Summary
Sweet Homeis full of many incredible characters that help to bring its intense story to life. Though the K-drama’s tone vastly changes from its first season to its third, its characters remain one of its biggest successes. From morally ambiguous characters who regain their humanity to those who are not even human at all,Sweet Home’s castgives career-best performances that help elevate its story of monsters versus humans beyond its script.
Sweet Home, based on the webtoon of the same name, is a discussion on human nature. Themes of desire and morality feature heavily in the horror K-drama, which rose to overwhelming success as one ofNetflix’s best K-dramasin 2020. ThoughSweet Home’s second and third seasons couldn’t quite live up to the same acclaim as its first, its characters remain just as solid. As such, there are many characters inSweet Homethat help to anchor the series and make it so entertaining to watch.
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10Dr. Lim
Played By Oh Jung-se
Dr. Lim givesSweet Homean entirely different perspectivethat is not only fascinating but very much needed. Dr. Lim’s callous approach to the human race makes him one of the most interesting additions toSweet Home’s cast, as he puts his scientific curiosity before anything else. His manic tendencies elicit some excellent and albeit terrifying performances from K-drama veteran, Oh Jung-se, who invokes a new sense of danger from a horror-filled environment.
While the addition and focus ofSweet Home2’s new characterswere a controversial choice that steeredSweet Homein a vastly different direction from its first season, the introduction of the scientist was one of its biggest successes. Dr. Lim’s character gave a lot of necessary context to the production of the virus itself, as well as the sheer distaste that Nam Sang-won and the special infectees have towards humankind. Though there is still a lot more thatSweet Homecould have done with his character, he is still one of its most intriguing.
9Seo Yi-su
Played By Kim Si-a
Seo Yi-su is one of the most interesting new additions to theSweet Homeuniverse.As a character who does not appear in the webtoon, she adds an interesting dimension toSweet Homethanks to her unconventional birth as a half-human and half-monster. As such, Yi-su possesses many great powers, including the ability to turn humans into monsters, which becomes more evident inSweet Homeseason 3.
Yi-su’s intense desire for understanding and belonging makes her both dangerous and very complex. Her young age also makes her reckless, and there are instances where Yi-su’s true loyalties remain unclear. However, Yi-su’s growth as a character in such a short time is great to see. Watching Yi-su see her mother die after reconciling is harrowing, butKim Si-a’s performance grounds Yi-su’s unique presence in the series.
8Jung Jae-heon
Played By Kim Nam-hee
Despite only appearing inSweet Home’s first season, Jung Jae-heon’s impact onSweet Homeis profound.Jae-heon is one of theSweet Homewebtoon’s most interesting charactersas a devout Christian and swordsman whose open-minded approach leads to several unlikely friendships, including that with hired killer Pyeon Sang-wook. Kim Nam-hee’s portrayal in the Netflix adaptation certainly does this epic character justice and adds a much-needed dimension to the Green Home residents.
His legacy as one of the best characters inSweet Homecontinues to live on four years after the first season’s release.
InSweet Home’s post-apocalyptic context, Jae-heon’s action scenes are exhilarating. He was the hero the residents needed, as they all desperately wanted to survive. This in turn makes his death one ofSweet Home’s most upsetting, as he truly lives up to his heroic nature and sacrifices himself so that the other residents can live. Despite this, his legacy as one of the best characters inSweet Homecontinues to live on four years after the first season’s release.
7Pyeon Sang-wook
Played By Lee Jin-wook
Lee Jin-wook appeared in all three seasons ofSweet Home, yet his characterPyeon Sang-wook was only a prominent figure in the first season. Sang-wook’s moral ambiguity as a killer for hire makes him such an interesting character to decipher, as despite his horrific acts, his moral code keeps him grounded. Plus, his journey of redemption as he learns to regain his humanity is one ofSweet Home’s best character arcs.
It’s a shame that Sang-wook dies inSweet Homeseason 1, as his character shows a lot of potential. His unlikely friendship with Jung Jae-heon adds a great dynamic to the series, plus his short-lived romance with Park Yu-ri makes their deaths all the more devastating as he dies trying to save her. However, Lee Jin-wook’s return as Nam Sang-won continues to make Sang-wook a hero, as Sang-wook’s returning consciousness ultimately results in Sang-won’s defeat inSweet Home’s ending.
6Yoon Ji-su
Played By Park Gyu-young
Yoon Ji-su is one of the most important characters inSweet Home’s webtoon, and Park Gyu-young’s portrayal of the bassist doesn’t disappoint. Ji-su is both formidable and empathetic, making her a calming yet stable presence in a world so fraught with horrors.Her relationship with Jung Jae-heon is one of season 1’s highlights, as they form an incredible duo that sadly ended all too soon with Jae-heon’s tragic death.
Park Gyu-young’s absence inSweet Home 3certainly left a void in the K-drama. Ji-su’s impact in the first season is undeniable, particularly as she played such a vital role in helping her peers survive in Green Home. This makes her death in season 2 even sadder, asSweet Homeloses one of its best and most humanizing figures. Though her importance in the source material may have been understated in the Netflix adaptation, it’s undeniable that Park Gyu-young’s character is hard to forget.
