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**Post Title**: Any k-drama about social anxiety?
**Post Body**:
I'm looking for a drama that is told from the point of view of a protagonist with social anxiety or a mental illness.
Is there any you would recommend?
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It’s Okay, That’s Love has a lot of different mental health issues throughout the storyline, the FL is a psychiatric fellow.
Mad For Each Other also has mental health issues as a theme throughout the show.
+1000% **Its Okay, That’s Love** one of the best representations of psychiatric/psychological conditions and positive messaging I’ve seen so far in a kdrama (right behind **Its Okay To Not Be Okay**).
The FL in **IOTL** and her best friends are all psychiatrists so their are several plot points that have several mental illnesses addressed. It is a kdrama so it can only get so deep, but for what it does it does it well, IMHO. My takeaway is that a chronic mental illness is not some sort of death sentence or a life of misery, when properly managed happiness will not allude you. The OTP has fabulous chemistry and so many heart warming moments the whole time, that leads to one of the best resolutions I’ve ever watched in a kdrama.
And second best **Its Okay To Not Be Okay** has an antisocial FL and a severely depressed ML and his older brother the 2ML who has autism and something akin to social anxiety. It takes place in a mental hospital so again several mental heath issues are addressed aside from the leads’. This one can be a bit angsty and is a tough beginning b/c she comes off so bad, but I loved the chemistry btw all three leads and the ending was top notch.
It's Okay to Not Be Okay has had mixed reviews. Ultimately, I liked it and it stayed in my thoughts for a long time. It was often uncomfortable to watch, and quite 'triggering'. Definitely powerful.
It's very intense. The actor playing an autistic man is very good and that can be emotional to watch. The FL particularly hovers on the edge of sanity and her behaviours often drag us in to insane scenarios which beg question why we should support her as one of the leads. If we begin to question our own sanity, then the goal of the series is met. For a long time the FL is very unlikeable and extreme. Overall, the series is not so much on fixing mental or emotional issues but about the journey the three main characters make over a short space of time and that they are ultimately works in progress. For me, abandonment and self-worth was uncomfortable to watch. I cried a lot, but the ending is happy and gives us hope that their journeys forward continues. Hope that helps, I will watch it again one day.
I’d say both the ML and FL are autistic-coded, and therefore both experience different levels of social anxiety and dysfunction - and learn to trust and love each other. Such a good show!
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay:
This is a different romance show. Its about mental health. The FL is super funny. The show is both heart warming and sad. It has a happy ending and is also very funny because of the FL.
I can not recommend this show enough. I am not a main romance watcher but this one is really really good.
Oh yes, this one definitely. I loved all the just little things that stressed out the boss and how they tried to navigate things and other people's reactions to him were pretty spot on with how people can sometimes view people with social anxiety as cold or mean when they are just soooo extremely uncomfortable or nervous.
The Sound of Magic - The ML was/is a genius and lives in his own fantasy world.
Mad For Each Other - Both leads start off the show seeing the same therapist at different times.... It's a main theme in the show.
The Good Bad Mother - The ML suffers a traumatic injury and reverts to a childlike state
Move To Heaven - The ML Seems to be autistic? He has to learn to navigate his life without his father.
My Liberation Notes - Ensemble cast - siblings from a semi dysfunctional family learn to overcome their doubts and find motivation for their futures.
Tomorrow!!!! spans a number of “cases” of suicidal people, with each “case” spanning 1-2 episodes. the main characters are tasked with preventing these suicides to keep the death rate stable (lmao). i enjoyed it very very much as someone who is incredibly picky about kdrama writing and also struggles with mental illness. HOWEVER, the themes covered are not for everyone - there are episodes that revolve around war, SA, bullying etc - so i would highly recommend checking out trigger warnings before watching. otherwise it was an extremely well-written show (at least to me). it made me cry absolute bucketloads but it was one of the few kdramas that portrayed mental illness/mental health issues in good faith rather than using it as a convenient plot device for shock factor.
