Un Raggio di Sole al Giorno (2023)

Social Commentary or Mental Health?

If you want a drama to accurately represent and inform viewers about mental illness, then this is not for you. If you want reasonable characters and complex dialogue, then this is not for you. If you want mature characters who are expected to act their age, then this is not for you. If you enjoy a watered-down and amateur screenplay about human interactions that also deals with mental issues, and tries to hide its flaws with overbearing moralizing, occasional comic relief, and a flurry of needless romance, then this is right up your alley!

Although the shows has a stellar start with interesting safety facts and quirks about working in a psychiatric facility, that is about the extent of where the facts regarding mental illness are informative. At one instance, the show briefly mentions the scientific and physical (neurochemical/anatomical) issues about mental illnesses, but by the very next scene, it completely dispels or forgets the physical and tries to mainly attribute the cause to mostly or solely societal pressures and injustices. In other words, it is the overbearing mother, the despotic manager, or the predatory capitalistic society that is causing our mental health crisis. And the universal remedy is that people just need to take their meds and have others accept them; or, for those suffering from severe OCD, fall in love and be cured! This is a completely naive picture that a introductory course in psychiatry will quickly dispel. To make matters worse, the "prescriptions" aren't scientifically backed advice but are seemingly a mixture of the writer's dogmatisms, sociological assumptions, and attempts at psychoanalysis. The patients become the victims of the overused trope: "society is the problem." Therefore, society must change; not the patients. Once their external environment changes, the patients, too, magically begin to improve.

The drama reeks of victim mentality. It is constantly upbraided by passive aggressive characters, and the writer's constant virtue signaling, as if it's profound knowledge, becomes nauseating very quickly. What this drama portrays for the "mentally ill" are those who have had their worldviews, ambitions, goals, and desires destroyed by societal pressures. Then, it throws in various mental illnesses ad-hoc. These may describe various cases, as traumatic experiences can trigger underlying issues or make one more susceptible to developing mental illness, but the environment is rarely the cause. Someone down on his luck can experience bouts of depression without suffering from clinical depression. Someone may find difficulty trying to focus due to a stressful environment without suffering from ADHD. Someone may lapse into a fit of rage without suffering from anger management. Unique experiences can naturally cause you to react outside of your control especially if you are unfamiliar to them, but they do not force your physical make-up to change and leave you in an inelastic, neurochemically impaired state. Consequently, traumatic experiences do not describe all cases of mental illnesses, and especially for ones requiring long-term stays at a psychiatric ward.

The mentally ill isn't exclusive to members of society who have had difficult and restricted lives or those who have failed at their chances for glory. They exist for all types of people and can happen to anyone, anytime: with or without reason, poor or rich, successful or unsuccessful, sociable or reclusive, physically fit or unfit, etc. Like, seriously. What will the writer claim was the catalyst for John Nash's schizophrenia and psychosis? Too much success? For possessing too much mathematical prowess? Or, Robin William's depression? Too great of a comedian? For possessing too much fame and wit?

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Just okay

The acting is fine. Everyone did their job nicely. If this was a romantic comedy, then I would probably give it a higher score. As for the mental health part of it, it is sorely lacking. I have personal experience with mental health and let me say it is a lifetime commitment of healing that isn't entirely about taking your meds. I'm not saying that taking your meds isn't important. Of course, it is. However, there is way more to healing than just taking medicine and writing in a book. There were good stories, but they simplified the healing process to the point of ridiculousness.

Anyway, there is my 2 cents worth.
I won't be rewatching this ever. Which is kind of sad considering the acting and the potential.

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It may not be boring for fans of slice of life genres, but this is not my cup of tea.

Jung Da Eun is transferred to the psychiatric ward of her hospital, she tries her best learning how to help and care for her patients. Disclaimer: I don’t have the experience nor knowledge on the subject matters so there will be no commentary on whether the portrayal regarding the mental health issues is relatable, accurate or not. But I would not recommend it to anyone struggling with their mental health, as the graphic depiction of self-harm and suicide might be triggering.

First impression, the drama seems to be an exact opposite of Daily Dose of Sunshine, it’s more like Daily Dose of Chaos. As the story unfolds, the trauma and mental health problem of everyone is shown, not only patients but also the caregivers. You'll follow these characters through their rollercoaster of emotions, some hitting their sunshine moments, while others navigating their twists and turns. I find the show is unique in showing the hallucinations from the patients’ perspective, some are quite comedic.