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5Nam Sang-won
Played By Kim Sung-cheol, Lee Sin-seong, Kim Si-a & Lee Jin-wook
Theidentity of Nam Sang-wonis one ofSweet Home’s most complicated plotlines to understand. However, these intricacies make him a terrifying antagonist.Sang-won bears many faces throughout the K-drama, taking on the personas of Jung Ui-myeong inSweet Home’s first season and then using his abilities as a liquid monster to possess the body of Pyeon Sang-wook in seasons 2 and 3. Though it can be hard to keep track of who he is at times, there is no doubt that his character is one ofSweet Home’s best.
The four actors who portray Sang-won all give outstanding performances that help to make his story inSweet Home’s as grand as it is.
What makes Sang-won such a perfect antagonist is his contrast with Cha Hyun-su. They are two ofSweet Home’s special infecteesand present completely opposite views on humanity. Experimentation causes Sang-won to develop a complete lack of regard for humanity, while Hyun-su’s sympathetic approach is what ultimately saves him from a life he didn’t want to live. The four actors who portray Sang-won all give outstanding performances that help to make his story inSweet Home’s as grand as it is.
4Seo Yi-kyung
Played By Lee Si-young
Seo Yi-kyung is a character that does not appear in thewebtoon the K-drama is based on, yet she makes a huge impact inSweet Homethroughout its three seasons. Yi-kyung’s desire for the truth stops the first season from feeling claustrophobic, as she is one of the only characters who ventures outside of Green Home inSweet Home’s season 1.Her character is also involved in some ofSweet Home’s best action scenes, which brings a much-needed sense of exhilaration to the series. Yet, her progression as a character is one of the saddest.
Yi-kyung’s season 2 and 3 storylines add a devastating depth to her character, as the sudden birth of her daughter completely shatters her morals and finds her torn between loving her child or fearing a monster. Her unjust actions towards her daughter all come from fear and leave her mind in complete turmoil as both a human and a monster. While it was great to see Yi-kyung amend her wrongs and fight for her daughter, her death is a devastating blow to the series.
3Lee Eun-yu
Played By Go Min-si
Like several ofSweet Home’s major characters, Eun-yu’s character goes through a major transformation from the beginning to the end ofSweet Home. Her rebellious and blasé attitude in season 1 makes her an often frustrating character, especially as she often shows disinterest in the events happening around her. However, her quick call to action and steady progression into an entirely different yet equally bold character make her one whose importance cannot be ignored.
The absence of Song Kang inSweet Home 2made Go Min-si’s Lee Eun-yu a much-needed anchor for the K-drama. Though her character soon becomes an outcast, she takes it in her stride and becomes steadfast in her convictions that her brother and Cha Hyun-su are still alive.Go Min-si plays every new twist in Eun-yu’s journey to perfection, while also adding a guarded sense of mystery to her character. While it’s unclear how Eun-yu survives monsterization, it’s a relief that she is one of the few Green Home residents who survive the series.
2Lee Eun-hyeok
Played By Lee Do-hyun
Lee Do-hyun’s portrayal of Lee Eun-hyeok inSweet Home’s first season was one of his career bests.Eun-hyeok is another in a long list of morally ambiguous characters inSweet Home, as he prioritizes the needs of the many over the needs of the few, leading him to make some shocking choices as Green Home de facto leader. However, one of his best dynamics came from his on-screen relationship with his younger sister, Lee Eun-yu.
Lee Do-hyun does an excellent job at introducing the neohumans toSweet Homeand gives an equally restrained but intelligent performance that adds a lot to the complicated lore to the series.
Though initially troubled, the steady warmth and respect they grow to have for one another makes Eun-hyeok’s sacrifice at the end of season 1 absolutely devastating. However,Lee Do-hyun’s surprise return inSweet Home 3provides an emotional but tense reunion for the siblings. Lee Do-hyun does an excellent job at introducing the neohumans toSweet Homeand gives an equally restrained but intelligent performance that adds a lot to the complicated lore to the series.
1Cha Hyun-su
Played By Song Kang
There is no doubt thatCha Hyun-su isSweet Home’s best character. Though many characters go through a big transformation throughout the K-drama, Hyun-su’s is one of the most significant. Initially beginning the series as a depressed teenager who is planning his own death, Hyun-su finds purpose through monsterization as his new-found supernatural abilities allow him to protect his new-found family. Even if they aren’t welcoming at first, the earnest apologies of many Green Home residents have a clear effect on Hyun-su and his future sacrifices.
Song Kang’s portrayal of Hyun-su’s different personalities is excellent. Yet, it’s his human side that makes both the plights of humans and monsters seem more profound. One of Hyun-su’s abilities is to be able to see the humans that have been consumed by the monster virus, which adds a human element thatSweet Homedesperately needs. Plus, Song Kang’s command of the screen in every scene proves that Cha Hyun-su is not only one ofSweet Home’s best characters, but one of his best performances too.
Sweet Home
Cast
Sweet Home follows the story of Hyun-soo, a reclusive high school student who moves into the Green Home apartment complex after losing his family. When a mysterious epidemic turns people into monstrous creatures, Hyun-soo and the residents of Green Home must band together to survive, confronting their inner demons and the horrifying threats outside.