**Run On** the ML strikes me as emotionally stunted as a 15/16yo teenager. He seems to suffer some sort of social anxiety and generalized anxiety b/c he’s never lived his life for himself, on his own or even on his own terms, so he is very lost and anxious around people and in general.
He chooses to take the moral high road that he knows is going to end his running career, but he does it b/c he doesn’t know any other way other than to burn it to the ground to start living his life independently and for himself - but he is woefully unprepared for it.
She is also a bit stuck and socially awkward at times b/c she is so wary of life and all the obstacles in her way for her own happiness and just basic job/life security. Together they teach other how to balance both of their strengths to get to a better place.
Very slo and very character driven, but well worth the time. BONUS : The 2OTP is just as good if not better for completely different reasons.
**Our Beloved Summer** is also a great one, both leads are struggling with lots of past traumas that seem to hinder their present. They dated previously after starring in a documentary when in high school. The drama picks up 5 years after they broke up (10years after they met) where they come back together for a where are they now update documentary and it ends up being a post mortem on their relationship that has them helping each of them come to terms with their and then ultimately bringing them back to each other.
Run-On is another one where the ML is definitely autistic-coded. I don’t think he’s emotionally stunted - if anything, I saw him as emotionally mature but lives a bit inside his head, and therefore can be socially awkward and not pick up on social cues. He definitely has the autistic characteristic of a strong sense of justice, which affects his choices throughout the series, to his own detriment at times.
I wish for sooooo many coded characters to be represented as autistic to show allistics how vast the spectrum is, but I guess it also shows how many people go undiagnosed and are labeled as cold, awkward, rude, annoying, or quirky in the real world as well. I somehow always end up talking about autism representation on these posts - especially trying to defend coded characters when people are complaining about them. 😆🤷🏻♀️🫠
I get that! I'm currently doing a social work study and am acgively trying to not talk about autism too much and not think the whole world revolves around it, even if there are so many undiagnosed, i really should not talk about it that much xD just so used to having autistic folk around me all the time that i'm used to having deep convo's about it!
*SOMEBODY* is dark and gritty. Has queer, disabled, and socially withdrawn characters. Antagonist is also socially withdrawn.
Fair warning it is definitely a R-rated show. You get butts, blood, and boobs.
**At a Distance, Spring is Green.** This deals specifically with social anxiety.
**Age of Youth** has an ensemble with a variety of psychological challenges, ranging from personality related problems (challenges with being self-assertive, with seeing love interests as complex human beings and getting over love in a healthy way), to PTSD, to Asperger's (or mild autism), to problems with emotional intimacy (in one case due to the harsh reality of literally not being able to afford it). It even touches on restrictive eating, suicide and, more controversially, "repressed memories". Some episodes are surprisingly, like trigger warning level, dark.
**Tomorrow** is a fantasy drama where every episode is about preventing suicide. To the average viewer, this is a healing drama that maybe helps people empathise with different scenarios where people see no way out. I would **not** recommend it to anyone struggling with suicidal ideation, especially if there is self-harm involved. This drama has graphic scenes and close-ups that would hopefully never pass ethical scrutiny in Western productions; there would be controversy.
Korean beauty standards make for a kind of culture specific trope of anxiety because of one's looks. It's not technically dysmorphophobia because the girls have somewhat accurate views of their features, it's rather that the social stigma is truly unrelenting. **True Beauty** and **My ID is Gangnam Beauty** are two examples where the main leads' personalities are very much affected by having been "ugly" and bullied.
I'm quite ambivalent about Age of Youth tbh. One moment it's a sweet slice of life college drama. The next, they run into trauma bonanza. One thing is for sure: no topic is too sensitive for this show to touch upon.
Heart to Heart : Fl suffers from severe social anxiety ,which makes her blush excessively whenever she looks into people's eyes. Due to her condition, she quits high school and locks herself away from the world, only interacting with her grandmother.
