I’m not gonna lie. I avoid zombie shows but I’m watching this drama for Park Hyung Sik.
source: kdramylove2000’s tumblr
So there! Go ahead and bite me.
1. The opening scene hooked me in.
Twelve years ago, his character YiHyun (YH) was depressed because his dream to play baseball ended with a knee injury. He was spotted sitting on the ledge of the school rooftop, and the police and ambulance were called in. The school dismissal was held off until he could be coaxed down from his perch.
One of his classmates, SaeBom (SB), became impatient with the delay and decided to negotiate with him herself. With much aplomb, she joined him at the ledge. The police thought she was his girlfriend.
SB: You have nothing else to do besides baseball?
YH: Of course not. That’s all I did all my life. And I was pretty good at it. And this happened to me. Would you be okay if you were me?
SB: I never did anything in my life, and I’ve been fine.
Unlike him, she wasn’t focused on an ambition or a career. She didn’t see herself as good at anything. Twelve years later, however, she’s the one who’s focused on her career as a specialist in counter terrorism.
YH: It would have been better if I hadn’t done anything.
Meaning, he regretted being so focused on a goal since the time and energy he spent pursuing came to nothing. Twelve years later, however, he was doing well in the police force, but he kept his interest in baseball going.
Note the clothes they wore when they were off duty. He wears baseball gears; she’s a walking advertisement for the “Special Operation Unit” or SOU.
SB: I was in a hospital for a long time so I know. It all becomes just a memory once it passes.
Her stay in the hospital – this is interesting. Her illness (or injury) must have been life-threatening if she stayed away for two years. If she had been given blood transfusion during her hospital stay, she could have developed antibodies which were now useful in fighting off the infectious disease.
YH: But I can’t play baseball ever again. My life is over as I know it. I don’t’ even know what to do with my fut-
He stopped in mid-sentence because he saw her uncaring face.
YH: What about you then? What are you going to do in the future?
SB: I wanted to become a nurse until last week. But I’m considering becoming a civil servant now. I need a stable income to live comfortably, but I keep changing my mind.
YH: See? You’re feeling restless too since you’re two years behind with school.
There. He wasn’t suicidal. More like unsettled and bothered about his future.
SB: No. I’m saying that our future is full of choices. (standing up) It’ll be fine, so just do whatever you want. You have nothing to lose anyway.
She offered him a hand to help him get up. They stood face to face.
SB: Just like me.
With those parting words, she pushed him off the ledge.
He looked shocked at first, but when he landed onto the rescue air mattress, he was smiling. I guess he realized that this unreal moment was as close as he could ever get to literally falling in love. And it was exhilarating experience.
The police negotiator was shocked, too. SB reasoned out that she calculated YH’s fall so he’d land on the mattress, but she was handcuffed anyway. She rushed to talk to YH.
SB: Jung YiHyun, tell him you don’t want to press charges. He’s trying to arrest me.
YH: Hey, Yoon SaeBom. (pause) Do you want to date me?
The dramacool version subbed him asking her, “Do you want to be my girlfriend?”
That’s the opening scene.
Comments:
a. SB’s intervention proves that her workplace psych evaluation was applicable even when she was teenager. Her evaluation said that she was “extremely calm under any circumstances, intelligent and outstanding ability to survive, extreme curiosity is problematic.”
b. SB had no shame asking for YH’s help after pushing him off the ledge. On the other hand, YH showed no sense of self-preservation when he asked her to be his girlfriend after she’d pushed him off.
c. I like how the ending scene of Ep 1 came full circle to his proposal. Twelve years ago, he asked her if she wanted to date him. Twelve years later, she asked him if he would like to marry her.
And the cute part here was that she was observing him walk down the aisle towards her.
It was a role reversal. A bride walks down the aisle towards the altar where the groom waits. Here, it’s SB’s prospective “groom” walking down the aisle towards her.
She has this speculative look on her face. He’s clueless.
YH: Let’s go. I’ll drive you home.
SB: (talking to herself) Right. He was next to me all along.
This tells me two things: one, she has friend-zoned YH since forever. And two, she’s in denial about YH’s feelings for her.
SB: (continuing) YiHyun. Are you seeing someone?
YH: What a random question.
SB: Are you?
YH: No.
SB: Do you snore or grind your teeth?
YH: I don’t think so.
SB: Shall we get married?
Lol.
Her shocking proposal was payback for his.
2. It’s forced cohabitation with an interesting twist.
In addition to Park Hyung Sik, I’m curious to see how this writer will mash up the forced cohabitation trope with the quasi-zombie story. This isn’t like “My Roommate is a Gumiho” where the female lead was in danger from the male lead. The two of them have to protect each other because they’re living with zombie-like neighbors.
SaeBom (played by actress Han Hyo Joo of “W” fame) proposed a fake marriage with YiHyun because she wanted to apply for a housing program offered to police officers. Although she got high marks for service and performance, she was still short of points. Applying as a newlywed would guarantee her the apartment of her (or their) own.
SB: It’s not because I think you’re easy. I…have a dream of living in my own house. That’s why.
They were interrupted by the medical personnel. She offered SB drinks as apology for incinerating her clothes. She snubbed YH’s proffered hand; it wouldn’t surprise me if she had a girl-crush on SB. SB and YH continued their conversation once she left.
YH: (going straight to the point) You’re short on your points?
SB: That is true, but…
She paused because she knew that she sounded like she was exploiting their friendship. She buttered him up.
SB: I’m saying this because I’m interested in you. You’re pretty good-looking, and you’re able to make a good living.
YH: (just stares at her)
SB: Yah. I’m better than you think. Graduating from school two years late is not an issue at all!
Note: this is a noona romance, but I like that the screenwriter doesn’t make a big deal of it. The female lead here isn’t looking for romance on a misguided notion that her biological clock is ticking away.
SB: On top of that, it’s a brand-new apartment. You’ll regret it if you miss this chance.
YH: (still quiet)
SB: Yah! There aren’t a lot of decent people like me out there.
YH: Fine.
Then it was her turn to be silent. She probably thought she had a slim chance of convincing him. I like how the actress Han HyoJoo showed that she had a difficulty swallowing after hearing his answer.
And I like YiHyun’s nonchalance. He wasn’t smug, smirk-y, and (thank goodness!) dimple-y.
She repeated her proposal to make sure he understood. She was giving him a chance to back out.
SB: I’m asking you… to marry me.
