I’m about to say something that 18-year-old me would’ve never expected.
I’m completely in love with a K-drama — “All of Us Are Dead,” to be specific.
It’s taken over my life. I think about it every waking moment and even when I’m asleep, I’m pretty sure it’s always lurking in the shadows of my subconscious.
For those who don’t know, “All of Us Are Dead” is a Korean series that focuses on a group of high schoolers trying to get to safety after the breakout of a zombie apocalypse. It may seem like a somewhat basic plot, but the characters and their relationships with one another are what make this show truly unforgettable.
There are 12 episodes, each roughly an hour long, but it’s full of action and sends you on a thrilling roller coaster, so it almost feels as though the show is over before it’s even started. Not to mention, it’s obvious how much dedication the writers put to making sure each of the characters stood out on their own. No two personalities are too alike, everyone brings something new and unique to the team, yet most of them are quite likable so the audience has no choice but to root for their survival.
However, when I think of this show, the first thing that comes to mind is the emotion. I wasn’t expecting a series focusing on a zombie outbreak to hit me in the feels so powerfully, but I found myself curled up in bed and crying an endless amount of tears last Saturday night.
This is a gory show, and it can be disturbing at times, but there are moments that are genuinely so heart wrenching and crushing that I almost felt like these characters are real, that I am a part of their world and in turn, sharing their pain.
It’s also strikingly familiar to the world we live in today. It mentions the COVID-19 pandemic, the toxicity of our teenage years and highlights what those in power — specifically the Korean government, in this case — are capable of doing. There are occasions in the show that remind us how terrifying science can be when it’s used as a weapon while simultaneously showing the brutality of social inequalities.
I won’t go further into spoiler territory because this is a series that capitalizes on twists and turns that seemingly come out of nowhere. It’s what makes this show so fun, even if most of the episodes are filled with blood and violence.
As someone who fell in love with the popular Korean show “Squid Game,” I went into this series with similar expectations. I was anticipating well-formed and fleshed out characters, as well as a plotline that was easy to follow, yet enticing to watch.
Safe to say, my expectations were blown out of the water.
“All of Us Are Dead” surpassed “Squid Game” in every way. That’s not to say I dislike the latter because I’m still desperately waiting for a second season, but this new zombie show took action-packed storytelling to a whole new level. I loved the characters in “Squid Game” and enjoyed their journeys, but there was something so refreshing and distinct about each of the high schoolers in “All of Us Are Dead” that I haven’t quite seen before.
This is your sign to check out this new Netflix show, if you haven’t already. These characters and the scenarios they find themselves in may be fictional, but in the end, it mirrors a haunting part of our reality and urges us to care for one another when situations aren’t ideal.
Every minute was worth it to me, and I hope you come out of it with a full heart and a newfound respect for yourself and those around you.
