Seventeen journalists and bloggers from all over the world asked the same question to director Lee Jae Kyoo: “What makes this show different from other zombie titles?”
Indeed, the zombie genre has been done to death only to be resurrected countless of titles over. In terms of Korean projects, titles like “Train to Busan,” “Kingdom” and “#Alive” come to mind.
“Yes, there is a lot of zombie content and in most stories we look at what happens to adults when they [encounter] a zombie virus,” Lee said.
“But this is a little bit unique. First, it happened in a very confined space that is a school, and it happens to students that are not yet mature adults.”
The director goes on sharing how a zombie outbreak happening to students trapped in a school will be “extremely interesting and intriguing to look at the choices these young adults make.”
For those who have seen the trailer on YouTube, “All of Us are Dead” looks to be a fast-paced thriller—with fresh elements introduced, like most of the action happening in a school with students faced to make tough choices—that’s sure to be another hit among fans and non-fans of the zombie genre.
So is it another zombie flick? Yes, and no. Like blockbuster superheroes that have become Box Office hits for the better part of the last decade, tales of the undead will continue to capture the imagination of viewers around the world.
Here are some reasons why one should catch “All of Us are Dead” on Netflix.
Emotional ride
Usually, zombies are strangers and that makes it easier when hacking through a horde with a machete. However, imagine dealing with this predicament among classmates. It’s basically a coming-of-age zombie series.
Also, in terms of this show’s breed of zombies, the director has this to say: “The process of becoming zombies, usually there is immense fear in that because you have this sense of fear and despair where you’re not trying to hurt them but they try to kill you so I think that emotional aspect is what will set us apart.”
Based on a webtoon
The Netflix series “All of Us Are Dead” is based on popular webtoon “Now At Our School” written by Joo Dong Geun, published between 2009 and 2011. The story follows students who are trapped as their school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak.
The cast includes actors Park Ji Hu, Yoon Chan Young, Cho Yi Hyun, Lomon, Yoo In Soo, Lee You Mi and Lim Jae Hyeok.
Primed to be the next Korean mega-hit
Its official trailer on YouTube has already garnered around 11 million views since its release Jan. 13. Keen observers are already hailing the series as one of Netflix’s big hits for 2022.
While the zombie genre sells itself, the idea of having students work together to survive and fight off a zombie invasion in their school is truly an interesting one. Only time will tell.
Catch the first episode of “All of Us are Dead” on Netflix, Jan. 28.