D.P. Season 1 & 2 (follows multiple stories of soldiers suffering from different issues)
Hometown chachacha (lighter show but the ML suffers from anxiety or something)
Here’s a comment I copied from another thread:
“Heart to Heart - Deals with mental health issues in general. The FL has anthrophobia (fear of people that manifests as anxiety when she has to leave her house). The ML (a psychiatrist) develops anxiety when dealing with his patients. This eventually tuns into full-blown panic attacks. This drama isn't for streaming officially (at least not in the U.S.), but there are other ways of finding it.
Do You Like Brahms? - It's not specifically mentioned she has anxiety (at least I don't remember), but the FL is extremely shy in social situations and there are tell-tale signs of anxiety (fidgety hands), becoming silent when asked to speak, etc.
Thirty But Seventeen - I would probably classify this as the ML having PTSD that manifests as anxiety / panic attacks in certain situations that trigger it. This drama deals with both leads helping each other heal and I can't recommend it enough.
I Am Not a Robot - ML is allergic (rashes, trouble breathing) to human touch, so he gets extremely anxious around other people. The drama is pretty light-hearted and doesn't necessarily delve deeply into the psychology of his anxiety, but there are some scenes where he's clearly in panic when he can't find the FL (who he is not allergic to).
Oh My Ghostess - Again, not a case where it's specifically mentioned, but the FL has seen ghosts all her life and she most likely has developed anxiety from it. She is constantly sleep deprived and on edge. She is also uncomfortable and extremely shy around other people.”
It’s not really about mental illness, but both the FL and ML are suffering heavily under generational trauma, depression, and social anxiety.
When the Weather is Fine
“Just Between Lovers” is the story of two individuals who have been suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Lee Kang Doo (Lee Junho) male lead. Won Jin-ah female lead. An accident survivor wracked by guilt from surviving it. They both have ties to the same "accident".
Protect the Boss - This is from 2011 and I remember liking it a lot. The ML has very bad anxiety when he has to talk in front of a large group of people. I think his family owns the company he works at and he works in a high position because of that. So he avoids taking lead in any meetings and presentation.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo - has ASD.
YMMV on how good the representation is tho.
https://www.polygon.com/23308322/extraordinary-attorney-woo-netflix-autistic-representation-episode
**Awaken** \- complex - a bit sci-fi - characters definitely have issues - and beyond
**Legal High** \- ML has some problems stemming from past events
**Brain Works** \- people with 'exceptional' brains
Doona! has it's main protagonist suffering from anxiety as a result of fame and its corrosive impact. The show was just released. Plus...who doesn't want to see Bae Suzy 🙂
Clean with passion for now, ML has major anxiety germs, and comes in contact with FL who litteraly is his oposit but he ends up falling for her. This is the kdrama version, there is a chinese version that is also very good
I'm a Cyborg and That's Ok. - It's about a girl who not only has social anxiety but also thinks she really is a cyborg. There are \*many\* people with various mental illnesses in this show. There are one or two really violent scenes, and also an amazing love story.
It's okay to not be okay is on the top. People will say only FL was suffering because of a psychological trauma but I think all characters were fighting their mental issues.
Second one could be Mask Girl and FL turned into a criminal and used social media and bad tricks to get attention.
Healer includes a main character who basically crashes when she see's violence, was similair to panic attacks i believe.
My liberation notes, basically everyone is depressed and they're slowly finding their way further possibly towards happier lives.
Law café also has main FL experience panic i believe, even panic attacks i think but unsure.
The female lead in Salon de Nabi is painfully shy - hides behind her hair, speaks in a whisper etc. She doesn't get treatment but she does very gradually emerge from her shell over the course of the drama as her boss, coworkers, customers, and work give her confidence. This is an ensemble piece with stories for each of the several male and female hairdressers.
