Afternoona Asks | It's Ok To Not Be Ok - What they got right with Moon Sang Tae

Join Sarah, Fran and J as we deep dive It's Ok To Not Be Ok from an autistic lens. What did they get so right about Moon Sang Tae's character and why does it still hold up as one of the best portrayals of Autism in KDrama? Along the way we discuss and refer to what really rang true for us with his character and explain why. You might discover parts of his character you hadn't discovered before!

Podcast Timeline:
We thought it would be useful to have an outline of what we’re going to cover this episode, with time stamps. 🥳
Our pre-episode catch up (mostly about Agust D): 1:14
A quick summary of the drama: 15:53
Sang-tae’s autistic traits and what resonated for us, including why some of us love to rewatch our favourite shows so much: 17:14
Why this drama always gets recognised for having a well written and well portrayed autistic character (hint, because the depiction works): 33.33
What struck us about the relationships Sang-tae had with the people around him…this is so multilayered and intriguing: 41:47
An in-depth and fascinating discussion of the interplay of trauma and autism as depicted in this drama (hint: autism plays a huge role in how we may experience trauma and CPTSD): 53:04
The weighty and emotional issue of the responsibility of caregiving and of raising children with mixed needs and capabilities: 63:00
A quick take on the depiction of violence in the relationship between the brothers and why it occurs and our perspectives on it: 70:30
What didn’t work for us or what seemed off: 80:20

Podcast Notes:
Link about Naoki Higashida and his books https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/175207/naoki-higashida/
Unmasking Autism by Dr Devon Price https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/688819/unmasking-autism-by-devon-price-phd/

What is Afternoona Asks?

Annyeonghaseyo! We are Grace and Sarah, Asian KDrama fans who love to ask, and hopefully find answers to, all of our (and your) Asian drama questions. We cover everything, from silly topics to sensitive and serious issues that come up as we binge.

We'll also share some Korean and Chinese language tips, as well as our experiences as diaspora Asians living in the UK and US.

Afternoona Asks ND:
Quirky, partly queer and quite late diagnosed, we are the Afternoona Asks ND (neurodivergent) squad - Sarah, J and Fran.
J is Canadian bringing up her ND family in Australia and is late diagnosed autistic.
Fran hails from Germany and is ADHD/Autistic.
Sarah is a British Chinese and part of a mixed NT/ND family.
We're here for straight talk, standing up for representation, breaking down stereotypes and challenging ableist perceptions.
If you've want to explore the Autistic and/or ADHD experience via Korean and other Asian dramas you've come to the right place.
We're here to discuss all kinds of neurodivergencies with a dose of scientific research and our own lived experience sprinkled on top.

Join us as we delve into the details and societal context of the dramas we all love!