7 K-Dramas That Talk About Mental Health Issues
Over the past few years, K-Dramas have become popular because of swoon-worthy romances and thrilling revenge plots. One of the most underrated themes, however, in some of the most popular Korean TV shows is mental health.
Beneath the glossy, well-styled exterior, these K-dramas offer well-nuanced storylines and character arcs for protagonists struggling with mental health issues, with surprising sensitivity.
On World Mental Health Day, we figured we’d highlight some of the best portrayals of mental health issues in K-dramas. These poignant storylines not only resonate deeply with people going through the same thing but also help start conversations about taboo topics…
K-Dramas That Deal With Mental Health
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020)
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020)
While on the surface, the show can be dismissed for being any other K-drama with a high production value and a ginormous costume budget, the surprisingly deep and sensitive portrayal of mental health issues sets this one apart. This award-winning drama follows an anti-social children’s book writer who moves to her hometown to pursue a psych ward caretaker after finding out that their pasts overlapped with each other. The show follows how they heal each other’s emotional wounds and move forward in their lives.
Watch it here
Our Blues (2022)
Our Blues (2022)
This anthology series traces the lives of people living in Jeju-do, South Korea’s largest island. The show was widely praised for its poignant exploration of different mental health issues, like dealing with grief, abandonment and depression. But what really makes the drama special is its heartwarming finale that is both, realistic and optimistic.
Watch it here
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)
The show follows a rookie lawyer with autism who gets hired by a major law firm. The intensely likeable titular Attorney Woo shows how simple things, that most people take for granted, can be a challenge for her. It also tries to destigmatise relationships, both romantic and otherwise, between people on the autism spectrum and their neurotypical peers.
Watch it here
My Mister (2018)
My Mister (2018)
This unassuming drama starring popular K-pop soloist IU packs a powerful punch. It follows two people suffering from depression whose paths become intertwined after a fateful encounter. The show is about how they help each other heal their emotional scars and deal with the demons that plague them every day.
Watch it here
Soul Mechanic (2022)
Soul Mechanic (2022)
Soul Mechanic is a heartwarming drama that tenderly deals with issues of mental health by following a team of psychiatrists who believe in healing and not just treating their patients. The story is about a psychiatrist who gets assigned a patient with terrible anger management issues, who also happens to be a rising star in the music industry. The show deals with mental health issues with sensitivity and also promotes getting professional help for your mental health.
Watch it here
It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014)
It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014)
A novelist suffering from OCD and a psychiatrist meet each other on a popular talk show but their opposing personalities clash and all the wrong kinds of sparks fly. After fate keeps putting them in each other’s paths, their bickering begins to turn into a cautiously budding relationship. One of the show’s major themes, the male protagonist’s OCD, shows how past trauma can manifest itself in the present.
Watch it here
Just Between Lovers (2017)
Just Between Lovers (2017)
We’ve seen many explorations of grief in popular culture and this K-drama deserves a place with the best of them. The show follows the story of two people who are dealing with the loss of loved ones. They are bound together by a tragedy and their unprocessed grief. But while it’s a poignant tale of grief and loss, it also carries an optimistic message of love and hope.
Watch it here