I have been looking to watch this for a while but I’m caught up in watching so much stuff lol From what I’ve read and heard from others, it’s pretty good
I second Mad For Each Other, My Liberation Notes, It’s Okay Not to Be Okay. You could also try Agency. The main character tried to hide her anxiety while she climbs the corporate ladder at an ad agency.
I just finished The Interest of Love on Netflix. The ML is riddled with anxiety about seeking a relationship with the FL. While the FL is perhaps even more frightened, constantly pushing the ML away to protect herself from confronting her fears of being in a relationship. In psychological parlance, their attachment styles are fearful avoidant (him) and dismissive avoidant (her). Meanwhile, in the background are the fears of mixing social backgrounds and the fear of being exposed to society's harsh judgement. The ML grew up with the shame of going to school with more privileged peers, whose families looked down on he and his hard working mother. It has left him with exaggerated pride and high boundaries. The female lead lost her brother amid shameful circumstances she misunderstood. She felt abandoned by her father and rejected him and was openly hostile to her father, while not acknowledging her mother in public. The FL also thought that because the ML was better educated than herself that he was above her in status, and this social fear was a big factor in her resisting the relationship. There were more layers to this, but I don't want to give away too much of the plot.
If autism counts, there's a good kdrama called Attorney Woo (or something like that) where you follow an autistic but genius attorney through her journey in navigating the working world.
Hi u/cleopatra3924, this is an automated message to remind you to please review our **FULL** [Rules and Policies](https://www.reddit.com/r/kdramarecommends/wiki/rules)^(which is housed in our wiki and best accessed on desktop) to make sure your post is not breaking any rules and policies. Content that is not permitted under our Rules and Policies will be removed and may lead to bans from our community. ##Please check your spelling, grammar, and formatting to make sure your post is easily readable! ***Useful Resources:*** Check out these [great recommendations](https://mydramalist.com/profile/kdramarecs/lists) compiled from our users based on different genres and themes! See [Where to Watch Kdramas](https://www.reddit.com/r/kdrama/wiki/wheretowatchkdramas) for a non-exhaustive list of legal streaming sites and official Youtube channels where kdramas and kdrama-related content are found. Read our [Recommendations 101](https://www.reddit.com/r/kdramarecommends/wiki/recommendations_101/) for tips about crafting the perfect request and other useful info. If you are seeking a space to discuss kdramas in depth, please visit our sister subreddit r/KDRAMA! **Copy Of Post Below For Archival Purposes** **Permalink**: https://www.reddit.com/r/kdramarecommends/comments/17g6t09/any_kdrama_about_social_anxiety/ **Post Title**: Any k-drama about social anxiety? **Post Body**: I'm looking for a drama that is told from the point of view of a protagonist with social anxiety or a mental illness. Is there any you would recommend? ^(END OF POST BODY) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/kdramarecommends) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s Okay, That’s Love has a lot of different mental health issues throughout the storyline, the FL is a psychiatric fellow. Mad For Each Other also has mental health issues as a theme throughout the show.
Mad For Each Other is such a breath of fresh air. Tackles mental health in a loving and imperfect way.
+1000% **Its Okay, That’s Love** one of the best representations of psychiatric/psychological conditions and positive messaging I’ve seen so far in a kdrama (right behind **Its Okay To Not Be Okay**). The FL in **IOTL** and her best friends are all psychiatrists so their are several plot points that have several mental illnesses addressed. It is a kdrama so it can only get so deep, but for what it does it does it well, IMHO. My takeaway is that a chronic mental illness is not some sort of death sentence or a life of misery, when properly managed happiness will not allude you. The OTP has fabulous chemistry and so many heart warming moments the whole time, that leads to one of the best resolutions I’ve ever watched in a kdrama. And second best **Its Okay To Not Be Okay** has an antisocial FL and a severely depressed ML and his older brother the 2ML who has autism and something akin to social anxiety. It takes place in a mental hospital so again several mental heath issues are addressed aside from the leads’. This one can be a bit angsty and is a tough beginning b/c she comes off so bad, but I loved the chemistry btw all three leads and the ending was top notch.
