Happiness is subjective.... and not a Horror.
A dark and tense drama surrounding a virus outbreak coming hot on the heels of a real one that the world's just recovered from.Unfortunately, it's the greed and wealth of a powerful character that is partially to blame and they would never be held accountable; that's made clear early on. Perhaps because I've watched a few dramas recently, where the wealthy get away with so much, that I was a little disappointed by that aspect of the plot.
There are some truly awful characters in this and rather like Sweet Home, the different residents of the swanky new complex of apartments and shops, have their true characters brought to light, as the area is locked down.
Some really stupid decisions are made by some, like unbelievably so, but they move the drama forward and provide the tense scenes that work so well.
I loved the main couple/characters and thought Park Hyun-sik and Han Hyo-joo worked very well together. Their chemistry was natural and they made a realistic friends-to-couple pair.
She is tough, no nonsense and quite hard hearted when she feels it's necessary, whereas he is a little softer (though by no means weak) and more the archetypal good cop.
There was a fair bit of blood, but not ridiculous amounts. I personally wasn't moved to tears at any point, by any of the scenes though.
How some of the infected died and others didn't, from either being stabbed, bludgeoned or shot, was a little odd to me. I couldn't work that out at all.
The sets in the apartment blocks and their underground parking, were suitably claustrophobic and provided some jumpy moments... one never knew what or who was behind closed doors, opening lifts and lurking on stairwells.
To be honest, I wouldn't call this a horror drama, but a thriller, personally.
Overall a satisfying watch. It was great having PHS back leading a drama, and one of this genre at that.
Really liked the sound track, especially Isaac Hong's contribution. The minute he opens his mouth, I melt.
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Happiness while trying to achieve happiness(?)
I honestly love this drama so much. idk why people hate it lol. I also don't know why they titled this happiness but I have a little idea about it. This drama is really good for me because on how they presented it to be somewhat realistic and engaging. There's a lot of annoying characters but I managed to watch it still AHHAHA. The cast really did a great job on their roles and my emotions through watching this was a roller coaster, excitement, happiness, anger, annoyance and many more. I love the couple's chemistry because on how it's so natural and just pure bliss and it gives me butterflies :DThe plot was really good and quite realistic on what causes these people to become zombies and go back to their normal form after sometime. I think that people may find this boring or cliche but for me, this is very good already lol. The storyline was presented in a good way and there acting was on point. I feel like I need a season 2 for this sooo bad cuz we barely had the couple's screen time T_T. The title.... idk 'bout this AAHHAHA. It's more like pain T-T
But I feel like they named this 'Happiness' because despite the difficulties that they had while trying to protect everybody in the apartment, they still had happiness being with each other. And finally, they achieved happiness in the end. I really recommend this drama. It's worth watching and you will never get bored.
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Every episode will get you hooked.
I don't write neither rate a drama if it's not good, even if the casts are my favourites. So my presence here is a proof that Happiness is an absolutely excellent drama. I am a very-hard-to-please kdrama and cdrama watcher, I don't even hesitate to drop a series if it's not to my liking. Yet, Happiness got me hooked every single episode. The writer just knows how to get the viewers to look forward to the next episode T^T.I am never a fan of zombie plots, I only watched this drama because Hyungsik and Hyojoo are one of my favourites. But like I said, if I don't like the plot or the flow of the story, I immediately drop it. But Happiness exceeded my expectation and turned out to be an excellent drama. And the fact that it was an ongoing kdrama when I started to watch it but never did I ever get tired of waiting every week for new episodes release, is such an amazing feat for an impatient person like me. Happiness is that good. The excitement from the first ep is still there until the last episode, it never withered, just got stronger. The chemistry of the lead couple is top tier, and they all portrayed their roles well, even the side characters. There wasn't even any cringey scenes, just real, pure, and non-toxic love between the two leads which anyone would ask for. There weren't many sweet moments emphasized, but their small gestures towards each other is waaay far more better than those accidental kisses in cringey dramas. They sure made my heart flutter every single ep, despite the zombies and all, lmao. Yes, I want what they have T^T.
Aside from the excellent casts, I'd like to praise the writer too for showing how people can get so greedy and cruel even in the midst of the pandemic, how there are still good people despite the mediocrity of the situation and circumstances.
