12mn review…

 

By: Christian Bables

Just watched the first 2 episodes of the Filipino adaptation of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay… and as an actor, and more importantly, as someone who found healing in the original K-drama, I felt compelled to share this.

The original series wasn’t just beautifully made, it was transformative. It cracked open difficult truths about trauma, emotional repression, and the need to be seen, all told through characters that were both complex and painfully human. That show personally helped me name wounds I didn’t even know I had. So naturally, I was both excited and protective, as a fan and as someone who was deeply moved by the series, coming into this local version.

But tonight… I felt nothing but pride.

From the first frame, it was clear. We didn’t just translate a story, we embodied it. We gave it our own soul, our own cultural texture. Ramdam mo ang lalim ng Filipino sensibility. The quiet strength, the internal battles, the way we carry pain with tenderness and humor. Each performance had truth in it. Each moment was filled with heart. So far.

That, I guess, is the magic of direk Mae’s storytelling. When it’s honest, when it’s brave, it transcends language. We owned this. We gave voice to our version of healing, and I believe many will feel seen because of it.

Excited for the next episodes. Galing ni Joshua, Carlo, and Anne. Nuanced. Mapuso. Husay din ng ibang cast. Rooting for ate Agot lagi lagi. To everyone behind this, thank you. You did this with so much heart. As always, napaka husay niyo po, direk Mae! Yung PD, paki bigyan ng bonus na wanpayb Galing mo lagi, Mao!

Excited for the episodes to come, team IOTNBO Philippines! Congratulations!