“All of Us Are Dead” is a Korean zombie thriller set in Hyosan High, featuring a group of students struggling in their survival. Premiered on Netflix last Jan. 8, audiences will be entertained and tugged at their heartstrings with its gut-wrenching zombie gore, stellar acting, and masterful cinematography.
The series follows a group of high school students who find their coming-of-age lives flipped upside down into a horror film when one of their schoolmates becomes part of the undead and causes an outbreak. In typical zombie-horror fashion, the authorities struggle to find a humane solution—leaving the students to survive on their own.
Beyond the undead
From South Korean television and film directors Lee Jae-kyoo and Kim Nam-soo, the series’ identity is clearly established from the very beginning, hooking the viewers for what violence and gore they might come to expect without pulling any punches. Moreover, it also has its sweet spots as childhood friends Lee Cheong-san (Yoon Chan-young) and Nam On-jo (Park Ji-hu) tease around and enjoy their last moments of a regular high school experience.
Overall, the acting cuts deep as the high schoolers grieve the loss of friends and family, break each other’s trust and fight for their own safety. From gruesome zombie fighting sequences to the funniest banter with each character, the series is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. Other characters such as Choi Nam-ra (Cho Yi-hyun) and Park Solomon (Lee Su-hyeok) also open doors to more heart-wrenching and sweet moments, having their fair share of both drama and action.
Moreover, not only does the main cast’s acting shine through the horrid situation they’re placed in, but the very ensemble of zombies create a truly anxiety-inducing nightmare. Strengthened by the visual effects and cinematography, the way the zombies are choreographed and acted out make the horror aspect of the series much scarier.
For those we’ve lost
Like most good horror stories, there is a strong message behind the deafening screams. The series presents a multitude of messages whether directly or indirectly through metaphors, often cleverly written into the storyline’s progression. Notably, a few scenes carry the message of weakness and fighting back in its core, while it also delivers emotional and tense scenes that end in a gut punch.
With a lot of the episodes ending on a cliffhanger, often leaving a clear question within the viewers’ minds, the series could clearly be enjoyed by binging its entirety. For some, there might be a lack of rest in between fast-paced scenes and the slower ones. Pacing overall could be hard to keep up with, but the series makes sure to keep the slower parts entertaining as well.
With the series’ quick climb to success, there is almost a certainty, and definitely a want, for a second season in the future. The show took off knowing what it is and it got its message across, leaving people wanting more.
No matter how much hope is left, we can always keep on trying to survive for the people we love and those who love us.
Catch all episodes of “All of Us Are Dead” on Netflix.
