Ten years ago, Korea and director Yeon Sang-Ho gave us one of the best zombie films ever to haunt the big screen: Train to Busan. It has recently been brought back to theatres for a special 10th Anniversary re-release.
Not only did it star three of Korea’s most awesome actors, Gong Yoo, Choi Woo-shik and Ma Dong-Seok (aka Don Lee), it gave us some of the most impressively freaky zombie thrills around. It also demonstrated how you can make a fast-paced, blood soaked zombie film and give it some heart and soul.
This anniversary comes when Yeon has also released he latest movie, Colony. At first it might look like a regular zombie movie, but it demonstrates what happens when the hoard evolves, adapts…and works together. Yeon collaborated with some celebrated modern dance troupes to choreograph the movements when the “infected” start mastering their hive mentality. Colony comes to American cinemas Aug. 28.
I think its safe to say Korea is takes zombie movies to the next level, but their KDramas are also relentless. Here are two you can check out now on Netflix and one on Amazon Prime:
Kingdom (Netflix)
This is both a brutal historical fiction with tyranny, backstabbing and political intrigue set in a zombie outbreak in 1601 Joseon. Each season is six episodes, so it is easy to breeze through them as one big season. There’s a follow up one-shot movie, but it really is not nearly as good.
All of Us Are Dead (Netflix)
The classic high school coming-of-age playground politics including the mean girl, the asshole bully, the sweet little romances, battles at home, etc. somehow seem to lose all importance when a zombie outbreak occurs. Don’t worry about keeping track of all the students. There will be less to worry about by the end of the series.
Season 2 is “officially” on its way, but the date for release keeps changing.
Newtopia (Amazon Prime)
I needed to get a horror comedy that’s less heavy, but still plenty exciting. When a nice naive couple is going through a break up, a zombie outbreak makes things a little tougher for them to reuinite. It’s ridiculous at times, and terrifying at others, but it’s clever throughout. It stars Jisoo from KPop mega group BlackPink, but she holds her own as an actress. Watch this one just for some fun gore-filled escapism.
If you haven’t gotten to see Train to Busan on the big screen, now’s your chance, but check out these other zombie offerings from Korea…and watch your back.