And can we talk about how the osts are so good? Man, they fit the theme of the drama too well! Listening to them makes me miss Yihyun and Saebom more T^T.
To be honest, although I am satisfied with the ending, I wish they showed how the other casts are doing after all those happenings. I still have a lot of questions that the drama didn't answer, like what was Saebom hospitalised for that made her behind for two years in highschool, how did Yihyun's knee get injured that made him quit baseball, did Saebom and her mom finally meet, what happened to Boram, the writer, and his brother after the pandemic, what happened to the lawyer and the gold digging mistress, etc. I heard it was supposed to have 16 eps but was shorten to 12, so maybe that is why the ending is kinda incomplete. I hope they release all the deleted scenes if they've had already filmed it.
Overall, still 10. The drama is just too good to the extent that even if I deduct points for its incomplete ending, it'd still have 10 stars for me.
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Does personal happiness always mean making others unhappy?
I wanted to watch Happiness originally when it came out but it took some time before I actually got to it. And to be honest I don't regret it. This is a drama for binge-watching for sure. And before I go more into why, let me tell you, this review says 8.5 but my personal rating is 10. This drama is definitely not for everyone, a lot of people might even drop it. But let me tell you more...What is old/what is new: The story sounds like your typical zombie post-virus infection story with people turning out to be the real monsters and turning against each other. There are a lot of those dramas and movies going around, in that regard the drama is very cliche. What makes the drama stand out is mainly the characters, relationships and the disease itself.
Unusual relationships: The main leads are in quite the unusual relationship and I do have to say I absolutely loved that they weren't your usual lovey-dovey couple who have to face crisis or bickering strangers who become each other's savior. First and foremost they are friends, they trust each other and they even trust in each other's abilities. And at the same time they care for each other in a loving and pure way. It's just such a fresh breeze compared to all the overly dramatic love story lines.
There are many other interesting relationships and characters in the drama, some expected, some unexpected and despite the obvious "villains" you will end up liking some of the characters you might have disliked in the beginning. There is just no chance to hate them and their character development is astonishing.
Character consistency: One thing I absolutely hate in dramas is if characters aren't consistent. If it's part of their character development and their change makes sense, then fine, but if it's just a 180º from their usual actions, it's just unnatural. Happiness does a good job at this. There is character development but at the same time all characters are consistent in what they want and what is most important to them. You get to understand their motivations and how they think and you understand how they arrive where they are at the end of the journey.
The disease: One of the most interesting aspects of this is the disease itself. Not like other zombie dramas, the focus of the story is not just on surviving but also healing. The characters never really forget that there might be a cure out there. And if there is a cure, is it really reasonable to kill a person who is infected? The cure is definitely a key focus and plays a big role.
The moral dilemma: For me there are two big questions in this drama, one being the typical "What actions are reasonable when someone is trying to survive in an apocalypse?" and the other unusual one is "Does my happiness always mean making someone else miserable?" Everyone in the drama tries to achieve their own happiness, in whichever way possible, but at the same time some find it in themselves to overcome their own selfishness. I love how the leads never really make it a "will we act in everyone's best interest" or "will we act in our best interest" but they clearly thought their and the other people's happiness didn't have to exclude one another. An interesting take on humanity and happiness...
Watch if...
you like romantic (as in it touches your heart) but not too lovey-dovey couples, zombie shows, mystery solving shows, fast-paced shows.
Do not watch if...
you love romantic dramas (or rom-coms), are easily scared of zombies and blood or if you expect this to be an absolutely mind-blowing drama. If you don't like it after 2 episodes, don't continue watching.
Is it a must-watch? No. Is it worth the time watching? Yes.
This drama is definitely a nice break from all the usual dramas, shining with their character design and acting (which honestly is top-notch on all sides) and gives you quality drama time. I hope you enjoy!
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A masterpiece
Done watching another gem. This drama deserves more hype and recognition and it's definitely 10/10.You will love all the scenes, moments, OSTs, and places in this drama. All the characters — even the ones who have less screen time, and minor roles will make you feel something, it's either love, hate, pity, annoyed, or mad, EVERYTHING. Everybody suits their own roles from the kid, to the grocery girl, to the writer and his brother, even the old couple in the apartment. They really have a great casting for this drama. Even the OSTs will add to your emotions. You will really get thrilled, cry, sad, frustrated and even the butterflies. I believe that all the characters did a great job. A little sad that this only has 12 episodes, I really want to see more about the disease and the love story of the both main characters but I guess 12 episodes are enough to tell the story of this drama.