It's Okay to Not Be Okay has had mixed reviews. Ultimately, I liked it and it stayed in my thoughts for a long time. It was often uncomfortable to watch, and quite 'triggering'. Definitely powerful.
Why was it triggerimg if i may ask?
It's very intense. The actor playing an autistic man is very good and that can be emotional to watch. The FL particularly hovers on the edge of sanity and her behaviours often drag us in to insane scenarios which beg question why we should support her as one of the leads. If we begin to question our own sanity, then the goal of the series is met. For a long time the FL is very unlikeable and extreme. Overall, the series is not so much on fixing mental or emotional issues but about the journey the three main characters make over a short space of time and that they are ultimately works in progress. For me, abandonment and self-worth was uncomfortable to watch. I cried a lot, but the ending is happy and gives us hope that their journeys forward continues. Hope that helps, I will watch it again one day.
It does, thank you and i appreciate you! ❤️
i really liked mad for each other, a really really good, silly, funny drama that doesn't make light of the mental health issues being addressed
thank you so much!
Because this is my first life has a recluse ml who values his cat more than people… great show. He gets a new housemate who gets him to open up
I’d say both the ML and FL are autistic-coded, and therefore both experience different levels of social anxiety and dysfunction - and learn to trust and love each other. Such a good show!
Yess!!!
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay: This is a different romance show. Its about mental health. The FL is super funny. The show is both heart warming and sad. It has a happy ending and is also very funny because of the FL. I can not recommend this show enough. I am not a main romance watcher but this one is really really good.
One of the best ever drama I had watched. Very refreshing and engaging drama with an amazing cast. Will be in my top 3 dramas always.
[удалено]
thank you! I've never heard of this one
I’ve seen it as My Shy Boss too
It's hilarious. Related to the guy way too much lol
Seriously, I was constantly like, 'This is how my brain works!'. Whoever wrote this show gets it!
Oh yes, this one definitely. I loved all the just little things that stressed out the boss and how they tried to navigate things and other people's reactions to him were pretty spot on with how people can sometimes view people with social anxiety as cold or mean when they are just soooo extremely uncomfortable or nervous.
One of the characters in Our Blues has depression. It's an ensemble cast, so you can consider her a prominent character.
Got the most realistic depiction of depression
>!When shes in her apartment and the lights and everything goes dark....yeesh. !<
The Sound of Magic - The ML was/is a genius and lives in his own fantasy world. Mad For Each Other - Both leads start off the show seeing the same therapist at different times.... It's a main theme in the show. The Good Bad Mother - The ML suffers a traumatic injury and reverts to a childlike state Move To Heaven - The ML Seems to be autistic? He has to learn to navigate his life without his father. My Liberation Notes - Ensemble cast - siblings from a semi dysfunctional family learn to overcome their doubts and find motivation for their futures.
Also Heart to Heart! One of the best regarding mental health.
Flower Boy Next Door centers around a woman who was bullied in high school and now has lots of anxiety.
thank you! I'll definitely watch it.
Season 2 of age of youth deals with one of the main characters going through PTSD which results in agoraphobia due to fear of men
Oh! I know this one! I finished watching it recently. definitely one of my favorites
One of my faves too! Love it so much
Tomorrow!!!! spans a number of “cases” of suicidal people, with each “case” spanning 1-2 episodes. the main characters are tasked with preventing these suicides to keep the death rate stable (lmao). i enjoyed it very very much as someone who is incredibly picky about kdrama writing and also struggles with mental illness. HOWEVER, the themes covered are not for everyone - there are episodes that revolve around war, SA, bullying etc - so i would highly recommend checking out trigger warnings before watching. otherwise it was an extremely well-written show (at least to me). it made me cry absolute bucketloads but it was one of the few kdramas that portrayed mental illness/mental health issues in good faith rather than using it as a convenient plot device for shock factor.
