Tiffany CondeIf you haven’t watched It’s Okay to Not Be Okay on Netflix, it’s still not too late to start! Without spoiling too much, the series follows the slow-burn romance between two complex protagonists: Ko Moon-young and Moon Gang-tae.
Ko Moon-young, played by leading actress Seo Ye-ji (Lawless Lawyer), is a headstrong and popular children’s book writer, but she harbours a dark past and struggles with Antisocial Personality Disorder (APSD). Moon Gang-tae, played by in-demand actor Kim Soo-hyun (My Love from the Star), is a caregiver who works at a psychiatric ward — the quiet and caring foil to Moon-Young’s fierce personality.
Tackling darker themes than most K-dramas, the series grapples with the emotional trauma of these characters, as they try to help each other heal.
Image credit: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay on IMDb
Given the bold premise of the series, we can see why so many viewers feel drawn to its intense drama and mysterious aesthetic. Another striking detail capturing everyone’s attention right now? The fairytale mansion or “cursed castle,” where Ko Moon-young spent her childhood.
From the vine-covered walls to the dreamy balcony where Moon-young looks out in her nightdress, the mansion in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is jaw-dropping, to say the least. Below, we’ll tell you how you can visit this place for real!
Ko Moon-young’s mansion in It’s Okay To Not Be Okay
Image credit: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay on IMDb
Each episode in the series takes after a fairytale. In the fifth episode titled “Rapunzel and the Cursed Castle,” Gang-tae visits Moon-young’s home, a grand and stately mansion in the middle of a remote forest. It was built by Moon-young’s father to celebrate her birth.
Much like the Gothic castles of Europe, the cursed castle in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay has an appearance of dark whimsicality. The stained glass windows, classical statues, and the elegant staircase — all straight out of a storybook!
Image credit: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay on IMDb (left); It’s Okay to Not Be Okay on IMDb (right)
When Gang-tae arrives at this imposing mansion, he finds a gate covered in vines and cobwebs. It’s clear that the property has been neglected over the years. Moreover, the flashbacks to Moon-young’s childhood reveal wide and empty halls inside, taking on a gloomy and lonely ambience.
But in the sixth episode called “Bluebeard’s Secret,” you can see just how beautiful the mansion’s interiors are. When Moon-young wakes up one morning, she learns that Gang-tae and his brother Sang-tae have cleaned up the entire mansion.
Bringing warmth and company to the place, the two brothers begin to prepare breakfast in the kitchen. This results in a sweet moment between the two leads, as Moon-young and Gang-tae share a delicious meal together. Go ahead, watch the video above, and tell us that you don’t feel any butterflies!
Where you can find the mansion in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
Image credit: Sanida Café Official Instagram Page
Surprisingly, the real-life setting for Moon-young’s mansion in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay isn’t actually a castle. What you see on television is a coffee shop and bakery called Sanida Café, sitting at the top of a mountain in Wonju City in the Gangwon Province of South Korea.
Image credit: Sanida Café Official Instagram Page (left) Sanida Café Official Instagram Page (right)
How did this transformation happen? To turn Sanida Café into a magnificent castle, the production crew for It’s Okay to Not Be Okay built elaborate sets that would add intrigue to the future mansion’s facade. They installed a gate on the premises and constructed an ornate doorway as the entrance to Moon-young’s mansion.
Many of the castle-like elements appear that way because of CGI. However, the foundation of Moon-young’s mansion and the rest of the café grounds are real.
Image credit: Sanida Café Official Instagram Page
Here’s the good news: You can visit this café in person!
Even without considering that It’s Okay to Not Be Okay was filmed here, the rooftop views and lush scenery around Sanida Café are definitely worth checking out on their own. And if there’s anything we miss right now, it’s chilling at a Korean café with a cup of coffee in our hands. For your future trips to South Korea, check out the address of the café below:
Address: 109-128 Chilbong-ro, Hojeo-myeon, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
Also read: Korean Drama Bucket List: 17 K-Dramas That Will Take You Around the World
Image credit: Sanida Café Official Instagram Page
Did you enjoy this behind-the-scenes peek into the cursed castle? Aside from Seo Ye-ji’s mansion in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, let us know if you’d like us to cover more K-drama filming locations in the future!
Featured image credit: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay | IMDb
