Sweet Home is back for its third and final season. Along with its return, it introduced a new idea in the series– Neohumans vs Special Infectees.
If that hasn’t confused you yet, you’ll want to know which is which. In this article, we’ll explain the difference between Neohumans and Special Infectees and why they are fighting against each other. We’ll also be identifying the different characters who distinguish themselves into these categories.
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What are the Monsters in Sweet Home?
Those who didn’t get to read the webtoon initially thought that Sweet Home was a zombie Kdrama. This was pretty evident in the first season, with the very first monster who came into the picture. (Still remember the zombie-like lady who kept ringing the doorbell ?)
But as the show progressed, we quickly realized that there was more to the show than just a zombie apocalypse. By the end of the first season, we learned that the monsters in Sweet Home were epitomes of their deepest desires– good or bad. When they gave in to their desires, they became the monsters in the show.
In the second season, we were introduced to the idea of Neohumans, thanks to the show’s villain, Pyeon Sang-Wook (Lee Jin-Uk). This is actually a loophole that might have been caused by poor translation. But in the first episode of Sweet Home Season 2, Sang-Wook actually called Cha Hyun-Su (Song Kang) as a “Neohuman.”
The dialogue from that mall scene shows:
“We only get one shot at a first impression. We’re about to meet others like you. You know, “infectees.” That name pisses me off though. Any suggestions? Hmm… “Neohumanity.””
Sang-Wook
From that scene in the second season, it was really introduced that Hyun-Su and the other monsters were Neohumans. But in the third season, we learned that Neohumans are a completely different breed of monsters. Hyun-Su, Sang-Wook, and the other non-monsters are also referred to as Special Infectees in Sweet Home Season 3.
So what are Neohumans and what are Special Infectees?
What are Neohumans in Sweet Home Season 3?
Again, this definition of Neohumans is exclusive to what was shown in the third season. Neohumans are also different in the webtoon, which we’ll talk about later.
To better explain what Neohumans are in Sweet Home Season 3, let’s discuss the monsterization process:
- Stage 1: An ordinary individual becomes symptomatic after catching the virus
- Stage 2: The monster evolves and enters into a cocoon, which they call a “heart”
- Stage 3: The person turns into a monster embodying their deepest desires
- Stage 4: Those who don’t evolve into a monster become Neohuman, neither human or monster. They are best explained as empty shells of their human existence but devoid of any emotion or memory
Note: There are some explanations online that interchange steps three and four. But we’d like to point out that the monsters from the first season do not enter a heart after turning into a monster. We can also remember that in the first season, the depressed mother enters a heart without becoming a monster. So the stages of monsterization are somewhat confusing.
In the third season, we learned that while Neohumans do not have any memories or emotions, they can adapt and learn these along the way. They are also immortal and can heal themselves by entering the heart. The only time they are vulnerable is when they are inside the heart.
Who are Neohumans in Sweet Home: Lee Eun-Hyeok (Lee Do-Hyun), Lee Eun-Yu (Go Min-Si), and several other unnamed characters
Are Neohumans in the Webtoon Too?
In the webtoon, Neohumans are referred to as “evolved monsters.” They are monsters who have reached the final stage of the monsterization process.
Neohumans in the webtoon are also superior to the monsters. The latter protects them at any cost, which explains why the monster in Season 3 seemed to watch over Eun-Hyeok as he was healing himself in the heart inside the church.
What are Special Infectees in Sweet Home Season 3?
In Sweet Home, Special Infectees are infected individuals who were able to resist the monsterization process. Again, these individuals have not gone through the cocoon stage, which separates them from Neohumans.
It’s also worth pointing out that Hyun-Su is not entirely exempt from the monsterization process. In the third season, he was unable to resist the monster inside him. But his monster persona knows that he has a symbiotic relationship with Hyun-Su, meaning he cannot kill him without killing himself in the process.
In the webtoon, Special Infectees are referred to as “half monsters.”
Who are the Special Infectees in Sweet Home: Cha Hyun-Su, Sang-Wook, and the monster-humans who came with Sang-Wook. The monster humans were subjects of Dr. Lim’s (Oh Jung-Se) experiments using the blood of the first special infectee, Nam Sang-Won’s (Lee Sin-Seong): Hwang Chi-Seong (Lim Hyung-Guk), Lee Jae-Jin (Ryu Sung-Rok), and Yun Ja-Yeong (Kim Ji-An).
Is Seo Yi-Su a Neohuman or a Special Infectee?
Seo Yi-Kyung’s (Lee Si-Young) daughter, Seo Yi-Su (Kim Si-A), is not a Neohuman. While she can be considered a Special Infectee, she was born as one instead of being turned.
While she was in the womb of Yi-Kyung, her father, Sang-Won (using Sang-Wook’s body) turned her into a monster. It’s also possible that she became a monster since she carried her father’s infected DNA.
Neohumans vs Special Infectees: Who’s the Real Villain?
In Sweet Home Season 3, Neohumans gives viewers a glimmer of hope that all is not lost for the characters of the show. While they do not have emotions, they are able to learn these eventually. They’re also proof that monsterization is not the end.
Neohumans are the enemies of Special Infectees since they are on a quest to kill the latter. Neohumans work with others to restore the natural order of things, which explains why Eun-Hyeok decided to work with Hyun-Su.
But it’s also important to point out that not all Special Infectees are evil. There are a few who are empathetic to both humans and monsters, such as Hyun-Su and Ja-Yeong. In the end, it’s still a matter of personal choice whether they want to be barbaric monsters or continue to choose their humanity.
How Many Episodes Are There in Sweet Home Season 3?
There are a total of eight episodes of Sweet Home Season 3.
When Do New Episodes Come Out?
All episodes were released by Netflix on the same day, Friday, July 19, 2024.
Will There Be a Sweet Home Season 4?
Unfortunately, no. Sweet Home Season 3 was the third and final season of the Kdrama series. We’re hopeful that Netflix will continue the story with an adaptation of Shotgun Boy, but nothing has been announced yet.
