Sae Bom watches Yi Hyun’s recording as her plasma is taken. Sae Bom tries his number but it is unreachable. She looks at his contact name, “I am his lifesaver.”
She removes her IV line and goes outside when she spots Seo Yoon being escorted down the corridor. She goes over to her. Seo Yoon searches for Yi Hyun. Sae Bom says she will go to the apartment and bring him.
Seo Yoon asks Sae Bom to come along as she is going to visit her mother. Seo Bom goes inside the room first. The mother seems lucid. Seo Yoon runs in but Sae Bom holds her back. The mother asks Seo Yoon to stay away as she has a cold. She says Seo Yoon shouldn’t get sick before the surgery. Seo Yoon nods as her mother asks her to listen to Sae Bom.
Seo Yoon tries to run to her mother again but Sae Bom holds her back again. Seo Yoon’s mother tells her that she will see her after surgery. Seo Yoon is upset but walks away.
Before Sae Bom can go out, Seo Yoon’s mother thanks Sae Bom as it is because of her that Seo Yoon is getting the surgery. She says she was able to get this far because of Seo Yoon’s letter. Without it, she says she would have become like her husband.
She asks Sae Bom to care for her daughter a little longer as she doesn’t know what will happen to her. She tells Sae Bom to go away. Sae Bom closes the door and walks away as the mother has an outburst.
Meanwhile, Han formally records his conversation with Shin. He asks how many people are infected in the apartment. Shin says Yi Hyun and Na’s brother are infected. He confirms that two people died from the infection. He asks her for more information about the infected as it will be helpful in finding a cure.
Sae Bom goes to see off Seo Yoon. Seo Yoon says she knows that her mother is infected. She says her mother is just sick like her. Sae Bom says her mother will recover too just like her.
Sae Bom visits Han. Han says Seo Yoon’s mother held on to see her daughter. He says she will be moved to a freezer warehouse as she won’t be able to hold out any longer.
Han takes a loaded syringe. He tells her that they have made this with her blood sample. Han says her antibody count is falling and this is the last effective shot at the disease. He says they must amplify this to use in research to find a cure. Sae Bom says they are giving this up for everyone’s safety. She takes it.
Han says a military commander is coming to take her and the cure to the lab. She asks if he is breaking his promise.
Meanwhile, Ji Soo escorts the military commander down the corridor. She notices a masked soldier saluting them.
Han injects the plasma round into his wife’s IV. The military commander walks in just then and barks out a command asking him what he is doing. Han doesn’t look up as he effortlessly pulls out his gun and points it at the commander. The soldiers train their guns on him. Han says it won’t take long as he administers the dose. Once he is done, Han surrenders.
The commander asks for Sae Bom and the cure. Han says she just left.
Sae Bom walks to the exit in her masked soldier outfit.
Earlier
Han tells Sae Bom to get out through the back gate on the first floor. He says her car will be there. He says he left a present for her in the car.
Sae Bom says she thought he was ambitious and asks how he is helping. Han says he has a plan. He tells her to do what she needs to do. He says he won’t bail her out if she gets caught.
At present, Sae Bom is about to leave but she hesitates. She thinks for a moment before going back into the dormitories.
Sae Bom goes into Seo Yoon’s mother’s room. She injects the cure into Seo Yoon’s mother. Ji Soo finds her and asks what she did. Sae Bom says she was about to leave but she couldn’t.
Sae Bom asks Ji Soo if she is going to shoot and she lowers her gun. Ji Soo asks what she will do now as she has used up the cure. Sae Bom says she isn’t special. She says she is sure there are others with the antibodies.
She says Yi Hyun has Sae Bom but Seo Yoon doesn’t have anyone. She says she will stay by Yi Hyun’s side till then.
The sirens go off and all the soldiers go out. Sae Bom is in Ji Soo’s uniform and Ji Soo is in a patient uniform. They sneak out of the room towards the exit. Ji Soo says no one will check Sae Bom now as they only check people with protective gear. Sae Bom hugs her and says she knew they always had a connection.
Ji Soo says people will suspect if she is unharmed. Sae Bom hits Ji Soo with the butt of the gun to avoid suspicion and goes away.