YH: I know what you’re saying. I like it, too.
And just like that they agreed to live together.
Caveat: if you’re watching this drama for the love story, I’ve to dampen your expectation. With a crisis at hand, I doubt that the main leads will have time to be amorous. I envision the romantic interludes to be casual, subtle and implied.
Take for instance the scene with the framed photograph.
YiHyun ordered a photo from his colleague, Jeong Gook, to be blown up into poster size. When Jeong Gook voiced surprise that he could remember a photo from 12 years ago, YH simply brought up that he almost died back then. Ostensibly, he was referring to the rooftop incident.
Internally, however, he couldn’t help remembering that he’d just asked her to be his girlfriend at that moment when Jeong Gook took their photograph. Jeong Gook exhorted the teenagers to look at their picture when they were having a hard time and to live diligently.
To me, this scene with the framed photograph confirmed my suspicion that YiHyun has been carrying a torch for her although she has friend-zoned him. You see, he remembers the smallest details about their past while Jeong Gook and SaeBom have forgotten all about the picture.
SB: Hey, you had a photo of us?
YH: Jung Gook Hyung had a digital file of it. So I printed it. You don’t like it?
SB: Well…but you weren’t exactly in a good place back then. Do you like it?
She isn’t indifferent about him. She’s considerate of his feelings, too, and doesn’t want him to be reminded of a depressing phase in his life.
YH: (hanging the picture on the wall) Well, you said the city hall could come out and check if we’re really married.
SB: I guess we could explain why we got married with this.
Meaning, they can use it as proof that they knew each other since high school when she saved him from suicide. After all, on her phone, her ID for him is “I’m his lifesaver.” Of course, anybody looking at the photograph won’t need to hear their backstory. Just from their appearance, it’s easy to assume that they were high school sweethearts.
YH: (agreeing) It’s an intense motivation.
The sub from dramacool translated YiHyun’s comment as, “This is a big reason behind our marriage.”
To me, his remark could mean that they got married because they have a backstory or shared history. But it also could mean that, for YiHyun, at least, he never forgot that he was rejected 12 years ago, when he asked her about dating. His rejection back then motivated him to grab at the chance to marry her now, even if it was just a fake marriage. His rejection is the “big reason” behind his willingness to marry her.
SB: Right, right. It looks like we have story there.
YH: (moves away)
SB: It’s good that I had handcuffs on. When would I ever get to put on handcuffs?
Two things here:
One, she spoke too soon because the following day, she’d be wearing handcuffs while being getting her blood testing.
Two, I thought she was rather innocent. She didn’t get that her comment could be seen as provocative. Handcuffs, especially pink fuzzy ones, are given as gifts at a bachelorette’s party. lol.
3. What’s the meaning of the title, “Happiness”?
For SaeBom, happiness is having her own space. In the beginning, I thought this was a shallow aspiration, but she explained to YH that she grew up in a house, but they kept moving into smaller houses until they ended up in a small basement room. Her parents fought all the time and when couldn’t endure it anymore, she snuck out and slept inside her father’s truck. Having her own space meant
Noteworthy: she moved to an apartment complex called “Le Ciel” which means the sky or heaven in French. She thinks she’s found her happiness in the apartment. Little does she know that her world is going to hell in a handbasket.
As for YiHyun, his reason for happiness is still unknown. It used to be baseball, but he seems to have come to terms with his sports injury.
Most likely, his happiness is tied to her. He’s happy just to be next to her.
4. Virus or Hallucinogen?
There are two schools of thought:
LtCol Han Taeseok believes there’s a variant virus that affects the brain. If the person gets bitten, he either dies from bleeding or become infected himself.
According to him, an infected person experiences extreme thirst. He has yet to discover what triggers the thirst. An infected person also feels less pain. His wounds heal faster, and his heartbeat is slower. Low temperature delays the rate of spread.
He believes that the contagion process is limited. It’s not highly infectious, but it scares people. Thus, the need to study it in secret.
He’s interested in studying SaeBom because she doesn’t display any of the symptoms although she’s been scratched. She could have developed antibodies when she was young and had blood transfusions.
Follow-up question: Is LtCol Han Taesuk a good guy or a bad guy?
For now, I’ll put him in the “good guy” column. I know that kdramas often depict government and military officials as nefarious. But in light of Covid situation, I don’t think this “Happiness” screenwriter would want to sow skepticism and distrust among the viewers by portraying public officials as evil. Most likely, he’ll present LtCol Han as pragmatic public servant. We shall see if my hunch is correct….
In contrast to LtCol Han, YiHyun is skeptical that a virus caused the biting (or mauling) incidents. He believes these are a side effect of a hallucinogen.
His friend, Il Ho, identified the drug as “Next,” an oral medicine for treating pneumonia. He said that there were many antibody research for coronavirus (Aha! That’s how the writer is making this drama topical.) and “Next” was one of them. It was taken quickly off the market due to side effects like hallucinations, mood swings, addiction, and increase in concentration. YH thinks that the increase in concentration is a good thing.
5. What’s this tracking number that YiHyun gave to his colleague, Jeong Gook?
It’s SaeBom’s phone. SaeBom probably doesn’t know herself that there’s a tracking app on her cellphone, and that YH activated it after his first face-to-face meeting with LtCol Han Taeseok.
So YH wasn’t lying to impress SB that he went to the secret military base to rescue her. He really did.
I thought it was cute when he ran up to her. He wanted to see for himself that she was okay.
She jokingly tried to bite him.
Then, it was her turn to worry about him. She thought his unexpected presence at the base meant that he was also bitten. But he bragged that he came to “rescue” her.
I thought this scene was sweet because their concern for each other was low-key and unostentatious.
6. Scare factor?
If you’re a scaredy-cat watching this, you have to be prepared for the director trolling you with scary moments. (The director is the same one who directed “Memories of the Alhambra.”)
Sometimes, he uses the “jump scare.” There’s no build-up to the danger; the scary moment is just lobbed at you like a grenade. For example, a quiet and subdued man suddenly turns into a monster.
Sometimes, he creates a sense of danger like when the camera films SaeBom from her vulnerable side — her back, of course. The camera closely follows SaeBom and we’re left to imagine that a monster is right behind her back. When she turns around and faces the camera, we’re startled by the reaction on her face.
Sometimes, he uses the “reveal scare.” For example, HyunJo looks in the bathroom and behind closet doors, and finds nobody. We’re lulled into a sense of security. Then, HyunJo looks under the bed, and the zombie is revealed to be hiding under there.
