All of Us Are Dead: A series worthy of multiple rewatches

All of Us Are Dead. Photo: Collected

We have seen a surge of interest in South Korean entertainment over the years. There is a thriving Bangladeshi fanbase of bands such as BTS, BLACKPINK, and Twice, amongst many others. Train to Busan, Parasite, Alive, Forgotten, and The Call have received acclaim from a much wider mainstream audience than the niche following Korean entertainment is typically used to. 

Korean shows like 'Reply 1988', 'Crash Landing on You', 'Guardian: The Lonely and Great God', and 'Kingdom' had a good following here, but 'Squid Game' broke all barriers and catapulted itself into the mainstream, bringing even more attention towards Korean entertainment than ever before. 

As of this week, the top trending show on Netflix is another Korean show 'All of Us Are Dead'. So, we asked: is the series actually worth your time?

Directed by Lee Jae-kyoo and Kim Nam-su, 'All of Us Are Dead' is based on a popular webtoon, 'Now at Our School'. The show is based on the premise of yet another done-to-death zombie apocalypse. But what it does differently is tell a compelling coming-of-age story. 

The series follows stories of a number of individuals stuck at a South Korean high-school as a sudden zombie outbreak threatens their safety. 'All of Us Are Dead' is a blend of horror, comedy, romance, and the bond between friends and family, neatly placed in a gory package. 

All of Us Are Dead. Photo: Collected

The directors, and writer of the series Chun Sung-il, accurately depicted various cliques of students as they collectively worked together in their struggle to survive, despite all their differences. 

They have also added layers to the story which gave us a wider glimpse into the overall world. It was very interesting to see how the state reacted, and the effect the outbreak had on first responders at a personal level. The story also brought focus to social issues such as teenage pregnancy, sexual assault, and bullying. 

The series takes its time introducing all the characters, and did a brilliant job with its character development. As a viewer, I couldn't help but root for potential couples and hoped my favourites would last until the end. 

The show also balanced itself well. It highlighted what it means to be human, even when faced with catastrophe. I found it very enjoyable when characters found happiness in the little things. The comedy also kept the story from becoming too grim.

All of Us Are Dead's special effects were truly a spectacle! The Korean entertainment industry does not hold back and rarely ever fails to deliver the very best there is. The show favoured practical effects over the use of CG – which made the gruesomeness come alive, adding a layer of realism which made the show all the more unsettling and entertaining at the same time.  

The cast is mostly unfamiliar faces, except for a few recognisable names such as Kim Byung-chul – he played the role of Park Joong-heon in 'Guardian: The Lonely and Great God' – and Lee Yoo-mi from Squid Game.

However, actors Park Ji-hu as Nam On-jo, Yoon Chan-young as Lee Cheong-san, Park Solomon as Lee Su-hyeok, and Jeon Bae-soo as Nam So-ju all gave remarkable performances. Joong-heon's depiction of a professor and mourning father driven mad with rage was just extraordinary. 

The gory scenes, astounding cinematography, and attention to detail made the show a very entertaining experience. The ending however leaves room for ambiguity and a lot of fan theories. Netflix is yet to announce a renewal. I can only hope that they do it sooner, rather than later. 'All of Us Are Dead' is definitely worthy of a recommendation, in fact I would recommend it for multiple rewatches.