Sae Bom walks out unnoticed and gets into her car. She finds an ID card, access authorisation and a walkie talkie in the glove compartment.
In Han’s office, the commander says this won’t stop with Han just getting fired. He asks Han why he did that. He says he would have let Han go if he had given the cure to his wife.
Han says he did everything he could like lockdown, quarantines and killing to lower the numbers. He says he has enough blood on his hands. The commander commends him on his success. Han says he saw people only as efficiency and numbers. He says he realised that there is another way after he saw Yoon Sae Bom.
Sae Bom drives up to the apartment. She is allowed inside after the soldiers check the access authorisation.
Sae Bom speaks into the walkie talkie as she walks to the building, “Yi Hyun, when you were next to me I didn’t realise how special you were. I will find you wherever you are.”
At Han’s office, the commander reprimands Ji Soo for letting Sae Bom go. He asks where she is and Ji Soo says Sae Bom plans to go abroad with the cure. Han says Sae Bom has gone to the apartment because her husband is there.
Han says there is someone with antibodies in the apartment. He asks for full authority so he can bring the cure.
Meanwhile, in the building, Na and her brother are about to venture out of the apartment. Na’s brother is wearing a protective face guard on his face and gloves. Na seems against the idea but her brother says it is safe outside. He says everyone left except for Yi Hyun. She says they shouldn’t leave.
Sae Bom knocks on the basement door and they let her in. She asks them where Yi Hyun is. They go silent. Sae Bom is worried as she asks if he is alive.
1 Day ago
Andrew falls in a pool of blood after Yi Hyun bites him. Yi Hyun turns around and is lucid now. He staggers past Yeon Ok who is glued to the wall by the door holding the baseball bat.
Yeon Ok goes towards Andrew and tries to take the gun that is still clutched in his hand. Andrew grabs her hand.
Na comes up in the elevator and finds Yi Hyun in the corridor walking towards 501.
Yi Hyun goes into 501 and lies on the couch. He looks up at Sae Bom and his photo on the wall.
He closes his eyes and hears Sae Bom asking him to wake up. She says they have to meet again. He opens his eyes to find her smiling at him. He hears Na’s voice calling him. Sae Bom’s face disappears and Na’s face replaces it. Na asks if he is okay as he is bleeding a lot. He says he is fine and he is going to sleep.
In 601, Oh regains consciousness. He swallows another next pill as Sang Hee and Kook are trying to crack the password.
Just then, Moon bangs on their door. She says she urgently needs the doctor. She says Ko has lost a lot of blood. Sang-Hee closes the door on them.
As they walk in, Oh charges at Kook and bites him in the arm. Kook howls in pain. Sang-Hee screams in horror.
Moon is pushed to the side as Sang Hee runs out into the corridor followed by Kook. Oh runs at Moon with a bloodied mouth. He yells at the top of his voice before running after Kook.
Sang-Hee and Kook run into 602 and lock the door. Oh stops outside the door and tries to open the lock. Moon calls his name and he looks at her.
Yi Hyun wakes up. He whispers a hello to Sae Bom in the photo.
Na and her brother sit across from him. Na’s brother says Yi Hyun was shot in the arm and leg but his bleeding has stopped. He says he is repelled by Yi Hyun’s blood. He says Yi Hyun is infected.
Na misunderstands him and picks up a fight with her brother asking if he wants her blood. Na asks her brother to get water as Yi Hyun sits up. Na explains that she brought her brother because she couldn’t manage Yi Hyun’s injury by herself. She says she put the protective gear on her brother as a precaution for an outburst.
He gives Yi Hyun some water. Yi Hyun asks if he isn’t thirsty. Na’s brother says he isn’t thirsty nowadays. Yi Hyun asks where Sae Bom is. Na says she isn’t there in the complex. Na’s brother says that except for the areas under lockdown, the martial laws were lifted in the rest of the places.
Na tries to stop Yi Hyun as he tries to walk. Yi Hyun says he bit Andrew and they take a step back. He says an infected murderer is more dangerous. He says they must get him if he is alive.
