Illustrations and Animation Bring It’s Okay to Not be Okay to Another Level of Entrancing Creativity in Story Telling

It’s hard to keep track of so many production teams and I didn’t fully connect the visuals of just premiered tvN drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay with the PD until I double checked and confirmed that it’s the same PD as Encounter (Boyfriend). I love love love Encounter and have written countless posts as the drama unfurled but I also noted that the drama had a lovely whimsical and soothing opening credits that were animated and changed with each episodes. It was basically a walled off princess finding her freedom and exploring the world around her and really fitting for the theme of the drama.

It’s Okay takes that to a new level as the entire drama is interspersed with illustrations, animations, cool graphics, and fun live action mixed with drawing visuals. Female lead Go Moon Young is a critically acclaimed and successful children’s book writer of many macabre but quite insightful tales and seems to live in her own world, one where she can pluck male lead Kang Tae up like a toy in her world to collect. It’s telling that older brother Sang Tae loves Moon Young’s work, showing us that her heart is pure from the eyes of someone that has no filter corrupted by the world’s teachings of good, bad, right, and wrong.


Comments

Illustrations and Animation Bring It’s Okay to Not be Okay to Another Level of Entrancing Creativity in Story Telling — 49 Comments

  1. Koala, I have been frequenting your website for around 10 years now, but why do I feel like your posts are sponsored these days?!

    • Nana .. what would she be selling? Products? You would know about it.. Influencing Viewership? International audiences have zero impact on domestic ratings, so that wouldn’t make sense either..

      I do think Koala’s writings have changed though. I miss the episode write ups, and the deeper thematic explorations of whatever drama piques her interest . . Nowadays too much ratings talk.

    • Uhh… I’m really having difficulty finding the ‘sponsorship’ that you mention. Koala’s posts are generally about news in Korean entertainment, I don’t see any posts that help sell a particular brand or product.

      In any case, it’s Koala’s site, she can very well write whatever she wants. If readers don’t like it, they can visit other blogs and sites instead.

  2. I’m so proud of K-Drama, they made such huuuuge progress over the last decade. Visually and the story telling too.

  3. Your hypocrisy is so funny. How you JUSTIFY this lame drama and how it is flopping. At the same time you write different for other dramas. Koalas hypocrite queen??

    • Its okay not to be okay aint flopping at 4% cable ratings but the trash drama you are following with its stupid stereotype, sexism and racism can’t compare to this amazing drama so I understand why you are butt hurt.

      • It’s flopping so far. Huge drop from first episode to second episode. Even the much maligned Arthdal Chronicles (aired on the same time slot) increased its viewership from the first to the second episode.

      • Are you talking about Backstreet Rookie? lmao that’s not her fave. Her fave is the Eternal Chaebol who flopped much harder with a low of 5% on a PUBLIC BROADCAST CHANNEL.

      • Marie it stays flop either deal with it or not.he is biggest star of decade. 4% not gonnw cut it. Stop using excuses. King second episode was more thN 10%. 4% is already single digit. Flop
        Ksh has zero star power

    • Every time I see a comment from this reader, it usually includes some rude personal insult. If you were intending to give constructive criticism from a place of good intentions, you’d take the time and effort to word your feedback respectfully. Ady, if you really dislike Koala’s writing and opinions so much, I think it’d be best you stop visiting this site to anger yourself!

      • Seriously, I don’t know why Koala doesn’t ban this person. She brings so much negativity to blog swearing and insulting people who don’t agree with her. It really taints a bad picture on her fave LMH. I really, really dislike him now because of her.

    • Face it Ady. Your fav actor reaches 8th place or so, but this drama reaches the first. Have you seen the latest stat by TvN yet?

    • you are kyj fan right? ur name is very familiar. btw, how is this drama flopping? it’s a cable tv lol. 4% is high for cable channel. unless it’s national channel like sbs, then it’s low.

    • Expressing one’s take or liking on the drama is not about justifying anything. It’s just describing what one is seeing from one’s point of view. If you don’t like a drama, then just say so and leave, don’t attack the ratings or the blogger.

  4. I love that the fact she was tearing butterflies and the male’s brother said that butterflies attacked him and is afraid of the them.And the male lead is also affected by these butterflies indirectly because it is a puzzle piece to his mother’s death and his brother’s emotional instability.

    So it feels like her presence is tearing away both the brothers’ pain away. Idk maybe I’m reading to deep but it has been a thought ringing in my head.

  5. I like how they use these out of the world fantasy elements, vibrant color palette to give an idea about what goes on in both Moon Young and Sang Tae’s mind. Moon Young has no regard for personal feelings, right or wrong, wants to pluck out Moon Tae and put him in her world. The whole world is innocent and filled with magical creatures for Sang Tae. They are opposites….pure innocence vs. pure chaos and darkness. I don’t know if they will keep up the work but the first two episodes really did maximize the visual story telling experience.

