When we talk about autism spectrum disorder in the context of Indian shows, one television show that immediately comes to mind is Sapna Babul Ka…Bidaai. While the character in the article was shown as ‘mentally ill’, any sane person who understands autism spectrum disorder would know that the character had autism. However, this portrayal was far from reality. The character’s mother believed that he would be ‘cured’ by getting him married. The strangest thing was that it actually happened! Thanks to the dedication and love of his wife Sadhna, Alekh became ‘normal’ after a few years of marriage.

While we wouldn’t say that all Indian shows have portrayed autism inaccurately or insensitively, daily soaps are notorious for their lack of nuance when it comes to dealing with a character suffering from the disorder. However, what stands in stark contrast is how characters with disorders, especially autism spectrum disorders, are presented in South Korean dramas. Case in point – The Good Doctor (which was later remade in the US) and Extraordinary Attorney Wu, where the main characters have autism spectrum disorder, and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.

The Good Doctor: The one who put K-drama on the world map

The Good Doctor is one of the early shows that really put K-drama on the world map. Released in 2013, it was the first K-drama to be remade in English with the same title in 2017. Although it may not have gained much popularity in India, those who have seen it can easily understand why it was remade and made accessible to a wider audience.

While it makes sense that iconic characters like Sheldon Cooper and Dr. Gregory House have autism spectrum disorder, it’s never stated out loud. What even the Americans could not do, the South Koreans did! They made Good Doctor with Joo Won in the lead role as a good (and brilliant and innocent) doctor who is an autistic expert, and it is written and spoken out loud.

Yes, people around him are suspicious of him, he faces prejudice not only from patients but also from fellow doctors, but he doesn’t give up on his dream of becoming a pediatrician. Joo Won’s portrayal of Dr. Park Shi-on was subtle, consistent, and so impressive that it earned him several awards, including the Baeksang Arts Award that year.

One of the aspects that stands out in the drama is the fact that the show also features Dr. Park Shi-on’s romance with his colleague Dr. Cha Eun-seo, played by Moon Chae-won . The show was also made in Japanese.

It’s OK to be OK: Sideline portrayal but still nuanced

If there is a romantic Korean drama starring good-looking and flawless actors like Kim Soo-hyun and Seo Ye-ji (let’s not forget that it also marked Soo-hyun’s comeback after serving in the military), So the possibility of being in the spotlight is almost impossible for anyone else. And yet, we have Oh Jung-se’s extraordinary performance in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay as Kim Soo-hyun’s older brother, Moon Sang-tae, who becomes afraid of butterflies after witnessing his mother’s murder Is.

In this drama, Oh Jung-se is excellent in playing the role of a man who, unlike the rest of the characters being discussed here, is not an expert but dreams of becoming a painter. Her brother, Gang-tae (Soo-hyun) thinks she needs a caregiver because of her condition, but that’s not the case. In this way, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay also teaches an important lesson: Autistic people don’t always need someone to take care of them – they’re just as capable as anyone else.

Sang-tae forms a bond with Seo Ye-ji’s character, Ko Moon-young (over time, of course) and in this case all three of them heal each other and help her recover from her trauma. Whatever comes out, stay connected in the end.

Jung-se commands the audience’s attention with her performance, which is powerful and emotional, and presents a consistent portrayal, which is one of the biggest challenges when playing someone from the spectrum. And, as one might expect, he also won the Baeksang Arts Award for his portrayal of Sang-tae.

Attorney extraordinaire Wu – to captivate a global audience

While It’s Okay to Not Be Okay won an International Emmy Award nomination, the centerpiece of the show was the romance between the lead cast. However, when Extraordinary Attorney Wu also earned a nomination, it was due to the fact that a woman on the spectrum made her way into a law firm despite early prejudices, peer jealousy and, of course, her incarceration.

Park Eun-bin as Woo Young-wooPerformed brilliantly. With each episode, we saw the character grow into Young-woo, Eun-bin’s incarnation. With all his quirks, the character became closer to the audience. What was even more heart-touching to watch in the show was her romance with Lee Joon-ho, played by Kang Tae-oh.

However, the standout sequence of the series is from the third episode, where another person on the spectrum is introduced. In this episode, one is able to understand why autism is called autism spectrum disorder, because the way someone displays it is not the same. While a person like Young-woo is a scholar and is considered a genius, the mental abilities of the person brought before him are diminished.

The episode was shown with sensitivity, while critiquing how society views it, putting each person with the disorder on the same level.

So, if you want to watch a new K-drama, and you are looking for something beyond the romance that they are so popular for, then you can definitely opt for any of these shows. Bonus – all three shows also have romance.