K-Dramas Featuring Disabilities and Mental Illnesses

We have seen many K-Dramas that depict a perfect fairytale life, from waking up with prepped hair to having a lavish lifestyle, their life seems to be perfect. But that changed over the years. Many K-Dramas are now more inclusive and better at portraying characters with special needs. In real life, some still see mental health and disability issues as taboo topics, but the entertainment industry has been trying its best to educate the public. Here are some of the best K-Dramas that welcome inclusivity.

Our Blues

One of the reasons why viewers praised the drama is for casting, Jung Eun Hye who has Down Syndrome. At the age of 31, the actress made her small screen debut in the series, she’s also a hit caricature artist with over 4,000 caricatures drawn. She was later revealed as Han Ji Min’s older sister.

Good Doctor

A medical drama that features a young man named Park Shi On, played by Joo Won. He has savant syndrome and developmental disability and pursued his dreams to become a surgeon. He worked on his social skills to become a well-known doctor.

Move to Heaven

The drama follows the story of Han Geu Ru, played by Tang Jun Sang, a 20-year-old trauma cleaner with Asperger’s syndrome.

It’s Okay Not to Be Okay

One of the best dramas that tackled several mental health-related issues, and the probable causes behind a person having a disorder. Kim Soo Hyun’s brother, Oh Jung Se perfectly delivered his role with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He bagged the best supporting actor award at the prestigious 57th Baeksang Arts Awards. On the other hand, Ko Moon Young, the female lead, was suffering from mental health-related issues and antisocial personality disorder, Moon Young has also shown different self-destructive behavior in the past.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo

The extraordinary lead, Park Eun Bin, portrays as a lawyer with an autism spectrum disorder. The drama follows a story about the first autistic lawyer in South Korea with an IQ of 164 and out-of-the-box thoughts that permit her to unravel the hardest cases.

Daily Dose of Sunshine

Jung Da Eun played by Park Bo Young is a nurse, who is transferred from the internal medicine department to psychiatry for the first time. She faces challenges and discomfort in her new role but perseveres, with the support of those around her, helping her grow as a nurse and understand the challenges of her patients.