Later, Yi Hyun changes into clean clothes and goes to the roof with Na and her brother. They are shocked to find just his bat and the bag there but Andrew is gone.
Yi Hyun picks up his bat and says they should look for Andrew before he bites anyone else.
Oh is in 601. The news says that the mad person’s disease may be preventable. It adds that the lockdown has proved effective and the cases have reduced. It also says that a vaccine is in the testing phase. It says the infected people will remain in quarantine till a cure is found.
In the bedroom, Moon tries to get Ko to drink something. He refuses. The knife is still stuck in his shoulder.
Yi Hyun, Na and her brother are at the door. Yu Hyun asks Oh if anyone is hurt. Oh says Andrew stabbed Ko. Yi Hyun asks if he knows where Andrew and Yeon Ok are. Oh says he assumed they went outside. Oh asks him where Sae Bom is.
Yi Hyun says Andrew is a risk. He warns Oh not to let him in. He says his plan is to get the three of them punished.
Oh says they should arrest Sang Hee and Kook as she hit him on the head. Na says Kook showed them his hand where Oh bit him. Oh says he is infected and they can’t charge him for biting someone.
Yi Hyun smiles as he says Oh isn’t infected. He says he knows that since he is infected and is barely holding back his urge to bite Oh.
Oh says he took the pills. Yi Hyun says it doesn’t mean Oh is infected because the symptoms will show up later. Yi Hyun says some don’t get sick either.
Yi Hyun goes in to check on Ko. His condition is worsening. Yi Hyuncloses his eyes as he holds back his thirst. Moon shuts the door. Yi Hyun grabs Oh and asks how long Ko can hold out. Oh says Ko will die as soon as the knife is removed. If not, Oh says he will last a couple of days. Yi Hyun says he will find a way to get Ko out. He asks Oh to watch Ko till then.
Oh gloats that he gave Ko painkillers and his bedroom. He asks what more he can do. Yi Hyun grabs Oh and throws him on the couch. He swings the bat towards Oh but Oh dives away. Yi Hyun asks if Oh has Moon and Ko here in case he gets thirsty. Oh says yes. He says he took the pills because he thought he will die.
Yi Hyun tells Oh to look after them. He says he will lock Oh in the basement if he causes more trouble. Oh runs after Yi Hyun who walks out.
Moon sneaks out of the room and she picks up the Next pill. She heads over and gives it to Ko who swallows it. She says his wound will heal immediately. She tells him not to bite her even if he is infected.
Next Yi Hyun heads to the 4th floor. Dong Hyun’s father opens the door. He says his wife is fine but asks them to take care of Dong Hyun. Yi Hyun asks if Dong Hyun hasn’t returned yet. His father tells Yi Hyun to tell Dong Hyun to come back if he runs into him. He says both of them are fine. He says a home is a place where you come back when things get tough. Yi Hyun tells him not to open the door to a stranger. Na asks if she should bring them food. Dong Hyun’s father says he needs food.
Yi Hyun notices the lift going up and he presses the button.The doors slide open and Yeon Ok is inside.
Yeon Ok tells Na and her brother to stay away as Yi Hyun is infected. Na’s brother says he is infected too. Yi Hyun says Andrew must be in the building. Yeon Ok says Andrew is dead.
Earlier
Yeon Ok repeatedly hits Andrew over his head with the baseball bat.
Yeon Ok says she wanted to go out to talk to someone in charge of the lockdown but she says there are infected people outside. She says they can wait as they got rid of the murderer.
Yi Hyun asks where Andrew’s body is. Yeon Ok says it is on the roof. Yi Hyun says it is not on the roof. She yells that he is trying to deceive her. She screams that she is not infected, unlike them.
Yi Hyun says it is dangerous to be alone now. She gets into the elevator and goes away. Yi Hyun says her family died and she just needs someone to hate.
Yeon Ok goes to the roof and is shocked to see that Andrew’s body is missing. Yeon Ok is paranoid as she comes to her home. Yeon Ok believes that Yi Hyun is hiding Andrew’s body and lying to her. She states she will kill him if he keeps messing with her.
Yi Hyun, Na and her brother come to the entrance to the parking lot. Na says Andrew and Dong Hyun might have gone out. They freeze when they see the door open. Yi Hyun tells them to stay in while he goes out to check.
