Like 2021’s fan-favoriteSquid GameandAll of Us Are Dead, which has attracted a good amount of attention Korean series,many other incredible Korean shows have also provided audiences with some interesting survival stories, offering audiences memorable and relatable characters and keeping them stirred with their enthralling narratives.
While the Western media has supplied audiences with some of the most iconic survival TV shows and movies, includingThe Walking Deadand the successful videogame adaptationThe Last of Us, South Korea also counts on an incredible number of intriguing survival and post-apocalyptic stories. FromThe TowertoTrain to Busan, these are the best South Korean survival movies and TV shows, likeAll of Us Are Dead,that are guaranteed to have audiences' hearts pounding.
All Of Us Are Dead
A high school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. Trapped students must fight their way out or turn into one of the rabid infected.
15'#Alive' (2020)
Director: Il Cho
#Aliveis another Korean film based on a zombie outbreak currently streaming on Netflix. Oh Joo-Woo (Yoo Ah-in) is a gamer who lives alone in his apartment. As he goes about his daily life, sudden news breaks out and zombies swarm the city. All seems hopeless for Joo-Woo until he meets a young woman who is in the same position. They make plans to meet up and survive this deadly catastrophe together.
LikeAll of Us Are Dead,#Alivekeeps the story confined to one location — in this case, an apartment building — and explores what it takes for one to survive on their own. More than anything else,thezombie film streaming on Netflixdepicts a different story of a zombie apocalypse with a different perspective on survival, shedding light on what it really is.
14’Pandora' (2016)
Director: Park Jung-woo
Pandorais a great K-Drama likeAll of Us Are Deadin the sense that it perfectly captures what it is like to feel hopeless while fighting for survival. The 2016 film centers around an explosion at a nuclear power plant caused by an earthquake, which ultimately creates a disaster that only the workers can contain from spreading further.
Inspired by the devastating Fukushima nuclear incident in 2011, this tragicPark Jung-woomovie should be mandatory on the watchlists of everyone who enjoys intense survival dramas. While far from a masterpiece in the genre, it is still an intriguing disaster film throughout; its screenplay is humane and truly heartbreaking, making it linger in viewers' minds after the credits roll.
13’The Tower' (2012)
Director: Kim Ji-hoon
The Towerisan underrated disaster filmthat focuses on the collapse of a popular residential tower called Sky Tower. This Korean film centers on a multitude of characters, which include — but are not limited to — a workaholic father, his daughter, and girlfriend, a firefighter who is devoted entirely to his job, a newcomer, a pregnant woman, and her partner, among others.
As these characters celebrate Christmas, a helicopter crashes into one of the two towers, which causes an ever-expanding fire and ultimately the tower’s collapse.This film does well at mimickingAll of Us Are Dead’s isolating and hopeless atmosphere.All the characters are struggling to survive a large-scale disaster while falling to their potential demise.
12’Zombie Detective' (2020)
Creator: KBS Drama Division
Centering on Kim Moo-Young (ChoiJin-Hyuk), who has been a zombie for the past 2 years and does not remember anything prior to that date, the comedy fantasyZombie Detectivefollows the character as he mimics the mannerisms of humans. Meanwhile, he also meets Kong Sun-Ji (ParkJoo-Hyun), who used to be a writer for a current affairs complaint program and now takes a part-time position at his detective’s office.
Although the series isn’t to everyone’s taste (especially those who are looking for a series or film of the genre that takes itself more seriously),Zombie Detectivestill manages to offer audiences a very entertaining storylinethat seamlessly blends mystery and comedy with the zombie genre to hilarious results, making for agreat zombie comedy movie.
Zombie Detective
Zombie Detective follows Kang Min-ho, who wakes up as a zombie with no memories of his past. He trains himself to live like a human and assumes the identity of private detective Kim Moo-young. With the help of former investigative journalist Gong Sun-ji, who becomes his assistant, they solve crimes and uncover the mystery of his existence as a zombie.
11’The Tunnel' (2016)
Director: Kim Seong-hun
Combining the thriller and drama genres,The Tunnelfocuses on a man (Ha Jung-woo) who is driving home only to find that the poorly constructed tunnel he is driving through collapses, leaving him trapped and ultimately fighting for survival. In the meantime, rescue workers attempt to save him in a race against time.
