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In the past few years, South Korea has become a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. 2019’s Parasite became the first non-English-language movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars, and Squid Game took the streaming world by storm in 2021, beating Bridgerton as the most-watched Netflix premiere. But Netflix was building its Korean-drama fanbase even before Parasite won at the 2020 Oscars, kicking things off with the zombie series Kingdom. The 2019 series features Bae Doona, Ju Ji-hoon, and Kim Sang-ho fighting against both a zombie outbreak and a political coup in 17th-century Korea. It’s not the first period piece to include zombies, but it is one of the first out of Korea. More than that, it is an excellent combination of political intrigue and impressively gory zombie violence that deserves its place as one of the best Korean shows on Netflix.
‘Kingdom’ Is Netflix’s First South Korean Series
K-dramas are huge on Netflix: in 2022, co-CEO Ted Sarandos stated that over 60% of its users have watched at least one. They also saw a staggering sixfold increase in ‘K-content’ viewership since 2018. And everyone is waiting with bated breath for the second season of the mega-hit Squid Game. And all of this has only happened in the last few years. While Netflix previously offered Korean shows and movies, they only started creating their own original Korean content in 2019.
Kingdom was the start of it all, becoming the first Netflix original series from Korea. The horror/political drama mash-up received rave reviews, quickly becoming one of the top hits of the year due to its strong writing, beautiful (and terrifying) visuals, and excellent cast. Kingdom boasts several familiar faces for both dedicated fans of K-drama and fans of Netflix shows in general. One of the major players in Kingdom, Seo Bi, is portrayed by Bae Doona, star of the popular Sense8 series and the recent Rebel Moon films. Kingdom also features Kim Sang-ho, who fans can watch in Sweet Home‘s third and final season.
What Is ‘Kingdom’ About Exactly?
One of the biggest draws of Kingdom is its historical setting and the fact that it’s unusual to see a zombie movie or show not set in contemporary times. That’s not to say it hasn’t been done before; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is possibly the most famous example, set in Regency-period England. And 2018’s Overlord is a zombie-adjacent movie set in WWII. But Kingdom offers a fresh take on the genre outside a Western point of view. Kingdom takes place 400 years ago and offers a look at Korea that Western viewers rarely see.
Kingdom also treats its historical setting with gravitas, incorporating it intrinsically into the zombie story it wants to tell, instead of using it as a source of humor or satire. Ju Ji-hoon plays Lee Chang, the only son of the King of Joseon (what would become modern-day Korea) through a concubine. Although Lee Chang has many supporters, The Queen Consort is pregnant with a child who, if a boy, would have a more legitimate claim to the throne. She and her supporters will stop at nothing to ensure her child becomes king instead of Lee Chang.
‘Kingdom’ Balances Politics and Zombies in a Medieval-Inspired Korea
The political plot of Kingdom is well crafted and nuanced, deserving as much praise for its storytelling as this year’s awards darling, Shōgun, in terms of strong characters and political chess games. But don’t worry, zombie fans — in addition to the social commentary, detailed costumes, and beautiful scenery, there’s plenty of terror and gore in Kingdom. In fact, the zombie outbreak stems directly from the political machinations of the Queen Consort’s clan.
The zombies themselves are the fast moving, 28 Days Later variety, leading to plenty of tense chase sequences throughout the series. And when the protagonists have to fend off the zombies face-to-face, Kingdom doesn’t shy away from putting all the gore on screen. Whether a zombie horde rips apart a helpless victim or an attacking zombie gets an arrow through the neck, the series makes sure to keep the horror on equal footing with the politics.
In short, Kingdom has something for everyone. For K-drama devotees, there are recognizable faces and familiar story beats to enjoy. For political drama enthusiasts, the social commentary in the show is on point. And, of course, for those who love a good zombie thriller, Kingdom can ratchet up the tension and terror as well as any classic Romero flick.
Kingdom is available to stream in the U.S. on Netflix.
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