With the pacing, I honestly feel bored upon the halfway mark, but it may not be boring if you can relate with the characters emotionally, I just find it lacks engaging moments. Also, the solutions for the patients’ issues feels oversimplified, that their problems are solved with new habits, simple actions or short conversations, while often recovery needs time, even with all the desperate efforts. I get that it want to show good arcs and delivers feel-good vibes by the ending though… Or else, it might be too depressing to watch.

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Good but not great

This is a good drama and I liked it more than I thought I would. I was not interested in a hospital drama since Hospital Playlist. This is not the place to compare those two dramas. Daily Dose of Sunshine does something we see not often enough in Kdramas: It's topic is mental health and mental disorders set in a psychiatry. I think this topic is really important. At the same time there is a need to not only scratch the surface. Here are my thoughts on this show:

What I liked:
- It's sweet
- It's been a while since I saw Park Bo Young, her character was relatable and likable
- I was really invested in the second couple (Sadly more than the main one)
- Covers mental health
- They should bring out a Fantasy drama :) (Those who watched the show will know why)
- From nurse to client, shows everyone can develop a mental disorder
- The pleading for more awareness

What I disliked:
- The story felt very linear and predictable, even boring at times. That's because many of the "cases" in this drama were resolved in the same way. Sometimes not deep enough and too quickly solved for my taste.
- The Work with the clients felt completly flat. At some points the message seemed like "Take your medicine and you will be happy again". I did not like this simplicity. I would have liked to see the doctors work more with the clients and the process of the long way to recovery (see with the case of panic disorder, was resolved quite quickly)
- At first I was interested in the main romance plotline, I even liked both male leads. But after a while I lost interest and the plotline seemed unnecessary. The second couple was more interesting.


Good but not great and a lots of room for improvement.

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Good but not great

Like a lot of Kdramas this was a good show that would have achieved greatness if they dropped the romance altogether. The mental health issues and the professions and industry in general were portrayed really well. The non-romantic aspect of the daily lives of the nurses were also really good, particularly the episode that focused on Lee Sang-hee's character (that story would have had way lesser impact if it wasn't for Sang-hee though, one of South Korea's most criminally underrated great actors). It was funny at times as well and had amazing visual fx.

The romance, however, is uh, very problematic. Unacknowledged power-dynamics issues, rich guy-poor girl story, white knighting, coming on a bit too strong that borderlines of creepiness, anchoring one's mental health issue on somebody else entirely (cracking compulsion disappears when girl is around) etc. all tied-up neatly by the big red bow of romcom--a typical kdrama pitfall. If you want a drama that talks about poignant societal issues and also handles romance well with a touch of comedy, this really isn't it. Try Because this is My First Life or Hospital Playlist or Crash Course in Romance instead. If you can stomach the iffy romance, then give this show a try.

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Good Drama but needs Trigger Warnings

Side note: Going into this drama, I didn’t expect how deep and dark this drama was meant to be. I think neither the poster nor the trailer did justice to how heavy the topics discussed in the drama were. I feel like some sort of trigger warning should’ve been put out prior to releasing the drama.

Pros: I honestly really liked the romance between the leads. The ML was very understanding and I thought his presence was a good diversion from the topics discussed. I also thought the cinematography (e.g. colorful psych ward, sunlight shining through, clouds when depressed, the FL house/neighborhood, etc.) was beautifully done.

Cons: I didn’t understand how the second romance plot line contributed to the whole picture about mental illness. It was interesting to watch the nurse gain her freedom and find herself by the end of the drama, but I feel like I would’ve liked more from their story line. Additionally, imo the story would’ve benefitted from 4 more episodes? More detailed discussions/examples of mental illnesses would have truly added to the emotional sensitivity and understanding the writer wanted to portray.

Overall: This was a beautifully done story with an emotional depth that would take a while to fully encode. I probably will not be rewatching this drama in the near future, if ever. At this point in time in my life, considering my mental health, I sought out for an escape, instead I was engulfed in a sensitive storyline requiring a lot of venerability.