Sometimes, too, the director shows blood but we’re spared from seeing the blood gushing from an open wound. This drama is definitely not as graphic or violent as “L.U.C.A.”
I don’t know what your tolerance level is for scary movies, but I’d rate this as “doable” because I kept my eye on this character. I like his understated way of getting the job done.
Yeah @Packmule3!!! I am really happy you are watching “Happiness”!
Here is the first scene you described:
https://youtu.be/4sRcjFjT_vo
Park Hyun Sik is great! I really really like him. He is steady and more mature after his military enlistment.
I also like Han Hyo Joo. She is a versatile actress! I have also watched her in the first episode of Treadstone. As for W, I have enjoyed it very very much!
We shall see where the story will take us!
@packmule3, I hadn’t thought if watching this but your post tempted me. If I can find it on my streaming services, I’m in. I especially like stories where the protagonists knew each other in their youth, where there is a fake marriage for whatever reason(here the need for good housing that I take from watching these dramas is acute in Korea, where young adults still live with their parents, where the semibasement is common and where, like New York, apartments are expensive and smallish). And as a former civil servant, I always like to see how other systems work. Thank you @packmule3 for whetting my appetite. The upside to watching all of these KDramas(and to a lesser extent other Asian content) has been a jumping off point to learn about cultural differences. acceptable behaviors, customs, holidays and so much more. On a superficial level, I have to say that there are so many beautiful and handsome people to look at-and the acting is so good. Thank you @packmule3 for, with this post, opening my eyes to something I might not have considered.
@PM3 – I like the first scene as you described it!!! I did not expect that she will push him! You wanna jump? Wish granted! LOL!!! What sass from the FL.
Will watch this show and then read the rest of your post later. Ciao!!!
Gosh, Park Hyun Sik has grown up well. 🤭
What a great way to get back into dramas after the military!
I know, right? Park Hyung Sik is making me proud.
@Janey, the funny thing was…when they met after she’d pushed him, the schoolmates were cheering them on. (lol)
Just close your eyes during the scary parts. 🙂
@cleopatra,
I liked Han Hyo Joon with Lee Jong Suk in “W.” They made a good pairing.
Let’s see how she’ll do Park Hyung Sik. I saw one gif of them running together in the parking lot. They looked like gazelles. 🙂
Yay! A Happiness post!!! @pm3 How you beautifully put that scene when YH is walking down the aisle! I now look at this scene with a new feeling.
I also like that thinking moment of the PSH when responding to HHJ’s proposal – the actor added some sparks and life to his character. I felt YH is happy, it is up to him this time. Pay back!
A few of my thoughts:
I think YH must be close friends with SB in all these years. Close enough that YH contacted SH’s mother directly twice. SH’s mother is not surprised at all that they are getting married. We don’t know much about YH’s family background. However, there isn’t a big fuss about gaining both set of parents’ approvals for their marriage. We just saw it happened like that.
YH’s concern on his face when he saw SB in the military base told me he loves her. He is also annoyed that SB’s has go through blood tests frequently. He probably is not that subtle. HTS can pick up on this. He bought it up in their early morning conversation in apartment lobby that he helped push the marriage. HTS knows YH – his baseball background and his feelings for SB. Has he tracked YH before?
It’s nice for YH and SB to talk about the home decorations. As if they really are newlyweds. YH is like a supporting husband letting the wife makes all the home decoration decisions. May be – that’s what their Happiness is? The widespread of a killer disease without cure is coming. Insecurity, fear and insanity are the future. By contrast, talking about small things to do in the future, just pure living life as normal, is bliss.
SB is comfortable with YH for sure. Although I feel YH romantic feelings to her are stronger and I am yet to see more from her side.
The speed of YH ball throwing is 141 but I don’t know enough whether that is a good or bad speed. Why show a scene of his ball throwing speed? Is it crucial for some plot development later? Is it saying how good he is, has his performance been enhanced?
I notice at least twice YH acted as a zombie jokingly. She also said she dreamt of biting people. I really hope she is the cure and won’t be a late covert. May be that’s what her blood testing is for – to analyse and work out a cure.
@Viva,
It’s a good thing you brought these things up.
Yes, I like how comfortable YH was around SB:
Calling up her mom, like you mentioned, so her mom wouldn’t worry
Calling her up to tell her that he was going home to start unpacking, and that she didn’t have to hurry home. His colleague joked that he was so “devoted.”
Researching the black noodles restaurant near them bec it was their move-in day.
Fixing their bedroom and organizing their beds and sheets.
Washing the dishes.
Agreeing to sign the contract 10 years from now should the apartment be on the market.
Agreeing to her renovation plans.
Agreeing to work harder so they can afford her renovation plans.
I found this sweet: when she took the box of rice cakes from him to deliver them herself, he told her to *be careful.* 😂 Ha! She’s an agent! What did he think would happen to her while distributing the rice cakes? That she’d get kidnapped?
Also, when she woke up from her nightmare, and their neighbors upstairs were making a ruckus, he asked her sleepily, “Do you want me to go up and talk to them?”😂😂 That was sweet, too. Because the impression here was that if she had said, “Yes, please beat them up,” he would have done so. 🙂
About that “141” kph, that’s fast.
A fastball in the major leagues here could go 95 miles per hour or faster. 90 mph is the starting point for pro pitchers. 90 mph is about 144 kilometers per hour. So yes, YH threw a fastball and he did it easily. 😎 Maybe it’ll come in handy when he has to knock out zombies and there’s no ammunition left. 🤪
How disappointing it was that YH’s pro baseball prospects were dashed by injury, but how unusual that a pitcher would be sidelined by a leg injury, not shoulder or elbow. I’m guessing it happened suddenly, unexpectedly, not a repetitive motion injury, which would seem all the more unfair to a young man who’d envisioned a future in baseball.
Despite his sports injury, YH must be fit enough to get into the police force and pass his annual physical exam. He does say his injury reduces his ability to sprint; I hope he’ll be able to outpace rabid humans as needed.
I like the things here and there that seem common and meaningless that take a sinister turn. I may never again see a character taking a swig out of a water bottle without feeling a touch of dread. And little blue gel capsules will make me shudder.
There’s an undercurrent of social commentary in this show. It seems somewhat critical of the pharmaceutical industry. And what’s with HTS being proud of his ability to steal intellectual property?
