Felicidade (2021)

"Hell is other people." -Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit

The title Happiness is an ironic one: the series is set a little after COVID-19 has become controlled, but with a new rabies-like syndrome spreading. How Patient Zero was created was never identified, but it was identified that a virus that functions largely like the rabies virus slowly transforms people into feral zombies that thirst for human blood. One novelty of the series is that instead of hydrophobia (or fear of water), people afflicted with the virus suffer from excessive thirst. Once they turn and taste blood, however, it becomes only a matter of time before they are overrun by the virus; if the virus reaches the brainstem, the patient becomes terminal as there's no cure discovered yet with the onset of the series.

I think that the series as a high-concept thriller performed reasonably well, except that its early episodes had struggles with characterization: for instance, Yoon Sae-bom, despite being a member of the Special Operations Unit, was being careless and even put people in danger despite her training. Her impulsiveness had brought quite a few people at risk, and her gung-ho attitude would have resulted to her demise had she not been counterbalanced by the cerebral yet placid Yi-hyun.

I do admire how the CDC chief, Han Tae-seok, was written. His efficient and highly rational actions saved a lot of people's lives because he was quick with lockdown procedures and even killing those who had become terminal in order to limit the spread of the virus. In fact, the lockdown that occurred within Seyang Forest was because of him: after he had established that one of the side effects of the medicine they had been selling before was the rabies-like syndrome, and that it had been sold in the apartment, he immediately locked it down.

Because of the lack of supplies, however, the apartment tenants have to fend for themselves, and this is where their personalities are laid-bare. Most tenants are selfish, but there are a few like the lead couple who show their grit and kindness consistently. In fact, one of the series's high points is how it has seamlessly written into a thriller one of the healthiest romances in K-drama.

Because both have been trained in high-pressure situations, Yi-hyun and Sae-bom never lose their humanity, even with those infected within. They try to maintain order, provide equitable distribution of food and water, and try their best to protect the other tenants from the infected without. However, because "hell is other people," selfish tenants willingly put other people at risk, and even lead a few to be infected or killed.

As a viewer I approve how they wrote the disease. Even their treatment modalities toward the novel disease were sensible. One major plot hole that I think wasn't adequately resolved were the children playing outside despite the lockdown in their apartments. I thought that was inconsistent with the accuracy with how Han Tae-seok implemented pandemic control principles, as social congregation should be minimized in these events, especially without a certain cure.

The final episode was also a bit underwhelming, although I loved how it magnified the toughness of the relationship between the married couple. As a fan of romance, I also enjoyed the culmination of the love that percolated for years. Outside these minor nitpicks, however, Happiness is a great and enjoyable thriller anchored by one of the healthiest romances this year. Recommended.

Leia Mais

Romance themed zombie show with actually good acting. Not enough zombies though.

I'm not going to lie, after finishing the show and looked back at the 8.9 score, I had the urge to write this question and answer review to give my thoughts on this show that badly. I will try to make this as Spoiler-free as possible.

Q1. Is the Happiness k-drama about zombies?

A1; Yes, it is definitely about zombies. One thing I have to say is that if you enjoyed All of Us Are Dead or Kingdom, this show doesn't really deliver the hype when it comes to zombie scenes but there are other things that make this show actually good.

Q2. So it is about zombies, what exactly are the differences from this show to others?

A2; The pacing for the story was slow but it did manage to keep me watching. That's not the only main difference, the romance, like ROMANCE? I mean sure almost every zombie show has romance whether it's the main leads or the side characters but this show managed to heavily implement that part to the story and it actually worked which is why the score is 8.9 (as of September 12, 2023). Also like I said in A1, the zombie scenes weren't that hyped but I definitely got scared in most of the scenes but it's just that there just isn't really enough zombies shown.

Q3. What about the characters?

A3; I wasn't really shocked with the male lead but the rest of the characters definitely did their part. Especially the evil characters, they did so well to make the audience hate them but I guess the story plays a big part as well. I have to say, Han Tae Sok as a character is pretty interesting but I get annoyed sometimes with Sae Bom even more than the evil characters. And yes, Sae Bom and Ji Hyun are the important characters to keep this show going.

