[Drama 2023] Hapiness Battle, 행복배틀

[larus]

Lee El Receives Mysterious Gift From Park Hyo Joo After Meeting For 1st Time In 18 Years In New Drama “Happiness Battle”

Drama Preview

May 31, 2023

by E. Cha

 

 

ENA’s upcoming drama “Happiness Battle” (literal translation) has shared a sneak peek of the tense reunion between Lee El and Park Hyo Joo!

“Happiness Battle” is a suspenseful new thriller about a group of influencer mothers locked in a fierce “battle for happiness” on social media. When one of them dies under mysterious circumstances, a new battle begins—this time between those who wish to cover up a secret and those who wish to uncover it.

Lee El will star as Jang Mi Ho, who enters this world on a quest to go digging for the truth, while Jin Seo Yeon, Cha Ye Ryun, and Park Hyo Joo will star as the influencer mothers competing against one another.

Notably, Jang Mi Ho has history with one of the mothers—Oh Yoo Jin (Park Hyo Joo)—and in newly released stills from the drama, the two women meet for the first time in 18 years. The tense atmosphere as Jang Mi Ho and Oh Yoo Jin gaze frostily at one another suggests that the two might not have parted on the best terms, raising the question of why they’ve chosen to reunite after so long.

After sliding a mysterious gift box across the table towards Jang Mi Ho, Oh Yoo Jin immediately gets up and leaves the other woman behind. Later, Oh Yoo Jin stands outside holding Jang Mi Ho’s gift with an offended expression, piquing curiosity as to what could have been inside the box.

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

The producers of “Happiness Battle” praised both actresses, remarking, “Lee El and Park Hyo Joo portrayed in fine detail the complex emotions of Jang Mi Ho and Oh Yoo Jin as they met for the first time in 18 years. Although they greeted each other warmly on set, as soon as we started filming, the two actresses would immediately disappear into their characters’ emotions in the blink of an eye. Seeing that, the entire staff was impressed.”

They went on to add, “We hope you’ll look forward to the whirlwind of a story that begins with the meeting of these two women in ‘Happiness Battle.'”

“Happiness Battle” will premiere on May 31 at 9 p.m. KST.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1590769wpp/lee-el-and-park-hyo-joo-meet-for-1st-time-in-18-years-in-new-drama-happiness-battle

[larus]

Premiere Watch: Happiness Battle

by missvictrix

 

Time slot: Wednesday-Thursday
Broadcaster: ENA
Genre: Mystery, thriller, suspense
Episode count: 16

 

Reasons to watch: Summer’s suspense-thrillers are starting to come in, and ENA’s latest is first on the list. Happiness Battle features a female-strong cast of Lee El, Jin Seo-yeon, Cha Ye-ryun, and Park Hyo-joo — but rather than have each others’ backs, these ladies are locked in a fierce battle for happiness. That is, each of them is competing for the most perfect life on social media, and it sounds like there is no line they won’t cross in order to have the perfect life. But of course “perfect” in social media terms is all about perception, not reality, and our ladies are in for a wild ride when a mysterious death arrives in their midst.

 

TL;DR: Female-led cast fighting their happiness battle on social media

 

https://www.dramabeans.com/2023/05/premiere-watch-happiness-battle/

 

 

'Happy Battle' with a mighty lineup

 

https://biz.chosun.com/entertainment/enter_general/2023/05/31/FDSKUUWVLBJNM3MQAFIHWPEVAY/

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

[larus]

Genie Music, ENA drama 'Happy Battle' OST released... Son Seung-yeon, first runner

 

 

[E-Daily Star in Reporter Yoon Ki-baek] Genie Music's self-produced ENA new tree drama 'Happy Battle' OST Part 1 'Behind' sound source will be released on the 1st of next month.

 

‘Behind’ is the opening song that is inserted in every episode of the drama. It is expected that the repetitive guitar riff and intense yet dreamy charm will increase the level of immersion in the drama. 'Behind', which captures the overall atmosphere of the play, was written and composed by Heo Chan, a composer from the same team as music director Lee Kyung-sik. Son Seung-yeon, the ‘luxury vocalist’, was in charge of singing.

