Unique and enjoyable story despite a lot of unfulfilled potential

Likes:
-The premise of a zombie outbreak in a post-covid world was really interesting, especially with it being more of a rabies-like virus where people had violent episodes before going back to normal. It raised a lot of interesting questions about whether they were still human, whether it was a moral failing, whether they could resist their thirst, and whether they could go back to being a part of society after being cured.
- A lot of people have complained about the tone being inconsistent or unrealistic, but honestly, given what we now know about how people responded to COVID, it felt realistic to how a zombie apocalypse might actually play out. It wasn't all violence and gore, but instead it was filled with people trying to go about their lives as normal while an unsettling, suspenseful feeling pervaded everything. Those with power tried to maintain the status quo, many didn't want to believe the true horror of what was going on, and others tried to take advantage of the situation to their own benefit. It showed how you could remain hopeful and find happiness amid an apocalyptic event. The soundtrack was great in setting up that both suspenseful but hopeful tone.
-Lastly, of course, Han Hyojoo and Park Hyungshik's characters and chemistry were great and kept me interested even when the plot started to drag and get inconsistent. I'm a sucker for slow burn and friends to lovers romances, and I loved that they always cared for each other from the start. They were both equally badass, and they both saved each other in so many ways.

Dislikes:
-A lot of the questions posed in the first half were kind of abandoned in the end, and the moral/lesson was unclear (the power of love? Help your loved ones before others? Leaving the infected to die works? The rich and powerful will get away with it?)
-It was also ridden with plot holes, like if Saebom had the antibodies that would save everybody, how come they didn't get her out of the apartment sooner? How was everything outside back to normal that fast?
-The side character's motivations weren't really fleshed out super well, and Andrew, 1201 ajumma, and 601 ajusshi were basically just evil foils to our righteous ML and FL (copaganda much?)
-They really kissed while Yihyun was infected?? Insane behavior.

Conclusion: it didn't quite live up to it's potential, but boy, did I enjoy the ride. Objectively this should probably a 6.5/7, but it was a 9 in my heart, so we'll average it at 8.

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