Happiness
해피니스
tvN (2021) 12 Episodes
Apocalyptic Thriller, Grade: B+
Korean Drama Review by Winnie, USA
(No End Spoilers)
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My friend Jill, administrator of this site, didn't want to watch this drama because of the pandemic going on at the time called COVID; the issues it raised were still too painful in 2021. So I volunteered to write a short review on this complex Korean drama called, ironically, Happiness. It stars wonderful Han Hyo Joo (Spring Waltz, Shining Inheritance, Moving, film Postman To Heaven) who in the story is part of a Special Operation Unit called KP Swat that is trying to combat the pandemic in the best way it knows how. Her (eventual) love interest in the drama is Park Hyung Sik (Soundtrack #1, Doctor Slump, Our Blooming Youth) whom her character shared high school experiences with and he agrees to enter a contract marriage with her so she can move into a brand new apartment building for married people that soon shows evidence of this new pandemic among its residents. The drama also stars veteran actor Jo Woo Jin (Goblin, Chicago Typewriter) who is part of a health service agency and might hold the key to combating the disease effectively.
All the acting was very good for a drama with a very difficult subject matter. I can understand why many during COVID didn't want to watch this drama but I continued to the end, sometimes even gritting my teeth in suspense, because of my fondness for the two lead actors. Even preparing for this drama all the cast and crew had to be tested for COVID and had to wear masks during script readings. That must have been very difficult for them to express their character's emotions when more than half their faces were covered!
The Story:
In Seoul a new luxury high-rise apartment building goes up and Yoon Sae Bom (Han Hyo Joo), a member of a police squad called KP Swat, wants to move in to one of the nice new apartments inside. The apartment building has residents from a myriad of backgrounds but a requirement is that only married couples can rent the apartments. (Probably due to a double income better able to pay the rent!).
Jung Yi Hyun (Park Hyung Sik) is a moral and intelligent police detective. Since they attended high school together he has quietly held romantic feelings for his long time friend Sae Bom. When she approaches him as a friend to suggest they engage in a contract marriage so they can live in the nice new apartments in the building he readily agrees.
But not long after they move in a terrible infectious disease breaks out in the country and soon it is obvious that several residents in the building have contracted the terrible disease. This terrible disease, nicknamed Madman Disease, essentially turns its victims into walking mindless zombies who bleed at the drop of a hat.
Yi Hyun does all he can to protect Sae Bom from the infected people in the building, but to little avail. Soon Sae Bom contracts the disease too but for some reason her symptoms are mild, not overt like other residents in the building. Meanwhile, most afflicted with the disease do soon die from their terrible symptoms though some remain alive and are dangerous to all the residents in the luxury apartment complex.
Enter lieutenant colonel Han Tae Seok (Jo Woo Jin) who belongs to the health service department of the government. He is smart and brave and may hold a key to stopping the terrible infectious disease outbreak. Could Sae Bom's antibodies from her mild reaction to the disease hold the eventual cure for it?
If you have a strong stomach and love these actors then take a shot (no pun intended) at watching it and see how you do. It was also interesting watching how the characters began to evolve, for better and for worse, as the lock-down continued. There were some behavioral similarities to COVID. There are also some surprises in store, and some characters whom you might love to hate. Currently it's on several websites including VIKI but you never know when their contracts expire and the shows then disappear so I wouldn't wait too long if you want to check it out, especially now that COVID is essentially over and there doesn't seem to be any urgency to watching a drama like Happiness.