Yi Hyun spots Dong Hyun’s car. He finds bloodstains all over it. He knocks on the door and Dong Hyun gives a startled yelp. He starts crying as he sees Yi Hyun. Yi Hyun asks Dong Hyun when he got bitten.
Na’s brother tries to close the door as Yi Hyun brings Dong Hyun. Yi Hyun holds the door open and brings Dong Hyun in. Yi Hyun says Dong Hyun hasn’t shown symptoms yet. Yi Hyun says Dong Hyun will be able to hold out longer if he stays with his family.
Dong Hyun rings the bell to his house. His father opens the door and Dong Hyun apologises to him. He cries as he sees his son. He wraps a towel around Dong Hyun’s wounds and takes him inside.
In 601, Moon is going through Min Ji’s jewellery. Ko says he is feeling better. He asks her to pull out the knife. He asks for another pill before she tries to remove it and she gives it to him. Ko says he can’t go like this and says they should take this house.
Oh is back and he notices that a couple of pills are missing. Moon comes out and tells him that they pulled out the knife. Oh rushes in to check. Ko gets up and tries to kill him. A bleeding Oh screams and pushes Moon over Ko before running out.
Sang-Hee and Kook are trying to solve the password. Kook is worried about the bite but Sang Hee is least bothered. She says they have the password but not a laptop.
Just then, Oh bangs on the door. He says he will give her the money if she opens the door. Kook wonders if he is going to bite them again. Sang-Hee opens the door slightly and asks how much he plans to give her. Oh says Ko tried to kill him.
Oh puts his hand in and Sang-Hee closes the door on Oh’s hand. Oh screams in pain.
As they enter the 6th floor, Yi Hyun tells Na that they have to get Ko out of here as he is in critical condition. Oh comes running at them Yi Hyun raises his bat. Oh loses his footing and falls. He begs Yi Hyun for help. he says he was almost killed.
Moon opens the door and says Oh gave them the Next pills. She says Ko is having a hard time and asks Yi Hyun to get rid of Oh. Oh says he doesn’t want to increase the number of monsters. Oh tells Yi Hyun they are neighbours and he should believe Oh. Yi Hyun says Oh never considered him as his neighbour till now.
Yi Hyun escorts Oh down the corridor. Oh takes his laptop with him. Sang-Hee and Kook watch him.
Everyone is startled as Yeon Ok walks out of the elevator. She exits the elevator. As they all get in she asks where they are taking Oh. Yi Hyun says they are quarantining Oh. He tells Yeon Ok to be careful if she doesn’t want to end up like this. Na sneaks around her and gets into the elevator
In 601, Oh and Moon are trying out all of the watch and jewellery collections in the house. Ko wonders if they should ask the house as compensation. He says they should kill Oh before the lockdown ends. Moon is delighted to hear this. Ko says his wound hurts and she gives him another pill. He says he feels thirsty. Moon is worried.
Yi Hyun returns to 501. Na asks why he didn’t leave with Sae Bom. Yi Hyun says he needs to watch the house till she gets back. He says they went through a lot to get this house as a special provision for civil servants.
Na says she knows he was worried for them. She thanks him as without him they wouldn’t have made it this far. Yi Hyun says he will take a nap and look for Andrew again. He tells Na and her brother to go back home. She says they can help too. Yi Hyun says he could be dangerous. He says Na’s brother is getting better but the same cant be said for himself. Na is reluctant but walks out with her brother.
Yi Hyun cleans the apartment. He finds the walkie talkie under the table it seems broken but he picks it up. He looks at Sae Bom’s photo as he speaks to it, “Sae Bom, are you doing okay? I miss you.”
Present-day
Na tells Sae Bom that they are alive now thanks to Yi Hyun. Sae Bom is overjoyed to hear that Yi Hyun is at home. She asks Na and her brother to stay at home as the lockdown will end soon. Sae Bom takes the stairs.
Sang-Hee comes into the gym. Oh is handcuffed to the closet and a blanket is over his head. Sang-Hee tries to take the laptop but he grabs her hand. Sang-Hee screams.