The Tunnel’s stressful premise alone is terrifying enough, and its excellent execution elevated it to higher grounds, making it a proper top-notch disaster film. At times,Kim Seong-hun’s movie plays like horror, especially for audiences who aren’t okay withdepictions of claustrophobic spaces. Featuring a well-written script, this K-drama provides a believably scary life-or-death scenario that will frighten any survival film enthusiast. On top of its nightmarish narrative, the 2016 movie also features great acting performances.
Watch on Kocowa+
10’D-Day' (2015)
Creator: JTBC
This 2015 miniseries tells the story of a devastating natural disaster that strikes the city of Seoul, leaving it paralyzed. The lives of many are put in the hands of doctors and emergency personnel. However, as expected, this is far from being an easy task.
Intense and nervewracking, this entertaining series will have audiences invested from the beginning.D-Dayis among the best survival series in South Korea. A plot-driven drama, the 2015 show plays like acompelling and stressful moviethat will certainly have viewers hooked. Furthermore, it also makes for a great medical drama that will easily appeal to anyone who likes the genre.
9’Hellbound' (2021 - )
Creator: Yeon Sang-ho
Set between 2022 and 2027 in South Korea,Hellboundis a dark fantasy survival series that centers on an otherworldly creature who delivers prophecies that condemn certain people to Hell. In the meantime, three supernatural monsters incinerate a person’s body in a show known as a demonstration. In the meantime, the supernatural events evoke great mayhem, enabling the religious group The New Truth to become more influential.
A fun fact aboutHellboundis how it became the first Korean drama to make it to the Toronto International Film Festival when it premiered on the “Primetime program of TV series.” With a confirmed return for a second season, Yeon Sang-ho’s K-Drama is undoubtedly a great television show for those who are keen on survival stories that also involve fantasy. Furthermore, it deals with themes of extremism and radicalism as well.
People hear predictions on when they will die. When that time comes, a death angel appears in front of them and kills them.
8’Flu' (2013)
Director: Sung-Su Kim
Fluis a Koreanfilm based on an epidemic. When immigrants are trafficked into Korea, the avian-type flu adapts and evolves, spreading from person to person in Korea. Those who come into contact with an infected person typically end up catching the virus themselves and end up dying horrific deaths, and the virus — which is immediately contagious — spreads quickly as Bundang is the heart of the outbreak. Eventually, Bundang is abandoned and closed off to protect the rest of Korea. It’s only a matter of time before the Korean government decides to neutralize the situation.
All of Us Are DeadandFlucarry many similarities; both feature a dialogue about the Korean government, which fails to take these disasters seriously initially and fails to help their people until it’s too late, and focus on familial stories and the sacrifices made to save one another. Furthermore,those who enjoy the stories of an infectious outbreak threatening the lives of others would enjoyFlu.
Watch on Amazon Prime
7’Seoul Station' (2016)
Director: Sang-ho Yeon
As the title suggests,Seoul Stationtakes place in and around the area of Seoul Station, where a homeless man shows signs of being the source of a zombie apocalypse. In the meantime, a man attempts to find his runaway daughter as the government struggles to shut down the area.
If one is looking for series likeAll of Us Are Dead,Yeon Sang-ho’sanimated zombie TV seriesmay be a great pickfor obvious reasons: in addition to providing audiences with a thrilling plot and action-packed scenes, it also shines a light on the characters' personal struggles. Simultaneously, the intriguing series also highlights the ways humanity can easily turn on itself, as it depicts a very thought-provoking portrait of society’s cruelty.
Seoul Station
6’Happiness' (2021)
Creator: Yang Ji-eul, Lee Myung-han
StarringHan Hyo-jooandPark Hyung-sik, thisapocalyptic thriller is set in the near futureand centers around the aftermath of the breakout of a mysterious infectious disease in a newly-built high-rise apartment building in the big city. As a result, the high-rise apartment is sealed off.
Much like the fantasy dramaAll of Us Are Dead, this engaging 2021 series counts on well-written, at times flawed characters and depicts the desperate struggles for survival. Featuring a beautiful soundtrack,the suspense dramaHappinessis more cerebral than violent, which makes it a perfect pick for those who prefer the mystery rather than the action that comes with the post-apocalyptic genre.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where infectious diseases are the norm, Happiness centers on Yoon Sae-bom and Jung Yi-hyun, who move into a new apartment complex just as a deadly virus outbreak occurs. The series depicts their struggle to survive and maintain order within the quarantined building, highlighting class discrimination and the battle against the infected.