  6. This show is now off my watchlist if Koala tells you something is good it’s really bad and if she tells you something is bad it’s good. She tends to un-follow the stream of follow the world is going. She has extremely niche opinions that are outside of the mainstream world. Note this is not the statement people have about this show but opposite.

    Alot of people come here thinking they will get constructive opinion on content and about ”ART” but She is not fan of the art side of this or anything but she is personally invested in the celebrities which kinda kills the fun fact in posting here or taking her serious. It’s satire

  7. Lol!! I see people calling koala a hypocrite but they are no less by declaring Psycho but it’s okay to be a flop when few weeks ago they themselves invalidated local ratings and were vouching for international success on Netflix for a certain drama.
    FYI…Psycho but Its okay is doing phenomenally well on Netflix.It has been trending at no. 1 in many countries and most importantly in South Korea..so using ur logic it shouldn’t be declared a fop..Am I right??.
    Again ,I m not saying that SK tv ratings doesn’t matter but I was just stating the words which people used while defending another drama.

    • This has been massively well received critically even though ratings are low for the second episode. I hope it rises but even if it doesn’t, I hope they can continue to tell us a good, tight story. As long as the story is good, acting is on point, I can live with the rest.

      • That’s the main point .It has been indeed very well received… No point in comparing it with a drama which was criticised in almost all of the departments.On the contrary ,majority of the things in this drama have been awesome so far..be it acting, leads’chemistry, music ,cinematography or those animations. I haven’t seen a drama where they have extensively portrayed the episodes in such a creative and unique manner. I enjoyed koala’s post. This drama so far is refreshing..
        The only point some naysayers could hold onto was regarding the mental health issue in the story. Barring few people I bet most of them aren’t even aware how grave it is and they are just assuming based on other’s statements that this drama is romanticizing some serious issues stemming out from MH disorders. I see people getting butthurt that it is not getting the backlash even with mediocre ratings unlike their fav drama. However those people tend to forget that this drama is on another level which leaves a room for general public to not be bothered about ratings. Whereas for their fav drama, the plotholes and flaws were so glaring that one can’t help but turn to ratings and diss it in every other possible way. Plus their fans’ initial bragging did more harm.

        Seriously I m yet to come across any comments criticising the acting or directing part for IONTBO. I just hope the writer doesn’t mess up in the upcoming episodes cause apart from that there isn’t a weak point.

      • @may

        I don’t see negative comments or targetting here. I just don’t think ppl care that much or invested enough as you are in the past trying to created some sort strange someone is burthurt yada yada. I don’t think they wanna come and shit all over KSH drama for what reason? People are just not invested into celebrities that much or take them personally like Koala here because normal fans actually behave like decent humans. There is nothing to see here I personally hope the best for this drama. Calling out people who don’t even come to Koala blog like ever it’s just strange.

        I loved the first 2 episodes but Koala is the one who has MH issues Here because take a look here Do you see people coming in like raging animals trying to shit allover people no. I swear you won’t see that. Hope the best for the drama and these with the MH issues get help immediately whether in the drama or real life

      • I m talking about few people who are constantly calling it a flop .Some criticism related to this drama are genuine but I think some are just hating it for the sake of it and it is done by people in this site as well.

    • I am just pointing out the hypocrisy of owner and people like you.
      Few weeks back you guys called netflix nothing and suddenly it is important? Btw my fave drama was ranked top 7 worldwide over new drama off ksh.
      Yiu cant have 3 criterias. No acclaim can make this drama a hit.
      It is 4% disaster and will leep decreasing.
      You can be edgy with acclaim but joone cares. It is flopping hard. The biggest actor of gen just 4% lmaooo
      And call me directly
      So if you use new standard for this drama, it is hyppcrisy. Because didnt you people weremocking netflix back then? Double standards

      • Read my original comment carefully..I did say ratings matter but I was stating your words regarding Netflix which u used while defending ur fave.
        @ady in which world you are living?? I already checked IONTBO worldwide Netflix ranking and it is higher than The King..LMAO..?? and it is only two-three days. You think people are fool here not understanding the difference between a cable and public channel rating??. 4.7 although low for KSH, but is not that bad..If you look at the premiere episode of IONTBO, it’s rating was on par with hit dramas like CLOY and Goblin. However I do accept many t.v watching people turned away from the second episode. Atleast it is not criticised that much unlike ur fav and we didn’t brag that it will touch 20pc or something.
        Moreover Hospital Playlist always topped S.K Netflix followed by Extracurricular and recently Mystic Pop-Up Bar. The king managed to get that no. 1 position only a few times. I checked it ….Whereas IONTBO has been reigning at no. 1 ever since.