Yeon Ok comes inside the gym. She has a dumbell with her. She says she will break Oh free. Yeon Ok says they should kill Yi Hyun. She says his wife is gone and he is infected.
Yi Hyun is arranging things in the kitchen when he hears Sang Hee’s voice crying for help.
Yi Hyun rushes outside with the baseball bat. He finds Yeon Ok sitting in the corridor. Oh is holding a knife against Sang Hee. Sang Hee clenches the laptop tight in her hand
Yeon Ok tells Yi Hyun to kill all the non-infected people. Yeon Ok and Oh say they can blame it on the infected monsters. Yi Hyun says Yeon ok and Oh are the real monsters. Oh slits Sang Hee’s arm and pushes her on Yi Hyun. Oh says now they will know who the monster is.
Yi Hyun struggles he tries to keep himself in control. He throws his bat at Oh but Oh ducks away. Yi Hyun pushes Sang-Hee into the stairwell and closes the door. Yeon Ok laughs as Oh runs after Yi Hyun in the corridor.
Yi Hyun runs back in 501 and gets on the couch with the blanket over his head. He groans as his eyes go white. Oh stands outside 501 and urges him to bite everyone.
Yeon Ok screams as Sae Bom comes through the stairwell. She runs at her. Sae Bom holds her and says she hasn’t come for her. Yeon Ok accuses Sae Bom of killing her husband. Yeon Ok says she deserves to be the Apartment representative as she killed an infected person and didn’t get infected. Sae Bom says she will vote for her after Yeon Ok comes back from prison. Yeon Ok agrees and calms down.
Sae Bom finds Oh yelling outside 501. She kicks him hard and he falls to the side. He starts acting rabid and she kicks him in the crotch. He goes silent.
Sae Bom goes inside to find Yi Hyun huddled under a blanket on the couch. She calls out to him and pulls back the blanket. He growls and shakes in response. She says she is back. Sae Bom says she realised when he said that a home depended on whom you are with. Sae Bom says she will stay with him from now on. She asks him to stay with her.
Yi Hyun’s eyes are normal as he slowly looks at her. Sae Bom says, “Whatever you are like, I am okay with everything.”
Yi Hyun sits up and sees Sae Bom smile. She kisses him. She pulls back and he smiles at her. She returns his smile before kissing him again. They hold each other in a warm hug.
Han is on the way to the apartment with his team. Ji soo asks if he is sure about the person with antibodies in the apartment. Han says Shin mentioned that Na’s brother’s wound didn’t get worse or better. Ji Soo asks if he can rely on that and take such a huge step. Han asks since when did they have something to rely on.
Sang-Hee stands outside 602 and begs Kook to open the door. She apologises for putting him through a tough time. She says she got the cryptocurrency.
Kook is messaging Shin. The network is back and he calls Shin. Shin picks up the call and says she doesn’t want anything to do with him. She hangs up.
Kook says something is better than nothing and opens the door for Sang Hee.
Sang-Hee comes in and she is overjoyed that the network is back. They access the bitcoin account. Both of them are shocked to see that it is running at a 98.8 % loss.
Dong Hyun and his parents watch the news. It says that the stock market has crashed all over the world. Dong Hyun’s mother says they will find a cure soon. The father says that the people from the health centre will come soon.
Just then, the soldiers break open the doors and come in. They take Dong Hyun and his parents out with them.
Na’s brother is wheeled out in a gurney and Na runs behind the soldiers. She says her brother is getting better and he is mostly cured. Han is waiting in the corridor. He checks the bite wound on the brother’s neck and it is similar to Sae Bom’s.
Han calls up the commander and tells him that they found a man with the antibodies. He says he is sending him over now.Han say he will take care of Sae Bom and the commander agrees to this.
Han hangs up and tells Ji Soo to take Sae Bom and Yi Hyun to the dormitory.
Ko and Moon are dressed in Oh and Min Ji’s lavish outfits. They refuse to let the soldiers in. The soldiers cut open the door and grab them. They try to take the jewellery with them. They yell that this is their house as they are dragged out.
