Contrary to the title, this isn’t a fluffy dramedy/rom-com that’s filled with rainbows, sunshine and lots of happy folks with warm smiles and joyous laughter. Well, not exactly. Happiness is about the onset of a zombie outbreak. At first glance, the story appears to be the antithesis of happiness but there’s more than meets the eye. Different viewers would have their own takeaways from this drama but personally for me, my interpretation of “happiness” in this context lies in cherishing what you have amidst the chaos that threatens to take away that which you hold dear, and those whom you so love. For this very reason, this surprising gem became a sort of happy place for me as I began to develop a fondness for the drama and the characters in it, despite the macabre premise.

The director of Stranger, one of my all time favourite dramas, Ahn Gil Ho helms this production. The plot is based on the original screenplay by Han Sang Woon. Of his previous works, I’ve only seen The Good Wife which is a decent adaptation of the original US series. The drama is set in the near future that makes references to the post-Covid pandemic. Principal photography took place primarily at the extensive e Pyunhansang apartment complex in Gyeonggi province’s Okjeong city, which is used as the fictional Seyang Forest Le Ciel apartments in the drama.

Happiness focuses on a couple who find themselves under lockdown in their brand new apartment complex during the zombie outbreak, termed “Madness Epidemic” by the authorities. The ML is a Violent Crimes detective of the Seyang Police Station while the FL is a Special Operation Unit (SOU) police squad and counter-terrorism operative. Central to the plot is how these two individuals work with a shadowy governmental agency, Disaster and Crisis Response Center, led by a very mysterious SML, who coordinates the military in the zombie crisis containment and medical researchers’ efforts in finding a cure for the epidemic.

In addition to the character study into the best and (mostly) worst of human nature in the face of impending doom, the narrative contains elements of social commentary and presents a somewhat satirical depiction of a deeply hierarchical society, particularly through the class distinctions between the affluent owners living in the upper levels and the general public in rental housing of the lower levels of the apartments. Themes of apocalyptic dystopia and high-level corruption while tropes concerning childhood connection, contract marriage, and friends to lovers are all present in this drama, among others which I won’t mention further to avoid spoiling. Additionally, jump scares feature quite a fair bit in a number of scenes.

For what appears to be a moderately budgeted drama, I have no major complaints in terms of the production values, design and quality. The fight choreography is quite impressive and so too the presence of the military elements and use of firearms in the action sequences. The makeup for the zombies, including blood and gore, appear well rendered. As most of the story takes place at the apartment complex, there isn’t a sense of the scale of the outbreak, which purportedly occurs nationwide and also across the world. This means there are no massive numbers of extras posing as zombies and running riot all over the place, like scenes in Train to Busan or the sageuk-zombie fusion, Kingdom.

Generally I’m quite pleased with how the story is presented, in terms of the plot development and pacing, sequencing of events in a linear fashion and with minimal disruptions to the timeline i.e. lack of excessive flashbacks of backstories and jumping between different time periods. While there are some similarities with another apocalyptic drama, Sweet Home, the notable differences being the apartment building here is much bigger and the action also takes place outside the building but within the expansive complex that houses several apartment towers. The sheer number of people involved as far as the inhabitants are concerned as well as the external forces outside the complex are much higher. I would say the atmosphere in the drama isn’t as bleak or toxic but instead rather pleasant, were it not for the pesky zombies.

A majority of the characters are quirky and out-of-the-box, which is part of the drama’s charms. I have come to love all three leads and certain supporting characters, in particular a certain little girl. Other characters are those that I either despise or feel perturbed by, but that is testament to the characterization. Most of the supporting characters get their fair share of screen time and story arc. Some characters, however, such as the female soldier who assists the SML in his endeavours and the FL’s colleague in the SOU, unfortunately do not get fleshed out for our benefit. The bureaucrats and chaebols connected to the zombie outbreak also do not make their presence significantly felt until the tail end of the drama, which appears more as an afterthought rather than any crucial aspect of the storytelling.

As far as the acting is concerned, this is where Happiness shines through. The ML Jung Yi Hyun is played by Park Hyung Sik who returns in his first drama appearance since being discharged from military service. Since I last saw him in Suits, he retains that exact same boyish charm and projects the level-headed calm and sensible persona that we have come to expect of his characters. Along with a strapping physique, he certainly looks the part of a violent crimes detective. Han Hyo Joo, who plays the FL Yoon Sae Bom, also makes a return to the small screen this year after last appearing in W in 2016. Among all the lead characters, the FL is quite possibly the most offbeat of them all. Fearless, daring, streetwise and without a care about authoritative structures or social constructs, this is an independent woman who knows what she wants and how to achieve it. She might appear nonchalant and apathetic at times but deep down she has a clear distinction between right and wrong, and has a strong sense of protectiveness over those whom she deeply cares for. All these qualities are magnificently portrayed by Han Hyo Joo.

These two characters are the best part of this drama for me. They’re not perfect, far from it in fact. Their occasional catastrophic decision making counts among other seemingly ridiculous flaws which manifest over time but still I couldn’t help but root for them to overcome all the challenges and dangers that come their way. Their dynamics are top quality where every interaction, even inaction at times, between them truly is a joy to behold.

The SML is played by Jo Woo Jin, no stranger to the industry who has appeared in many renowned drama and film productions over the years. It is a blessing indeed for us viewers that he graces this drama with his presence. The role of the extremely grey and layered Han Tae Seok suits this man to a T, where his understatedly nuanced performance breathes life into the character to further elevate the drama.

Among the supporting cast, special mention has to go to Baek Hyun Jin. This is the third time I’ve seen him this year, after Taxi Driver and The Devil Judge. Known affectionately as the “U-data guy” for his OTT portrayal of a psychotic CEO in Taxi Driver, this actor simply excels in portraying antagonistic roles. In this drama, his character of Oh Joo Hyung is much more subdued in comparison with his previous roles but still does not detract from the lowkey villainous vibes that he consistently imbues into his acting. Bae Hae Seon is another one who has had a prolific year after appearances in Inspector Koo, Hometown CCC, and Great Shaman GDS, of those I’ve seen. She plays the hubristic and self-important “Queen Bee” of the apartment complex, Oh Yeon Ok. Her portrayal here is angsty yet amusing at the same time. Prolific child actress, 9-year old Song Ji Woo who plays Park Seo Yoon, the sickly little girl living on the 5th floor certainly deserves mention for her efforts in the drama.

Happiness introduced me to a number of new musicians who enhanced the production with their evocative music. Joe Layne with the very fitting opening theme and an emotional English-language track, while SAAY, Isaac Hong and Jemma contributed a song each. The original score is composed by multiple award-winning Kim Tae Seong who has form with this genre, having worked on numerous suspense-thriller productions over the past decade.
Eureka (Opening theme) and What Lies Ahead - Joe Layne (조레인)
Pain - Isaac Hong (홍이삭)
Nobody Knows - SAAY (쎄이)
ENIGMA - Jemma (젬마)

IMHO, Happiness is definitely one of the biggest surprises of the year, as far as K-dramas are concerned. It’s not as big budgeted and extensively promoted as some of the more well-known productions and the horror theme involving zombies may have turned off some viewers from trying this one out. But I’m glad I gave this a go and what a fulfilling, entertaining and worthwhile viewing experience it has been. If you can overcome your fear of zombies, do give this drama a chance and, who knows, you might end up being pleasantly surprised as well.