#yeah im still not over iotnbo

[bagelbeee]

Reading IOTNBO screenwriter’s interview brought tears to my eyes.

No kidding. It took TEN YEARS of preparation before Jo Yong formally wrote It’s Okay to Not Be Okay ( 사이코지만 괜찮아 lit. Psycho But It's Okay ) for ONE YEAR. 

I was so touched by the effort that came with crafting a drama like this. I learned from Kim Soo Hyun that the preparation period was just as important as creating the final product, and I finally understood why. 

It took Jo Yong that long to prepare writing. It’s a DECADE. It took her a decade to prepare, not write. 

At first, while reading quote tweets in my timeline about how long Jo Yong’s preparation time really caught me by surprise. Not because of how long it took but rather why it took so long. I haven’t understood why she did that at first. I simply acknowledged the info because I didn’t know the context of it. 

Then this happened: 

Jo Yong honestly reveals that the character that she put in the most effort to carve out was Moon Sangtae, who had autism. (had to break the paragraph because of this wonderful text that comes next) “Do Moon Sangtae’s lines and actions accurately reflect autistic people? Would it cause the public to have wrong stereotypes and impressions? As I was filled with these worries and considerations, I consulted a psychiatrist’s opinions. I also sought the advice of a representative from Bear.Better, a company that provides employment for people with disabilities, and constantly reviewed the script.”

Sources: ENG Trans Taiwan’s ET Today exclusive interview with It’s Okay to Not Be Okay screenwriter Jo Yong (doramaticbites@twitter) 

Man, I, I love the way she thought about this.  In the beginning, Jo Yong immediately clarified that she has never done research in child psychology nor does she have any background in a related major.

She asked the right questions to herself and I could never be more happier. To past me, who wondered why IOTNBO displayed some sort of mastery over such a controversial topic, I finally have an answer for you.  Besides this fact, I’d also like to remind myself that Jo Yong wasn’t alone in this preparation! From an Netflix Interview, Kim Soo Hyun told narrates how he consulted a caretaker to prepare for Gang Tae (observing how that person carried themselves, their expressions, and how they looked like from the outside) and then, he internalizes it well.

Oh Jung Se had to research as well in order to portray Sang Tae in a way that it does justice to the character, as well what they represent (I remember how he pointed out that Sang Tae isn’t suffering from an illness but rather was born this way). 

Seo Yea Ji said (from her Harper’s BAZAAR Interview 2020) that their drama was “like a project with many high difficulty level homework”. She recalled that at the beginning, when she couldn’t portray the emotions right, she had to wipe her tears as she could not get into Moon Young’s character. 

This cast have such a deep understanding and train of thought that it just blows me away. It’s a match made in heaven, period. This drama wasn’t built on talent alone, I came to understand. Sure, it takes courage, passion, and skills, but the work done behind the scenes was immense. 

I’m no professional nor am I someone who is familiar with this field of work. However, as a viewer, I deeply appreciate and acknowledge the effort created behind such an intricate masterpiece that Jo Yong concludes, became the work she and I feel the proudest of.