Just when you thought the worst pandemic is over, a bigger new virus is up!
Happiness Korean drama is the latest 12-episode thriller genre Kdrama to hit small screens. This is the comeback Korean drama for Park Hyun Sik post his military discharge. Incidentally, this is also the comeback Kdrama for Korean actress, Han Hyo Joo after a 5-year long hiatus. She was last seen in the hit Korean dram- “W: Two worlds”. The third lead is by Jo Woo-jin. The direction is by Ahn Gil-Ho, who has directed hit Kdramas like Record of Youth & Memoirs of Alhambra.
The Plot
The Plot is in recent period in Seoul, post the outbreak and control of the Corona Virus pandemic. People wearing masks and segregated food areas in public places is the new norm. The leads know each other from childhood, where Park Hyun Sik has a one-sided crush on Han Hyo Joo and then grow up to become best friends. Park Hyun Sik plays the role of Jung Yi- hyun, an ex- baseball player, turned police detective. Han Hyo Joo is a Special force agent, Yoon Sae-bom. Jo Woo-jin plays the key role of the lieutenant colonel, Han Tae-seok. They all come together when there seems to be a new zombie outbreak in the city.
Happiness Kdrama Review
It is another day at training for Special forces agent Sae-bom when one of her new trainees bites off a fellow trainee. She rushes to rescue him. Sae-bom’s tries shooting the trainee who now looks like a zombie. She is in surprise that the bullets don’t work on him! She becomes the next hunted but escapes with scratches on her hand.
Detective Yi- hyun gets call to check on a surprising case of homicide where the victim seems to have turned into a zombie in a hotel room. The animal like behaviour of the victim catches the attention of the fellow hotel guests. When the lieutenant colonel, Tae-seok enters the scene, we know there is more to it than stray cases of infection.
The storytelling is impressive. While the main theme is centered around zombie outbreak, it is revealed to the viewers in a steady pace. You will witness a lot of interesting investigations, before this scary revelation.
The chemistry between Sae-bom and Yi- hyun, is uncommon and not dramatic. They look out for each other as best friends, and when Sae-bom asks Yi-hyun to act as her spouse, the way he agrees almost makes them seem like a long-time old couple. Park Hyun Sik and Han Hyo Joo are cool as a couple that have regular jobs with both keen to investigate the outbreak!
This Kdrama 2021 smartly focuses on the current housing issues at Seoul due to economic disparity. When the lead couple move into the newest high-rise apartment; their dream apartment soon turns to be a nightmare with the infection spreading within the apartment. The difference in attitude is visible as the rich in the top floors try to hide the zombie outbreak to be able to maintain the high price of the apartments. The poor affected in the lower floors initially suffer the wrath but are asked to keep it low.
The plot gets the trigger by lieutenant colonel, Tae-seok. As a viewer, you do not know if he is the bad guy or the good guy. Jo Woo-jin is a treat to watch as this enigmatic character. The intense decisions he takes to handle the outbreak will leave the viewer totally baffled. The BGM needs special mention as it captures the theme of this drama.
For the first 4 episodes, this Kdrama has been a success among viewers of age 20-49 according to Neilson Korea. If the makers can continue the same pace of storytelling, TVN network, has a new winner in this Korean drama.
Click here for Happiness Kdrama Viki
