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Happiness: Spoiler-Free Mini Review

Jul 15
4 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Title:

Happiness (2021)

Platform:

Viki, Netflix, TVING

MDL & IMBD Rating:

8.8 & 7.7

Genre:

Contemporary Thriller/Sci Fi

Episode Count:

12

Parental Guidance Rating:

PG-13: True to MA rating for gore, graphic violence, swearing, and more edgy illusions to intamacy. (Expect much gruesomeness a la zombie and adult themes-- Think Moving and Kingdom level).


For more info: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14979052/parentalguide/

Starring:

Han Hyo Joo (W)

Park Hyung Sik (Strong Girl Bong Soon)

Jo Woo Jin (Mr. Sunshine)

Lee Joon Hyuk (Spooky in Love)

Park Joo Hee (Filing For Love)

Baek Hyun Jin (The Devil Judge)

RBTS Rating:

8/10 Stars: Zombies, a contract marriage with a subtle romance, and a class war. Not for sensitive viewers.


Cast From Left to Right: #ParkHyungSik, #HanHyoJoo, #JoWooJin, #BaekHyunJin


Synopsis:

Yun Sae Bom is a special agent with quick wits and reflexes and another special quality. She earns the opportunity to move into a new apartment set aside for civil servants in a coveted apartment complex by pretending to marry high school friend Jung I Hyeon. I Hyeon is a detective investigating the spread of a mysterious disease. They are trapped in their apartment building when Han Tae Seok, head of the task force to control the spread of the disease, orders the complex to be sealed off from the rest of the city. Quarantine and disease reveal a social caste system, bringing out the best and worst of the apartment residents. @MDL



Stay Tuned: Full Review Still to Come!


Spoiler-Free Mini Review:

Happiness is a show with zombies, but it's not about zombies. The drama is commentary on economic status, greed, identity, and the treatment of patients in an epidemic. Despite the ever present threat of crazed zombies, the drama leaves you wondering who the real monsters actually are. The story was especially timely considering COVID-19 was still rearing its head when the drama aired. Not everything adds up in the narrative, but even as I mentally acknowledged that while watching, it didn't bother me, as the goal of the drama is to encourage viewers to unpack biases and behavior, which was done successfully.



The heart of the story is the romance, but it's one where you have to read in between the lines. I enjoyed the leads both as individuals and as a couple, and thought the "contract marriage" aspect was well done.



As I watched the drama I couldn't help but think that naming the show "Happiness" was a weird choice, but as I thought about it more, it made sense. The Female Lead thought that getting the apartment (aka achieving an economic goal) who solidify her security and happiness, but she discovered that her "happiness" was more fragile than she thought. This speaks to the economic uncertainty that many people live under, and how challenging it is to maintain "happiness" while under constant risk. Even if you live on the top floor in a pent house, you can't escape the dangers of the world around you; the rich and poor share the same sky. Those on the top floor are admittedly safer than those below, but at the end of the day, tragedy, whether economic or virus related, doesn't spare them. Through the FL's new home being threatened, the audience is met with the reality what it means to be in her social class and that even though the FL has made economic growth, there is still an endless amount of flights of stairs to get to the top. And the fact that she had to fake a marriage to have a place to live while having a full time job is criminal. But at least when faced with the loss of this new "status", she finds that her true happiness (aka the ML) has been with her all along. I thought it was a good metaphor for the pandemic and how many (including myself) didn't realize how good life was until our normality was taken away, and what was expected suddenly became a privilege.


I first watched Happiness on Viki and it was listed as PG-13, but then Netflix added it, which gave the show a more appropriate rating of MA. There is truly a lot of gruesomeness a la zombie and some distasteful characters. Again, not everything makes sense, nor is every question answered, but the goal of the show is to make you feel and think, which it achieves. I enjoyed the leads both as individuals and as a couple, and thought the "contract marriage" aspect was well done.


The title song was dope.



Story=4, Acting=5, Production Quality=5, Ending= 2.75 ( Ending is so sudden, I got whiplash), Enjoyability= 4, Would I rewatch= Yeah



Trailer:


Director: #AhnGilHo (Genie Make a Wish, The Flory, Memories of Alhambra)

Screenwriter: #HanSangUn (The Good Wife, Watcher)




*Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images used on this blog. All images belong to their respective copyright holders and are used for commentary and review purposes. All reviews, opinions, and statements expressed on this blog are my own and are intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. They reflect my personal thoughts and interpretations and should not be considered as factual.


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