Q4. Is the story that good?

A4; I mean, I won't say how the ending went but throughout the show, I did get frustrated a bunch of times at the "evil" characters, I managed to not get too impatient because the climax or the part where zombies start to eat people doesn't happen until a few episodes later (which I won't tell which one exactly). Oh right, ROMANCE! It did play a huge part in the story, you will even get wholesome scenes every episode with the main couple which I didn't really enjoy but didn't mind. The zombies in this story are not that impressive although the way they can get infected is pretty interesting but not really that unique. Like I said, for the 3rd time, the zombie scenes are not that hyped, I meant to say that there isn't really an epic chase scene, there are 1v1 scenes but overall the collection for zombie scenes of this show isn't really that impressive. Overall the story is alright but way better than many zombie shows. The story mainly really just takes places in the apartment which is kind of like #Alive, a zombie movie that is kind of similar to this show. There are messages from this show that are actually really good life lessons so that's a plus.

Q5: Are you willing to rewatch this show again?

A5; Hell no, I'm going to give props to the acting and the unique theme for this show but I'm someone who doesn't really rewatches a certain show, let it be k-drama or anime but the only time I rewatch a certain show is when I really feel like watching again after a long time. I don't have to urge to watch the show again after finishing it unless the show is just so amazing.

Alright, alright, it's time to summarize this very underwhelming Q&A review.

Summary:

Story: 8/10 - It's pretty consistent and doesn't fail to keep on delivering but it just lacks when it comes to the way the show handled the zombies.

Acting/Cast: 9/10 - Pretty amazing choices for the cast I'm not going to lie, a lot of them played their part well, they can keep the audience rambling and keep watching the show.

Music: 6/10 - I don't really remember the music for this show but it's alright I guess.

Rewatch Value: 5/10 - Not really the type of show to rewatch unless you loved the characters.

Overall: 7/10 - Decent story, amazing cast, can't remember the music, wouldn't really rewatch, this show is alright to kill time but I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for a zombie show with very epic scenes and such.

My bad if this review sucks but I just want to place my opinion right here and get it off my chest.

Leia Mais

Annoyingly disappointing

Just finished this today. Extremely disappointed but not surprised. I was easily caught up with the narrative and characters in the beginning, and Han Hyo-joo's performance as a competent special forces soldier had a great unselfconscious swagger of someone with confidence in themseles. and her equally unselfconscious selfcentredness in the beginning when schemng to get the apartment was genuinely amusing. But from about halfway through I was watching more from duty and still some interest in what would happen to Sae-bom than anything else. Perhaps it is because the really strange social setup and peculiar startification of class (?) which comes across as pretty alien even to this British person who has been used to class-consciousness all their life. It just seems *different* and hard to believe that anyone would have put up with it even for a day in such unusual emergency situation. The whole idea that people would be ordered about like that by people with no real authority is genuinely amazing. This seemed MUCH mor emphasised than in any other KDrama I have seen (except maybe THE PENTHOUSE) and I watch a lot. Anyway, tht made it hard to completely empathise with and suspend disbelief. And then the whole coherence of the plot seemed to unravel. Now I completely accept that I may be missing subtleties in the original Korean, but the narrative as supplied by the subtitling started to make no sense at all. I actually put off watching the final ep for several days because I felt it was going to be a let down, and it was worse than I had expected. So, good beginning, gradually declining middle, and totally weak ending. The most disappointing Kdrama I have seen *all the way through*

(I am the sort of person who recently watched and loved 'Hotel del Luna', 'Hometown Cha Cha Cha' and 'Sell your Haunted House', 'Attorney Woo' and 'Mad for each Other' and 'Inspector Koo', just in case that explains my reaction!)

Leia Mais

Questionable, but Justified

Happiness, when I heard the name, I thought it would be a rom-com, specially with Hyung Sik and Han Hyo Joo on board.. Totally unexpected setting, a very interesting start, questionable actions by a lot of characters, you find them dumb and stupid until you finish and really think about the situation they were in.

