(AfroGamers.com) In May of this year, the action horror film, Colony, was released to the public eye and once again showcased how well the South Korean film industry dominates in the zombie apocalypse sub-genre of both films and TV series. However, as high-stakes and nail-biting as each scene of the film was, Colony is by far not the highest-ranking zombie film to act as an example of the beauty of the sub-genre. Others like Train to Busan, Kingdom, #Alive and Happiness, managed to become memorable mentions from the East Asian country. That is why, also fuelled by the anticipated return of All of Us are Dead season 2, it is only right to go back and relive what makes these movies and shows as thrilling as they are.

Different Settings and Scenarios

To start off, what makes the South Korean version of the zombie sub-genre unique is how they write it in different settings and/or scenarios. Compared to zombie movies and shows from the USA like The Walking Dead and World War Z, South Korea provides a variety in perspectives of what would happen if a zombie outbreak were to occur. Including all the different places a person could be when the outbreak does happen.

One scenario which has been adapted multiple times by Koreans is the zombie outbreak happening while teenagers are in school. This is an interesting take because it introduces how an average day-to-day event can immediately fall apart and become a site for survival. And as the viewers, we begin to ask ourselves what we would be able to do in that situation. Shopping in a supermarket, driving in your car, lounging at home or walking down the street is one thing, but what could you possibly do in a crowded high school where the only thing you can do is barricade yourself in a classroom and wait for help or risk it all by running through a horde of your undead teachers and student body. All of Us are Dead and Zombie School are well-written examples of what a group of high school teenagers could do when they decide to work together to survive as well as how they may let their pointless grudges get the best of them, leading to the ‘zombification’ of those around them.

An interesting, but rare, setting some zombie KDramas use is the historical setting. By combining their keen taste in period dramas and thrilling depictions of the zombie apocalypse, some studios have enhanced how frightening not having modern technology in s high-stakes environment can be. Like in the film and series, Rampant and Kingdom respectively, citizens of a feudalistic era in South Korean history, where one king protected the lives and decided the fates of many, become infected by a mysterious illness that turns them into zombie-like creatures. The closest to protecting themselves from the zombies the unaffected have is by using farming tools and common sticks and rocks to defend themselves. The chaotic imagery of ‘what would our ancestors do during a zombie apocalypse?’ is answered in this film and series in the best and worst ways possible.

There are other different cases of unique settings and scenarios which these zombie KDramas come up with to create refreshing plots. #Alive has a video game streamer trapped in his apartment with food and water running low whilst Train to Busan involves passengers on a zombie ridden train trying to survive, but both movies don’t feel overdone and repetitive in their use of the zombie trope because the characters aren’t in the same set of circumstances.

Less about Plot Armour

Because a story’s plot revolves around a main lead(s), in a lot of films and series there is a high chance that they would be backed with what is called, plot armour. Simply put, plot armour is a storytelling device used to protect a character or group of characters from death and any injury which could realistically prevent them from progressing throughout a story. A good number of stories out there have been accused of using plot armour for just this reason or, more selfishly, the writer/creator of the story wanting to protect any character(s) they deemed their beloved favourite. However, KDramas of the zombie sub-genre do not always take advantage of this storytelling device.

Whether the drama follows a single survivor, a group of survivors or survivors in different story segments experiencing the same zombie outbreak, every character has an equal chance of living or dying before the end. This makes the film and series more high stakes and, honestly, realistic. Especially when you think about the physical, mental and emotional capabilities of these characters. To use an example, there’s Sweet Home. Although not necessarily a zombie outbreak/apocalypse series, it showcases somewhat similar characteristics whereby people get infected by an unprecedented curse with the potential to turn people into violent monsters. The series makes it known that nobody is safe, and the more you watch, the more you realise that even if your favourite character overcomes the curse, their lives are still at the mercy of their fellow humans.

This is not to say that all apocalyptic KDramas do not use plot armour. There are which do like All of Us are Dead, that, instead of completely killing off a character or showing them as an infected zombie, show them as somehow overcoming the infection and becoming superhumans immune to the virus causing the outbreak.

Gore and a Massive Library

When it comes to what films or series to watch, the South Korean cinema industry has a lot. From as early as the 1980s with A Monstrous Corpse, to the late 2020s with Colony, the zombie scene has become a sort of archive of the sub-genre.

There are good ones and bad ones, but most of them share how incredibly well done the zombies’ looks are. The Asian film and TV industries are known for how well they create horror through their make-up, acting and overall storylines (sometimes without even using CGI), so all of it already translates well into how their zombies physically look, act and devour their victims. Depending on the film or show’s rating, the gore can go from a 1 to a 100 in mere seconds. And that’s one of the beauties of South Korean zombie media.

Other countries around the world tackle the sub-genre differently, and their commercial market consumes it in different degrees. Like in the West, i.e. America, The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, 28 Days Later and many more, are acclaimed and adored media of the zombie sub-genre and thriller/horror genre. However, they don’t always hit the nail in the aspect of what some audiences look for when watching zombie series and movies. Especially when you start extending that comparison to the ‘survival sub-genre’ commonly seen in Korean media, such as Duty After School, Sweet Home, Hellbound, and Gyeongseong Creature. These KDramas redefine what apocalypses can be whilst keeping to the basics of what we all love about the zombie apocalypse trope.

Staff Writer; Fadzai Nyamande

A South African who brings her love for fiction, manga, and storytelling into every piece she creates. Her writing is shaped by imagination, curiosity, and a true appreciation for the worlds stories can build.