Yi Hyun and Sae Bom are on the roof. Oh and Yeon Ok are in the tent. Sae Bom tells them to stay here. Yeon Ok asks if Sae Bom will vote for her. Sae Bom says she will and walks away with Yi Hyun.
As they walk onto the 15th floor, Yi Hyun says that they shouldn’t leave Se Hun here. Sae Bom suggests they move Se Hun’s body from the EPS room to his house. Yi Hyun goes to open the door.
Yi Hyun opens the door to 1501 and Andrew walks out pointing a gun at Yi Hyun. Andrew asks where Sae Bom is. Yi Hyun tackles him. Andrew presses Yi Hyun’s bullet wound and Yi Hyun loses his footing.
Sae Bom runs to 1501 after she hears a gunshot. She finds Yi Hyun kneeling on the floor and Andrew holding a gun at him. Andrew tells her to drop the gun. Yi Hyun tells her can take a shot and asks her to take the shot.
Sae Bom notices that Andrew is bitten. She shoots herself in the hand and says this is fresh blood. Andrew lets go of Yi Hyun. He drops his gun as he turns. He runs towards Sae Bom and Yi Hyun shoots Andrew with his gun. Andrew drops dead.
Sae Bom runs to Yi Hyun and pulls him on her lap. Yi Hyun says, “I told You that I was going to be the bad cop. You should stay as the good cop. “. Sae Bom cries as he loses consciousness.
Oh and Yeon Ok walk into the courtroom with their attorney. They wait for the trial to begin.
Seung Young is at the dormitories looking into the night. It looks like he still hasn’t healed yet.
Timelapse
Seo Yoon runs in the Apartment complex and hugs Sae Bom who is waiting for her. Sae Bom says Seo Yoon is strong now. She says they should work out at the gym since all residents are allowed to use the gym now.
Yi Hyun comes from behind and hugs Sae Bom. Seo Yoon says she has plans back home and leaves them.
Sae Bom and Yi Hyun take a walk on the premises. Sae Bom says it has been a year since the lockdown. Yi Hyun says it was tough. She says it was bearable because he was around. They exchange a smile.
Sae Bom asks him how long he has liked her. Yi Hyun says he liked her since the first time he saw her. He asks why she won’t believe him. He says he knew she was his destiny.
She asks if he never gave up and he says that is why he became a cop.
Sae Bom can’t believe this.
Yi Hyun says he thought about going to the States but he couldn’t stop thinking about her saying that he should take a plunge as the future has many options. He says she chose SOU.
She says she had no idea. Sae Bom asks him if he is happy now. He says of course he is happy only if he is with her. He says he is not happy otherwise and Sae Bom laughs as she tells him to stop lying.
Sae Bom starts running as she says the first one will be exempt from recycling duty for a week. Yu Hyun chases after her refusing to lose.
Image Courtesy- TVN
Review
The finale was a satisfying one with an unexpected touch of humour which made it even better.
Oh running around acting like an infected person scaring the hell out of Sang Hee and Kook was hilarious. It didn’t make him any less evil though as he had Ko and Moon in his house in case he got thirsty. For once Oh was speaking the truth that Ko tried to kill him and no one believed him. Judging from the courtroom scene, it looks like Oh is stuck with the very ending that he had tried to avoid since the start of the series.
Yeon Ok lost her mind as she was paranoid and delusional. Sane mind or not she was bent upon getting Yi Hyun killed. Na was roaming around with two infected people (her brother and Yi Hyun) but she was terrified of Yeon Ok who wasn’t infected.
Ko and Moon turned into a different level of evil. It looks like they are capable of murder when luxury and money is on the line.
It was satisfying to see Sang Hee and Kook find out that the cryptocurrency was running at a total loss.
Na has been empathetic since the beginning and she was grateful to Yi Hyun for helping her earlier. The scenes with Na and her brother were fun to watch.
Both Sae Bom and Yi Hyun come across as extremely empathetic throughout the series. Sae Bom guessed that there must be more people with the antibodies. Still, injecting the cure into Seo Yoon’s mother was a noble deed on Sae Bom’s part.
This episode emphasised that love played a major role in overcoming the disease. The infected people who were with their families coped well with the disease.