When we hear that HTS attacked a CEO, I wondered if he’d taken Next and exhibited rabid behavior. He would have been an early case; if that were the situation for him, his symptoms haven’t progressed at the pace seen in others. I’ll watch him carefully to see if other symptoms show up.
HTS is working from the assumption that the rabid behavior is caused by an infectious disease which is contacted through an open wound: a bite or a scratch. YS is working from the assumption that the behavior is caused by taking Next. I’m wondering if it could be both, that taking Next lowers resistance to the infection.
There are many references in this drama to the COVID pandemic: mask wearing, working from home, suited on top with pajama bottoms, not shaking hands, mention of quarantine, etc. The opening credits artwork showing floor after floor of people inside their flats, separated from each other and the outside world, that resonates. Empty hallways and idle exercise equipment also strike chords. Those images seem antithetical to happiness. We’ve already heard SB sigh, “It’s tough to become happy.” She also reflects on the stressful housing situations she endured in her youth, “I wished I had my own space. Entirely my own space. I’m almost there.” And then she speaks a line that reflects many people’s fears these days, “Earth can’t go down in ruins like this.”
I want to point out another detail: when the people are hit with the full force of the mystery disorder, their backs arch. This is similar to what is seen in people with tetanus. This show presents it as a momentary seizure, but back muscles remain contracted in victims of tetanus.
I only bring this up because I think it shows the creators of this drama did some research on infectious diseases before deciding the symptoms of their mystery ailment.
Thanks @pkml3 and everyone for your thoughts. I’ve not being paying attention to what replaced Yumi’s Cells, and jumped in only today. This Show is a real change, but nice.
Although it’s a thriller, I found it entertaining in a non-thriller way ie it wasn’t scary entertainment but fun entertainment, which might seem incongruous.
I was trying to see which year we are supposed to be in, but the banner and signs in Ep 1 and 2 artfully had no year on them. Assuming that we started in 2020/2021 and that it’s 12 years later, I’d guess we are in 2032/2033. I’m wondering though, why we are not told what year it is.
I liked the poster of the 3 leads on the stairs. They are heading up slowly while everyone else is running down. They are resolutely on an uphill battle instead of taking the easy way out. Yoon Sae Boem and Jung Yi Hyun obviously make one team, while Han Tae Seok is on his own. He lets them take the offensive while he offers backup, or he lets Sae Boem bulldoze her way ahead to clear his path. However while they climb, their eyes are trained on something beyond the glass wall … us?
Here’s the BTS of the poster shots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhYoi1cuzCs
Park Hyung Shik seems to have put on a little weight but looks fine. I first watched Han Hyo Joo in that very long ago Spring Waltz and of course later in W as well as in a short YT or webdrama. She’s enjoyable to watch. And I’m pleased to see Sec Kim of Goblin (Jo Woo Jin) playing a bigger role in this show. He does the dead-pan ‘nothing-can-shock-me’ look so well.
@Fern I concur about him growing up well. He’s looking fine. So…not too much gore? Hubby watched Kingdom and I was behind a pillow in the gory segments. 😬
Ok! This is my kdrama now. I’m watching it because of PHS too. I’ve never watch any of HHJ but she’s good here. I might even watch W as well after this. What a way to get back into it, LOL. A little scary but I can always close my eyes when they bite. LOL! Thanks for the rundown. 🙂 I felt that you wrote no. 6 especially for me. 🙂
Count me in. Watched episode 1 and yes, I like this friendship of more than 12 years. I don’t mind if it doesn’t have the full blown romance, the little sweet things like asking if you’re ok is good enough.
@Packmule3,
Kalimera! Now I have to find that gif…LMAO!
Kalimera Ladies!
I am really glad that we are going to watch this together!
Everyone brought things I wanted to write down so I will focus to the symptomps of the virus.
1. You feel extremely thirsty and water doesn’t ease that.
2. The person who is infected loses the colour of his irises.
3. Their front teeth are changing.
4. The feel like they are in a dream like state, that is their conscious mind is not operating when their rabies symptoms hit.
5. They don’t feel pain.
6. Their wounds heal quickly.
7. If you are scratched or bitten you get infected too.
8. Yoon Sae-Bom and Lee Seung-Young was scratched almost at the same time.
9. Sae Bom is clear so far from the virus.
10. Lee Seung Young was infected within 24-48 hours.
Further Notes:
As it seems Park Min-Ji from #601 is infected. Her husband Oh Joo-Hyeong seems to know it. That’s why there was ruckus during the night. Also, he had a mistress under their bed! If I am correct, his wife killed the mistress and the husband covered the murder. The thing is how much does the husband know? Is he responsible for the pill Next? Is this a coincidence?
Bonus: Here is the song that we heard during that fall:
Joe Layne: Heaven
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6TBiRhK34E
Here is the song featured in Episode 2:
Joe Layne: She
Just watched Ep1.
NOTES
– We’re in 2023. Date stamp is the lab report for SB that the Colonel guy was looking at. It was specifically for a Lytta virus that he was looking for. And she was negative. 2023 is listed there and the report was dated 2023-09-14
https://i.ibb.co/WkzH1CN/7-C5-B75-A5-4-E60-41-DF-8190-BFFB4-A1476-E2.jpg
– COVID is controlled/managed but there’s another infectious disease (Lytta virus) that they are looking at.
https://i.ibb.co/Wcn1ktq/3314-D00-A-E7-C6-41-AF-9-BBD-D402-C60-DCCD8.jpg
– the blue pill (NEXT) was used as a pneumonia treatment during COVID. It didn’t work but it’s still being circulated. I think it works like an amphetamine. Think Sudafed. It works as a cold pill but if you take enough of it, it works as a stimulant. Authorities had to regulate the sale of Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) because it is used illegally to cook up Methamphetamines. Horrible stuff. Causes hallucinations. Highly addictive. Amphetamines were actually used in war (https://time.com/5752114/nazi-military-drugs/) to increase alertness (before the deleterious effects were known)
https://i.ibb.co/Sfq9LXN/E7-E26717-8987-4-FD9-8-FBC-3-AF2-F46-CB77-B.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/5G16m85/D6066-C26-A6-B2-47-DA-B340-D9373-BDEACC1.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/f23fss5/BFB4-EFBB-477-B-4-F25-A448-65-D5-BE2-EC56-A.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/4mZvXYm/FDE126-FF-2-F41-469-A-B061-441-B474-DCF6-A.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/r7qCf1Q/F53-EDCCA-9-B5-D-41-DB-BC78-702587-BB7-B2-C.jpg
– I get the feeling SB’s hospital stay when she was little has something to do with why she’s not infected. Maybe the treatment she received provided protection somehow. Or the illness she caught offered crossover protection to this new virus.
