SUMMARY
Ji Hae-Soo is a compassionate and nurturing psychiatrist who genuinely cares for her patients. But this side of her nature is not nearly as obvious in her personal life. When she meets popular author and DJ Jang Jae-Yeol she takes an immediate dislike to the handsome tease.
When Jae-Yeol temporarily moves in with Hae-Soo and her other housemates, sparks fly between these two opposites. Jae-Yeol is more willing to accept his attraction to the combative Hae-Soo, but she fights it. As they come to know each other better Hae-Soo begins to realize that there is more to Jae-Yeol than meets the eye.
MY THOUGHTS
Unfortunately, it is almost possible to write an adequate premise of this 14 episode series. It’s Okay, That’s Love is an unusual and quirky romantic comedy with plenty of surprises.
I wasn’t sure I would like this K-drama. It’s focus on psychologists with their own issues who treat patients with serious mental health problems does not immediately scream entertainment. But when I found myself laughing multiple times in the first episode, I knew I was hooked. Fans of Grey’s Anatomy will find similarities in this show as each episode has the doctors treating a specific case. It also highlights the inter-personal relationships of the doctors as well as their own personal lives. One thing I really appreciate is that this series not only educates but highlights mental health diseases in a compassionate way, with the comedy in the show coming at the doctors’ expense.
For me, the highlight of It’s Okay, That’s Love are the characters and their interactions with each other. Both Hae-soo and Jae-Yeol have complicated relationships with their own families. These complications have left them with emotional scars and extreme coping mechanisms. Luckily, they are each able to rely on the family they have created through their circle of friends. These friendships which include their housemates is where this show shines. Their bantering and bickering is so true to how people react to each other in real life, particularly so when you live in the same house. They alternately challenge or offer acceptance of each other’s flaws as necessary.
One thing, I really enjoy is watching Hae-soo and Jae-Yeol’s relationship play out in front of their housemates. Their two friends are cheeky in their enjoyment of and interference in the relationship. The utter lack of privacy among the four of them leads to some sweet and funny moments.
RECOMMENDATION
This is my second experience watching a K-drama and I must say, I can understand what all the hype is about. The two series I’ve seen have been creative, beautifully filmed, engaging and unpredictable in their plot twists. They present stories which are unique to American viewers without straying too far from the familiar structure of an American television series.
Unfortunately It’s Okay, That’s Love is no longer available for viewing on Netflix. I was extremely annoyed when Netflix just dropped this series with no warning. I was four episodes away from finishing. Thankfully, I was able to find all the episodes on YouTube. Unfortunately, many of the episodes are nowhere near as sharp and some of the translations aren’t as well done. Still, it is worth checking out for the sheer fun of it.
For a more detailed look at It’s Okay, That’s Love, check out this review from K-Drama Today.
