The stars of the upcoming Philippine adaptation of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay are ready to give their distinct and insightful take on the hit Korean series.
In a media conference attended by PhilSTAR L!fe, Anne Curtis, Joshua Garcia, Carlo Aquino, and the rest of the remake’s cast and crew had a chance to talk about adding a touch of Filipino culture to the beloved series.
They also highlighted what new and old fans can expect from the story that makes it fresh yet faithful to the original, which starred Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, and Oh Jung-se.
How the lead stars channeled their characters
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay follows Moon Gang-tae, a psychiatric nurse who has spent his life caring for his older brother with autism Moon Sang-tae. Their quiet life is disrupted when Gang-tae meets Ko Moon-young, a successful but emotionally troubled children’s book author.
As they grow closer, both Gang-tae and Moon-young confront their past traumas and learn to heal.
Curtis, who will play Moon-young’s counterpart Emilia Hernandez, talked about some of the changes in the Philippine adaptation.
“We have added some new characters to make it our own, so that is something to look forward to. For those who haven’t seen it yet, it’s a universal story that everyone will be able to relate to. It’s a healing story. It’s a beautiful journey of love,” she said.
“But at the end of the day, every Filipino—whether it be family or friends—will be able to relate to this story of healing, pain, and love,” she added.
As Curtis’ last acting role was in the 2019 film The Mall, The Merrier, she admitted that it took her a while to say yes to the offer of leading a beloved K-drama as It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.
“Ang tagal ko nang hindi umarte, so there was a lot of jitters lalo na sa first day. But I was supported by amazing actors, guided by our team captain, Direk Mae Cruz-Alviar,” she shared.
“So I had my own journey of anxiety, I must say, kasi grabe ‘yung kaba ko. But you know what? I learned from this story that it really is okay to not be okay.”
Garcia, meanwhile, takes on the role of Patrick Gonzales or Gang-tae in the remake. Tackling themes like emotional suppression and caregiver burnout, the actor shared how he found a connection to his character.
“Naka-relate ako sa kanya kasi parehas kaming mapagmahal na kapatid. Parehas kaming nangulila sa nanay. Doon pa lang, ang laki na nung relate ko doon eh, ‘yun naintindihan ko sa character ko.”
Aquino, on the other hand, portrays Matthew Gonzales, the adaptation’s version of Sang-tae. He prepared for the role by visiting a school for people with special needs.
“Three days na immersion sa special school sa may Banaue. Sinamahan ako ni Josh… pina-observe sa akin ‘yung mga high functioning, tapos ‘yung hindi masyado, tapos after that, pinag-workshop ako,” he shared.
Like Curtis, Aquino was also hesitant to accept the role at first given the nature of his character.
“Takot akong gawin ‘yung character. Ang dami nung what-ifs, nung doubts, nung mga takot. Eh lumaki nang lumaki. Lumobo nang lumobo ‘yun. So, kailangan ko paputukin. I had to see this through, kung mag-fail ako at least ginawa ko, tinry ko,” he said.
Cruz-Alviar added that Aquino decided not to watch the original K-drama so that he wouldn’t merely copy the performance.
“It’s the interpretation based on our immersion, based on our research. Totoo siya, hindi ‘yung parang kathang-isip,” she said.
“That’s why, kudos talaga to Caloy. Kinuha niya from different real people with autism na inobserve, kinasalamuhan niya, and talaga namang nabuo niya ‘yung character based on all that,” she continued.
How the remake adds something new
Recreating the popular K-drama, which received Baeksang Arts Awards, is a tall order, but Cruz-Alviar made sure that their series is a “different interpretation” from the source material while still being faithful to its core themes and messages.
“If we just follow or copy what was in the original, then we just changed the actors and then you’re watching the same thing all over again… An adaptation is your own interpretation and making it local, making it Filipinized and then with new souls,” she explained.
“They’re not the same actors. So they’re breathing life into these characters from their souls.” she added.
However, this also posed a challenge for the whole production. For instance, the original It’s Okay to Not Be Okay went through a lot of different seasons like winter, so the remake had to localize this to only accommodate the country’s dry and wet seasons.
Cruz-Alviar also took into consideration how the Philippine audience would perceive mental health themes.
“Hindi ganun kalaki ang awareness. And this is something new in terms of how big of a theme it is in a series, so kailangan natin i-handle na huwag natin biglain ‘yung audience kasi baka ma-overwhelm. There is careful handling in telling the story, but also keeping true or staying true to the core of the show,” she added.
Curtis highlighted that it was about time for a series that educates about mental health. Working on the project has helped her learn more about the sensitivity of the subject matter.
“Being there for someone who has a mental health condition or issue—it should not be a burden. It’s a sign of love. You can’t force them to fix themselves, but rather you have to be there for them and support them through their journey of healing,” she underscored.
The It’s Okay to Not Be Okay remake will also star Enchong Dee, Xyriel Manabat, Francis Magundayao, Agot Isidro, Rio Locsin, and Edgar Mortiz. It will premiere on Netflix starting July 18.