– zombie bits were a bit gross but the leads and their clever banter make up for it. Both so cool and level. I would be freaking out if faced with someone trying to eat me 😬
I had to move away a bit from the monitor while watching episode 2 with the scene in the refrigerator truck. 😂
How many times did YH say yes to SB when she was saying the things she wanted to do in the apartment? He’s cute. 😁
YH’s policeman friend gave him away with his comment of ‘I’m happy for you, you got this far’. 😊
I’m hoping too that the Colonel will not be a bad guy. I liked the way he teased YH about him getting married to SB because of him. 😁
@agdr03,
I skipped through both refrigerator truck scenes. 🤪 There were two, right? I knew that he was doing something dumb for his wife’s financial security after his death. And that’s all I need.
Did I miss anything else?
I think that actor is just a special guest/cameo so his character will die soon anyway.
Ha! YH’s colleague was happy for him that he got “this” far. But then LtCol Han implied that YH only got that far thanks to him. Without LtCol Han’s meddling, and encouragement, SB wouldn’t think of marrying anyone.
Funny how the two men knew that YH was in love with her but she’s clueless.
No, that was pretty much it. I had to close my eyes too when the infected one dropped from their space. 🙈 Yes, that was a given about money after he talked to the reporter.
I think SB is really focused on her ‘happiness’ that she didn’t think of having any relationship at all. I hope the young girl will stay safe for the whole 16 episodes. 🤞🏻
Does she have the same sickness that SB had when she was young, I wonder?
Thanks, @nrllee! Good eye! So we’re in 2023, and it’s the Lytta virus.
Yes, same here. I said that SB’s stay in the hospital back when she was in 2nd grade probably set her up. If she received blood transfusion(s), then she would have developed antibodies to fight the “foreign” red blood cells transfused into her body.
Her red blood cells will view the new red blood cells as “foreign” invaders and defend against them by producing antibodies. (Where’s “Yumi’s Cells” at? We need a webtoon perspective.)
The LtCol is interested in her antibodies, her natural immunity, because if the military can duplicate and manufacture it, then the zombie/rabies drug can be weaponized in a bio warfare.
YH also had a hospital stay. Maybe he didn’t need blood transfusion though. I think it’s interesting that LtCol had his eyes on him even before this whole incident happened.
Yes, I like the deadpan humor of the lead characters esp LtCol Han. It makes the scary mutant scenes bearable.
Wait. I’m not sure if it’s 16 episodes. Viki listed it as having only 12 episodes.
Huh? Don’t tell me they’re going to have Season 2 as well???
Yes. I hope the young girl stays alive.
Hahaha sorry, I assumed there’s 16 episodes. 😂
Thanks, @GB. I didn’t even know that LtCol Han was in the poster with YiHyun and SaeBom.
Yes, I like the actor Jo WooJin. I like his voice. 🙂 I get him confused though with that Sigma actor from “Sisyphus.”
LOL @pkml3 Both the Sigma actor (Kim Byung Chul) and Lt Col Han (Jo Woo Jin) were in Goblin together. And yes, I too almost get them confused except that I saw Kim Byung Chul again in Pegasus market so I was clear about whom is whom.
Kim Byung Chul played the Villain ghost of the evil Advisor, Park Jung Heon. I kind of like him in the Shows I’ve seen him as well. Full of gusto in whatever evil or crazy role he’s given.
Yes, please not too much gore or I’ll have nightmares.
@GB talking about Sisyphus. The LtCol’s name is Han TaeSeok (I thought it was Han TaeSul when he was called) 😂.
Ep2 gore is…😬. I am not a fan of the scare and zombie faces…eeek… the refrigerator truck was… a ffwd moment.
@packmule3 I agree about the little girl… the mistress under the bed… is probably done for…
So thus far… it looks like the drug Next starts the process and it can be transmitted via a bite/scratch? There’s also a LyttaVirus involved somehow? Maybe Next is one of those drugs which actually has fragments of the LyttaVirus which was used to combat COVID? But it failed. There were other enhanced effects of the drug (increased concentration) which led to misuse after it failed as a COVID treatment.
@Welmaris,
Before LtCol Han fired his gun at the zombie drug addict, he had a flash image of a female zombie in the hospital. This might be a stretch but I’m guessing that she was his wife who became infected due to “Next” that he stole. It would be cosmic retribution, right? He stole the drug that would later cause the illness of beloved family member.
Yes, there’s a class divide. That’s inevitable in housing regulatory practices where certain number of units are allocated for low-income. The haves vs the have-nots, and the not-in-my-backyard mentality. I get that. 🙂
Nobody in gated communities would want to have a shelter, trailer home, or public housing even in a small corner of their neighborhood.
The mistress under the bed!! 😂😂
She scared me too. She crawled out like a zombie, too. Did she leave her undies under the bed??! I wonder who’s going to get killed first. The mistress or the wife?
I want to know what will happen to the Neighbor from the 15th Floor. The one who ordered an SOU Tshirt, size Large. 😂😂
The refrigerator truck? I wonder who among us actually watched those scenes. But I was dismayed when SB’s colleague called her from inside the truck to warn her that “they’re not human.” 😟
@pkml3 would you be as cool as YH if you saw that man under the bed in Ep1? Sure he didn’t have the zombie eyes and crazed look but his face was covered with blood? He was as cool as a cucumber when he told his partner to look under the bed.
I jumped at zombie in the car trunk 😬. It does look like just 12 eps. I don’t know if I will sign up for more. I am hoping it’s finished by Ep12. No S2 please. Much as I like the intrepid duo I am not so enamoured by their ghastly foes…
@Cleopatra,
🙂 You aren’t alone now watching this show.
Regarding the symptoms…
I like how LtCol Han had bottles of water on the table like a “final test” to see whether SB was infected or not. Lol. From now on, I’m going to keep an eye on who’s drinking more water than usual.
Incidentally, when a person gets infected with rabies, he develops hydrophobia due to his difficulty in swallowing. Here, it’s the reverse. The infected person has an insatiable thirst.
Hmmm… if they’re going to quarantine the whole apartment building, they better monitor the water supply.