Yi Hyun continued to keep the apartment safe without giving in to his thirst despite missing Sae Bom’s presence beside him.
Yi Hyun and Sae Bom’s idea to keep the infected isolated proved to be very helpful as Na’s brother turned out to have the antibodies.
Han kept his end of the bargain and did much more than that. It looks like he saved both his wife and child with the second round of plasma. Han acknowledged that he changed his ways after watching Sae Bom. Han’s plan worked out well. He even kept Yi Hyun and Sae Bom away from the hassle by keeping them under his custody and not turning them over to the commander.
Sae Bom assumed that she would find happiness if she got an apartment. After almost losing Yi Hyun she realised that happiness was right beside her all along and she didn’t notice it earlier.
For most of the episodes, the series portrayed Sae Bom and Yi Hyun as the brave and compatible couple who kept the apartment safe. The last few episodes showed the depth of their relationship and it was a great watch.
This drama showcases quite a number of couples with different traits. Sae Bom and Yi Hyun are invested in their relationship far more than any of the couples living in the apartment.
Though it is a marriage of convenience, theirs is a healthy relationship as they respect each other’s differences. They were loyal and protective towards each other from the beginning. It was great that they got their well deserved happy ending.
This series followed a swift pace with not a single dull moment which makes Happiness a must watch drama!
-By Soul Sword-
Series Review
‘Happiness’ is an apocalyptic thriller that follows a group of residents in an Apartment Complex during the lockdown imposed for bringing a manmade virus outbreak under control.
The drama starts with a brief introduction of Yoon Sae Bom and Yi Hoon during their school days. Having missed a couple of years in school due to ill health, Sae Bom has a practical approach towards life.
Yi Hyun is a celebrated baseball player in school but his leg injury prevents him from pursuing his career further. He is dejected at this sudden roadblock and loses all hope for the future. His life changes for the better after a brief conversation with Sae Bom whom he meets on the rooftop of their school. Yi Hyun expresses interest in Sae Bom but she turns him down and they remain friends.
The story picks up many years later and Sae Bom is now a Special Operative Unit’s agent while Yi Hyun is a corporal with the police force. Sae Bom believes that owning an apartment will bring her happiness. But her achievements alone aren’t enough for her to obtain an apartment (reserved for the police force) in a residential complex. She asks Yi Hyun to marry her so that she can avail the newlywed bonus and Yi Hyun agrees. They move into the Seyang Forest Le Ciel Residential Complex as newlyweds. They find owners discriminating against the tenants at the drop of a hat. Most of the owners turn out to be uptight snobs.
Meanwhile, on the work front, they encounter a couple of cases with the viral disease (also called mad person disease).
They meet Lieutenant Colonel Han Tae Seok from the Central Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters and First Lieutenant Lee Ji Soo who are working against time and trying to bring the outbreak under control as the disease has no cure.
Before Sae Bom and Yi Hyun can realise it, the disease spreads like wildfire and they find themselves under lockdown among the troublesome residents and the infected people who are out to get them. What follows forms the rest of the story.
The drama follows a swift pace. The action scenes, stunts and thrills in this series are laudable as all the episodes are sprinkled with them. They make the drama interesting.
Happiness starts with Sae Bom’s quest for happiness. As the series progresses, we see her lose the existing happiness in her life to the pandemic.
The Lytta (Mad Person’s disease) virus causes Rabies like symptoms where the infected bite people in the neck out of immense blood-thirst. The disease spreads through bites or scratches (from the infected) or by consuming a pill called NEXT (which is a failed COVID 19 cure).
The disease shows symptoms only in the later stages. As the series progresses, one can’t help but keep guessing as to who is infected among the residents. Even if the guess is wrong, it just adds to the thrills. The thrills in the series make the drama engaging.
Yoon Sae Bom (Han Hyo-Joo) has a frank personality who tends to use her fists rather than words. She is impulsive and reckless at times, as she doesn’t gauge the situation before acting. She is empathetic and fiercely protective of her close ones. Sae Bom is strong-willed and brave. Immune to manipulation, wrongdoers are worried at the mention of her name. Han Hyo-Joo has done a great job in bringing Sae Bom to life.
