Recap Korean Drama "Happiness" Episode 3

Aug 4, 2022

Episode 3 of Happiness begins with alarm bells wailing. Yi-Hyun makes it to Sae-Bom’s location but things are eerily quiet. Of course, the reason for this is that everyone is out back, dealing with the zombie threat on the truck. Sae-Bom and Yi-Hyun, with their impressive plot armour, manage to get hold of Seung-Young in the swarm and bring him to safety. A flash grenade works perfectly to finish things off, knocking out all those aboard the truck and keeping everything contained for now.

It’s a close call and Sae-Bom knows it. In fact, she calls out Tae-Seok and questions just how long he’s going to keep everything a secret for. And just to re-emphasize the point, she bangs on the lorry door.

Yi-Hyun and Sae-Bom head back home, where the pair wind up talking to Sae-Bom’s mother via video call. Only, the loud banging and shuffling from upstairs distracts them. When Yi-Hyun heads up to investigate, Joo-Hyeong and Sang-Hee answer, both looking glum and acting very suspiciously. Yi-Hyun tries to press them on their story but they’re not budging.

Yi-Hyun does some investigating into the strange goings-on in the Unit but doesn’t seem to get anywhere. The story about them taking leave from the dermatology clinic does seem to hold weight.

Sae-Bom, having heard enough when the banging returns later that day, checks on them at the Unit. Noticing blood on Joo-Hyeong’s sleeve, she barges inside and begins looking around. Bloody handprints on the bathroom walls are enough for this slimy man to push her inside. There, she comes face to face with Min-Ji, who has very cleared been turned.

Unfortunately, Min-Ji gets out and as she chases Joo-Hyeong through the hallways, she comes face to face with Seo-Yoon. Thankfully Sae-Bom is there to save the girl, putting a pillow up against Min-Ji’s face. Buying them some crucial time, Yi-Hyun jumps in and manages to stop her.

With the woman contained for now, the rest of the apartment block head out together to pick up disinfectants and all sorts of other bits and pieces to make sure they don’t catch whatever Min-Ji has. It doesn’t take long after this for Tae-Seok to get on the news and report to the nation that this Mad Person Disease is real.

Yi-Hyun, well aware that Tae-Seok is holding Min-Ji at the secret facility, heads over to check up on the woman. Tied down to the bed, she’s apparently a mess inside her head and by the end of the night, does pass away. Yi-Hyun remains determined to figure out who’s responsible for this and heads back to Joo-Hyeong’s place.

Given Min-Ji’s skull was bashed in, and Joo-Hyeong’s golf clubs were originally covered in blood, it looks as if he bashed his wife’s brains in. It would appear as if this disease is just a front, especially as Min-Ji is the one who owns the clinic. Killing her would be advantageous for Joo-Hyeong’s career prospects. Sang-Hee backs up the whole story too, and her testimony is enough for Joo-Hyeong to get arrested.

However, more bad news is on the way. Tae-Seok speaks to Sae-Bom outside and confirms that the pill dealer not only sold the pills to Min-Ji but also to numerous other people in the complex too. The only option left is to contain the whole apartment complex, sealing them off to the outside world.

The Episode Review

Happiness returns this week with a deeper look at the residents inside the apartment complex and the root cause of the banging. It’s perhaps obvious it was going to come down to Min-Ji being infected, especially after seeing her drink water and take pills, but that’s quite the transformation.

The incident aboard the truck at the start of the episode is a little farfetched, especially as no one w as scratched or hurt in the skirmish, but it’s a minor point in what’s otherwise a pretty good hour of TV.

Yi-Hyun and Sae-Bom are a compelling duo though and the inclusion of their romance in the wake of this infection is a strangely enticing prospect. It certainly shakes things up a bit, although this episode does sideline that in favour of rapidly progressing the infection.

The ending does look like we’re settling in for the long haul inside this apartment complex. Whether we’ll get something close to Sweet Home in terms of paranoia and claustrophobia though remains to be seen. For now though, the episode bows out with a promising sign of things to come.