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Mental issue and heartwarming

A drama about mental illness that often happens to people regardless of age and when it comes. Every episode of the case is different. This drama can bring the audience into the story and experience it for themselves. It is enough to know that we should not diagnose ourselves after watching it, if you feel you have the same experience, don't be afraid to consult for our own mental health. i love thiss storyyy you have to waching on netflix ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️✨✨✨✨✨✨🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

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Good for your Mental Health

I think beyond Romance, my favourite topic for a KDrama has to be Mental Health. Some of my favourite dramas fall into this category, and i'm gonna spoil the review (but not the show) by saying Daily Dose of Sunshine shoots to the top of that list.

For a start you've got a great cast, led by Park Bo Young who never falls short. Lee Jung Eun is another favourite and is superb in this drama as well.

One of the writers, Lee Nam Gyu, was also one of the writers on "The Light in your eyes", another beautifully told mental health drama.

The basic plot of the story starts out looking like a "case of the day" type show but evolves rapidly.

My takeaways from this, were that the story was there to highlight that everyone, no exceptions, and without any warning, can start to feel under the weather. Whether it's the patients that come in - or the nurses and doctors themselves.

It pays particular attention to Depression and Panic attacks but there's a range of other ailments including self harm that are included as well.

On the warnings front, I would advise that there is actual suicide and attempted suicide as well as graphical depiction of self harm. Let that show you however that these are topics taken extremely seriously, and viewed from all perspectives.

The other aspect I liked was the "other side" of mental health, stigmas associated with those who have had treatment and are now classed as in recovery, but how they are so poorly treated by society - even by those who are themselves either getting treatment or are caring for those who are.

Each episode tugs the heart strings, beautifully acted and I loved how it was told. I've binged this over 2 days because honestly I just couldn't stop pressing "next".

I class this one as quite re-watchable too, there's probably more to see from a second viewing and while there are things that happen which obviously won't have the same impact the second time around, you'll see them from another perspective and perhaps see things building up earlier.

Highly recommended, there are lessons for us all here.

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Unbelievably real and hardworking drama... Love was put in this project and I wholeheartedly felt it

A true ode to psychiatric professions with imo perfect execution... that gives brightness and dignity to heavy topics.

How needed was it...I did not even realize. not just for Korea but the rest of the international audience. It is just strange execution. Very careful, I would say.

Viewers are constantly made to be switching perspectives. First you are a sufferer, then caregiver, and then parent or a loved one, and then friend of a sufferer. Too many! And regardless, each perspective was never superficial, exaggerated or careless take on the topic.

About lessons...
In one memorable episode, in bouts of frustration, a depressed patient expressed their rejection of diagnosis to their bipolar neighbour. And in response, the bipolar patient said how "when our ear hurts we trust ENT doctor to know what to do. When we get stabbed we trust surgeon to know what to do. Why don't we trust psychiatrist to know what to do when our mind is sick. We are not objective about ourselves. That is why we trust them." -- Something along these lines -- I absolutely loved these peaks of non pretentious wisdom.

I am proud of the director.
Also the male lead was absolutely refreshing and charming in his quirky ways. (i might have changed my husband preferences)
Want S2 for relationship development.

Do not miss. Despite heavy topic, you leave with important lessons and light spirit.

--How privileged is to be a neurotypical and how much more empathy we can offer!

Thanks for reading!

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The dosage is super effective in the first half but abruptly ineffective during the last part

Psychological dramas are one of my top favorite concepts in K-Drama and I always look forward to what their stories have to bring to the audience. Daily Dose of Sunshine is a great show but loses its charm when it focuses on the life story of the main character, Jung Da Eun. The romance is the major factor why I am not satisfied with the story progression. I don’t feel any butterflies and just want to skip most of the scenes from the main character. I guess if they ended up the two best friends became the main couple, I may have enjoyed it somehow.

On the good side, I get to see heartwarming yet tragic stories about people who are facing such mental illnesses and how they move forward in the real world. Jang Dong Yoon once again proves how versatile he is as an actor. He nailed his character who suffers from panic disorder. I like how his story concluded and the other featured characters with mental illnesses.

The most valuable role in this drama has to be the head nurse. I like her strong, positive, and thoughtful characteristics. I just feel a little bit disappointed with the overall production since they already started with high impact but failed to give consistency and it ended up getting tiring. The other staff from the hospital have a better story to offer. Nevertheless, I still like the show and how it tackles mental awareness for people who are ignorant and have little knowledge regarding these disorders.