To be honest, until we are dropped into a hellish situation where there is no food, no water, no protection, no electricity, being completely oblivious from the outside world.. Leaving them completely clueless about when they can get out, and where each and everyone starts doubts the person next to them..

We cannot really judge them for doing stupid things, because in such a scenario nobody would be sane.

It's easy to think that why did he do that, he could have done that, because we are watching from a third person perspective, but in a similar situation most of us would probably end up doing similar things..

So in the end, I think the 'stupid' 'dumb' things the characters did, were not non-sense or not logical, because many of them already were 'lacking' many things in life or some of them were already devilish in nature. Their actions were based on what they had gone through in their life..

Might be a stretch, but some of the characters fit into the list of sins really well.. Some had multiple traits even..

Pride - Oh Ju Hyung / Doctor (Who thinks everyone is beneath them)
Lust - Koo Hae Song / Attorney (Who craved into lust)
Gluttony - Kim Dong Hyun / Vlogger (His hunger for content was unbelievable)
Greed - Woo Sang Hee (Her desire for crypto never ended till last minute)
Envy - Cleaner Couple (They risked everything to get what others had)
Wrath - Andrew / Murder (No need to even explain.. )
Sloth - Kim Jeong Gook / Police Detective (He didn't want to be involved with anything.. )

Leia Mais

Great suspense and an endearing friends to lovers romance ....

Will this end on a cynical, happy or tragic note? Finding out the answer kept me on the edge of my seat for all 12 episodes. More thriller than horror, Happiness reminded me of the old X-files series in the US. The main couple treat each other as equals, long time friends who can communicate without speaking a word. They both are bad*ss and excel at their jobs.

Similar to his role in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Hyungsik is excellent at portraying someone who is head over heels for the woman next to him - in all her strengths and weaknesses. Han Hyo-joo does an excellent job of portraying very grounded, protective qualities with no patience for the strong hurting the week.

The ~12-16 side characters are distinctive with GOOD and BAD qualities that are played as archetypes/caricatures. Overwhelmingly, the bad qualities are delusion, greed, and narcissism. Despite exaggerated portrayals, I thought the personalities represented were accurate and rare to see. I was as invested in side plots as I was the main plot, and didn't feel any urge to skip the side character scenes.

(*SPOILER* big minus points for interjecting a needless serial killer storyline, and also using the sociopathic doctor one too many times)

The music was really well done with two very distinctive styles: amped up/industrial and mournful, nostalgic guitar. The two different music styles kept you guessing as to whether the show would end happily or sadly.

Rewatch - I'm not sure about rewatch, but definitely a lot of the visuals are going to stick in my head, I felt like I was stuck in the apartment building with them and that I knew these characters and cheered them (well some of them) on.

(*SPOILER* minus points for making the end scenes not at all reflect the depth of the show - it was like all the trauma etc. was all magically erased)

I grade on other criteria as well:

Themes: 8.5
Greed and never-ending desires are the downfall of human beings. Continuing to be narcissistic, self-centered, and fantasizing about triumphing over others in crisis are unfortunate traits in many. Trauma and tragedy often magnify the character traits that already existed. Keeping grounded in reality, surrounded by family and friends can keep hope alive and the ability to continue to be a community minded human being. Home, family (blood or found) are the keys to happiness. Overcoming disappointment early in life and finding reasons to live can provide resilience in tough circumstances down the road.

(*Spoiler* if the show had ended differently, I would have given the themes a higher score, but in the last 15 minutes it's like the whole disease never happened.)

Complex characters/Character Growth: 7
The general was an excellent complex character, with a mix of opportunism and a moral center. The rest didn't so much grow as illustrate how different types of people respond to crisis. It was realistic that people would still obsess over real estate portfolios, wealth and how to take advantage of a crisis for their own benefit. I also thought it was realistic that people would take silly risks on the optimism that they were special/unique or wouldn't trust others evaluation of the dangers until they had experience it themselves.

