“Sweet Home,” Netflix’s recent K-drama, is a Webtoon adaptation that brings an apocalyptic world filled with monsters and mystery to the screen. The series is full of suspenseful and somber moments as the tenets of the Green Home Mansion apartment struggle to survive and understand their new world.

The series opens with teenager Cha Hyun-su as he moves to a new apartment following the tragic death of his family. Following a series of shocking events, his apartment quickly devolves into chaos as people become monsters based on their desires. His character quickly becomes defined by his choices as he battles with the “monsters” of his past and present. 

While Hyun-su remains a pivotal character, unlike the Webtoon, the show chooses to strengthen the plot through a focus on the many characters and their relationships. The show moves between each of the apartment survivors, highlighting their personal struggles and fears while slowly revealing the monsters’ many mysteries.

Having read the Webtoon, I found myself constantly surprised by the similarities and changes. The casting was stunningly spot on with many characters such as supermarket owner An Seon-yeong, played by Kim Hyun. New characters all offered the plot much-needed definition, such as firefighter Seo Yi-Kyeong, played by Lee-Si Young, who allowed for an entirely new arch in the series.

While the apocalyptic elements of gruesome, human-inspired, monsters offer plentiful action scenes, the show did an amazing job capturing many deeper messages. Each character or monster delves into some social commentary or personal struggle, ranging from discrimination based on social class or physical ability to regret and trauma. The show also forsakes the themes of teamwork for clashes of selflessness and selfishness. As the series develops, so does its chilling definition of the monsters of “Sweet Home:” “a monster is a human that has given in to their desires.”

The entirety of “Sweet Home” exceeds all expectations: the monsters couldn’t be creepier and each corner of Green Home mansion holds enough suspense to make you close your eyes. It will make you cry, think, and ask: Who is the real monster?