 

https://m.edaily.co.kr/news/Read?newsId=01193926635614496&mediaCodeNo=258&utm_source=https://www.google.com/

[larus]

Meanwhile, the new ENA drama Battle for Happiness premiered with a decent nationwide viewership of 0.70%. 

The K-drama tells the story of rich mothers fighting a social media battle to secure their happiness at the cost of theirs.  

Battle for Happiness casts Lee El, Jin Seo Yun, Cha Ye Ryun, Park Hyo Joo, and Woo Jeong Won, among others. The drama is directed by Kim Yoon Cheol. 

 

 

When and where to watch the K-drama Battle for Happiness?

Episode 2 of Battle for Happiness will air on June 1 (Thursday). The K-drama streams on Prime Video for international fans. 

 

https://mydramalist.com/article/the-good-bad-mother-breaks-into-double-digit-ratings

[larus]

"The Good Bad Mother" and "Battle for Happiness" Set New Records

by Lily Alice, June 2, 2023

 

Meanwhile, the recently-premiered  ENA drama Battle for Happiness also soared to its highest viewership of all time. After premiering with an average nationwide rating of 0.70%, the mystery thriller achieved an average viewership of 0.92% for its second episode. The average rating of the drama for its premiere week is 0.81%. It marks a decent start for the ENA drama. Hopefully, the show will continue to climb to new heights. 

 

 

When and where to watch the K-drama Battle for Happiness?

Episode 3 of Battle for Happiness will air on June 7 (Wednesday). The K-drama streams on Prime Video for international fans. 

https://mydramalist.com/article/the-good-bad-mother-and-battle-for-happiness-set-new-records

[larus]

Happiness Battle: Episode 1 (First Impressions)

by solstices

 

How far would you go to maintain your reputation? Pride, power, and perfection take center stage amidst the cutthroat competition of elite mothers — winning is everything, until the pretenses come crumbling down.

Editor’s note: This is a first episode review only. To chat about the drama as it airs, please visit the Drama Hangout.
 
EPISODE 1

 

We open on a hauntingly grotesque scene of a bloody hand, from which a USB falls several stories to the ground below. It isn’t clear what has happened or who was involved yet, but as the paramedics arrive on the scene, we hear a nosy neighbor gawk that “one of them” must have survived.

Rewinding back to before the incident, we’re introduced to our three high society moms through a social media montage. There’s OH YOO-JIN (Park Hyo-joo), fashionable mother of two adorable daughters; SONG JUNG-AH (Jin Seo-yeon), the CEO of her own company; and KIM NA-YOUNG (Cha Ye-ryun), who brags about her doting husband at every opportunity.

 

In contrast, our protagonist JANG MI-HO (Lee El, yay!) is living a much humbler life as a bank employee. Together with her coworker LEE JIN-SEOB (Sohn Woo-hyun, double yay!), Mi-ho is tasked with screening applicants for a giveaway event. That’s how she comes across Yoo-jin’s name on the list, and it clearly rattles her.

The perceptive Jin-seob quickly catches on that there’s history between Mi-ho and Yoo-jin, and he’s not wrong. If Mi-ho’s photo frame and Yoo-jin’s photo album are any indication, the two used to be childhood friends — until it all ended in high school.

Through Mi-ho’s flashbacks, we see recollections that paint a picture of a nasty falling-out. From the looks of it, Mi-ho seems to have been the victim of school violence — and either Yoo-jin was the perpetrator, or she did nothing to stop it.

 

Even without this added layer of mystery, there’s more than enough tension in the air. Our three moms are perpetually locked in a passive-aggressive battle to come out on top — each one is determined to outdo the others and secure some social media bragging rights.

The latest topic of contention is the upcoming school play, and naturally everyone wants their child in the lead role. That means our moms go to extreme lengths — whether that’s Yoo-jin secretly cutting up the custom designer dress that Na-young had tailored for her daughter, or Jung-ah revising the script in favor of the prince so that her son Min-sung can shine.

