Sweet Home (TV series)

Sweet Home (Korean: 스위트홈) is a 2020 South Korean apocalyptic horror television series starring Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, and Lee Si-young. It is based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Kim Carnby and Hwang Young-chan, which recorded over 2.1 billion net views.

Sweet Home
Also known as	Sweet Home 2 Sweet Home 3
Hangul	스위트홈
Revised Romanization	Seuwiteuhom
McCune–Reischauer	Sŭwit'ŭhom
Genre	Apocalyptic[1] Horror[2] Action[2] Fantasy[3]
Based on	Sweet Home by Kim Carnby      Hwang Young-chan
Written by	Hong So-ri Kim Hyung-min Park So-jung
Directed by	Lee Eung-bok Jang Young-woo (season 1) Park So-hyun
Creative director	Kim Seol-jin
Starring	Song Kang Lee Jin-wook Lee Si-young
Music by	Gaemi (season 1) Nam Hye-seung (season 2)[4]
Country of origin	South Korea
Original language	Korean
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	26 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Park Ju-yeon (CP) Kim Young-kyu
Producers	Choi Jin-hee (season 1) Kim Jae-hyun (season 2) Yoo Sang-won (season 2)
Editor	Kim Woo-seok
Camera setup	Single camera
Running time	44–60 minutes
Production companies	Studio Dragon Studio N
Budget	₩30 billion[5]
Original release
Network	Netflix
Release	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18) – July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)

The first season was released on Netflix on December 18, 2020.^[6][7] The second season was released on December 1, 2023.^[8] The third and final season was released on July 19, 2024.^[9][10][11]

Synopsis

Season 1

After an unexpected tragedy kills his entire family and leaves him as the only survivor, Cha Hyun-su leaves his family home and relocates into the run down apartment complex known as Green Home. One night, horrific monsters begin appearing and ravage the city. Hyun-su and some of his fellow residents band together within the confines of the complex and must fight for their survival against the new, otherworldly threat, while others from the apartment turn into monsters based on the things they desire. Hyun-su starts having monster symptoms and develops the ability to turn into a winged monster whenever he desires.

Season 2

The survivors of Green Home venture out into the ruined world beyond its walls. Meanwhile, governmental bodies and scientific institutions continue in their efforts to study the monsters, hoping to find a cure.

Season 3

The survivors continue to face new threats and challenges as they explore deeper into the characters' backgrounds and the origins of the monsters. Cha Hyun-su grapples with his monstrous transformation abilities, playing a pivotal role in defending the survivors and uncovering the mysteries behind the monstrous outbreaks. New and more dangerous monster types are introduced, including human-like creatures emerging from cocoons. Yi-kyung's child, possessing special powers, becomes a significant part of the story. Lee Eun-hyuk returns as a transformed monster, posing a serious threat to the remaining survivors. Efforts by governmental and scientific bodies to understand and possibly cure the monstrous transformations continue, adding another layer of intrigue and hope for the characters.^[12]

Cast

See also: Sweet Home (webtoon) § Characters

Seasons 1–3

• Song Kang as Cha Hyun-su, a clinically depressed high school dropout who moves into Green Home after his family is killed in a car accident. He becomes a monster-human hybrid, gaining superhuman regenerative abilities.
• Lee Jin-wook as Pyeon Sang-wook, a mysterious contract killer with severe burn scars on his face. He pursues Yoon-jae throughout the first half of the first season, and becomes a trusted ally to the residents.
  • Lee Eugene as young Pyeon Sang-wook^[13]
• Lee Si-young as Seo Yi-kyung, a former firefighter whose fiancé mysteriously disappeared two days before their wedding. She is also a skilled martial artist and gunman, having served in the special force. Si-young's character is exclusive to the television series, not appearing in the webtoon comic.
• Park Gyu-young as Yoon Ji-su, a troubled bass guitarist who moves into Green Home after her boyfriend's suicide. She is skilled with a baseball bat and also plays the acoustic guitar.
• Go Min-si as Lee Eun-yu, Eun-hyuk's haughty adoptive younger sister and an aspiring ballerina who quit due to an injury on her foot.
• Kim Hee-jung as Cha Jin-ok, a desperate mother searching for her missing Min-joo and the director of the daycare center.^[14]
• Kim Gook-hee as Son Hye-in, a middle-aged woman who enjoys gossiping and owns a pet Pomeranian named Bom.
• Lee Joon-woo as Ryu Jae-hwan, a young, aspiring model. He is deeply frustrated by the apocalypse, which has stopped him from maintaining his personal hygiene.
• Heo Yool as Kim Su-yeong, a 9-year-old orphan and Yeong-su's older sister.
• Choi Go as Kim Yeong-su, a 6-year-old orphan and Su-yeong's younger brother.
• Woo Jung-kook as Kang Seung-wan, a bespectacled and timid resident.