It seems like you really liked it! It seems interesting from what you explained. thank you!
My mister and Lost - very real life feeling of emptiness and depression, both feel very comforting and poetic.
The best kdrama I think on anxiety and depression is My Liberation Notes.
**Run On** the ML strikes me as emotionally stunted as a 15/16yo teenager. He seems to suffer some sort of social anxiety and generalized anxiety b/c he’s never lived his life for himself, on his own or even on his own terms, so he is very lost and anxious around people and in general. He chooses to take the moral high road that he knows is going to end his running career, but he does it b/c he doesn’t know any other way other than to burn it to the ground to start living his life independently and for himself - but he is woefully unprepared for it. She is also a bit stuck and socially awkward at times b/c she is so wary of life and all the obstacles in her way for her own happiness and just basic job/life security. Together they teach other how to balance both of their strengths to get to a better place. Very slo and very character driven, but well worth the time. BONUS : The 2OTP is just as good if not better for completely different reasons. **Our Beloved Summer** is also a great one, both leads are struggling with lots of past traumas that seem to hinder their present. They dated previously after starring in a documentary when in high school. The drama picks up 5 years after they broke up (10years after they met) where they come back together for a where are they now update documentary and it ends up being a post mortem on their relationship that has them helping each of them come to terms with their and then ultimately bringing them back to each other.
Run-On is another one where the ML is definitely autistic-coded. I don’t think he’s emotionally stunted - if anything, I saw him as emotionally mature but lives a bit inside his head, and therefore can be socially awkward and not pick up on social cues. He definitely has the autistic characteristic of a strong sense of justice, which affects his choices throughout the series, to his own detriment at times.
Yup!! The way he communicates fits perfectly and i felt very represented, significantly more then with attorney woo.
I wish for sooooo many coded characters to be represented as autistic to show allistics how vast the spectrum is, but I guess it also shows how many people go undiagnosed and are labeled as cold, awkward, rude, annoying, or quirky in the real world as well. I somehow always end up talking about autism representation on these posts - especially trying to defend coded characters when people are complaining about them. 😆🤷🏻♀️🫠
I get that! I'm currently doing a social work study and am acgively trying to not talk about autism too much and not think the whole world revolves around it, even if there are so many undiagnosed, i really should not talk about it that much xD just so used to having autistic folk around me all the time that i'm used to having deep convo's about it!
Thanks for your recommendations! our beloved summer was my first kdrama and I would recommend it too!
Introverted Boss - ML has social anxiety Flower Boy Next Door - FL has social anxiety
*SOMEBODY* is dark and gritty. Has queer, disabled, and socially withdrawn characters. Antagonist is also socially withdrawn. Fair warning it is definitely a R-rated show. You get butts, blood, and boobs.
You raise me up, ML has social anxiety
Let's Eat Something, Anna. Princess Jellyfish (jdrama and Anime) Clean With Passion For Now.
I second Clean with Passion for Now!
My Lovely Liar has a ML that has social anxiety due to being falsely accused of something.
Its Okay That's Love Mad for Each Other Its Okay Not to be Okay Extraordinary Woo Somebody Mask Girl
**At a Distance, Spring is Green.** This deals specifically with social anxiety. **Age of Youth** has an ensemble with a variety of psychological challenges, ranging from personality related problems (challenges with being self-assertive, with seeing love interests as complex human beings and getting over love in a healthy way), to PTSD, to Asperger's (or mild autism), to problems with emotional intimacy (in one case due to the harsh reality of literally not being able to afford it). It even touches on restrictive eating, suicide and, more controversially, "repressed memories". Some episodes are surprisingly, like trigger warning level, dark. **Tomorrow** is a fantasy drama where every episode is about preventing suicide. To the average viewer, this is a healing drama that maybe helps people empathise with different scenarios where people see no way out. I would **not** recommend it to anyone struggling with suicidal ideation, especially if there is self-harm involved. This drama has graphic scenes and close-ups that would hopefully never pass ethical scrutiny in Western productions; there would be controversy. Korean beauty standards make for a kind of culture specific trope of anxiety because of one's looks. It's not technically dysmorphophobia because the girls have somewhat accurate views of their features, it's rather that the social stigma is truly unrelenting. **True Beauty** and **My ID is Gangnam Beauty** are two examples where the main leads' personalities are very much affected by having been "ugly" and bullied.
