own right, she was able to portray this as realistically as possible (though I doubt she's as this kookie!). One thing's for sure, she was hilarious as Cheon Song-yi and she really pulled it off.

The Contrabida

Shin Sung-rok as Lee Jae-kyung

He was really scary. One of the best contrabidas I have seen in the world of K Drama. You will hate him as his evilness had no reproach. And one thing I appreciate about it is that there was a reason why he turned out that way. My pet peeve on TV or movie characters is if they are bad just because the script calls for them to be bad. I want them to be atrocious for a reason--whether its because of their childhood or for revenge or whatever--as long as there is a sense why.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT IT

The Ending
I really felt unsettled about how it ended. Actually, I myself had no idea how it should end. I've been wracking my brains on how the series should close (well, if I had it my way), but could not come up with anything satisfactory.

Kim Soo-hyun as Do Min-joon

Kim Soo-hyun's Hair
I swear, I wanted to cut this guy's hair. I don't know if the style was called for but I could barely restrain the urge to reach into the screen and pull his hair out of the way. Why are they covering their beautiful foreheads? Come to think of it, most of the dramas I've watched had the guys hair styled like this. Is it a cultural thing? Please help me understand as it is frustrating me to no end.

Shower Scene
I love shower scenes in K Dramas especially if it features one of my favorite oppas, Park Seo-joon. But the shower scene in this series made me double over in laughter. It was just so ludicrous! I mean, ok, he has an awesome torso but who takes a shower wearing a towel?  I don't mind if they did away with this scene but I think they just did this for fan service.

RATING
I give this three tissue boxes. The two leads were just awesome and the drama parts were well acted out. The ending though, was just not gratifying enough.

Watched: June 25-28, 2018