Sneaking into monsters and mental health in Sweet Home

Written by: Jonalyn Infante

Netflix’s original series “Sweet Home” delves into monsters, desires, and greed, but it’s also about understanding these elements within ourselves.

Based on a horror-thriller webtoon written by Carnby Kim and illustrated by Hwang Youngchan, “Sweet Home” stars Song Kang, Lee Do Hyun, Go Min Si, Park Gyu Young, Lee Si Young, Lee Jin Wook, Jung Jin Yung, Kim Si A, Kim Mu Yeol, Yu Oh Seong, and Oh Jung Se among others.

The series is directed by Lee Eung Bok and Park So Hyun and written by Hong So Ri, Kim Hyung Min, and Park So Jung.

“Sweet Home” tells the story of Cha Hyun Soo, a reclusive high school student who moves into a small apartment after his family dies in a car accident. As a mysterious phenomenon turns humans into monsters, he and the other residents fight to survive.

In the second season, the residents venture out into the world. Survivors are living together at a stadium, but the line between human and monster begins to blur.

The third and final season explores the thrilling battle between humans, monsters, and neohumans.

“Sweet Home” is more than just a monster narrative; it explores the inner conflicts everyone experiences and how it’s up to us to deal with them.

Death

Cha Hyun Soo never truly wanted to die. Although he decided to end his life, his line in Season 1, Episode 5 made it all clear: “No one really wants to die.”

It’s ironic how Hyun Soo planned to kill himself but ends up saving others after turning into a monster. This inner conflict signifies that during moments when we want to end our lives, we just want to live–a better life.

Hyun Soo was a victim of bullying, but his family turned a blind eye. He has a history of habitual self-harm and refuses to go to school. Despite all these, he just wanted to become a decent person.

I believe Hyun Soo started showing symptoms of bleeding and hallucinations because he wanted to live better, be better, and be treated better.

His struggle is not just about survival, but also about finding a reason to live and overcoming his inner struggles.

Hyun Soo made me realize that there is always a monster inside us–a part that longs for something we really want but cannot get, or for someone we lost but can never be replaced.

“From the very beginning, I was you. I was always a part of you. I was another version of you that you wanted to hide,” the monster within Hyun Soo declared in Season 3.

Thus, it’s up to us to control our own “monsters.” Our desires and emotions may be valid, but the way we act on them is not. Don’t let your monster control you; fight and resist like Hyun Soo.

Hyun Soo’s story reveals that despite the overwhelming internal challenges we confront, we are still the one who makes our own choices and shapes our path toward a better life.

Destruction

The second season reveals that not all monsters are destructive; some don’t harm humans and can even feel emotions. They were once humans, after all, as Hyun Soo pointed out.

One of the most heartbreaking scenes is when the hide-and-seek monster, who just wanted to protect her baby, ended up dying after the military opened fire.

In real life, no matter how damaged we are or how many “monsters” we have, we don’t want to hurt or inconvenience others because of our pain. We just want to survive.

But most of the time, people misunderstand. They might be unable to accept it or are afraid of things they can’t understand.

One thing is for sure, though: it hurts and causes deep pain. Sometimes, we think it’s better to be alone because we are forced to do so.

We might also think of getting even by doing the same thing that was done to us, but it never makes us feel okay, and it never will.

As Yi Su lamented, “They screamed, pushed me away, and hurt me…They force me to be alone.”

Yi Su has the ability to turn humans into monsters with just a touch of her hand. That’s why people are afraid of her and even tried to kill her. So Yi Su’s mother, Yi Kyung, locked her inside their home and forbade her to interact with humans. That event started their bad relationship with each other.

Yi Kyung and Yi Su’s stories reflect how we can also hurt others because of our own monsters. We inflict pain on those who love us because of our desires, pain, and trauma, whether consciously or unconsciously.

Who made me do this to myself? What had happened that caused me so much pain? When and why did monsters start living inside of me? Think of these questions and slowly acknowledge them. Then you’ll realize that it was not entirely your fault.

We must confront and understand our monsters and strive to control them rather than letting them control us. These monsters don’t define who we are, and they don’t dictate our future.

Perseverance

In season 3, monster Hyun Soo finally takes over the real Hyun Soo.

It speaks volumes about the struggle to overcome our own monsters. Sometimes, our anger, fear, or sadness just gets the best of us, and it can take a long time to fight our own battles and be there again for the people we love.

Hyun Soo felt sorry for Eun Yu, who always waited for the real Hyun Soo to return and the monster to leave. Yet Eun Yu persisted. That’s why she is one of my favorite characters.

She didn’t hesitate to wake monster Hyun Soo despite knowing that he could hurt her. She was brave to face monster Hyun Soo because she knew the real Hyun Soo would never want to hurt her.

“I’ve woken up exactly three times, and you were there each time.”

Symptomatic individuals and monsters are shut off from the world but all they needed was someone like Eun Yu who accepts people for who they are. Someone who waits patiently for you to come back, never gives you up, and is grateful because you exist.

We all just need someone to hold on to, someone to tell us to pull away from our darker selves, and someone who stays despite our scars. Like how Eun Yu believed that the real Hyun Soo would return and how Hyun Soo brought Yi Kyung back to being a human. 

Hyun Soo believes that monsters can become humans again. It is the main reason why he tried so hard to save everyone, even when it hurt him or required him to sacrifice himself. He still believes in humanity.

Moreover, Eun Yu never abandoned Hyun Soo just because the monster had taken over him. Eun Yu further accepted that her brother, Eun Hyeok, has really become a neohuman with no emotions. These circumstances made Eun Yu closer to them.

Because love never abandons you when you are struggling. Love doesn’t only stay in the good times. Eun Yu was with them in their battle to find their real selves, and I can’t commend her more for that.

Her belief in their humanity underscores that love and patience can bring out the best in people, even in their darkest times. With the right support, we can rediscover who we really are.

Hope

“Sweet Home” teaches us to moderate our desires and speak up for ourselves. Too much greed is never good, but don’t also bottle your emotions. We can control our own monsters. 

We just need to be more kind and understanding to ourselves and each other, but not to the point that we are taken for granted. After all, we are humans living under the same sky. Isn’t it hard fighting everyone when there’s also a battle within yourself?

Above all, “Sweet Home” unveiled that a home may be dysfunctional, messy, and full of monsters, or it can be a temporary shelter, and a spot you can always go back to. But home was never a place; it was always the people you love, and you deserve to love and accept yourself because you are also your own home.

After leaving Green Home in Season 1 and staying at the stadium in Season 2, Eun Hyeok, Eun Yu, And Hyun Soo lived together again at Green Home in the final season.

It may take a long time for humans, monsters, and neohumans to accept and understand each other, but they are trying to coexist.

After all the chaos they have experienced, they found solace in each other– a safe place in an uncertain world. Together, they are their sweet home.

Photos screen grabbed from Netflix K-Content