"All of Us Are Dead" Tops Netflix’s Charts

By: Mckenzie Gerdes

The Netflix Original zombie series All of Us Are Dead remains in the top ten most watched cinematic pieces in the U.S. since its release at the end of last month. It received widespread audience approval, with a 7.6/10 on IMDb and an 84% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

This apocalyptic Korean drama is based on a Webtoon series written by Joo Dong-geun. It was turned into a Netflix Original show by writer Chun Sung-il, and film directors Lee Jae-kyoo and Kim Nam-su. The story centers on students who are trapped at their high school when a strange virus breaks out in their city; they must fight for their lives against the infected, with no resources to aid them.

Why do zombie movies do so well in the film industry? Kim Eun-hee, writer of the period zombie show "Kingdom," has insight into this phenomenon. “I like zombie movies because of the dramatic tension it renders,” she said. “The fact that anyone, a member of the family, a lover or a next door neighbor can turn into a monster was intriguing. In such situations, I feel that horror and sorrow co-exist.”

Director Lee Jae-kyoo highlights how special "All of Us Are Dead" is by talking about plans for its future seasons: “If the first season can be seen as having presented humanity‘s survival, the next season can talk about the survival of zombies.”

Journalist Joshua Rivera talks about what makes this show a must-watch. "All of Us Are Dead" says River “illustrates the fundamental human desire to cooperate in times of crisis,” while shows like The Walking Dead consist of an “endless parade of groups that turn to depravity in order to survive.”

All of Us are Dead follows a sequence of many zombie movies that have gained worldwide popularity, like the 2016 film "Train to Busan" by Yeon Sang-ho, which broke box-office records in South Korea. It also became legendary for being one of the best zombie movies ever made.

Part of what can make or break a zombie film is its ability to captivate and horrify audiences with raw, emotional storylines, a trademark of "Train to Busan" and now "All of Us Are Dead."

Director Lee Jae-kyoo said, “The origin of zombie virus was introduced in the series as an attempt to highlight the people who take responsibility and those who do not when an event, such as school violence, occurs. Though it is another zombie action thriller, I thought the series provides the viewers with a chance to think about what kind of people they are.”

These apocalyptic action movies have the ability to perfectly craft emotional storylines, intense fight scenes, the feeling of sorrow that director Kim Eun-hee brought up, and even the deeper dive into human nature that director Lee Jae-kyoo aims to teach. Audiences can expect the popularity of zombie movies and t.v. shows to continue to rise.