This drama is lovely and I recommend for all of you to watch it 'cause it's worth it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Oh, this one was good! I mean, 90% of the characters in this were rotten apples but the drama was so good! I especially loved the main pairing, Bom & Hyun, they were the most perfectly balanced straight pair I've seen in a while, they were honestly, really, truly equals in everything. Loved it!I think my favorite part was how protective they were of each other. They've known each other for such a long time, they've always been there for each other, it seemed, and then the lock-down came and the zombies and all that suddenly became even more intense. And that was simply lovely, the way they always jumped to the front to protect the other from any threat, the way miss Not Bothered(TM) suddenly became So Bothered(TM) when Hyun got hurt... Mwah! Right up my alley!
One thing I didn't understand, though, was why the tenants kept running through the building like chickens with their heads chopped off. I would've stuck to my apartment as much as possible, locked in tight. I had no problem doing exactly that through the various Covid lock-downs so I would just shrug and stay put, especially in an apartment as secure as theirs was. Eh.
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Mesmerizing action and romance
High action, strong female and male lead character depth and brutal honest scenes of human flaws. I saw Han Hyo Joo in W and really love her character and chemistry with Lee Jong Suk. It is great to see her return to drama with such a different character from W and different heroine in general.***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
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Humane shown in the setting of apocalyptic circumstances !!!!!
The storyline stays on the same tempo till the end, the reality on track story type. The OST from JOE LAYNE sounds exquisite.the metamorphosis and hope is the most underlined context in the story. A must watch even for those who dont watch thrillers. Important to note that the director , crew and the writer ; AHN GIL HO and HAN SANG WOON both did a impressive fastidious work.The storyline stays on the same tempo till the end, the reality on track story type. The OST from JOE LAYNE sounds exquisite.the metamorphosis and hope is the most underlined context in the story. A must watch even for those who dont watch thrillers. Important to note that the director , crew and the writer ; AHN GIL HO and HAN SANG WOON both did a impressive fastidious work.
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Happiness is the feeling you get when you know this drama is good
I don’t know why I haven’t heard much about this drama, but this is a terrible shame. Because what would we get from mix of High Rise and #Alive (pardon my limited library of zombie themed series)? Well, apparently something very very good.
Young couple Sae Bom and Yi Hyun moves into newly built apartment complex. We have a vast variety of characters and the higher we go the weirder they get. But the titular happiness doesn’t take long, soon the media report about new virus called Madman Rabies. People infected have very strong craving for human blood and being bitten means fast infection. Our main characters are already familiar with new virus but to save themselves from it they’ll first have to fight human stupidity.
The strong side of this drama are certainly characters. Without it, drama set mostly in closed off building wouldn’t be half as interesting. And we have very broad spectrum of the worst and most annoying characters you’ll meet. And even decent people that we meet at the beginning soon begin to be not so nice faced with greed and need of self preservation. They’ll do horrible things to end up on top (literally considering the building and figuratively).
The thing is that soon we’ll learn that zombies are not the biggest danger here. They’re easy to avoid and most of the times harmless. But normal people, completely aware of what’s going on, blinded by their own needs and flaws are the ones we should run away from.
Because apart from our main couple, Sae Bom who works in military and Yi Hyun who works in police, the rest of the tenants are completely unaware of the danger lurking outside the building and soon this would be first problem. Because try to explain something to the people so entitled that they value others by the number of the floor they’re living on.
Even though the drama is set in one place and there’s not really a lot to see here, it manages to keep the viewer interested all the time. A lot of things are going on here but on a small terrain so sometimes viewer might feel a bit detached. Add to it an eerie music that just seems to warn us that something can happen any moment and we have very unique feeling.
Somewhere in the middle of it I was sure I’ll just binge watch it till the very end. This is one of those dramas that viewer don’t feel the passage of time. The constant action is so entertaining that suddenly we reach the end of the episode. And it’s hard not to watch the next one right away.
I have two “buts” without which this drama would be one of the best I’ve watched recently.