Season 1

• Lee Do-hyun as Lee Eun-hyuk, Eun-yu's adoptive older brother and a former medical student. Leading with a composed mind and logical decisions, he becomes the de facto leader of the residents, though many view him as cold and distant.
• Kim Nam-hee as Jung Jae-heon, a Korean-language teacher and devout Christian armed with a jingum, a traditional Korean sword, to protect himself and others. He struggles with alcoholism, relapsing due to the events unfolding in the series.
• Kim Sang-ho as Han Du-sik, Hyun-su's disabled neighbor and a skilled blacksmith who supplies the residents with weapons and defenses.
• Kim Hyun as An Seon-yeong, Suk-hyun's timid but kindhearted wife.
• Woo Hyun as Kim Suk-hyun, a convenience store owner notorious for his short temper and abusive treatment of his wife.
• Go Youn-jung as Park Yu-ri, Gil-seob's caregiver who has medical training and asthma.
• Kim Kap-soo as An Gil-seob, a terminally-ill senior living with his caregiver Yu-ri. He serves as an inspiration to others, having surpassed the life expectancy of his unnamed disease.
• Lim Soo-hyung as No Byeong-il, a humorous resident and friend of Suk-hyun.
• Lee Bong-ryun as Im Myung-sook, a resident who lost her infant daughter after her stroller rolled away and collided with a truck.
• Go Geon-han as Choi Yoon-jae, a resident who is viciously hunted by Sang-wook throughout the series.
• Kim Sung-cheol as Jung Ui-myeong's first human guise, whose body once belonged to a scientist before Ui-myeong killed him and assumed his form.
• Ahn Dong-goo as Lee Su-ung, a young military soldier living in Green Home
• Park Jin-soo as Park Min-joo^[14]
• Jeong Ha-dam as Kim Ji-eun, Hye-in's neighbor and friend
• Kim Ji-eun as Han Yu-jin, a military sergeant
• Lee Ji-ha as Moon Hyeon-suk, Hyun-su's mother
• Kim Yi-kyung as Cha Soo-ah, Hyun-su's younger sister
• Lee Ki-hyuk as Hwang Seung-jae, the arsonist behind the fire that killed Sang-wook's father and left Sang-wook with burn scars.
• Yoon Ji-on as Hae-rang, Yoon Ji-su's deceased boyfriend
• Ham Sung-min as Park Ju-yeong, Hyun-su's classmate and fellow victim of bullying
• Park Ah-in as the Hyun-su's unnamed neighbor, who transforms into the "glutton" monster.
• Dane DiLiegro as the "Protein" Monster^[15]

Season 2

• Yu Oh-seong as Master Sergeant Tak In-hwan, leader of the Special Forces and the commander of the Guard Corps, also known as "Crow Platoon".^[16]
• Oh Jung-se as Dr. Lim, a researcher of vaccines.^[17]
• Kim Mu-yeol as Sergeant First Class Kim Young-hoo, a UDT/SEAL, and the second-in-command of the Guard Corps.^[17]
• Jung Jin-young as Private Park Chan-young, a soldier in the Guard Corps.^[18]
• Kim Shin-rok as Chief Ji, the general manager of facility management.^[19]
• Kim Dong-young as Oh Jun-il, a new stadium resident.^[20]
• Yoon Se-ah as Bong Seon-hwa
• Byun Jung-hee as Oh Jun-il's mother
• Yang Hye-ji as Jung Ye-seul, Chief Ji's daughter.^[20]
• Kim Si-a as Seo Yi-kyung's mutant child^[20]
  • Ki So-yu as the young version of Seo Yi-kyung's mutant child.^{[21][better source needed]}
• Hyun Bong-sik as Wang Ho-sang, a street survivor, with a shotgun.^[22]
• Chae Won-bin as Ha-ni, a street survivor with Wang Ho-sang.^[22]
• Kim Jung-woo as Father Peter^[23]
• Hong Su-zu as Jin-a
• Jung Suk-won as Gunnery Sergeant Min Seo-jin, a Marine Recon in the Guard Corps.
• Yook Jun-seo as Staff Sergeant Bang Jin-ho, a Special Forces soldier in the Guard Corps.^[24]
• Heo Nam-jun as Staff Sergeant Kang Seok-chan, a UDT/SEAL in the Guard Corps.
• Jeong Jong-hyun as Staff Sergeant Jeong Jong-hyun, a UDT/SEAL in the Guard Corps.

