Early Access: Happiness E4

E4. One of the things that has taken me by surprise, is how I don't find the zombies scary, in this show. Not that I've seen all that many zombie shows to compare with, certainly, since I'm a self-professed horror wuss (though that wuss part does seem to be evolving somewhat, to my surprise).

I'm guessing that part of it is my continuing evolution as a drama viewer, and my discovery that I'm more able to tolerate dark stuff on my screen than I'd originally thought. Another part of it, I feel, is the way show portrays the zombies are patients rather than monsters.

I think that's a huge factor that very much affects how I view them, when they show up on my screen. Yes, they're bloodthirsty and they're killing people, but also, they are victims of a mysterious disease, and they can't help it, and they need help - if help can just be had.

The more we know about the victims, before they turn, the more sympathy I have for them. For example, right now, I'm feeling really sorry for the old lady who'd gotten scratched by the lady-doctor-zombie who died. It feels like only a matter of time, before she turns and get viewed as a monster, and that feels so unfair and random.

Certainly, it mostly feels unfair and random when it happens to anyone else, but with the theory that the Next pill is part of the equation, I feel extra sorry for this old lady because she didn't take that pill, and had just been standing in the wrong place at the wrong time - which is when she'd gotten scratched by the lady doctor zombie.

The other thing that feels random and unfair, is how so many people who don't even live in the apartment complex end up getting trapped, just because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can't help thinking that if they hadn't been trapped in the apartment complex, then some of these people, who will likely end up getting infected, could have gone about their normal daily lives - and possibly never gotten infected.

The whole situation really does bring out the question of how to balance taking care of the people at risk, and protecting the larger community from this group of people that's already at risk.

The way the rest of the apartment complex demands to seal off Building 101, because the people in Building 101 are considered higher risk, feels harsh, but also makes some kind of sense. It's all so delicate and contextual, isn't it? If I was in Building 101, I would find this all very unfair, but I was outside Building 101, I'm pretty sure I would feel safer too, if Building 101 were sealed off.

It's tough to be in a position to make decisions, because how do you decide who's more important, if all human lives are equally precious? This thought-provoking bent is one of the things I really enjoy about this show.

On a tangent, I do so love how Sae Bom deals with the forced sealing off of Building 101, by borrowing Jung Kook's gun, and putting it to good use, without batting an eye. I love how naturally badass she is, and how she just won't be intimidated. I have stars in my eyes, just like how Seo Yoon has stars in her eyes.

There's also the element of power and influence, and how that creates unequal treatment of patients.

That Chairman dude is being kept in isolation, but without a face shield, and even though he's chained to the bed, the circumstances are such that he's still able to grab and kill someone, when he's in his zombie state.

The thing that is most startling to me, is how LTC Han is so unbothered by the fact that the Chairman has just killed a man right in front of him. Even though Ji Soo tries to push for some kind of intervention, LTC Han just shrugs it off because the Chairman is just too powerful, and tells Ji Soo to focus on finding a cure instead.

That's really quite disturbing, isn't it? But there's likely more truth in there than we might know, about how the rich and powerful are treated massively differently, than the ordinary citizen.

In terms of the apartment complex, I find certain characters to be especially unlikable, like the doctor murderer, who's trying to do all he can to wriggle his way out of being convicted of his wife's murder. There's also the live-streamer son of the elderly couple, who is such an entitled prick. I hate that he's so rude to his elderly parents, when they need his care and assistance, more than he needs theirs.

Ah, and there's the lawyer guy, who I don't hate so much as find pathetic, for the way he sends his wife to fish for potential clients among the neighbors, when he himself won't go out, for fear of the zombie virus. It amazes me that his wife appears to be blind to his self-centered, self-preserving ways.

AND, there's that lady's obnoxious brother who doesn't even live there, and is trying to do all sorts of things to force his sister to take in his family, just because he thinks she can. Ugh. Such entitled and insufferable behavior, honestly.

Through it all, I'm just so glad to have Yi Hyun and Sae Bom helping to take charge of the situation, and being the no-nonsense, brave souls that they are. Best of all, through it all, we get these precious glimpses of just how important they are, to each other, and I lap those up like delicious morsels of life-giving manna. Slurp.

For instance, this episode, we see that phone conversation from Yi Hyun's point of view, where Sae Bom tells him not to try to enter the apartment complex. We didn't get to see this last episode, but this time, we see that he's immediately very visibly alarmed, when he thinks that Sae Bom might be in danger. Aw. The way his voice goes up several decibels, and his eyes start blinking extra often, say so much about how viscerally he feels this. I love it.

Plus, they are just totally in sync, when it comes to dealing with the various situations that crop up around the forced quarantine. Like how Sae Bom gets doctor-murderer to cooperate with Yi Hyun, by oh-so-casually nudging Yi Hyun to beat him up a little, without letting anyone else see. Hee.

And there's how they step into de facto co-managing the gym dude, without any need for any kind of discussion. They just seem to naturally know how to work together in a symbiotic manner. I love it.

On top of all this, I'm most taken by how they instinctively reach for each other, in times of danger.

Like that scene when they're standing in that carpark lobby, their eyes glued to the outside, because they know that a zombie is about to appear at any moment, and they instinctively hold hands. Eee!! I know, it's possibly not very appropriate to be squeeing when people's lives are in danger, but how can one not squee, when these two are being so wonderful together, so naturally? 🤩

And, not forgetting the little almost throwaway moments, like when Yi Hyun laments having to sleep on the floor, when the day had started so well. Hee. I'm 99.999% sure that he's talking about how he'd started the day getting to hug and hold Sae Bom, but now has been kicked out of their bedroom, because they're now also housing Jung Kook and Seo Yoon.

Speaking of which, I actually really like the scene of the 4 of them going up to the roof to eat together. They look like a little family out for a fun picnic in the sun, and it's adorable.

As we close out this episode, however, it looks like there won't be any more time for fun little picnics like this. From the looks of it, the virus is running rampant among all the apartment buildings, not just Building 101. Nowhere is truly safe now - except Sae Bom and Yi Hyun's apartment. But of course, we can trust our dynamic duo to not actually stay shut in at home, when their neighbors need their protection, right?

Next episode notes will be out on Wednesday, 5 Jan 2022!