Korean Drama Spotlight: Happiness

After a long stint with romantic Korean dramas, I watched two horror series back-to-back – one being The Revenant and the other one, Happiness. To be honest, I selected the latter because I had read wonderful things about the chemistry between the lead pair. I was not left disappointed!

Disclaimer: This post shouldn’t be treated as a review because I am far from qualified to give an objective and professional take on cinema. It should be treated as a subjective viewpoint of a cinephile who loves to watch movies and dramas purely for entertainment. I have only one criterion – I shouldn’t get bored. The film will be judged on that factor alone.

What’s It About?

Happiness is not a typical horror or zombie series, as the trailer might make you believe. It’s about a medical drug gone wrong, causing severe side effects, leading the infected to develop zombie-like symptoms.

Thoughts

“Happiness” is anything but happy. It is frightening, frustrating, and emotional. Either the makers were playing games with us by choosing that title or maybe there is a deeper meaning to it (“Be happy today, because tomorrow you might turn into a zombie”). Or, maybe, for them, zombies equate to happiness (who am I to judge?). The meaning is left to the viewer’s discretion.

Supernatural stories often feel artificial, but when the horror elements are scientific, you can’t help but sit back and ponder its possibility.

The series takes inspiration from the recent pandemic, especially the human psyche. I almost wanted to pull my hair out because of the irrational behavior of the residents who wanted to venture out when they were given explicit instructions not to. No one followed the rules. Sounds familiar?

When I set aside my annoyance, I realized this is precisely how people behaved during the pandemic. Many flaunted rules by avoiding masks and ventured out even if lockdowns were imposed in the country out of sheer frustration, ego, loneliness, and desperation. You saw people quick to call out, ostracize, and shame others infected with the virus but were notoriously silent when it concerned their own family members. You see glimpses of these traits (and more) in Happiness, and you can’t help but applaud the reality of it all.

The quiet romance between the leads is not the main plot, but it still makes a mark. Park Hyung Sik and Han Hyo Joo have fantastic chemistry, and I wish they act in a full-on romantic story in the future. The way they have their moments, with that beautiful melody playing in the background, makes it a wholesome treat overall.

I would definitely recommend the series. Streaming on Netflix.

An Ode to Paving Your Own Paradise

I went on the road that I was told not to take,

I did things I was told not to do,

I wanted things I couldn’t want, I got hurt and hurt again;

You can call me stupid, then I’ll just smile

I don’t wanna succeed by doing things I don’t wanna do.
Wings by BTS

I came across the above verse by RM (kindly translated by a Reddit user), and it made me think of my own life decisions. The words resonated with me a lot – taking the path that isn’t the norm because it feels right. It could be a path filled with mistakes, it could be stupid or nonsensical, ridiculed by others, but it does not matter because the path is authentically mine.

I went against the tide when I was young and still am – living as a 40-year-old single woman in a society that emphasizes marriage and having a family is not for the faint-hearted. I am bang in the center of all the guilt-tripping and moral policing, but I still am going strong because there is no other way I would have it.

There are other things I do that aren’t considered ideal, like not being ambitious or wanting to race to the top. I am generally content in life. The new world requires you to be on your toes, aiming for the best always, and be in a constant state of restlessness. That streak was missing in me since childhood. I enjoy the slow life and the calmness and peace that it entails. I knew doing anything else could only result in me being unhappy.

How do we stay true to ourselves when the world wants us to go the opposite way?

They tell you not to live your life through your feelings, but that’s how I have been till now. I do not get into something half-hearted just because it is the norm. It may or may not seem like the best way for others, but it sure as well keeps me sane. It took me a long time to accept this side of me – I spent more than 30 years thinking something was wrong with how I felt. Considering I’m in my 40s, that’s a very short period of me feeling a sense of normalcy.

Don’t do that to yourself. And don’t let anyone make you spend more than 75% of your life thinking you are “weird” or “out of place” or an alien. Your feelings are valid. I don’t think people realize this when they are young because we are competitive and constantly comparing ourselves to others. But over time, you will realize there is only one authentic, wholesome, happy way to live your life – and that’s yours.

Ending with a beautiful song by BTS, titled Paradise. It’s a lyrical video, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the words of motivation:

It’s alright to stop

You don’t need to run without knowing why

It’s alright to not have any dreams

If you have moments where you can feel happiness

It’s alright to stop

Don’t run without knowing where you’re going anymore

It’s alright not to have any dreams

All of the air you breathe out is already paradise

***

Photo by Gabriel Hohol

An Ode to the Two Best K-Thrillers of 2023 (So Far)

As you might already know, I am big-time into romantic kdramas. But as of now, I am on a short break and experimenting with other genres to detox my system from the sugar overload.

I enjoyed two Korean thrillers recently. One is a movie and the other a kdrama.

Revenant

If you are into horror mysteries, this is a must-watch. Kim Tae Ri gives a superlative performance (as usual), but so do the others. No one is out of place. You will find yourself completely immersed in the story, taking in the characters, their miseries, thoughts, and feelings, almost becoming one with them.

Kim Tae Ri plays a food delivery girl struggling to juggle her many responsibilities. She has to work, study, and, last but not least, deal with her reckless single mother, who is a handful in more ways than one. One fine day, she learns that her mother has lied about many things, including her father’s life story. Supernatural events unfold, leading to the discovery of hidden secrets.

The series is fast-paced and lures you in with its many twists and turns. The jump scares are comparatively less (I can only remember one), so that’s a big plus. The horror element is conveyed brilliantly through the character’s subtle change in expressions and body language. Nothing is over the top.

Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

The Childe

Kim Seon Ho brilliantly portrays a quirky killer who is out to get a Filipino-Korean boxer in search of his wealthy father.

The cat and mouse chase was super fun, and it helps that the main lead does all of it impeccably dressed in well-fitted suits. Kim Seon Ho oozes charm in the way he talks and moves. But he also has the most sinister smile. How this beautiful man from Hometown Cha Cha Cha managed to play such a twofold character is beyond me. Like Kim Tae Ri, Kim Seo Ho is perfection.

The movie gets violent at times but will not stop you from completing it. Take it from someone who hates violence and bloodshed.

The Childe is fast-paced, like Revenant, so I highly recommend the two to people with a short attention span (like yours truly). You can catch the movie at a theatre near you.