Episodes

Season	Episodes		Originally released
1	10		December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
2	8		December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
3	8		July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)

Season 1

No. overall	Episode	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	1	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
In September 2020, Cha Hyun-su is a soldiers' target in what appears to be a no-man's land. A month earlier, he moved into Green Home, an apartment complex inhabited by a diverse group of residents. Depressed and suicidal, Hyun-su rarely leaves his apartment and depends on food deliveries. One night, he realizes that his delivery was opened by his next door neighbor and witnesses her eating her pet cat. Horrified, he rushes back to his apartment, but she follows, transforming into a ravenous "glutton" monster. The monster attacks another resident, Yoon Ji-su, before leaping out a window. Meanwhile, a blood-sucking "vampire" monster attacks a group of residents on the ground floor, killing one of them. Lee Eun-hyuk and Seo Yi-kyung, a former firefighter, successfully force the monster outside and close the entrance shutters. Much to the residents' horror, they discover that the city outside them has been devastated by other monstrous beings.
2	2	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Flashbacks reveal Hyun-su's family's last moments before a fatal car crash which left him as the only survivor. In the present, Hyun-su learns online that certain symptoms like nosebleeds and auditory hallucinations indicate the onset of turning into a monster. Meanwhile, Ji-su and fellow resident Jung Jae-heon evade a blind "lotus root" monster and rescue Choi Yoon-jae, a resident who was attacked and tied up in his apartment by a burglar. Pyeon Sang-wook, the burglar, kills the glutton monster but is bit in the process. The residents on the ground floor shock and restrain him, fearing he might be infected. However, he escapes and goes back upstairs. Hyun-su rescues two young orphaned siblings, Kim Su-yeong and Kim Yeong-su, from an "eyeball" monster, and the three are saved by Hyun-su's neighbor, Han Du-sik. Hyun-su begins to experience symptoms.
3	3	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
A power outage plunges the apartment complex into darkness. Hyun-su's monster urges begin to emerge, but he regains control and realizes he has acquired regenerative abilities. Meanwhile, a hulking "protein" monster chases and traps the orphans, but resident Im Myung-sook transforms into a monster and briefly subdues it, allowing the children to escape, before reverting back to human form. Jae-heon leads the protein monster on a chase towards a window, narrowly escaping as it jumps out. He, Ji-su, Myung-sook, Hyun-su, and the orphans settle in Du-sik's apartment for the night. In the basement, Yi-kyung restores the building's power but is ambushed and ensnared by a spider-like monster. The residents on the ground floor watch in shock as a national broadcast reveals the president turning into a monster. Yoon-jae joins the group, bringing food from his apartment. The next morning, Cha Jin-ok sees her daughter's location marked outside and opens the shutters to let her in. Lee Su-ung rushes outside to help the daughter; however, both are killed by the vampire monster.
4	4	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Yi-kyung escapes the basement and returns to the ground floor. A military broadcast debunks infection beliefs, revealing instead that humans transform into monsters when feeling intense desires. Hyun-su, Ji-su, and Jae-heon search outside Du-sik's apartment for other survivors, while Myung-sook and the orphans stay with Du-sik. An unseen force suddenly attacks Hyun-su, causing him to fall from the ninth floor to the ground. However, he survives the fall and is merely knocked unconscious for a few hours. Realizing he is a monster, the ground floor residents debate over whether to oust Hyun-su. Kim Suk-hyun, the complex's convenience store owner, demands that he be kicked out. However, he too starts to show symptoms, and is confined in a room along with Hyun-su. Sang-wook returns downstairs and beats Yoon-jae, who feigns symptoms to avoid him. Upstairs, Myung-sook has fully transformed into a dormant fetus-like monster in Du-sik's bathroom.
5	5	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Noticing Jae-heon's shield made by Du-sik, Eun-hyuk orders Hyun-su to bring Du-sik downstairs. Sang-wook, having Yoon-jae's keys and pursuing his own agenda, also goes upstairs, occasionally beating Hyun-su back to consciousness whenever his monster side surfaces. However, monsters suddenly attack them, forcing the two to seek refuge with residents An Gil-seob and Park Yu-ri in their apartment. Sang-wook continues independently upstairs and unlocks a secured room using Yoon-jae's keys, where he discovers incriminating evidence and disturbing photographs of abused children, revealing Yoon-jae to be a child predator. Confronting Yoon-jae downstairs, Sang-wook goes all out and finally beats him to death. He drags Yoon-jae's body outside and retrieves Su-ung's and Jin-ok's daughter's bodies. Hyun-su also returns downstairs with Gil-seob, Yu-ri, Du-sik, and the children, and the group holds a funeral for the deceased. Yi-kyung discovers she is pregnant after taking a pregnancy test. As days pass, Hyun-su continues undertaking dangerous missions for Eun-hyuk and the group.
