Zombie thrillers are surely and literally gut wrenching but oh so exciting! The Korean entertainment industry, in the recent years, has done several projects around this category of thrillers.
The Korean films are always packed with so much drama. They have all the elements to keep the audience hooked- a rising hero, character arcs, massive action, relentless suspense, tear-jerking humour, fantastic effects, fantastic cinematography, and, most importantly, a fast pace. All of this, when packed with the element of zombie apocalypse definitely makes for an intriguing watch. Here is the list of some Korean movies and shows which deal with the same theme.
Train to Busan (2016)
Train to Busan is a film that gained acclaim throughout the world and rightfully so. Seok-woo, a divorced father and a hardworking hedge fund manager, unwillingly boards the ultra-fast KTX bullet train from Seoul to Busan with his young daughter, Su-an, to visit her mother. What lies ahead is an unprecedented threat in the form of a raging zombie outbreak, a desperate battle for survival. Amid this constant miniature hell on earth, hope appears to lie in the train's final destination; nevertheless, can the few remaining survivors fight to the end?
Peninsula (2020)
This sequel to the legendary film 'Train to Busan' begins off where the first one left. Peninsula doesn't have the societal commentary that fans of the previous picture praised, but it does have the kind of horror that fans of the genre are familiar with. This time, the Korean Peninsula's zombie apocalypse survivors are safe and sound in Hong Kong. Until Jung-Seok (Gang Dong) becomes involved in a plot to reclaim $20 million in Seoul. Yeon Sang-ho returns to helm in this hybrid zombie-heist thriller, opting to journey through an unsettling CGI post-apocalyptic wasteland with few human survivors.
Rampant (2018)
This is possibly the best Korean zombie film ever made. It's everything the Kingdom series got proper, condensed into two hours of thrilling action, engaging people, and terrifying undead. The protagonist is a fierce badass who has a satisfying arc. The antagonist is a crafty, scheming lunatic who refuses to die. And then there's the undead. The undead, oh my gods. Now is the time to see this Korean zombie film with some popcorn and a friend who is also a zombie nut.
Seoul Station (2016)
This animated prologue to Train to Busan imagines Seoul's lockdown at the outbreak's outset. Amid the pandemonium, former sex worker Hye-sun searches for her pimp-turned-boyfriend. While Train to Busan revels in the spectacle of violence and the societal conditions that prompted it, Seoul Station focuses on the lives of those on the margins who are most likely to be forgotten in the event of a disaster. Indeed, one of the earliest zombies is an elderly homeless guy whose illness is overlooked due to his age and social situation.
Alive (2020)
Gamer Joon-woo (Yoo Ah-in) wakes up one day to discover that his family has abandoned him at his apartment. When he switches on the news, though, he learns that his neighbourhood has been overtaken by a mystery disease — and zombies.
He soon barricades himself in his flat, but as time passes, he runs out of food and water, and his Internet connection is lost. He realises that another inhabitant (Park Shin-Hye) in the opposite building is still alive just as he's about to give up hope and hang himself. To get to safety, the two join forces. In addition to the customary jump scares and fast-action scenes, the film incorporates a lot of millennial cultures, such as the use of social media.
All of us are dead (2022)
After a fatal virus spreads throughout their town, a group of youngsters seek refuge in their high school in the 12-episode series. Those infected with the Jonas virus either turn into flesh-eating zombies or morph into Halfbies, which are half-human, half-zombie hybrids.
Following a cliffhanger season finale that sparked conspiracy theories on social media, fans have demanded a second season of the hit show. Netflix has yet to clarify whether the show will return, but based on its internet popularity, it will be back in no time, much like the hit Korean drama series Squid Game.
Zombie Detective (2020)
This drama is similar to other Korean zombie dramas, with the distinction that the zombie in this drama is far more advanced than the zombies you usually encounter. He can run faster, has emotions, thinks like a person, can manage his appetite (to a degree), speaks, and so forth. The main protagonists and supporting characters have done an excellent job of keeping us entertained. Even as an audience member, you'll be able to participate in the puzzles that our zombie detective is putting together with the help of our female protagonist.