One is a villain that emerges in the second half of the story. First, he’s not really needed here. We have enough bad characters here to fill another two seasons. Second, he’s in my opinion not developed enough. We don’t have him for long enough to know his motives. With all of the rest characters we can gradually get to know them and explore their personalities. He’s like a jack in the box. He jumps out of nowhere (well, not exactly, but in a sense, yes) and here he is, the evil one. We have a brief explanation but I feel that it wasn’t enough. His character just seemed rushed and without proper explanation of his actions.
Second issue here is with the montage. I don’t know what happen, but we have several situation that we have a sudden freeze frame before the cut. I think this could be a place where commercials would start, but this is a first time I see it done so sloppily. It was really noticeable and didn’t look good.
But overall, this is amazingly well pace, dynamic drama. With interesting characters and well written plot. From start to the finish it doesn’t let the viewer rest even for a bit. We feel like a part of the story being locked up in the building.
That was very enjoyable drama and great comeback of Park Hung Sik after his military enlistment. May his future projects be equally good.
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Why watch 'Happiness'?
If you are tired of all the cliche and showy K-Dramas out in the market, this is the K-Drama for you. I think love stories are inevitable in K-Dramas. It will be the core of the story in most cases, but what I loved about this series was how the leads' love story progressed subtly. Their starting point was cliche, but it didn't take the path of love story progression usually taken by most K-Dramas. I loved how the series centered on Sae Bom and Yi Hyun's reel and one-sided love to a real relationship but, at the same time, is not explicitly expressed. There are times when you have to ponder on their actions and be quick-witted and keen-eyed. There may be some plot holes, but I think it's for the story's sake (though it really makes you sometimes cringe, HAHAHA). If you do not mind apocalyptic genres and blood, I recommend watching' Happiness.' It's a refreshing K-Drama showing how small and subtle actions express one's love for their loved ones.Was this review helpful to you?
Which character are you in Happiness?
I started watching HAPPINESS for Park Hyung-sik. This is his comeback drama right off his military service. I've always found him adorable in Do Bong Soon and Suits. My go-to music video is his version of True Colors for the OST of Trolls with Lee Sung-kyung. (Watch here: https://youtu.be/mLmioSZk5-0 )I'm not a zombie apocalypse genre fan. I never watched Kingdom nor Sweet Home and I unknowingly watched Train to Busan in the theater without knowing its zombie plot (because Gong Yoo).
But this series makes it to my top 3 for 2021, making it to my immortal favorites list Goblin, It's Ok not to be Ok, Hotel Del Luna, It's Ok that's Love, Beauty Inside and Full House. It's nothing at all like that cheesy CLOY or that sweet to the bones DoTS, or that fluffy romance Hometown Cha Cha Cha.
HAPPINESS is a 12-part series that explores humanity post covid times, while the world gets broken by yet another kind of virus. I love how the writers have exposed different levels of evil in all forms, how desperate times transform people into monsters or bring out kindness, how kabits will always be kabits, how the prodigal son is always welcomed home by his parents, how sibling love overcomes sibling hatred, how money really means nothing in this world, how fake people live fake lives, how mistrust in the government is seeded, how it proves that private companies with massive funding really run the world, and how a home is really based on family, loyalty and love.
Watch it not for the gore, nor the cinematography. I won't rate it much based on those. There ain't much romance and definitely not much skinship and intimacy. But watch it for the characterizations and reflect upon yourselves which character you transform into when we are all at the worst and most desperate of situations.
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This is the larger-scale version of sweet home. ( or should I say smaller version??)
This is the larger-scale version of sweet home. ( or should I say smaller version??) - why did I say this?? Cuz the apartment complex is larger but then the spread of the virus is less.Han Hyo Joo, way to go queen!! Her acting just leveled up!! Love her so much. And the chemistry between her and Park Hyung Sik!! *hearts* *hearts*
Sheesh, my poor heart tho. I made sure to watch this in the daytime, cuz I don't usually like watching horror. Yess I'm a big girl but horror?? No- No
well, the Happiness in the whole thing comes in the last 5 minutes of the very last episode. So hang in there. (haha)
P.S - It took me 16 episodes to realize that the female Lieutenant in the story is the second female lead in "Tomorrow with you" *chuckles*
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