K-Drama First Look: “Happiness” Initiates A Gripping Story About Wide-Ranging Contagious Disease

A pervasive malady appears to devastate massively in the opening week of the highly-awaited series, Happiness!

Launching the story on a heightened level, Christmas comes early for thriller junkies that will keep tabs on this series. Decking decent 3.3% and 3.1% nationwide viewership ratings, make sure not to miss this dozen-episode drama starring Han Hyo Joo and Park Hyung Sik.

abbyinhallyuland watches Happiness on iQiyi

Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03| 04| 05| 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | Finale + Review |

PRESS CONFERENCE: “Happiness” Hopes For A Compassionate Story Amidst Thrilling-Futuristic Narrative

Happiness Opening Week Story

When a trainee of special ops agent Yoon Sae-bom (Han Hyo Joo) got implicated in a baffling crime investigated by detective Jung Yi-hyun (Park Hyung Sik), the two long-time friends intertwine to a looming pandemic situation.

NEXT – an experimental pneumonia drug was pulled out of the market for its side effects which include hallucination and monster-like behavior. Its infection rate is also alarming as it gets transmitted when someone gets bitten or scratched.

Learning about a drug that appeared in their investigation, Yi-hyun alarmed Sae-bom who confronts trainee Jong-tae. Unknown to her, a nearing disaster is being managed by a top-secret facility headed by Lt. Col. Han Tae-seok (Jo Woo Jin).

As Sae-bom was bitten by Jong-tae, she was brought to the facility to run some tests. Strangely and fortunately, she tests negative with the virus. On the lighter side, she gets a chance to seal her ultimate dream of owning a place.

Requesting a deal with Han Tae-seok to add merit points, her friend Yi-hyun also agrees for them to get married to meet all the requirements for her dream house.

Moving to their new nest, Yi-hyun understands how the apartment holds great importance for Sae-bom through her story. He fondly tucks her in to bed as she dozes off.

Finding happiness is hard

Ji-hyun works with Tae-seok to track the drug dealer of NEXT but they find him already infected.

While completing the post bloodwork and quarantine period, Sae-bom busies herself with plans on their newlywed house. It gets temporarily halted though when her friend Seung-young (cameo by Lee Kyung Hyung) confessed of being probably infected. She brings him to the facility, but it turns out he has an ulterior motive.

After faking the area of the scratch, he sneaks out to get more information about the virus so he can sell the information to a media company. He enters one of the refrigerated vans and discovers the infected people. However, it’s too late for him to escape the space full of human-turned-monsters.

Happiness Opening Week Musings

Clearly, Happiness runs a paradox of its title meaning. Hopefully, the envisioned closure would lean on a jovial note. Layering the story with friends-turned-married-couple-without-love would at least lighten the mood.

It’s noticeable that Han Hyo Joo and Park Hyung Sik are giving life to fictional characters that have pleasant and friendly demeanor. Along with how the thrill escalates in the story the slated unrealized romance for the main leads would amplify the riveting drama in the narrative.

As we have all been served with the taste of the pandemic situation these days, Happiness suggests quite a creepy scenario. The first two episodes give an overview of how unintentional human negligence could cause irredeemable damage.

While the disease outbreak is being contained, the preview of the next episode moves to Le Ciel, where Sae-bom’s dream place is located. We can look forward to how she will protect her newly-secured “happiness”. Interestingly, Yi-hyun whose obvious happiness is Sae-bom despite not being vocal about it will also protect his.

Catch up on the latest episodes of Happiness on tvN and TVING. International fans can watch it on iQiyi and Viu.

Photos: tvN

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