 

Amidst all the covert scheming, though, lies one more variable. That’s fellow mom HWANG JI-YE (Woo Jung-won), who leads a considerably less privileged life than the rest. It’s clear that the other moms look down upon her — but while Ji-ye may not have the resources to secure opportunities for her daughter, she’s certainly resourceful.

Suspecting that Yoo-jin lied about her daughter having a peanut allergy in order to force a do-over audition and snag the lead role in the previous school play, Ji-ye deliberately orders a dish with peanuts for the kids’ playtime snack. That effectively exposes Yoo-jin’s lie, planting the seeds of doubt in the other moms’ minds.

Having nursed an inferiority complex all this while, Na-young jumps at the chance to drag Yoo-jin down from her pedestal. Jung-ah’s a little more patient — recognizing that they need concrete evidence in order to properly tarnish Yoo-jin’s image, she’s been biding her time. Now, they have ammunition, and the other moms are more than ready to back them up.

 

Meanwhile, it’s back to work for Mi-ho, who’s forced to reluctantly call Yoo-jin as part of her assigned tasks. However, Yoo-jin doesn’t recognize her at all — not by her voice, nor by her name. The axe forgets, but the tree remembers. Deciding to confront Yoo-jin, Mi-ho dials her again.

By now, Yoo-jin has finally remembered who Mi-ho is — and just the thought of her showing up is enough to have Yoo-jin quake in fear. Terrified that Mi-ho will dredge up the incident from years ago, Yoo-jin tries to seal her lips with a hefty cash bribe.

 

Of course, Mi-ho isn’t having it. She chases Yoo-jin all the way from the cafe back to her apartment complex, refusing to leave until Yoo-jin comes down and takes her money back. It’s enough to send Yoo-jin into a tailspin — but when it rains, it pours. That’s the exact moment that the horde of angry moms arrive, ready to call Yoo-jin out for her deceit.

Trapped in the web of her own lies, Yoo-jin panics. She can’t let the moms find out about her ugly past with Mi-ho, and she can’t let her husband find out about all her deception. Thinking fast, she calls Mi-ho up to her apartment — but that just means she’s stuck in the hallway with Mi-ho next to her, the moms on the other side of the door, and her husband and children one room over. To make matters worse, the cash spills out in her brief tussle with Mi-ho, strewing the evidence of Yoo-jin’s guilt all over the floor.

 

I didn’t think I’d care much for Yoo-jin coming into this show — I am a Lee El fan through and through — but she’s a lot more compelling than I initially thought she’d be. Perhaps it’s the way Park Hyo-joo is playing her, but Yoo-jin is almost sympathetic, in a pitiful sort of way. Her methods aren’t excusable in the slightest, but there’s this desperate edge to her actions that makes her feel very human. It makes me wonder if she’s experienced falling to rock bottom with nothing to her name — to the point that she’ll now do anything to keep up her carefully-curated image of being the best, because she’s terrified of losing it all.

It’s almost sad how self-absorbed these mothers are — they’re raising their children not as individuals in their own right, but as extensions of themselves. Yoo-jin wilfully turns a blind eye to her daughters’ interests, pushing them into enrichment classes against their will. (And does anyone else get the feeling that she favors one daughter over the other?) Meanwhile, Ji-ye is bent on securing a fair opportunity for her child, but she doesn’t care about the other kids she might be harming in the process.

Also, it was already apparent from the drama’s first poster, but this show is so beautifully filmed — every shot feels deliberate and artfully designed. Those flatlays feel like they were taken right out of a home decor magazine! The tasteful cinematography makes the drama feel as polished as our leading ladies’ social media feeds, crafting an aura of elegance while hinting that all is not as it seems. The show has been doling out subtle details so far — for example, both Mi-ho and Yoo-jin are left-handed — and I can’t wait to find out what role they’ll play down the line.