      • What r u talking about? King is about to enter yearly top 10 netflix ranking and was ranked ecen top 10 yesterday. Do ur research dumb girl

  8. I don’t care what everyone else thinks regarding this drama. What matters most to me is how this show helps distract from the day to day mundane for me. I’m really enjoying it and that’s all that should matter to me. Everyone has their own opinions and triggers that may offend them or not. To each their own. Thanks for the thoughtful insights, Koala!

  9. Pingback: Illustrations and Animation Bring It’s Okay to Not be Okay to Another Level of Entrancing Creativity in Story Telling - Kpopnchill - All About K-pop News

  10. I think that opening sequence with the animation was probably one of the best (if not the best) opening sequence of a kdrama. It was just superbly done. I haven’t seen Encounter so can’t vouch for it, but this PD is fantastic. There’s something about creativity that can’t be taught. And he/she has it in abundance. It’s quite brilliant.

    Other than that, KSH and SYJ are both killing it. As for ratings, it’s waaaay too early. It’s only been a week, the road ahead is quite long and I’m confident it will pick up because reviews have been amazing so far. Let’s see. At least it’s doing well on Netflix (not that I truly think that counts too much). In the end, it’s SK audiences that truly matter.

    • Did you just say that Netflix don’t count did I hear you right? Why in the world would a SHOW in the first be on a streaming platform to enter the worldwide market IF IT DOESN’T COUNT? Why is the show even on the streaming platform then?

      Ponder upon this for awhile then take a hard look at yourself on the mirror and tell me what you see?

      Peasant? thats right and absolutely correct. What you just said is the opinion of a peasant. If only your IQ was higher you would have never said this

      • Lmfao. Take a hard look at myself because of ratings and Netflix? ?Your comment shows your IQ level actually. Take a deep breath. Try the butterfly hug, it might help!

        ?

      • Whoa. Everyone is allowed their own opinions. No need to lash out because of an opinion or thought. We all enjoy the show one way or another, otherwise we wouldn’t be here 🙂

      • Yeah, that was uncalled for and totally unnecessary. Butterfly’s opinion is all supportive of the drama if anything else and being speculative of how important the Netflix ratings is… well it’s really nothing to get all worked up over. I totally agree that it’s way too early to call this drama a failure or success ratingwise. Also while it’s a good thing the drama is popular on Netflix it’s still the domestic ratings that matters more for a kdrama.

    • The art /illustration in Encounter is very beautiful, creative and the art theme in each episode you will be seeing two parts : the opening: basically foretelling what is going to happen for that episode and the ending: wrapping or predicting what will be happening next. The artist/illustrator I have to say do take times reviewing the script/ and basically use his magic hands to draw all of them just for the drama. It is truly truly mesmerizing.

  11. I loved the first two episodes. Will look forward to the succeeding episodes. Praying for higher viewership rating for this dra.a

  12. I like how the drama begins with a Tim Burton animation style ! It may help to understand what kind of vibe they want for the drama . After all, don’t we have all a little of “mental illness” ! How many times one can ear this kind of sentence “Are you mad ? Don’t be silly? when we do something “unconventional”. i’m saying it in a good way !

  13. Encounter opening sequence is amazing, it’s so pretty but underlook because people thought the drama has no merit

    • Yes, agree, I’m a fan of Encounter here.
      I haven’t watched this IONTBO as I will wait until they done airing, but I will definitely tune in as according to her, it is similar to Encounter in term of art sequencing.

  14. Stop focusing on the ratings. It’s far from a flop. People just want higher massive ratings but the story is dealing with high unbalanced character, mental problems, condition. Not easy to balance with heart and humor.

  15. Odd I wrote a reply to one poster with regards to the rating. It disappeared or never got posted. Nevermind. Just feel that rather than focusing so much on the ratings, people who like or intrigued by the show could just watch it and ignore the online criticism.

    Besides 4% is far from a failure. Keep in mind this is about mental health and the female lead is different and certainly no damsel in distress here.

    Also it’s time to recognize the fact that people do watch in other platforms. TV is no longer just the only medium available.

  16. when i saw the cgi, editing, etc. in it’s okay to not be okay, i couldn’t help to compare it with backstreet rookie. editing in IOTNBO was done professionally, while editing in BR seems was done by a high schooler. no offences, but cgi was exactly like high level quality vs low level quality. one can make u awe, while the other one make u face plam

  17. I like the first 2 episodes… the rating was disappointed, why it got decreased? But i saw KSH and this drama trending for 2 days until monday. I’ve watched anything a like, i care about the rating but the story more. I even watched born again until ep 12. Lols.

    So, will continue watching this. Hopefully ep 3 will get better. Fighting.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.