Thanks for listing the songs.
@nrllee, I wouldn’t have been cool because I would’ve been furious with the first officer who didn’t secure the area. 🤣 The killer could have gotten away because of incompetence.
But I gave that scene a pass because I know the director and writer weren’t going for realism here. At the very least, the first officers on the scene should have checked the room thoroughly, including bathroom, closet, under the bed, etc. for more victims.
Why was YH doing it himself?
YH probably wasn’t scared bec he was in narcotics (right?) and was used to dealing with druggies.
The zombie in the car trunk… I was expecting that but it still gave me a fright when it popped out.
Do you go to haunted houses? I used to get dragged off to haunted houses during Halloween. The feeling is the same: I know when and where the monsters are going to jump out, but foreknowledge just makes it more suspenseful.
@pkml3 not on your life. Haunted House is a no go zone for me. I only go for It’s a Small World type rides 😂. And I tolerate the Jurassic Park type rides too but I steer clear of Haunted houses. My imagination is far too vivid. I avoided vampire movies and horror flicks when I was younger. That is until vampires became cool and hip and sexy (ala Twilight). 😂
@Packmule3,
I am happy that you are all watching it. We can discuss more about it!
I remember that the Episodes are 12.
If I was him, I would propably do the same, if I had his medical and field knowledge.
I think I read that there is going to be an outburst in the whole city and in the building consequently. Are they going to secure the water supply? I want to see how they will do that.
I was thinking in the morning, what is the underlying message in this play.
I mean you lose your conscience and you are becoming a monster. Afterall, Lytta Virus is happening after CoranaVirus and I agree with all the posters who commented something about it.
So, what does it really say?
Is humanity losing its humanity and should be aware?
Are we really happy? What is happiness for us – the audience- ?
Should we be more alert on what makes us happy? Are we “thirsty” about something?
You are welcome. I was curious about the songs and I Shazam’ed them!
Joe Layne is an indie Korean songwriter and I like his sound!
Wait, what?? You haven’t been to Disney’s Haunted Mansion? Not in Tokyo, HongKong, or here in the US? 😂😂😂 Are you serious?
It’s nothing scary!
I recommend you read the guidebooks. There are some Disney guidebooks (or maybe there’s a YT clip?) for spoilers so you won’t be surprised. For some, when they know what to expect and they can visualize the scary part, they mitigate the fright factor.
You’re safely ensconced in an armchair as you glide from one room to another in the Haunted Mansion. Nothing/nobody will lunge or grab at you. It’s all visual. The armchair might tip a little or puffs of air will blow behind you for simulation but no ghosts will come up to an inch of your face and scream.
By haunted house, I meant the attractions with live actors. ☠️🧟♀️ 😂
Thanks for the details @nrllee. So we’re supposedly just past Covid in 2023.
Random Thoughts
It was curious that the school kids were not interested in the fact that Yi Hyun was sitting on the rooftop. Was it such a common occurrence that no one cared? He said he was up there to get some air.
They must either have got a whole bunch of very limber actors who can bend backwards so far as ‘zombies’ or it might be special effects. I was impressed by the back bends.
There are so many who are sick, therefore it must have been going on for a while, but it’s so well hidden that neither Sae Beom nor Yi Hyun had ever heard it was going on.
I wonder how the neighbours to Room 209 knew about the death of the front desk staff since the door (Room 209) was closed and the ‘zombie’ was under the bed. They could only hear screaming. They’d only be able to report the death if they had opened the door and seen the body.
It’s cute that Det Kim Jung Kook, who on the school rooftop, promised Yi Hyun he’d get him a place in the police force, kept his word. And not only that, they became partners, and although he’s the sunbae, he does the running around for/accepts orders from Yi Hyun who asks the questions.
When Sae Beom stayed that one night in the facility, we are shown that every room had zombies who where behaving violently by themselves in their own rooms. It was as if it was a simultaneous outbreak of them going crazy. These were supposed to be those in the early stages of the disease.
Questions: How can those ‘zombies’ in the refrigerated trucks/containers survive just lying there in the dark, unmoving? They didn’t seem to be strapped in. Couldn’t they have attacked any personnel who entered the container?
The zombies were calm lying there by themselves ie they did not consider each other ‘human’ and did not want to ‘drink’ from each other, but when Partner Lee entered the container, their thirst awakens and they attack. I’d understand it if he was not infected and so maybe his blood ‘smelled sweeter’ or something. But was he already infected by the scratch? If infected, why was it that he aroused the zombie thirst while zombies did not try to devour each other?
Secure water supply is top priority.
Secure toilet paper supply is next. 😂😂 I’m sure you heard about Americans hoarding toilet paper during the early days of COVID.
I’m not sure about the message of the drama yet. We’ll find out more tomorrow. It airs on Friday and Saturday, right?
I need more romcoms now.
@Packmule3,
You are not alone in the toilet paper supply. Everyone does! LMAO!
Yes, I just checked it airs every Friday and Saturday!
Of course we will find out sooner or later!
Good news are that: “The Red Sleeve” airs tomorrow as well!
Check the C-Drama “Fall in Love” ! I am impressed by Chen Xing Xu! I have already watched up until Episode 6 and today Episode 7+8 become available on Viki!
As for “Melancholia”, it aired yesterday and I have read a comment that is not what we thought it was. I have to ask my friend who watched it about it!
P.S. I forgot to write that also “Now, we are breaking up” airs tomorrow…
Kalí méra my agapimeni @Cleo,
Thanks for the songs and for listing the symptoms of the infection. One more that we found out about in Ep 2 is that the more advanced the disease, the less time the patients are lucid. They also seem to be able to survive in very cold conditions, and they become less and less ‘human’.
I guess Lee Seung Young knew he was going to get infected, because he was hovering nearby when Han Tae Seok spoke on the phone while Sae Beom was being taken to the military facility. He’d avoided going home to see his wife, and had planned to secure money from the reporter for a video exclusive, before he went into zombie mode.
If he does get a video out, it’s going to panic the public.
I don’t know yet what the message of the Show is, but I was thinking that it’s a pity, that after the tragedy of Covid, class divisions were still being adhered to, just the same. If anything could have been a great leveler of status, it is disease and death. The virus does not care what type of house one lives in.