 

https://www.dramabeans.com/2023/06/happiness-battle-episode-1-first-impressions/

 

[larus]

After achieving its highest viewership of 0.92%, the ENA drama Battle for Happiness dropped to a rating of 0.82% for its third episode. The drama commenced with an average nationwide viewership of 0.70% and has observed a decent improvement in domestic viewership since then. Hopefully, the upcoming episodes will bring increasing popularity to the show. 

 

When and where to watch the K-drama Battle for Happiness?

Episode 4 of Battle for Happiness will air on June 8 (Thursday). The K-drama streams on Prime Video for international fans. 

 

https://mydramalist.com/article/the-good-bad-mother-continues-to-lead-with-double-digit-ratings

[confusedheart]

 

NEW EVENT!

 

Quick Poll - A K-Drama Addict's Guide to Popular Korean Words and Phrases!
 

So how many words have you picked up since you started watching K-dramas?  Find out by taking a short quiz. Vote for the words you are inadverently using in your daily conversation with your non K-drama watching chingus and driving them crazy. Let us know how you fared. 

 

 

 

re: Your friendly neighbourhood EO team 

 

@confusedheart @partyon @agenth and @Sleepy Owl

[larus]

Bae Seul Gi to Appear in "Battle for Happiness,” Causing Commotion Among the Mothers

by lo_ve, June 12, 2023

2 0

 

Bae Seul Gi will be joining the ongoing ENA K-drama Battle for Happiness.

On June 12, it was revealed that actress Bae Seulgi will be making a special appearance in the thriller mystery K-drama Battle for Happiness. 

Battle for Happiness tells the story of mothers who are engaged in fierce social media battles to bring down each other for their happiness. 

The ongoing K-drama is being led by Lee El, Jin Seo Yun, Cha Ye Ryun, Park Hyo Joo, Woo Jeong Won, and more. 

 

Bae Seul Gi will play the role of Lim Dae Eun. She will cause a big commotion among the mothers. In particular, she will have a confrontation with Lee El's character Jang Mi Ho and Jin Seo Yun's character Song Jung Ah. 

Battle for Happiness is the latest work of director Kim Yoon Cheol who also helmed the K-dramas Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter, Woman of Dignity, Que Sera, Sera, and My Lovely Sam Soon. 

The episode where Bae Seul Gi will appear will premiere this week. The upcoming 5th episode will air on June 15 at 9 PM KST. The K-drama is part of ENA's Wednesday and Thursday timeslot. Global fans can watch the series through the OTT platform, Amazon Prime Video.

This will be the follow-up project of Bae Seul Gi after starring in the 2023 K-drama Oasis led by Jang Dong Yoon, Seol In Ah, Choo Young Woo, Hyun Seung Hee, Do Sang Woo, and Jin Yi Han. 

Bae Seul Gi made her acting debut in the 2004 K-drama Full House. Since then, the actress has starred in various K-dramas such as Emperor of the Sea, The Greatest Love, Unemployed Romance, Golden Tower, The Flatterer, Still Loving You, Risky Romance, Amor Fati, and more. 

 

https://mydramalist.com/article/bae-seul-gi-to-appear-in-battle-for-happiness-causing-commotion-among-the-mothers

 

[liyahsbutterfly]

Looks like I'm the only camper here. Just started watching it, very interesting so far...

[Gaia2u]

....not the only camper, the drama has turned out better than I expected, and I really like the lead actress and that even the most messed up moms are multi-dimensional 

[liyahsbutterfly]

1 hour ago, Gaia2u said:

....not the only camper, the drama has turned out better than I expected, and I really like the lead actress and that even the most messed up moms are multi-dimensional 

 

I love morally grey characters. I'm glad that k-dramas are experimenting with them more, Penthouse really set a standard in thriller/suspense dramas. Also, is the lead actress the antagonist? A villain protagonist?

[larus]

“Miraculous Brothers” Joins 1-On-1 Ratings Battle With “Battle For Happiness”

TV/Film

Jun 29, 2023

by S. Kim

 

 

JTBC’s new Wednesday-Thursday drama “Miraculous Brothers” has joined the ratings race!

