"Happiness" seems like an odd title choice for a drama about blood-sucking zombies but it actually makes perfect sense. Like most popular zombie/plague/monster invasion stories this drama is less about actual zombies and more about human nature and survival instincts. The concept seems pretty far-fetched when you read it but the way it plays out is pretty realistic. Since we can all relate to how out of nowhere this covid pandemic felt, the randomness of "madman rabies" seems pretty legit and timely. I don't like to add too many spoilers, but I think anyone watching should know at least the basics of what they are getting into. If you're a fan of movies like "Train to Busan" or "The Mist" then you will probably love a lot of things about "Happiness". The story can be a little cliché at times, and more eerie than scary, but what I enjoyed most were the characters, especially the main leads Han Hyo Jo and Park Hyung Sik.

First, I have to applaud Han Hyo Jo as Yoon Sae Bom. If you are looking for a drama with a strong bad@ss female lead you found it and she will not disappoint. Sae Bom is impulsive and hilariously reckless, but her bravery, loyalty, and smarts make her the clear hero of this story. She is matched with Park Hyung Sik as Jung Yi Hyun, who is an equally brave and impressive hero, but it's clear from the beginning his first thought is always the safety of Sae Bom his "lifesaver". Some may wonder if this drama is at all a romance. I would say yes, but not in the way you may expect. These leads have amazing chemistry throughout, from the very beginning, but there are no cutesy moments that distract too much from the main story. Instead, it just adds more depth to their friendship, and higher stakes to what motivates them as a team. Seeing even the small ways they cared for each other made me care even more about them.

The rest of the cast is filled with many over-the-top and duplicitous characters. They are hilarious, and frustrating, and reflect the good and bad in all of us, sometimes to the extreme. I know that everyone would like to think that in a situation like this they would be considerate, responsible, brave, empathetic, and heroic but stories like this reflect what we may not always want to admit, how selfish, greedy, fear-driven, and irrational we all have the capability of being when it comes to our own survival and happiness. Good people may make bad choices. Bad people may save lives. This is what makes this drama fun to watch and hard to predict. You can't always tell what the characters will do or read their true intentions. There are a few clear villains that are fun to hate, but I think almost every character (besides cute Seo Yoon) did something that made me want to yell at them through the screen at some point.

Would I watch this again? Definitely. The story would probably be less exciting the second time around, and some parts of the plot are messy and choppy, but I think it's a great survival thriller with a great, although slightly heavy-handed message about happiness and what makes life worth living. It's also a great bingle length. I was a little sad when it was all over but at the same time, 12 episodes felt like the perfect length. I also appreciated the ending even if it felt rushed.

It's worth mentioning that the soundtrack is really great and compliments the various moods in the plot well.

Overall, this drama surprised me. I wouldn't call it my favorite drama of the year or even add it to my own favorites list but I understand why it's so popular. It's the perfect drama for these quarantine times. It's not too scary, and it leaves you with the perfect amount of schadenfreude reminding us that things could always be waaaaaaay worse. It also humanizes the crazy zombie transformation which made me overlook the cheesy makeup and instead see how we sometimes villainize and ostracize sick/infected people instead of helping and supporting them. "Happiness" also doesn't go too far with gory violence. It's pretty tame, besides lots blood, scary sounds, and some jump scares. It's the perfect balance of genres for a broad audience without being too frightening, too romantic, too melodramatic, or too silly yet I laughed, jumped, felt butterflies, and even teared up at least once. I'm sure this drama will definitely make people think twice about who their neighbors are. It certainly makes me very suspicious of too many empty water bottles... o.O... The premise isn't very original, but it's still effective. Maybe it's time to watch "Sweet Home" next? I never thought of myself as a huge fan of this style of drama but this one left me thirsty for more... in a good way. ; )