When Twilight met Zombieland

Bullying, mean girls, friendships and heartbreak – just your regular high school fare until the school becomes the epicenter of a contagious virus that turns students and teachers into zombies. Chain, we are all dead It continues to top Netflix’s viewing charts even three months after its January release.

An adaptation of the popular 2009 Naver webtoon of the same name, it is directed by Lee Jae-gu (better known as Lee JQ), who admits that he is “stupid” by the show’s global success. In a virtual press conference, he says, “Western fiction has a universal fandom of the genre, but the Korean zombie genre finds resonance in its emotional storytelling,” he says. “It was interesting to see how students, who are still on the verge of adulthood, react in a bloody battle for survival, and what makes their decisions unlike adults.”

For his cast, Jae-Gyu chose relatively new up-and-coming actors “who could be dimensional” in their portrayals. and Cho Yi-hyun ( Hospital Playlist 2, School 2021), Park Ji-hoo ( hummingbird house), Park Solomon ( sweet revenge), Lee Yu-mi ( squid game), and Yun Chan-young ( doctor john) That’s what has been proved.

lessons for playing dead

Yi-hyun, 22, plays the cool-headed class president, Choi Nam-ra, who steps in to help her classmates survive a zombie outbreak. in an email interview with The Hindu Weekend, she shares that her character struck a chord with the Gen Xers. “Nam-Ra is calm and has a strong personality. Her attitude through the zombie apocalypse is a reflection of the mindset of the current generation – speaking her mind and ready to take charge, whatever the risk,” he said. says.

Cho Yi-hyun | photo credit: netflix

Some of her most challenging scenes, both physically and emotionally, came after her character was infected. “The process of going back and forth between half-human and half-corpse wasn’t easy. I needed to fix the emotional quotient. I took ‘zombie lessons’ from a choreographer to fine-tune my facial expressions and body language “She says,” dusk There was also a great context for imagining a ‘vampire’ lurking within me.

not another squid game

In recent years, South Korean entertainment has been exploring the zombie genre ( alive, train to busan, Empire) to address systemic social and political issues. bloody fight for survival we are all dead Highlights the country’s socio-economic inequalities, toxic masculinity, and acts of violence and bullying that have been a serious issue in schools.

Yoon Chan-young and Loman in All Us Are Dead | photo credit: netflix

Director Jae-Gyu recalls how nervous he was about being tagged in the next show squid game, “The then director Hwang [of Squid Game]who is a close friend told me not to feel burdened, but to be grateful that the show has opened a gateway to Korean content.”

K-drama, a thriving sub-category of Korean pop culture, is now a part of global mainstream entertainment. Yi-hyun says it’s an exciting time for storytellers and young actors like him. “As the number of OTT platforms has increased, so has the demand for content. The genre and characters have become more diverse and it is affecting the stories we tell,” she says. (Her social media garnered more than a million subscribers within hours of All Us Are Dead’s premiere.)

Eun Chan-young and Park Ji-hoo on the set of All Us Are Dead | photo credit: netflix

Although Season 2 has yet to be announced, Yi-hyun is optimistic. “My character, Nam-Ra, says at the end, ‘There are some people like me, so I’ll take care of them.’ Judging from that line, I’m curious to see what happens next… definitely more confrontations, and possibly a love angle with Soo Hyuk (Park Solomon).

All Us Are Dead is currently streaming on Netflix.

for others to see

Jung Ho-yeon: His debut as a North Korean deflector in the hit 2021 show, squid gamehas propelled him to international stardom.

Jung Ho-yeon | photo credit: netflix

The 27-year-old became the first Asian actor to win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance in a Drama and also posed for the cover. the trend, The actor and model most recently starred in The Weeknd’s music video, “Out of Time”, and has been signed on for two Hollywood projects – director Alfonso Cuarón’s next, Disclaimerand Joe Talbots Governance,

Yoon Chan-young: He plays the heroic Lee Cheong-san in All Us Are Dead, who sacrifices himself to save his classmates. The 20-year-old won the Best Young Actor Award for everything and nothingAnd doctor johnand was most recently seen playing the role of a marijuana farmer in the series Hope or dope. The actor has been signed for the fantasy series, delivery man,

Yun Chan-young | photo credit: netflix

Choi Hyun-wook: Friendly Ji Woong In twenty five twenty one Has received several awards for his acting abilities, receiving the Best New Actor award at the 2021 SBS Drama Awards taxi driver And racket boys, The 20-year-old will next be seen in Week Hero alongside Park Ji-hoon.

Choi Hyun-wook | photo credit: @choi_hyunwook

Kim Ji-yeon (aka Bona): Playing the role of fencing gold medalist Ko Yu Rim in the coming-of-age hit drama twenty five twenty one This was a turning point for the singer-turned-actor. Bona made her debut with top hits In 2017 and 2018 he was prominent in the teen drama, girls Generation,

Kim Ji-yeon | photo credit: special arrangement

Park Solomon (aka Loman): reformed criminal Lee Suhyok we are all deadHe gained recognition with his 2017 role in the teen drama, sweet revenge, The model and actor has recently been signed to star in the Disney+ series, third person changeUnlike Shin Ye-Un.

Park Solomon | photo credit: netflix