A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF THE KOREAN DRAMA “IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY”(2020) : REPRESENTATION OF MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

Various online platforms attempt to highlight mental health as an issue that can be experienced by anyone. Mental health is frequently conveyed indirectly through signs, visual imagery and dialogue. Recently, mental health has become an emerging narrative theme that is further developed through dramas and films. In particular, the South Korea entertainment industry frequently explores mental health as a key theme in the  dramas it produces. The purpose of this study is to analyze the representation of mental health meaning as portrayed in the South Korean drama it’s okay to not be okay. This study employs Roland Barthes semiotic approach,focusing on the concepts of denotation, connotation, and myth. The finding reveal that mental health is a complex issu involving varios elements and factors, including emotions, social, and psychological aspects that influence character development. Emotional abuse, family dysfunction, unhealthy parenting practices, and child-centered parenting serve as the roots of trauma and identity loss, which subsequently develop into mental disorders in each of characters potrayed