Annyeong,
Thanks for this @PM3. i just read your OPENING SCENE impression and it made me want to continue watching and finish the first episode. 😆 will have to come back to this thread and finish reading your first impression and everyone’s comments after i finish episode 2. haha
Just watched the first episode, thanks to reading @packmule3’s post. I’m hooked. I think this drama will serve as a commentary for all manner of social ills as well as a reflection on the COVID epidemic. So far,as a drama, I like the back story, full of teen-age angst and bravado. I also like a strong female hero. Anecdotally, I think we see a lot more everyday female heroes in K Dramas than in all of the Marvel and comic con universes, and their superpowers are their brains and hearts. I also think that it will have more important things to say to us than Squid Game.
I don’t know the lead actors. They are well known in S. Korea. To me, they’re quite impressive. I also think they’ll have lots of physically taxing work to do. Another reason to look forward to their performances given the fact that K Drama production companies are not known for their easy working conditions. I hope they get lots of food trucks…
The reason for the zombie patients being kept in the refrigerated trucks, and the reason the AC in the zombie dorm was kept so patients felt chilly, is that lowering their body temps slows the progress of the symptoms, per that army nurse. The patients in the refrigerated trucks have infections that are more advanced. It could be that they were awakened by the infected SOU officer because his body was warm, and he was making noise. The zombies were brought out of their stupor by his passing warmth (heightened sensitivity being another symptom?) and driven to action by their thirst.
Even though I usually avoid zombie shows and the horror genre in general, I’m watching the whole thing so you can ask me to break down scenes you fast forward through. I’m also thinking I finally need to watch Train to Busan so I can catch meta references to that iconic movie in this show.
So far we’re only given a small hint about our FL’s childhood hospital stay. You may have something there about her early treatment making her immune. True c story, during the height of the HIV epidemic in the late eighties, early nineties, I knew a woman who was married to a man who was subsequently diagnosed with and died of HIV. She had been set up with this young man who was known to be closeted (unbeknownst to her). She never became ill and she gave her blood to be tested for antibodies. The story was tragic but the upside is that she ended up helping the science. This drama replicates what is actually done.
@pm3,
i completed reading your first impressions. have not finished the first 2 episodes though coz i’m at work haha. i didn’t mind the spoilers. but… i agree with you – i’m watching this for PSH 💙 i love him (in Bong soon and Suits especially) – and his acting, of course. i love his face – even though it looks a little chubby here. life is good (military service/covid hiatus) 😁 He’s eye candy 🍬 it’s good to watch him again. even though it’s a zombie-ish show. will read BOD comments next 🙂
“Questions: How can those ‘zombies’ in the refrigerated trucks/containers survive just lying there in the dark, unmoving? They didn’t seem to be strapped in. Couldn’t they have attacked any personnel who entered the container?”
@GB, I think they were in refrigerated trucks to slow the progress of the disease? The lady medic said the only thing they could do for patients that were bitten was to slow the progress of the disease. Lowering their core body temp is probably what they are doing to slow the disease (putting them in a coma perhaps?). They took pains to highlight water dripping out of the truck that SB’s friend was in. Then the camera panned in on the temp 4C in the truck. It should be lower than that for freezer temps? The ice was melting. And I guess that’s why the patients started to wake up and turn?
I think they are harvesting antibodies from SB’s blood? The machine they hooked her up on was taking blood from her? Presumably, they take the plasma (which has the antibodies) and returns the RBCs to her. Like the monoclonal antibodies they are using for COVID treatment.
@Welmaris, Train To Busan is well worth the watch. It has its zombies and great cgi, but the story behind it is very affecting. There is an excellent cast. Gong Yoo is quietly heroic. Jung Yu-mi doesn’t disappoint. The little girl, played by the precocious Kim Su-an will break you heart (S.Korea has some of the best child actors-not a smarmy one in the bunch). But I think Happiness takes place in a whole different level. You don’t get much discourse about the disease in Busan-it’s more of a reaction movie. Happiness seemSee Train Tos to be a thriller as well as a mystery. I think they’ll be able to explore more of the origins and possible cure in the lon form series format than in a one shot movie. However, I would recommend the movie as a stand alone as it is also fast paced and for someone who is not a fan of the genre in general, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
@packmule3, I’m adding my voice to tell you The Haunted Mansion is not scary at all. It is funny and clever. No screams but definite laughs. It should not be confused with attractions like Bates Motel (Psycho scare the sh…out of me and I still curse Hitchcock for it). If you go back to Disney, give it a try.
I am not a big fan of things like slasher movies but I never met a vampire I didn’t like. I even was a teen stalker. There was a TV soap opera, Dark Shadows, that was based in New York. I loved the actor who played the vampire, Barnabas Collins; Jonathan Frid. At the time(ancient 1960’s) one could look up actors in the phone book. I found out he lived in Greenwich Village and I staked out his house. Lucky for him I got bored quickly when he didn’t appear. So I left. A bit of trivia, he lived on the same block as Dustin Hoffman( he didn’t appear either). I’m happy I never went further. My teen fangirling ended up by my waiting at stage doors after Broadway shows. My best autographs ended up being Frank Langella and Diana Rigg-still have them.
Anyway, not a general fan of the scream genre but find Happiness to be more than horror and will happily watch and read the very informative BOD posts…
Thank you for responding, my dear @nrllee. I was asking how the zombies could survive. I was thinking that humans in 4 degrees centigrade? would have perished. However, if it’s true that they are ‘no longer human’ the temperatures slow the disease, but the disease enables them to withstand the cold.
The irony: the last human thing that sunbae Seung Yeong did for Sae Beom was to call her and tell her that they were not human.
I feel you’re right about HTS harvesting antibodies from SB. That’s why they want her blood every two weeks.
@Welmaris, yes it’s plausible that Seung Yeong changed the temperature in the truck by entering it and so woke up the zombies (and their appetites).
I’m thinking, probably in this zombie show, one should enjoy the overall story without nitpicking too much. 😬 😑
@OAL Thanks for your anecdote on the HIV case and your review of Train to Busan. I’m also not one to watch when knowing full well there’ll be people eating other people. I think that after watching Gong Yoo in Goblin, reacting (with much screaming) to the Train to Busan, I might actually find myself laughing at the scary parts.
I’ll be looking out for the social ills that this show may be commenting on.
I like that Han Tae Seok is not like the scientists/evil guys in L.U.C.A. who experimented without conscience, and who kept wiping out their staff when it was more convenient. He is conflicted but steadfast in what he feels is right. Of course what he feels is right is not entirely obvious yet, although he does seem to want to find a cure and not to just bury the zombies.
