'Difficult for zombies to survive in South Korea': Park Hyung-sik on what if outbreak in his K-drama Happiness occurs in real life

Thanks to popular shows like Train to Busan and Kingdom, one can assume that South Koreans are obsessed with zombies. 

But would they really survive if there was an attack? 

Actor and ZE:A boy band member Park Hyung-sik, who plays Jung Yi-hyun in the new zombie drama series Happiness, told AsiaOne that he actually thinks so and that it will even "be difficult for zombies to survive in South Korea". 

"I think there is a higher probability of us surviving because South Korea is a country with active and reserve forces who can fight a war at any time," the 30-year-old shared.

Hyung-sik added that in reality, most South Korean men have learned various types of martial arts and the use of firearms in the military, which would come in handy in the event of a zombie invasion.

Apocalyptic thriller Happiness premiered last month and the 12-episode series is set in a time when the country is recovering from Covid-19. 

When an outbreak that turns people into blood-sucking zombies occurs, residents who live in the same high-rise condo project are sealed off from the rest of Seoul. This leaves them to fend for themselves, which in turn breeds plenty of anxiety and paranoia. 

Yi-hyun is a police detective who fakes a marriage with his high school friend Yoon Sae-bom (Han Hyo-joo) in order to secure an apartment in the condo.

After encountering an infected person at the Special Operations Unit where she works, Sae-bom meets Han Tae-seok (Jo Woo-jin), a lieutenant colonel from the health service command tackling the outbreak.

Though confined to their apartment building, Yi-hyun and Sae-bom are determined to get to the bottom of the infectious disease. 

Hyung-sik added in our interview, if he could choose a friend to accompany him through an infectious outbreak, that person "doesn't necessarily have to be of help" in regards to their survival.

"I will protect my friends and family," he said. 

Woo-jin — who called his character a grey figure who cannot be defined as good or evil — shared similar sentiments to AsiaOne. In such a scenario, he said his first instinct would be to save his family, citing them as "the reason for and the motivation behind my survival". 

The 42-year-old jokingly added that if he were to engage a friend to help him survive, he'd choose someone who has links to the government or someone like James Bond. 

Hyo-joo, 34, said she can withstand an infectious outbreak simply by quarantining herself alone. "I feel that staying as I am will be the best survival skill I can have," she said with a laugh. 

Hyung-sik's time in the military 

Out of the three, Hyung-sik would probably be the most prepared if such a tragic event were to happen as he completed his two-year military service in January this year. 

While some people might dread the idea of serving in the military, Hyung-sik welcomed the experience with open arms. 

"Those were two valuable years for me to look back on myself, while also being a time for me to think about what I value in life," he said.

"I also learned that the freedom that we get to enjoy isn't something natural and at the expense of someone else. It is hard for me to point out which part of me has grown. However, I think that it was definitely a time for me to see life and the world from a broader perspective." 

But out of everything, Hyung-sik's key takeaway from his military experience is the friends he made there. 

"There is quite an age difference between us but I miss my mates who had overcome tough training together with me. I believe that they are now doing their best to live their lives and they have my support," he shared. 

However, as much as he misses his days in the military, Hyung-sik admitted that it feels good to be back in front of the camera. 

"Watching my friends being active in the entertainment scene made me want to be a part of it again."

Catch Happiness on Viu now!

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ALSO READ: Park Hyung-sik, Rowoon, Nam Yoon-su: Who are the K-drama hunks hogging our screens (and hearts) now?

melissateo@asiaone.com