Complex women characters/Relationships between Women: 7.5
Yoon Sae-Boom is a really wonderful mix of caring, nurturing and can't stand societal niceties. Despite her slight figure, you never feel like she couldn't kick *ss and take names. It was a realistic blend too, not whiplash between two different selves. I liked the range of women presented and also a minor theme about how women handle crisis vs men. The show, however, had a ratio of 1:1 women to men characters, and the women didn't have rich relationships with each other.

Production Values/Cinematography: 9
There were some really striking visual scenes, great use of music and realistic fight scenes with lots of grappling and use of the human body. In this era of CGI, the real zombies and physical fighting were very much welcome. 1 point off as it was completely unbelievable (esp. given the number of cars in the parking lot) how few residents were in the building when it was locked down - the lack of people just felt odd.

Leia Mais

Blends the story of love and thriller in a well executed drama

Happiness, as the name sounds, isn't all about happiness though. This thriller drama sees an apocalyptic world where virus has created a havoc and residents of an apartment are surviving for their life.

Happiness had a decent story with a very good production and overall visuals. The soundtrack though, was the best part in the entire drama. The music tuned to the perfect rhythm along with the key moments in the series.

Not forgetting about the leads who gave a commendable performance and maintained romantic chemistry among themselves. It might not be a part of my Top 5 drama of the year, but it was a very well made show which blended multiple genres/aspects and delivered a convincing result.

My Rating : 7.5/10

Leia Mais

100% FL/ML chemistry and worth the watch!

Came here without knowing who the cast were, never watched them before and super love them! The FL and ML pairing is so so good.

The show starts off slow and I honestly wanted to drop at episode 1 especially during the high school scene because I don’t see where this was going. Glad I held on til at least episode 3 and binge watched in 3 days.

The zombies are not as crazy and intense as Kingdom where is was just non-stop. The zombies here are a lil docile, I’d say. There is gore still, seeing how this is a K-drama. But if you can handle Kingdom, you can handle this.

The supporting characters are what made this show shine on top of the leads. They are SO GOOD at being such hate-able characters! The doctor and the building rep homg. You really see how selfish humans can become when faced with a crisis.

The pacing overall is good except for the rushed ending.

Leia Mais

You Are My Home

There are some flaws with Happiness, like the ending for example. Not only was it sad because of the victims of the serial killer, but I had wished to see him prosecuted because of it. Instead there wasn't much on that. I also wished to see more of the general and his wife, but you only saw him give the antibodies to her. The ending wasn't bad because of that, because all of it was pretty much wrapped up in the end. You saw the general have a happy ending, although it didn't go into too much detail. In the end, Sae-Bom realizes her love for Yi-Hyun and calls him her home. Happiness did not focus on the outbreak, as it is pretty much contained to the apartment, but rather Sae-Bom and Yi-Hyun. The outbreak was a plot device for her to realize how he was her home. That was the reason I loved this show. :-)

Leia Mais

a narrative about human nature

one of the few "hyped up" dramas I have seen recently that I felt was maybe...underhyped. I was truly surprised by this drama. due to the nature of the story, it is not plothole free, but it did a wonderful job of depicting the reality of human nature in times of crisis. the main leads have earned themselves a forever fan in me with their work in this drama as well.

I think part of what makes this drama stand out is that it is one of those stories that takes place in the midst of an "action crisis," a conflict that could quickly become a story of fight scenes and drama. however, amidst this plotline is a narrative of human nature. beautifully done, morally grey characters that you can't help but empathize with one moment, yet you truly despise the next. the focus on the people did leave some plot holes that I think may detract from the story on a second watch when you are less invested in the suspense of the story. however, it is a compromise that results in a truly unique first-watch experiance.

Leia Mais

Is a microbe more dangerous than a man?

