Happiness

R

Review

My Rating: 9.5/10

(My daughter, who’s in her 30s, gave it a full 10/10. She doesn’t typically like zombie movies at all, but she really enjoyed this one.)Review (No Spoilers)

I am not normally a zombie movie kind of person. The genre has just been done so many times. But this was good because it was a different take on zombies. There was also more to it than just fighting zombies. There was a romance. A lot of interpersonal relationships and conflict. The characters were well developed. I recommend it to zombie fans, of course, because even though it isn’t the “classic” zombie movie, it is definitely a fit for that monster-movie vibe in that aspect. It’s not very sad in the traditional sense, and it ends well—wrapped up as happily as it could be for a movie of this type.

Spoilers

What made the zombies so interesting was that they weren’t undead—no reanimated-corpse vibe at all. They weren’t completely mindless either. It was a fresh, different type of zombie that gave the whole story more depth and surprise. Yoon Sae-bom is supposed to be special forces, but she rarely does anything that would show she has the skill to that caliber. Her husband, Jung Yi-hyun, who is a beat cop, seems far more specially trained than she is. I wish she had been more of a badass. When Andrew the psycho had the gun on them, both had so many opportunities to take him out, especially her as supposed special forces. They didn’t give a lot of tender moments with the couple. I think they liked each other from the get-go—I mean, that is why she married him. I also wish we had more of a view of what was going on around that building. They did a great job of showing how shitty some people would be in such a situation. All the greed, selfishness, envy—all comes out. We really did not get the “normal” either. Not even sure who the other antibody carrier was. And Han Tae-seok, the soldier-scientist guy, went through all that to save his wife and it seems it didn’t really save her. Where did this virus come from? The pills? Who made the pills and why? I had some questions. That is why it was more like a 9.5/10 for me.

Synopsis

• Year Aired: 2021

• Number of Episodes: 12

• Average Runtime: ~60–70 minutes per episode

• Country of Origin: South Korea

• Genres: Thriller, Romance, Action, Psychological, Apocalyptic

Happiness is a tense, character-driven thriller set in a near-future Seoul where a new infectious disease begins to spread, blurring the line between illness and something far more dangerous.

The story centers on a newly constructed high-rise apartment building that becomes one of the first places placed under strict quarantine when residents begin showing unusual and violent symptoms. What initially appears to be a controllable health crisis quickly escalates into a fight for survival, as fear, suspicion, and desperation take hold within the confined space.

At the heart of the story are two individuals bound by a long-standing connection — a pragmatic special operations officer and a principled detective — who enter a contractual marriage to secure housing in the building just before the lockdown begins. As the situation deteriorates, their partnership is tested not only by external threats, but by the unraveling behavior of those around them.

Rather than focusing solely on the outbreak itself, Happiness explores how people respond under pressure. As resources become scarce and trust erodes, the residents reveal their true selves — some choosing cooperation and sacrifice, while others turn to manipulation and self-preservation.

Amid the chaos, a quiet but steady romance develops, grounded in mutual respect and years of familiarity. Their relationship provides a counterbalance to the tension, offering moments of humanity in an increasingly hostile environment.

Blending suspense with emotional depth, Happiness is less about monsters and more about the choices people make when survival is no longer guaranteed.

Major Characters

• Yoon Sae-bom (Han Hyo-joo)

  A decisive and fearless special operations officer. Practical and quick-thinking, she adapts rapidly to crisis situations while maintaining a strong sense of personal boundaries and fairness.

• Jung Yi-hyun (Park Hyung-sik)

  A detective and former baseball player with a calm, protective nature. Deeply loyal to Sae-bom, he acts as both emotional support and moral anchor throughout the crisis.

• Han Tae-seok (Jo Woo-jin)

  A high-ranking government agent leading the response to the outbreak. Strategic and composed, he operates in morally gray areas while trying to contain the spread.

• Lee Ji-soo (Park Joo-hee)

  A police officer working alongside Yi-hyun. Observant and grounded, she contributes to maintaining order within the quarantined environment.

• Oh Joo-hyung (Baek Hyun-jin)

  A resident of the apartment complex whose self-serving behavior reflects the darker side of human nature under pressure.

• Kim Se-hoon (Han Joon-woo)

  A quiet and somewhat mysterious resident whose actions hint at hidden knowledge about the outbreak.