6	6	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Flashbacks reveal that an intentional fire killed Sang-wook's father and left Sang-wook with burn scars when he was young. Seeking revenge, he murdered the arsonist responsible and has since established himself professionally as a contract killer. In the present, Suk-hyun finally transforms into a monster and is killed by his wife, An Seon-yeong, who endured his abuse for years. As food and water start to run low, Eun-hyuk realizes they must leave the complex soon and tasks Hyun-su with finding a functional car in the underground lot. Eun-hyuk, Sang-wook, Ji-su, and Jae-heon leave their posts to help Hyun-su after he is ambushed by various monsters. However, this enables the spider monster to break into the ground floor and attack the rest of the residents. More flashbacks delve into Yi-kyung's past and the mysterious disappearance of her fiancé, Nam Sang-won, days before their wedding. Yi-kyung leaves the complex in search of answers and finds crucial information in Sang-won's office: the monster transformations are believed to be curses, and the government has been conducting experiments on people, including Sang-won, to find a way to combat the curse. Her discovery leads to capture by the military.
7	7	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Under pressure from the military's interrogation, Yi-kyung reveals Hyun-su's ability to resist the curse. The military gives her a tracker and orders her to return to the complex, promising specifics on Sang-won in exchange for any information she can provide about Hyun-su. Meanwhile, the underground lot group returns to the ground floor just in time to kill the spider monster and save Du-sik. However, Ji-su suddenly falls ill from appendicitis and requires urgent medical attention. Despite his lack of experience, Eun-hyuk decides to perform surgery on her and sends out a team of Hyun-su, Sang-wook, Gil-seob, and Yu-ri to retrieve food, medicine, and medical tools. As soon as they leave, however, they are attacked by the protein monster, now much stronger and larger. Flashbacks reveal that Hyun-su was bullied in school, which resulted in his depression and an attempt at suicide.
8	8	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Yi-kyung returns and drives a firetruck into the protein monster, impaling it on metal bars. Returning with supplies, Ji-su's surgery is successful, and she regains consciousness. Jae-heon promises to teach her how to use his jingum once she fully recovers. Seon-yeong reveals her symptoms to the group and suggests leaving the building, but they decide to have her remain in a separate room instead. Later that night, a military deserter infiltrates the complex and attempts to kill Yi-kyung, but she easily overpowers him, and the group holds him captive. She tells Hyun-su about the government's experiments and admits to revealing him to the military. The next day, the transformed monster janitor suddenly attacks the group with a weed trimmer and severs Jae-heon's arm. Realizing that he is losing too much blood to survive, Jae-heon sacrifices himself to divert the monster away from the group, allowing Eun-hyuk to throw a molotov cocktail, killing both Jae-heon and the monster.
9	9	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
Ji-su mourns Jae-heon's death; flashbacks reveal that he had confessed his feelings to her before fighting the monster. Suddenly, a gang of bandits storms in the complex, killing the deserter and holding the residents captive. Kim Ji-eun is killed by their leader, Shin Jung-seop. Seon-yeong (later revealed to be Jung Ui-myeong) transforms into a monster and intervenes, killing one of the bandits. Hyun-su kills her before she turns on the residents, but is heavily wounded in the process. Noticing his wounds healing, Jung-seop and Ui-myeong take Hyun-su to the rooftop to torture him. Ui-myeong suddenly kills Jung-seop and reveals himself to Hyun-su as liquid-like monster inhabiting the body of a government researcher. He believes that humans will never accept them and explains joining the bandits to hide his monster nature. Meanwhile, downstairs, Yu-ri kills a bandit, and the rest of the gang are killed by Yi-kyung and Sang-wook. Du-sik begins to show signs of transformation. Ui-myeong presses Hyun-su whether the survivors will stand by him, even as he remains a monster.
10	10	Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min & Park So-jung	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)
After witnessing the survivors kill a friendly goo monster, Hyun-su is convinced that society will not accept monsters like him. Ui-myeong reveals the military's plans to exterminate both humans and monsters, and suddenly opens fire on the group, killing Sang-wook, Yu-ri, and No Byeong-il. To stop Ui-myeong, Hyun-su unleashes his true monster form and seemingly manages to defeat him. Du-sik calms Hyun-su down, reverting him back to human, but is killed in the process. Gil-seob also dies in his sleep from a preexisting illness. The remaining survivors discover a hatchway leading into an underground tunnel. That night, the military arrives and opens fire at the building, causing it to start collapsing. Hyun-su leaves to surrender himself while the others escape underground, except Eun-hyuk, who remains in the complex and seemingly dies in its collapse just as his nose begins to bleed. The surviving residents—Yi-kyung, Ji-su, Jin-ok, Eun-hyuk's younger sister Lee Eun-yu, Ryu Jae-hwan, Kang Seung-wan, and the orphans—exit the tunnel and are rescued, with Yi-kyung immediately joining the military. Hyun-su wakes up in an armored vehicle and is greeted by Sang-wook, who is actually Ui-myeong in disguise.