Jung Yi Hyun (Park Hyung-Sik) has a level-headed and soothing personality. He is quite a contrast to Sae Bom and is caring and protective towards her. He is a righteous and intelligent detective with watchful eyes. He sticks to his morals no matter what the situation is. He comes across as a selfless character. Park Hyung Sik has carried the role well as he fits easily into the role of the smart and vigilant detective.
Lieutenant Colonel Han Tae-Seok (Jo Woo-Jin) is a master manipulator and a great judge of character as he smoothly gets his way with his diplomatic talks. Han comes across as a shady character in the beginning but the viewer slowly warms up to him. He can often be seen taking the centre stage in the drama with his strategic handling of situations and the higher-ups. Though it may seem like he is caught between the civilians and the higher-ups, Han always manages to get out of situations unscathed. Han plays a vital role in the plot and Jo Woo Jin adds value to the series with his acting skills.
Though Sae Bom and Yi Hyun enter into a marriage of convenience, the relationship between them is genuine. The relationship between the leads grows deep with every passing episode. In turn, they grow on the viewer as a brave and compatible couple. Though their scenes are brief they have great chemistry and all their scenes are a good watch.
Yi Hyun and Sae Bom consider the infected as humans and they humanely treat them. They put their own lives at risk every time they tackle one of them. The couple always has a difference of opinion with Han Tae Seok every time as Han believes that the infected are at a point of no return and considers the infected as monsters.
While watching the drama, one can’t help but draw parallels with human behaviour exhibited during the Covid 19 outbreak throughout the world.
At the start, the residents refuse to believe the existence of the disease. Then they challenge the seriousness of the disease and ignore the warnings issued. Once they realise the seriousness, they ostracise the infected people. As soon as the fear for life starts kicking in, selfishness and hostile behaviour soon follow. The portrayal of gradual change in human mindset in this drama is commendable.
Though there are several residents, a few stand out over the rest.
Oh Joo Hyeong (Baek Hyun-Jin) is introduced as a shady resident from the onset. His doctor’s license has been suspended and he seems to be up to no good. He is loathsome as his behaviour worsens as the series progresses. Baek Hyun-Jin has done a great job in bringing the character to life as Oh gets on one’s nerves whenever he is on screen.
Oh Yeon Ok (Bae Hae-Sun) is the Resident Representative and she is equally annoying. No matter what the situation is, all she is bothered about is getting residents on her side to attain the goal of becoming the apartment representative. Bae Hae Sun has portrayed the condescending Oh Yeon Ok very well.
The series starts with a normal environment in the Residential Complex where the residents are cordial, nosy or unfriendly. As the news of the mad person’s disease hits, the nature of the people also mutates along with the disease. The part where the atmosphere shifts from normal life to survival mode is depicted very well. It is intriguing to see the priorities of each person change as the lockdown progresses.
Tough times bring out the true colours in people. This holds good, especially in a pandemic. This series has a detailed depiction of the dark side of humans. Interestingly the series uses the common folk whom everyone meets day today to portray this. Unlike plots where the antagonists are always people who hold high power, Happiness showcases that evil people need not be powerful. They wreck havoc at every chance they get whoever or wherever they are.
The supporting actors have excelled in their performance. There are a lot of characters in the series. The character sketches in Happiness are noteworthy as one can see a lot of effort has gone into creating each one of them. The writer has made full use of each character arc as they all have ample screen space. This adds essence to the plot. When pushed to the edge, very few remain empathetic and their survival is quite a struggle. Humans pose a greater threat to humankind than any pandemic.
Despite the drama being set in just two places (The apartment and Han’s facility), there is not a dull moment in this12 episode series as the drama is engaging.
One watches the drama expecting it to be an apocalyptic thriller but the various types of human behaviour which forms a major crux of the series was definitely an added bonus. The drama exceeds expectations with its interesting storyline, great execution of the plot and a happy ending which makes ‘Happiness’ a must watch!
Soundtracks
Portrait- Joe Layne
Heaven – Joe Layne
She- Joe Layne
Pain- Issac Hong
-By Soul Sword-
The Writers Room 
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