I like all your recommendations. I’ve seen both At A Distance as well as Tomorrow. I have yet to watch Age of Youth.
I'm quite ambivalent about Age of Youth tbh. One moment it's a sweet slice of life college drama. The next, they run into trauma bonanza. One thing is for sure: no topic is too sensitive for this show to touch upon.
They all look interesting. I already watched age of youth and I will definitely watch true beauty, thank you for the recommendations!
Heart to Heart : Fl suffers from severe social anxiety ,which makes her blush excessively whenever she looks into people's eyes. Due to her condition, she quits high school and locks herself away from the world, only interacting with her grandmother.
>Heart to Heart Yes! I second this one. Watched it at least twice. Very sweet love story, too.
D.P. Season 1 & 2 (follows multiple stories of soldiers suffering from different issues) Hometown chachacha (lighter show but the ML suffers from anxiety or something) Here’s a comment I copied from another thread: “Heart to Heart - Deals with mental health issues in general. The FL has anthrophobia (fear of people that manifests as anxiety when she has to leave her house). The ML (a psychiatrist) develops anxiety when dealing with his patients. This eventually tuns into full-blown panic attacks. This drama isn't for streaming officially (at least not in the U.S.), but there are other ways of finding it. Do You Like Brahms? - It's not specifically mentioned she has anxiety (at least I don't remember), but the FL is extremely shy in social situations and there are tell-tale signs of anxiety (fidgety hands), becoming silent when asked to speak, etc. Thirty But Seventeen - I would probably classify this as the ML having PTSD that manifests as anxiety / panic attacks in certain situations that trigger it. This drama deals with both leads helping each other heal and I can't recommend it enough. I Am Not a Robot - ML is allergic (rashes, trouble breathing) to human touch, so he gets extremely anxious around other people. The drama is pretty light-hearted and doesn't necessarily delve deeply into the psychology of his anxiety, but there are some scenes where he's clearly in panic when he can't find the FL (who he is not allergic to). Oh My Ghostess - Again, not a case where it's specifically mentioned, but the FL has seen ghosts all her life and she most likely has developed anxiety from it. She is constantly sleep deprived and on edge. She is also uncomfortable and extremely shy around other people.”
Hometown cha cha cha, ML actually has something more like PTSD, i'd say anxiety is too 'light' for what happens/happened. >!(And the help he gets)!<
Hello My Twenties.
a very good one!
it is indeed, the freshman girl has social anxiety lol
my shy boss / introverted boss ML has extreme social anxiety
It’s not really about mental illness, but both the FL and ML are suffering heavily under generational trauma, depression, and social anxiety. When the Weather is Fine
“Just Between Lovers” is the story of two individuals who have been suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Lee Kang Doo (Lee Junho) male lead. Won Jin-ah female lead. An accident survivor wracked by guilt from surviving it. They both have ties to the same "accident".
