Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Ye Ji's recent drama, It's Okay Not To Be Okay, may face sanctions for excessive verbal abuse and portrayal of sexual harassment.
According to a report by All Kpop, the drama was submitted to the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) for review.
The Broadcasting Review Subcommittee of the KCSC, initially, found that the drama portrayed male genitalization, justification of sexual harassment, and explicit verbal abuse. The findings were submitted to the plenary session for judicial sanctions.
Based on the findings, the production team of It's Okay Not To Be Okay displayed a lack of gender sensitivity when they highlighted the libido and non-sexual objects that symbolize the sexual organs in the drama. The commission felt that this was not appropriate, given the timeslot of the drama's airing. The reviewing team recommended court sanctions.
The recommendations will still be reviewed by a nine-member panel. They will decide the penalties based on the degree of violations. Points will, also, be deducted from the broadcasting evaluation conducted by KCSC if the violations are confirmed.
Even though It's Okay Not To Be Okay became the subject of controversy because of its production approach, the series was widely praised by critics for its artistic value. It was even compared to Hollywood director Tim Burton's filmmaking style.
A review by SCMP said that the drama exceeded expectations because of the strong chemistry of its lead and supporting cast members. The underlying message of healing was lauded by film reviewers.
Forbes, also, weighed in on the drama and praised the performances of Kim Soo Hyun, Seo Ye Ji, and Oh Sung Je as the troublemaker trio who suffered from different nightmares and mental health issues.
Forbes praised Kim Soo Hyun for picking the perfect comeback role in Moon Gang Tae, a caregiver for a mental health facility who suffered from his own trauma.The series received rave reviews for its artful depiction of the contrast of reality and fantasy, sanity and madness, which gave the drama very interesting and unique concept.
According to the drama's writer Jo Yong, the drama was based on her personal experience, Annyeongoppa reported. .
The writer said that she once dated a man with a mental health issue. She said she parted ways with him because she was afraid of criticism. Jo Young said that writing It's Okay Not to Be Okay was her way of apologizing to him.
