I was really surprised when our teacher in Adolescent Psychology told us that we need to

produce a reaction paper on Korean Drama "It's Okay. That's Love". I plan on not watching the
drama because I need to review my lesson for the exam more than watching the drama. But I
realized later that how I could make a reaction paper if I didn't watch it. I watched episode 16
only. When I watched the final episode, it felt like I was going to watch it all. Not because I was
hung up on the scene, but because of the question that was straining my mind. The question
"Why did the leading man have such a mental illness and how did he overcome it?".

“It’s Okay. That's Love” is a framework of standard romance elements holds up an innovative
story. The title might translate better as “That’s Okay. It's Love”, or “I’m Okay. It's Love”. I
thought it was just a common romantic comedy Korean drama but when I watched it, it was one
of the unique dramas I watched because of it's focus on mental illness or mental issues. I felt
different emotions as I watched the drama. There is fun, sad, thrill, pity and real. Fun because of
epic scenes and funny ones every time there are serious conversations that will lead to screams
and beatings. It's just funny because they're looked like stupid. Sad because it just every time
Jo In Sung and Gong Hyo Jin had serious scenes, I felt like their emotions carry me especially
when they talked about their past when they were young. The most teary-eyed moments is the
time when Jae Yool was begging Hae Soo to let him leave the hospital and when he was
convincing Hae Soo to leave and travel, and don't contact him anymore. The one that really got
to me and lost is the moment when Jae Yool realized that he and Kang Woo are one. It was so
painful to watch the struggles of Jae Yool and Hae Soo as they faced each other mental issues.
It made my heart really ached for them. I was rooting for them both as a couple and as
individuals as they worked through their traumas. The drama was very much a moving one.

Shockingly, I was so in love every time Jae Yool steals a kiss for Hae Soo and the two of them
has a chemistry. They have spark and they were so cute together. I'm hooked on both of them,
the way they kiss, hug and touch each other. I feel pity every time Jae Yool and Kang Woo have
a scene. It made me realize that people with Schizophrenia are experiencing this kind of
situation. It’s an illness that can be very destructive and scary for both the one experiencing it as
well as family and friends. I admire so much this drama because it shows realness of the
relationship. The friendship, the mother-child relationship and other connections portrayed here
were real. They quarrel, they shout each other, they make up, they cry, they disagree, they
laugh, they hit each other and they love. This drama reminds us that no matter what happens to
them, at the end of the day, they always have each other’s backs. They will always stick
together. They teach each other what is right from wrong. They still care for each other despite
of the differences they have in the past.

I really love the twist in every episode. There is nothing predictable about this drama. Even
though you feel like you know everything, the script suddenly surprises with its twist. But, this is
probably the secret behind the drama’s popularity, as well as the viewers’ excitement. This
drama never failed to impress me especially on how it deals with social prejudice. This is
probably the main reason why our teacher required us to watch “It’s Okay, That’s Love” as it
deals with mentally ill patients who are very often called retards or creeps. This is another form
of violence directed at them but most of us, who have never had to deal with someone who is
suffering from any of the mental illnesses, do not know how to react. “It’s Okay, That’s Love”
teaches us that mental illness is nothing to be afraid of, and all of us can help those that are
dealing with it. We are all equal human beings, and we should not be afraid of those that we
may view as different I really appreciate this drama for bringing up the issues on mental health.
It made me realize that each and everyone of us experience a mental issue at least one in our
lives. I was also impressed with how the drama was able to portray people struggling with moral
illness as normal. They weren’t weird or scary as we thought of them. They were just people
trying to live their lives while dealing with their own issues.

One thing that I can truly say about this drama is that it is one of the most refreshing and
realistic drama that I have ever seen. It’s not like other drama that we can able to predict what
will happen next. This drama became a healing drama. Through this drama, we didn’t just
simply follow the journey of Hae Soo and Jae Yool but rather we had followed the struggles that
most patients would have had to encounter both in and out of the hospital. The drama does a
great service by giving as window into what people with these illness have to deal with. It was
emotional, touching, sweet and just simply enjoyable (at least to me) from start to finish. After
watching the drama, I only understood why "it's Okay That's Love" was the title of it. No matter
how difficult the situation, as long as we've surrounded with people who care, as long as there is
love, then there is hope. And with hope, we can have the courage to keep on living, to get
through the dark room and towards a higher future.

How can you relate it to the teaching world?

There is often a prevailing image society has of someone with mental illness. Mental illness is
often not obvious to others; typically you do not know if someone has a mental illness unless the
individual chooses to disclose this to you. I am grateful to be given the opportunity to watch a
drama on how to handle people with mental illnesses. It helps me a lot when I become teacher
soon because in our lives, we cannot avoid encountering people with these mental issues. As
teachers, you have a unique relationship with young people and as such are often privy to, or
made aware of, when young people are going through a tough time emotionally. Knowing how
to support your own mental health and well-being, and that of your students’ is essential in
providing a supportive learning environment. It is essential for your own well-being, and the well-
being of students in your care, that you are able to deal with these situations appropriately.

As a future teacher, I must have the knowledge on how to handle such things. Students with
mental illness may find it difficult to disclose their disability to those in the academic
environment. Some of the reasons for their reluctance include a fear of being stereotyped, the
stigma of being treated differently, and the misperception of not being competent. Because of
the episodic nature of mental illness, students with mental illness may go through periods of
acute illness as well as periods of stability and success. As a future teacher, I should be aware
of my student's mental illness. It should not affect the way I interact with them. I searched on
Google about possible mental illnesses students might have. The most common mental health
disorders among students are depression, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-
traumatic stress disorder, tourette syndrome, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder,
substance abuse and eating disorders.

As a future, I must learn how to recognize mental health disorders in my students. Students with
depression or anxiety are sleeping throughout class, seem tearful or exhibit crying at different
times throughout the day, or just seem sad or to have the blues. However, a student with an
eating disorder can have very difficult time learning. A student who has been using substances
exhibits noticeable behaviors including slurred words, staggering walk, falling asleep or
hyperactivity that is unusual for the student. Just like in the drama, as their second parent, I will
educate them on the symptoms of mental health issues, provide a safe environment, encourage
good health, and help students access mental health resources. As future teacher, I will take
steps to be culturally sensitive, create awareness, and work with students and their families to
make sure the students are receiving the best help available.

I will show care and give time and attention, just what Hae Soo did to Jae Yool. Often our
students don't need anything more than someone who is willing to just be there for them.
Having a trusted adult that they can talk to is an important protective factor. I will be non-
judgmental, patient, calm, and accepting. The student may be reluctant to talk about their
problem because they don't want to upset anyone, but they need to know they're doing the right
thing by talking to someone. All these things are what I've learned from the drama.