5 spine-chilling Korean zombie thrillers available on OTT

Korean zombie films available on OTT platforms are a perfect illustration of how well Korean cinema does at bringing back beloved genres. These films explore human nature, societal challenges, and the lengths people will go to in order to protect the people they love, going beyond simple survival stories.

1. Train to Busan

A fund manager in Seoul named Seok Woo (Gong Yoo) lives apart from his spouse with their kid, Soo An. Soo An begs her father to take her to meet her mother in Busan the night before her birthday. Eventually, Seok Woo gives up and they board a train together. They have no idea that one of the passengers on the train has been bitten by a zombie and become infected. Seok Woo and Soo An find themselves in a terrifying situation where they must struggle to survive as the train journey progresses.

Following its Cannes Film Festival debut, Train to Busan was released in Korea a few months later. It soon exceeded 10 million viewers, drawing them in with its gripping survival drama.

2. #Alive

Yoo Ah In plays the role of Joon Woo, an online gamer who broadcasts for his fan base. One day, a rapidly spreading disease that causes people to assault and consume one other is revealed by breaking news. Joon Woo, who is supported by Yoo Bin (Park Shin Hye), who brings him food and assistance, has to struggle to exist in his home.

Through Joon Woo’s eyes, the audience is immersed in the zombie apocalypse in this film, which provides a realistic perspective on how such a disaster can play out for many people today.

3. The Wailing

Kwak Do Won’s character, Jong Goo, is a bumbling police officer in a small, close-knit community where not much ever happens in this exquisitely photographed thriller. Everything changes when an unexplained illness appears, leaving victims with excruciating convulsions and weeping till they lash out violently at other people. Since the victims’ bodies are the only ones found, the symptoms are still mostly unknown.

Because they have heard strange tales from Jong Goo, some residents of the town think that an outsider or newcomer is responsible for the outbreak. The tension and suspicion in the village increase as Jong Goo and the locals begin to seek him down.

4. Seoul Station

The movie explores the beginnings of the zombie apocalypse in South Korea and serves as a prelude to the live-action feature Train to Busan. The story revolves around three main characters: the fugitive Hye Sun, her father Suk Gyu, and her boyfriend Ki Woong, who are frantically trying to find her in Seoul Station.

Even though Hye Sun is far from ideal, she is shown to be a likeable person who makes an effort to be a decent person despite having a pessimistic outlook on the world.

5. Gangnam Zombie

A notable contemporary addition to the zombie genre, Gangnam Zombie takes place amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The epidemic itself isn’t a major plot point in the novel, but having it there gives it a contemporary edge.

The film opens with two men breaking into a cargo container; one of them has been bitten by a cat. It takes place right before Christmas. His desire for raw meat increases as a result of this infection and eventually turns into an appetite for human flesh. Two of these workers are followed in the movie as they fight their way out of the building and through the nearby parking garage on a terrifying survival quest.