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Dr Dong (ML) ruined the drama for me

I have a love-hate relationship with this drama. It started off beautifully and I liked all the characters (except for the ML who was the proctology doctor Dong Go Yoon. I'll explain this in a bit). I feel like the story could've been a lot better if they focused less on the love story between the leads. I also was on the wrong side of the love triangle which didn't help with my enjoyment rating. Aside from that, it was a cute little drama. I liked that it was only 12 episodes and there weren't many filler episodes.
Stop reading if you don't want spoilers ;)

Plot wise, the story was kind of predictable at times. I knew the death of Da Eun's close patient Kim Seo Wan (WHO I LOVED SO MUCH *CRIES*) would be too much for our FL and I knew that she would end up becoming a patient in a psychiatric facility. Obviously despite the predictability, I still enjoyed watching the show unfold and seeing her descent into mental illness/depression and how she managed to recognise her condition and learn to care for herself. The drama made me cry at times, especially with the way the FL was treated once she returned to work by some of the psychiatric patient's relatives and even the way the apartment complex was treating the Head Nurse for trying to move into the building with her sick sister.

Things I loved:

The drama did a fantastic job at showing how each person felt dealing with their mental health episodes. The other male lead, Da Eun's best friend Yu Chan (THE BETTER MAN) suffered anxiety and panic attacks. There were a few scenes where they showed how he felt in that moment by contrasting it to water that would slowly start at his feet and then rise up until it swallowed him whole. Another mother of a patient who was overworking herself had an attack where she was walking in the City and then suddenly each of the buildings started disappearing around her until she was just essentially left in an open white void of nothing. Even seeing the dragons that my favourite character Kim Seo Wan wanted to slay was really tragically beautiful. The visuals in this drama were well done and on point.

I also loved the side couple's romance. I found their love story to be better than the main leads. Truthfully I was team Yu Chan and Da Eun. Friends to lovers is the superior trope and the storyline had so much potential. I would've loved to see them end up together but she went for the most boring character ever. So side couple >>> main couple.

Things I hated/ Weakest part:

Kdramas need to stop romanticising males who stalk their love interest. I really loved this drama and wanted to watch it but every time Doctor Dong Go Yoon was on screen, I felt physically sick . I find it extremely uncomfortable to watch when the ML thinks it's okay to suffocate the FL with inserting himself into her life ALL THE TIME. The scenes where he was waiting for her at the bus stop everyday, letting buses go past and then trying to make it out like he just go there and it was a coincidence that they were both waiting for the same bus didn't sit well with me. I could just be nitpicking and maybe most people would find this cute but to me it really triggers me. I have been in situations where guys come on too strong and love bomb you and essentially suffocate you by constantly being around you and it's annoying. I don't see how Da Eun fell for him. Also his count down until he could ask her out again made me furious. Even when he was told that Da Eun was depressed and not coping too well and NOT to go to her house, he still went with flowers. I'm sorry but he really irritated me. He was also a shit friend to Yu Chan. He knew his friend liked Da Eun and he still pursued her. Even when Yu Chan asked him not too, he didn't care and disregarded his friend. I hated him. I hated his character and he ruined the show for me. I also hated him cracking his knuckles in every scene. I felt sick whenever he was on my screen.

Aside from my rant about Dr Dong, I did like the show and I could've rated it a ten, but he ruined my experience for me and therefore, I probably won't be rewatching this again in the future.

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It is okay to be sick

It was one of the most beautiful drama I came across.The message I got in each episode is just so compelling to love oneself.It created a bubble where I want to stay and never come out.From complementing oneself to prioritising oneself , I don't know if I learned to do that yet but it did create an impact over me and I am grateful for that.You can have an episode and still embrace yourself.If you are sick or your near ones are sick , you should understand not to give dark times to those who are recovering or who have recovered.Being sick is okay and accepting it is not embarrassing , love yourself and make both gloomy and happy moments to remember them and go through them all over again.Every pain is painful and don't belittle your own pain for the sake of other, because that is the least you can do for yourself.These messages were so overwhelming and capable of reaching my heart that I can rewatch it and go over through it all over again just to understand it a little more.

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