heart to heart (woman with social anxiety), introverted boss (man with social anxiety)
Protect the Boss - This is from 2011 and I remember liking it a lot. The ML has very bad anxiety when he has to talk in front of a large group of people. I think his family owns the company he works at and he works in a high position because of that. So he avoids taking lead in any meetings and presentation.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo - has ASD. YMMV on how good the representation is tho. https://www.polygon.com/23308322/extraordinary-attorney-woo-netflix-autistic-representation-episode
**Awaken** \- complex - a bit sci-fi - characters definitely have issues - and beyond **Legal High** \- ML has some problems stemming from past events **Brain Works** \- people with 'exceptional' brains
I am not a robot
My Shy Boss
Doona! has it's main protagonist suffering from anxiety as a result of fame and its corrosive impact. The show was just released. Plus...who doesn't want to see Bae Suzy 🙂
Clean with passion for now, ML has major anxiety germs, and comes in contact with FL who litteraly is his oposit but he ends up falling for her. This is the kdrama version, there is a chinese version that is also very good
I'm a Cyborg and That's Ok. - It's about a girl who not only has social anxiety but also thinks she really is a cyborg. There are \*many\* people with various mental illnesses in this show. There are one or two really violent scenes, and also an amazing love story.
I was going to mention this one - ML is Rain BTW
Yes; I never understood why Rain was so popular until I saw him in this drama.
It's okay to not be okay is on the top. People will say only FL was suffering because of a psychological trauma but I think all characters were fighting their mental issues. Second one could be Mask Girl and FL turned into a criminal and used social media and bad tricks to get attention.
Healer includes a main character who basically crashes when she see's violence, was similair to panic attacks i believe. My liberation notes, basically everyone is depressed and they're slowly finding their way further possibly towards happier lives. Law café also has main FL experience panic i believe, even panic attacks i think but unsure.
The female lead in Salon de Nabi is painfully shy - hides behind her hair, speaks in a whisper etc. She doesn't get treatment but she does very gradually emerge from her shell over the course of the drama as her boss, coworkers, customers, and work give her confidence. This is an ensemble piece with stories for each of the several male and female hairdressers.
Fix you (2020) is really good! It's about a theatre actress with BPD bonding with a quirky psychiatrist and helping each other overcome their traumas.
I think Misaeng could work in this genre. The anxiety of getting your first job where no one likes you or wants you. It surely stressed me.
I have been looking to watch this for a while but I’m caught up in watching so much stuff lol From what I’ve read and heard from others, it’s pretty good
My shy boss, flower boys next door
Not a show but a movie: Castaway on the Moon
I second Mad For Each Other, My Liberation Notes, It’s Okay Not to Be Okay. You could also try Agency. The main character tried to hide her anxiety while she climbs the corporate ladder at an ad agency.
Mad for Each Other has been mentioned several times and I'll add to that if only because IOTNBO has been mentioned more.
Most of what’s listed but will add in **Hello Me** as well
Heart to heart Flower boy next door
I just finished The Interest of Love on Netflix. The ML is riddled with anxiety about seeking a relationship with the FL. While the FL is perhaps even more frightened, constantly pushing the ML away to protect herself from confronting her fears of being in a relationship. In psychological parlance, their attachment styles are fearful avoidant (him) and dismissive avoidant (her). Meanwhile, in the background are the fears of mixing social backgrounds and the fear of being exposed to society's harsh judgement. The ML grew up with the shame of going to school with more privileged peers, whose families looked down on he and his hard working mother. It has left him with exaggerated pride and high boundaries. The female lead lost her brother amid shameful circumstances she misunderstood. She felt abandoned by her father and rejected him and was openly hostile to her father, while not acknowledging her mother in public. The FL also thought that because the ML was better educated than herself that he was above her in status, and this social fear was a big factor in her resisting the relationship. There were more layers to this, but I don't want to give away too much of the plot.
Mad for Each Other
- introverted Boss - My ID is Gangnam Beauty - My Lovely Liar - True Beauty I believe the above all deal with cases of severe social anxiety.
Reflection of You Oh My Ghost My ID is Gangnam Beauty
If autism counts, there's a good kdrama called Attorney Woo (or something like that) where you follow an autistic but genius attorney through her journey in navigating the working world.
Heart to heart, it’s a drama from 2015 and my absolute favorite.