I have just finished watching this drama after having it for almost 2+ months on my watch list. I expected this to be a hard core zombie series where zombies come out and keep on biting on other people and so on and on. But turns out that's not the case. It is pretty different than most of the dramas and movies that featured a virus outbreak. So it definitely is a new experiment which I loved a lot. As the series progresses we understand that in the society there are terrifying beings called humans that are far more dangerous than a mere microbe. The class difference, ill treatment towards inferiors, con-artists, overly - selfish mindsets, all these are subtly shown all along the series with a minimum number of characters and that's on the writer.

And coming to the acting, the leads did a very good job. Unlike many dramas where leads date a lot and get a happily ever after married card towards the end, our leads here join the marriage gang first and then start opening up to each other. NGL Park Hyung Sik gives out amazing ahjussi vibes. And all the supporting characters in the series keep on annoying you at some point or the other. And I believe if an actor is able to annoy you via their character that means they did a good job. So, over all the acting is really good.

I certainly did not find any unique characteristics that I can mention about the technicality behind the drama and I have no complaints too. So I can say that all the off-screen action was just as it should be.

Would I re-watch it? Maybe to watch the leads' chemistry but not in terms of the story. But this series is definitely a reminder that homo sapiens are to be dreaded more than any virus. Period.

Leia Mais

NOT a long review but is short and sweet :)

Firstly all I need to say is that this show has me checking ever 2 minutes on Friday and Saturday if the episodes are out.. I wish I was lieing 😩

WATCH THE SHOW ITS SO GOOD!!! ONE OF THE BEST I'VE SEEN SO FAR!!!!

It really keeps you engaged and hooked. I need them to start releasing all episodes at the same time if they are going to be this quality of a show...

I don't even need anything to happen between the fl and the ml as long as none of them die, if one of them or the little girl dies I'm changing my rating for the show 🤓

Yeah so that concludes my review..idk if it was helpful but it give a different view point I think lol. No joke though the series is so freaking good, Can't get over it 🙊

Leia Mais

La dupla protagónica pide a gritos una comedia romántica

Bueno........ como empezar una reseña de un drama que se perfilaba como uno de mis favoritos del año y me dejo un sabor agridulce al final sin que suene como un hater??
En líneas generales el drama cumple con todo lo propuesto, la historia esta bien guionada porque la enfermedad no sale de la nada y mal explicada sino que toman un contexto real (fantástico pero real) y lo llevan a una situación limite. La química de la pareja protagonista es preciosa de principio a fin y los personajes de reparto cumplen todos con su rol en lo que una situación como la del encierro produciría en la gente.
Los puntos mas fuertes del drama (para mi) son la química de los protagonistas y a la par o tal vez un poco más, los actores de reparto y seamos honestos quien no pensó en matar a varios de ese grupo en el trayecto del drama??? por momentos el problema no era estar encerrados con una pandemia nacional afuera sino que estar encerrado con esas personas cada vez menos humanas.


(SPOILERS)



Los puntos negativos de este drama creo que son más personales que claros pero no creo estar tan alejado de una opinión objetiva, primero que nada, es la vía que tomo el drama de no cargarse a ningún personaje principal osea cuanto más fuerte habría sido el final si terminara en el 11 con la muerte de park hyun sik? Estamos rodeados de personas cada vez menos humanas, con varios infectados afuera y un gobierno al borde de abandonarlos y un loco asesino entre ellos pero nadie muere, este me parece un error gravísimo y que para mi le costo seriedad a toda la situación critica que vivieron.
Otro punto serian los antagonistas que venían a pasear y como llegaban se iban, con estos me refiero al hombre rico que mordió a la esposa del teniente coronel han que parecía ser un personaje pesado pero no lo fue y al asesino "andrew" personaje que mostro la cara 15 minutos en 12 capítulos y que en realidad no aporto con sus asesinatos porque para que fueran relevantes tuvieron que intervenir la representante del complejo y el oh joo hyung.
El punto final es completamente personal y es que el ultimo capitulo fue un completo relleno solo para mostrar que la pareja tuvo su final feliz y todo pudo volver a la normalidad.

Como dije en líneas generales el drama es bueno y cae al final pero no deja de ser lindo, se los recomiendo muchísimo en caso de que gusten los dramas de zombies

Leia Mais