Season 2

No. overall	Episode	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
11	1	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
12	2	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
13	3	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
14	4	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
15	5	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
16	6	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
17	7	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)
18	8	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)

Season 3

No. overall	Episode	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
19	1	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)
20	2	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)
21	3	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)
22	4	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)
23	5	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)
24	6	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)
25	7	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)
26	8	Lee Eung-bok & Park So-hyun	Hong So-ri & Park So-jung	July 19, 2024 (2024-07-19)

Production

Development

Director Lee Eung-bok "roughly" knew the ending of the Line Webtoon on which the series is based before the webtoon's finale in July 2020, though he decided to "differ a bit from the webtoon because [they're] showing on different platforms."^[25] Ultimately, the live-action adaptation deviates dramatically from the original.

The series spent most of its budget, with each episode costing ₩3 billion.^[5] Choreographer Kim Seol-jin and contortionist Troy James were chosen to record the monsters' movements through motion capture.^[26]

Casting

Although filming had already started, Netflix officially announced the series' lineup on December 18, 2019, with Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook and Lee Si-young in lead roles, and Lee Do-hyun, Kim Nam-hee, Go Min-si, Park Gyu-young, Go Youn-jung, Kim Kap-soo and Kim Sang-ho as part of the ensemble cast.^[27][28]

Lee Eung-bok revealed that, during Song Kang's audition, the actor reminded him of Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands: "an image of someone who has a pure and innocent soul but is holding a spear in his hand."^[26] The actor was recommended to Lee Eung-bok by the director of Netflix's Love Alarm which propelled him to fame in August 2019.^[29] Lee Si-young's character does not appear in the original webtoon but the director "wanted to add a female character who can pull off really cool action scenes"; the actress being a former amateur boxer. She trained for six months prior to filming the series.^[26] Park Gyu-young admitted that she did not have high hopes about being picked for the series but "as soon as [she] left the audition set, the director called [her] and said to leave with a script."^[26]