According to Nielsen Korea, the premiere episode of “Miraculous Brothers” garnered an average nationwide viewership rating of 2.953 percent.

“Miraculous Brothers” is a mystery drama about Yook Dong Joo (Jung Woo), an aspiring writer with tons of debt who is searching for the truth, and a mysterious boy named Kang San (Bae Hyun Sung), who has unique powers. The drama is the 11th collaboration in 24 years between director Park Chan Hong and writer Kim Ji Woo.

Meanwhile, episode 8 of ENA’s “Battle for Happiness” scored an average nationwide rating of 1.979 percent, seeing a slight increase from its previous episode’s rating of 1.7 percent.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1597284wpp/miraculous-brothers-joins-1-on-1-ratings-battle-with-battle-for-happiness

[larus]

"Battle for Happiness" Park Hyo Joo's Death Mystery, Sets New Record for Highest Viewership

by Hazel Jung, June 30, 2023

 

 

The 10th episode of ENA's Thursday drama Battle for Happiness (written by Joo Young Ha, and directed by Kim Yoon Cheol), which aired on the 29th, introduced another mystery related to Oh Yu Jin's (played by Park Hyo Joo) death, intensifying viewers' interest. As a result, the viewership rose to 2.734% (based on Nielsen ratings in the capital area), breaking its own record for the highest viewership once again. The peak viewership reached 3.47% per minute.

On this day, Jang Mi Ho (played by Lee El) deduced that Kang Do Jun (played by Lee Kyu Han) had perverted tastes based on a post presumed to be written by Oh Yu Jin on an anonymous online forum and information collected from a secret gathering of the fathers at the Herenity English Kindergarten. Furthermore, Mi Ho finally discovered Do Jun's video in Oh Yu Jin's "Pandora's Box," and this fact left Ji Yul frustrated, knowing that she had seen the video as well.

However, despite Mi Ho's confirmation of the video inside the USB belonging to Oh Yu Jin, Kang Do Jun confidently stated that it was something he had agreed with Yoo Jin to cover up. Moreover, he blamed Mi Ho for Yu Jin's death and shocked her by revealing that Yu Jin's last words to Mi Ho over the phone before dying were, "Die. You're terrible, just like you are. I wish you were gone. Please die."

To determine whether Kang Do Jun's words were true, Mi Ho opened the "Mi Ho" folder in "Pandora's Box." Inside, she found a document filled with malicious accusations against herself. Deeply hurt by Yu Jin's writing, expressing how regretful she was for the time they spent together, Mi Ho broke down in tears, feeling despair.

 

 

Meanwhile, the downfall of Song Jung Ah (played by Jin Seo Yun), who reigned as the queen of Herenity, also attracted attention. Just before the investor presentation that she staked her life on, videos of her younger brother Song Jung Sik (played by Seo Byuk Joon) involving drugs and assault were spread online. Completely devastated by the betrayal of her secretary Han Joon Gyeong (played by Yoo Hyun Jong), who she had trusted unwaveringly and had taken care of all sorts of cover-ups, Song Jung Ah, who had always exuded confidence, broke down in tears, leaving a strong impression on the viewers.

In the final moments of the episode, the suspicious activities of Kang Do Jun, who embarked on an investigation into Oh Yu Jin, were depicted. Kang Do Jun visited a place called "Marilyn" and showed Yu Jin's photo to a madam, referring to her as "Mother." Furthermore, Mi Ho, who arrived at Yoo Jin's house after packing her belongings, discovered an unknown key along with a note saying, "Your life is at stake," inside a mysterious package, adding to the viewers' curiosity for the next episode.

Meanwhile, the ENA Thursday drama Battle for Happiness airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9PM KST.

 

https://mydramalist.com/article/battle-for-happiness-park-hyo-joo-s-death-mystery-sets-new-record-for-highest-viewership

 

 

 

[partyon]

 

cr. gm4queen

 

Who had the worst makeup in a kdrama? Let's vote!

