‘My Daughter Is a Zombie’ breathes life into summer box office

Jo Jung-suk, left, plays Jeong-hwan, and Choi Yu-ri, right, plays his daughter Soo-ah, in "My Daughter Is a Zombie." Courtesy of NEW

“My Daughter Is a Zombie,” a quirky comedy about a father protecting his zombie daughter, is proving a surprise hit at the Korean box office.

Since opening on July 30, the film has drawn more than 2.37 million moviegoers in just eight days through Aug. 6, accounting for over 40 percent of national ticket sales.

It has already surpassed its break-even point and is expected to overtake the year’s previous top-grossing film, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” which drew 3.39 million viewers.

Based on a Naver webtoon, the movie is directed by Pil Gam-seong, known for “Hostage: Missing Celebrity” and the Tving series “A Bloody Lucky Day.”

In a phone interview on Thursday, Pil said he never expected such a strong response. “Even after seeing the opening day numbers, I couldn’t believe it. This kind of success came completely out of the blue,” he said.

Unlike his previous dark thrillers, the director takes a new turn with this lighthearted and heartfelt family comedy. Rather than a grim apocalyptic tone, “My Daughter Is a Zombie” offers gentle laughs and themes of familial love.

A scene from " My Daughter Is a Zombie" / Courtesy of NEW

Pil, who himself is raising a teenage daughter like the film’s Soo-ah (played by Choi Yu-ri), said he was drawn to the webtoon’s central questions: “What if the person you love most becomes a zombie?” and “Can a zombie still be part of a family?”

The film follows a familiar Korean blockbuster arc — beginning with laughter and ending with tears — while maintaining the charm of the original webtoon.

Pil said he worked hard to strike the right tone in the early scene featuring a crowd of zombies. “I wanted it to feel scary yet funny, like Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ music video. Each zombie has its own little story,” he said, adding that the soundtrack includes subtle homages.

The ending also diverges slightly from the webtoon to better suit the family comedy genre. “The script always had this ending from the start, and my daughter liked it. That gave me confidence,” Pil said.

Much of the film’s appeal lies in its cast, especially Jo Jung-suk, who has become a summer box office guarantee following hits like “Exit” (9.42 million viewers) and last year’s “Pilot” (4.71 million).

“I trusted Jo Jung-suk completely,” Pil said. “He can move between wit and pathos in a flash. He’s like a perfectly tuned instrument — every note is just right. His rhythm is remarkable.”

Co-stars Lee Jung-eun and Yoon Kyung-ho also shine with their impeccable comedic timing.

Aeyongyi the cat steals the show in "My Daughter Is a Zombie." Courtesy of NEW

“The best spectacle is in an actor’s facial expressions,” Pil said. “These were the actors I most wanted, and I was lucky to get them. Lee’s presence shifts the mood to comedy in Su-a’s tragic situation, and Yoon adds tension before shifting it back again. That’s all thanks to their performances.”

Another highlight is the cat “Aeyongyi,” a character from the original webtoon who behaves like a human. “Aeyongyi is essential to the film’s identity,” Pil said. “We searched nationwide for cheese tabby cats and selected four finalists. One adapted especially well to the set, helping us cut both filming time and CGI costs.”

The movie is now entering its second week but continues to draw more than 150,000 moviegoers on weekdays, a sign of sustained popularity. The film is being praised as one the whole family can enjoy, suggesting it will likely dominate the summer box office for weeks to come.

“When I go on stage greetings, I often see multiple generations sitting together,” Pil said. “I hope this becomes a film that families can laugh at and enjoy together for the first time in a long while.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.