In September 2022, actress Bibi withdrew from filming due to timing and filming schedules, and an actress replaced her role.^[30]

Filming

Dane DiLiegro behind the scenes of Sweet Home

Principal photography began in September 2019 and filming was completed in February 2020.^[31]

Visual effects

Designers from Legacy Effects, VFX Studio Westworld and Spectral Motion, who worked on films such as the Avengers and Avatar as well as the television series Game of Thrones and Stranger Things, were recruited for Sweet Home.^[32][33]

Release

On November 18, 2020, Netflix released a trailer for the series announcing that Sweet Home would premiere on December 18.^[34] In June 2022, the series was picked up for two additional seasons.^[35]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 83% based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10.^[36] The second season has an approval rating of 80% based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10.^[37]

Kavya Christopher of The Times of India gave a rating of 4/5 and said, "One does not need to be a lover of the horror genre to enjoy this series, thanks to the many underlying plots of the various characters – both big and small. The action is superb, to say the least, and the drama is endearing at various levels."^[38]

Joel Keller of Decider said that "despite its flaws and a premise we've seen before, Sweet Home distinguishes itself by its setting and its monsters. We will see if the drama between the survivors will keep us watching."^[39]

Pierce Conran of South China Morning Post gave a rating of 3/5, saying that "despite a breathless opening episode and some grisly fun throughout, Sweet Home does not provide much of a story for viewers to get hooked on."^[40]

In another mixed review, Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting said that "what sprints out of the gate and sets up an exciting creature-filled horror series quickly comes to a slow crawl zombie apocalypse that we've seen many times before. It just swaps out the zombies for monsters."^[41]

Viewership

Sweet Home was the first South Korean series to enter Netflix's Top 10 in the United States,^[25] reaching as high as third.^[1] Three days after its release, the series ranked first in 8 regions and was within the Top 10 in 42 regions.^[42] The show was viewed by 22 million paid subscribers worldwide in the first 4 weeks of its release and appeared in the Netflix top 10 in more than 70 countries.^[43]

It was praised by viewers for its "high-quality visual effects" and "the deep human connections among the characters." However, many criticized the soundtrack which they believe did not fit with the story, as well as the lack of monsters in the latter episodes of the season. On this, director Lee Eung-bok said that "[he] know[s] some of the viewers were anticipating more gore, but [he] hope[s] they will understand why monsters were absent from some parts of our drama."^[44]

Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination

Award ceremony	Year	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref.
Asian Academy Creative Awards	2021	Best Actress	Lee Si-young	Nominated	[45][46]
		Best Supporting Actor	Lee Do-hyun	Won
		Best Supporting Actress	Go Min-si	Nominated
		Best Direction	Lee Eung-bok	Won
		Best Visual OR Special in TV Series OR Feature Film	Sweet Home	Nominated
Asia Contents Awards		ACA Excellence Award	Song Kang	Won	[47][48][49]
		Best OTT Original	Sweet Home	Nominated
		Technical Achievement Award		Won
		Creative Beyond Border		Nominated
		Best Actress	Lee Si-young	Nominated
		Best Newcomer Actress	Go Min-si	Won
Baeksang Arts Awards	2021	Best New Actor – Television	Song Kang	Nominated	[50]
		Best New Actress – Television	Park Gyu-young	Nominated
		Technical Award (Visual effects)	Lee Byung-joo	Nominated
Seoul International Drama Awards	2021	Outstanding Korean Actor	Song Kang	Nominated	[51][52][53]
			Lee Do-hyun	Nominated
		Character of the year	Song Kang	Won
		Outstanding Korean Drama	Sweet Home	Nominated

References

1. Lee, Gyu-lee (December 27, 2020). "Netflix's 'Sweet Home' soars in streaming ranking worldwide". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
2. Lee, Gyu-lee (July 10, 2023). "Period dramas, action blockbuster series set to feature in second half of this year". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
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External links

• Sweet Home on Netflix
• Sweet Home at IMDb 
• Sweet Home at HanCinema
• Sweet Home 2 at HanCinema
• Sweet Home 3 at HanCinema
• Sweet Home at Naver Webtoon (in Korean)
• Sweet Home at Naver Webtoon