@GB don’t get me started on cryogenics. I do think the human body can withstand low temperatures for a while. Think about people who fall into icy ponds and are then revived later. Yes there are limits to this but I think these patients just have a high pain tolerance but they aren’t exactly “undead” like zombies are. They can be killed. LtCol HTS killed the zombie in the trunk. So I surmise the freezer holding cells are meant to slow their metabolic rate enough to sustain life and hopefully keep them in that suspended state until they find a cure?
But it is interesting that they don’t turn on each other? Like in the refrigerated truck. Or do they? 🤔 They seem to seek out uninflected people to transmit the virus to.
Thanks for the recommendation! I’m hooked (to the detriment of my studies)!
Besides the evident themes and tropes of class divides, playing god, best friends to cohabiters to lovers, I hope they will not use the usual tropes of evil conglomerate/government coverups or nobly idiotic self sacrifice. Given that there’s so much fake news influencing vaccine hesitancy, it would be nice if there were no conspiracy theories, and instead have the government, organisations, and people pulling together to fight the zombie apocalypse, which may have resulted due to a confluence of random factors (e.g., honest mistakes in the lab meeting weird environmental factors) rather than a conscience-less big bad causing it in their chase for profit. While it’s always interesting to explore the issue of sacrifice for the greater good, let’s have a happy ending where the people we like survive!
Kalimera my agapimeni @GB Unnie!
Yes, we should add this symptom in the list as well!
I believe Lee Seung-Young knew it that’s why he was not picking up the calls from his wife. Since he talked with Sae Bom, he was aware that there was a time frame before his transformation. That’s why he did all those dangerous things. He had nothing to lose. I have to say though, regarding his cut, it was closed fast, but I would prefer if the mark was fading altogether!
I agree with you. Class division continues to exist and people became more arrogant than before. As It seems, Humanity didn’t learn that in front of doom and gloom we are all the same. Which is a pity. I agree with you here…
Kalimera Doengsaeng Cleo! I’m glad that we are watching this Show together.
It’s airing pretty late (because of the scare factor, it’s outside of family viewing time) tonight so I guess I’ll not be able to watch with subs until tomorrow morning.
@GB Unnie,
No worries. I will propably watch it tomorrow as well.
Last week Viki subbers were a bit late. We shall see!
I do hope you are okay!
Hi my dear Doensaeng Cleo, I’m very well, thanks for asking! How about yourself?
Over here, up to 5 ‘same-household’ members can eat together in restaurants, so I’m thinking about whether I can gather my busy family for a meal.
I’ve decided to do some stuff that I’ve been procrastinating. Therefore I’ve become voluntarily more busy. I think I’ll keep to watching just 3 Shows a week (plus 1 thorough Rewatch) to keep from burying myself under.
I even finally downloaded my public library’s mobile app today and borrowed a book using my phone. I knew about this, but never even tried to do it before. So now I’ve also got a book to read!!! Even more busy LOL.
I always try and watch the shows that are an actors first since returning from military. First, just my way of saying “good job doing your duty. See, your job is still waiting” and second because I feel like the actor is more motivated to pick something impressive. Sometimes it’s a total bust and sometimes and sometimes not.
VIKI has surprised me on some shows being so quick with subtitles but unfortunately they are really lagging for this one.
I finally watched both episodes mid week and was pleasantly surprised. I’ve never seen this actress in anything but she seems to be an amalgamation of the DDSSLLS actress and the actress in Sisyphus. Not too pretty and not too tomboy-ish. I like her motivation and bravery but I hope she doesn’t act stupid—like getting in the face of the infected. I actually LOL-d when she pretended to bite his neck.
I really like his character. He seems like a thinker/planner, so it’s no surprise he’s frustrated with himself for not having a backup plan if baseball ended. He’s only trying to come up with a new game plan and they’re all thinking he’s suicidal.
He’s good-looking, capable and confident in his work. I also like the way he keeps a good balance of caring for SB, but not being annoyingly overprotective. I think his facial expressions and mannerisms when he communicates with SB are so perfectly nonchalant. when he was “yes-ing” her every suggestion, it didn’t come across as either boredom or complete submission. Also glad he doesn’t overdo it with the puppy dog looks.
@nrllee 🍪🍪🍪🍪 on 2023 catch-I definitely missed that.
I’m looking forward to finding out what this drama is trying to say about govt, media, and corruption.
Do we know for sure he was a true senior that year? Or did he fall behind too because of baseball? I need to go back and rewatch the first episode. I do know he already knew who she was when she came on the roof. Had he already had a crush on her?
Are they claiming to be married or did they legally get married? I would imagine they would’ve had to.
Annyeong,
just wanted to say that i did like the shot of PHS dropping from the building. just like @PM3 said, it’s like him “falling in love” – i like that.
when SaeBom pushed him off… i was half expecting her to go down with him. really. coz she was brave enough to go up there and chat with him haha. it would have been cool – it’s like both of them ‘falling in love’ together right??
i was also thinking that if i were SB, i probably would hesitate to say YES to his proposal (to date). like “is he serious?” then the fact that they didn’t just means that he never really pursued her seriously. like “courting.” if he was really serious right?
if i were YiHyun also, i probably would not do anything coz the fact that she didn’t say Yes may mean SB doesn’t like him? that explains why they are not in a serious relationship and in a fake marriage, instead. still water runs deep. it may not look much on the outside, but deep inside, they’re really meant for each other. can’t wait til they realize this and both of them make a confession to each other 💕 and hope they stay alive, of course 🙏 haha
@birdie007, Thanks for giving us a new way to watch K Dramas-the first drama post military service. It is interesting to see whether time away improves acting or if the actor is rusty. It kind of reminds me of women returning to work after maternity leave-takes time to reacclimate.
In general, I like this drama on many levels;as a commentary on Covid, as a commentary on how hard it is to afford a home in Korea(fake marriage to get a decent apartment), as a police drama, the horror story, the class conscious angle(bifurcation service-no gym for renters who were not owners) and the possibility of a romance(if it doesn’t happen, no problem).I also don’t know the leads but I like their acting-they are both very natural and believable as regular people. I’ll definitely follow this drama.
For romance I’m watching, Now We’re Breaking Up-the first episode has one of the best steamy scenes for K Dramas. It was done mostly in shadows but for kiss/bed s scenes it is well worth watching. I also like the opening credits. The first episodes have great production values.