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| From left, actress Lee Si-young, comedians Noh Hong-chul and Park Na-rae / Courtesy of Ace Factory, FNC Entertainment, JDB Entertainment |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Zombie movies and TV series are some of the most popular titles in Korea. From the 2019 horror drama, "Kingdom," to the 2022 zombie thriller, "All of Us Are Dead," Netflix has invested heavily in zombie stories. Now, it is looking to take the "K-zombie" genre to the next level by producing a zombie-themed reality show in partnership with Kakao Entertainment.
The streaming giant announced Monday a reality TV production based on its zombie universe that follows a group of contestants fighting for survival as Seoul comes under a zombie attack.
Park Jin-kyung, writer and director of "My Little Television" and "Ant Be like Ddun Ddun," has teamed up with Moon Sang-don, creator of "Hey! First Time in Korea?" and "Late Night Stroll," to helm the new reality show titled, "Zombieverse."
The cast includes comedians Noh Hong-chul, Park Na-rae, singers Din Din, Tsuki and actress Lee Si-young. They need to complete tasks set by the producers in Seoul overrun by zombies. They have to secure their own food, shelter and safety during the series of quest.
Noh starred in Netflix's "The Hungry and the Hairy" (2021). Park's stand-up comedy show "Park Na-rae: Glamour Warning" was released on Netflix in 2019. Lee starred in Netflix's apocalyptic horror drama, "Sweet Home," in 2021. Seasons 2 and 3 of "Sweet Home" have been confirmed, but their release dates have not been decided yet.
The producers said the upcoming show will give a vicarious thrill to audiences ― seeing people struggle to survive as humanity teeters on the brink of extinction.
"I collaborated with Netflix for the first time through 'Zombieverse,' and the filming has already been completed. It is a TV project that started with a simple question, 'How would people react if zombies appear in the real world?' It will be interesting to watch what role the contestants play ― a hero, a villain or a bystander," Park, the director, said.
To create a realistic and thrilling zombie show, the art team of "All of Us Are Dead" participated in the project. Zombies were trained by the choreographers of "Kingdom."
Last July, Netflix Korea announced it will aggressively invest in various forms of unscripted series. As part of its move, the global streamer will release "Physical 100," a reality survival show where 100 participants enter a game to compete to be the most physically fit person among them, on Jan. 24. It also plans to produce another survival show called "Siren: Survive the Island" slated to be released in 2024.