 

 

 

Your Event Organizers

[larus]

“Battle For Happiness” Heads Into Final Week On New All-Time Ratings High + “Miraculous Brothers” Rises

TV/Film

Jul 14, 2023

by E. Cha

 

ENA’s “Battle for Happiness” achieved its highest viewership ratings yet ahead of its final week!

On July 13, “Battle for Happiness” rose to a new all-time high with just two episodes left in its run. According to Nielsen Korea, the latest episode of the drama scored an average nationwide rating of 2.770 percent, marking a new personal record for the series.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1600580wpp/battle-for-happiness-heads-into-final-week-on-new-all-time-ratings-high-miraculous-brothers-rises

[confusedheart]

Hey chingus!  

 

 

 

Hey Barbie, Let's Party! 

Let's take a walk down the memory lane with Barbie with our new event.  Share your memories associated with Barbie and don't forget to tell us which actor and actress would be the most suitable for a Korean version of the Barbie movie? 

 

re: Your friendly, neighbourhood EO Team 

 

@confusedheart @partyon @agenth and @Sleepy Owl

[larus]

“Miraculous Brothers” Ratings Return To All-Time High As “Battle For Happiness” Ends On Rise

TV/Film

Jul 21, 2023

by E. Cha

 

 

ENA’s “Battle for Happiness” has come to an end!

On July 20, the mystery thriller drama enjoyed an increase in viewership for its series finale. According to Nielsen Korea, the final episode of “Battle for Happiness” scored an average nationwide rating of 2.6 percent, marking a modest rise from its penultimate episode the night prior.

 

https://www.soompi.com/article/1602043wpp/miraculous-brothers-ratings-return-to-all-time-high-as-battle-for-happiness-ends-on-rise

[larus]

[2023 Year in Review] The real husbands of dramaland

by Unit

They are charismatic, they are dramatic. They are possessed with a glib tongue and the ability to lie without blinking. They know how to work a suit and can charm your pants off. They are: The Real Husbands of Dramaland.

When I think about male characters in a K-drama romantic setting, my mind primarily goes to the swoony — and very much single — love interest who’s coming to charm the pants off the female lead. Or the pitiful second lead who’s always one step behind. Husbands are definitely not at the top of my mind. But this year, somehow, I kept noticing them. Maybe because a number of them had similar characteristics — which we’ll get into soon enough — but yeah, 2023 was indeed the year of the husbands. We had the good, the bad, and the ugly. And without further ado, let’s dive into some of the featured husbands in dramaland this year.

 

6. The men of Happiness Battle

 

Kang Do-jun

We’re a happy couple on social media, but my wife and I hate each other to death.

As her husband, Do-jun was on the suspect list for his wife’s murder — and for good reason! Manipulation and blackmail were his bread and butter, and this scoundrel topped it all with his infidelity. It’s one thing to cheat, but it’s another thing to take out your sexual insecurities on younger girls. It’s one thing to act out your fetish, but it is literally the worst thing to be careless enough to leave the videos where your elementary school daughter can find — and watch — them!

I get that Do-jun hated his wife — who wasn’t even a good person, by the way. But approaching her “barely legal” daughter (from another relationship) as a sugar daddy was not the payback he thought it was. It’s just criminal. And as to who killed his wife, well, I won’t spoil that. But you can always guess who did.

 

Lee Tae-ho

A man needs a woman who’s obsessed with him, a woman who’ll fool around with him, and a system to prevent both women from running into each other.

I know this drama revolved around the wives, but there was no reason for Tae-ho to have nothing else going for him in the plot other than being a cheating RickRoll'D — who like his predecessors above, didn’t have the decency to fool around outside his social circle.

 

Jung Soo-bin

I love my wife the most, but I secretly admire other women from a distance.

Soo-bin was the wimp husband married to a richer and older lady. His brothers-in-law always disrespected him behind their sister’s back, and he had my sympathies for that. But then he started to act suspiciously and it turns out that he had a lil something for Do-jun’s wife. He didn’t pursue it, but, jeez! In the whole of this drama, how can we not have one decent husband!?

https://www.dramabeans.com/2023/12/2023-year-in-review-the-real-husbands-of-dramaland/