It’s summer, it’s hot, and the Fangirls are all still stuck inside due to the state of the world. I’m Clkytta: fangirl, mom, friend, writer, editor, and teacher. Last night, Kmuse and I were recording a podcast and I mentioned that we hadn’t done a recap in a while. It’s well known on the blog that if you mention to Kmuse that you are watching something, you will be writing about it, lol. Since I opened my mouth and mentioned we weren’t doing any recaps, Kmuse and I will be recapping It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. We are a bit behind since it started last week, but we will get caught up quickly. I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you and spending some kbestie time with Kmuse. As usual, this won’t be a play by play recap, it’s more highlights and things that stood out to us kind of recap.
An Interesting Story
Episode One hits us with a fantasy feeling straight out of the gate. The cinematography is what feeds your interest as the story unfolds in front of you. It feels a lot like a Tim Burton film with the claymation opening and the use of color and shadow to set the scenes. It feels surreal and dreamlike as we watch the children play. We get our first hint at trouble in paradise when we see the boy struggling in the water as she watches him. As he plows through a field of flowers, he finds her pulling the wings off of butterflies. Only then does he look at her in horror and runs away. This reminds me a bit of the Hans Christian Anderson tale, “The Butterfly.” The butterfly longs for love but ends up caught in a net and pinned in a collection.
The Caretaker
Moon Kang Tae is highly competent, compassionate, and a bit of a mystery to his coworkers. He is very good at anticipating problems and keeping his expression calm and bland. He and his brother live a nomadic life; they rarely stay in one place longer than a year. Every year around springtime, Sang Tae gets anxious and uncomfortable and they have to leave so that “the butterfly” won’t find them. So Kang Tae changes jobs, they move houses, and Sang Tae goes to a new vocational school. On a side note, I am pleased to announce that we have ABS!!! Kim Soo Hyun’s post-military body is in PRIME condition. We know this because one of his patients vomits all over the poor guy and he has to change clothes.
The Witch is the Pretty One
Go Moon Young is a children’s book author who writes unconventional fairy tales. They are dark, but they have underlying themes of love and acceptance that appeal to children. She is the princess in the castle, or rather, the princess in a fancy hotel. Because she is unpredictable and very narcissistic, her agent spends a lot of time bribing people she offends. She makes a pretty little “princess” cry when she tells the child that in her books, “the witch is the pretty one.” She also has a bit of kleptomania, especially where sharp objects are concerned. She is absolutely delighted by the sharp edge of the knife at the restaurant and ends up putting it in her purse to take home.
Children’s Hospital Fiasco
Fate keeps bringing the two together. Sang Tae is a huge fan of Moon Young’s books and his brother promises to get him an autograph since she will be visiting the hospital where he works. During her reading, one little girl seems to really connect with her book. Meanwhile, the girl’s father is frantically looking for her; he has escaped from his hospital room. The reading is interrupted and the father tries to escape from the hospital with his child. We discover that he intends on harming both himself and his child. This brings back memories of Moo Young’s father trying to kill her and triggers her to attack the man. In this process, Kang Tae is injured and he loses his job. Even worse, he forgets to get Sang Tae an autograph!
The Long Road Home
Moon Young’s father needs surgery and she is pulled back to her hometown. At the same time, Kang Tae decides to move back to the same hometown with his brother. The two have a common connection, Nurse Nam Ju Ri. She seems to have feelings for Kang Tae. Her relationship with Moon Young is complicated, they seem to be former classmates and there is some major friction there. Like Moon Young’s book says, they have to take their bad memories and grow from them. They can only be stronger facing the bad memories head-on.
The Boy Who Fed on Nightmares
Moon Young’s book, The Boy Who Fed on Nightmares, is about a boy who makes a deal with a witch to take away his bad memories. He’s lost his bad memories, but he’s still not happy. The book is dark, the drawings are stark and done in blacks and browns. While the initial theme of the story feels dark and desolate, the story is about how we grow as people. Our memories, good and bad, are what shape us as people and we can’t ignore them. I really feel like using her books as an outline sets the scene for us to see some character growth throughout the drama.
My Thoughts
I’m absolutely fascinated by this drama. The storytelling is superb so far. The characters are complex and multi-faceted, we want to know more of their backstory. The cinematography and music are on point and draw you deeper into the story. I loved how they used the sand artist while she was reading her book to the children at the hospital. It’s the little touches that make this drama so interesting. When we decided to do these recaps I had to watch the episodes for a second time and it’s even better on the second viewing, there are so many little details that give insight into the characters.
Until the next story,
Clkytta
Dramas With a Side of Kimchi
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