All of Us Are Dead (2022)

You should definitely watch it.

“All of Us Are Dead” is Netflix’s fifth biggest non-english-language original series, it is a K-drama which you must binge-watch. The pace and the well-executed storyline is worth appreciating which makes it a a thrilling and highly addictive drama.

Its about a high school, which becomes the ground zero of a zombie outbreak, so the hot-headed teen survivors are trapped and try to escape from the zombies. Will they accomplish?

The show contained all the stereotypical-students you could think of. The actors were fully immersed into their roles and poured their hearts on acting out the characters. The main cast are Choi Yi-hyun, Park Solomon, Chan-Young Yoon and Park Ji-hoo. Each of them acted flawlessly. The witty sides of the characters kept the show balanced and the ominous mood kept the audience on the edge. Moreover, the cliffhangers were full of next level suspense.

Additionally, The set was well-built and was sort of tricky and uncomfortable for the cast to act on yet they succeeded. Similarly, the props were realistic; nothing was too extravagant. As well as, the hard work of the actors, who played as the zombies is worth mentioning; they were one of the fast-moving zombies which separates it from the other zombie apocalyptic shows. I would also like to give credits to the breathtaking sound effects. However, the OST was a little bit of tone down and I think it could have been better. As well as they could have added some short-duration scenes which shows the background of each character or their will to live.

The show had many climatic scenes and conveyed different messages also deep thoughts. The emotional attachment of the children/parent bond had me moved. And of course the characters’ friendships, they always had each other’s back and were willing to sacrifice themselves in order to save the others.
This series gives us a idea of bullying, unity and the harsh reality of the selfish people, who only care about themselves. On the other hand, it also shows people who can risk their lives for their loved ones or even strangers.

This show has taught me how i should handle big problems without panicking, not blaming each other, teaming up and always being nice to others because you never know when your life’s gonna end.

Overall it was a fantastical show. Each and every single second kept me off the hook and watching it was like a roller coaster full of emotions and suspense. I highly recommend people to watch “All of Us Are Dead” and praise the team for their absolutely stunning hard-work. Lastly, kudos to the director Lee Jae-kyoo for making such a amazing K-drama.

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good

first i want to say this is definitely overhyped. many are comparing it to train to busan (its even mentioned in the show that it's like train to busan) but other than the fact that there are zombies, the similarities end there.

in my opinion, the characters were hits and misses. some of them like hyoryeong (the girl with the bob), joonseong (the chubby kid with the archers) and jimin, to name a few, were kinda just there. they didn't really serve a purpose to the storyline nor did they help with anything. i guess all stories have characters more vital than others but these characters were just dragging everybody else down. especially with the number of times hyoryeong trips when theyre running away. like there's nothing to trip on??? just run better

also dont get me started on jimin. she has been antagonistic to me from the start. she didn't help with anything—all she did was cry during that one drone scene once she found her parents as zombies. she would constantly attack other kids in the group for being selfish blah blah but she left hyoryeong behind when they were running away. granted she did accidentally go the wrong way and got bitten after lol karma moment

then there were the side characters who kinda had their own scenes like eunji and cheolsu. they stayed on the roof for majority of the first half doing what..? talking? their story was kind of irrelevant because other than providing the soldiers with the knowledge that asymptomatic patients could exist, there was really no reason for them to be there. especially cheolsu. bro did nothing, selfish from the beginning and selfish till the end. choosing to not open the door when the main characters were trying to get onto the roof was such a dick move but he also died later at the camp soo karma strikes again

i wanted nayeon to have her redemption arc because she got a whole scene where she was regretting her actions and wanting to make it up to the rest of the characters by bringing them food and drinks, but gwinam kills her like 5 seconds later. there was no point in that whole buildup if she was only gonna die before apologizing to them.

also, we never really got a scientific explanation for the people who were half zombies like gwinam, namra and eunji. how was namra able to "will" the zombie part of her out when she needed to? how was she able to suppress the temptation of biting her friends? shes shown at the end of the finale that she's alive and well, meaning that she's been feeding off of dead zombies ? lol and the science teacher who created the virus... he was kind of random imo like he kept talking about how maybe the world would be better if everyone died or we shouldn't have hope or something pessimistic along those lines and then he sacrificed himself so that the cop get out... idek anymore

this is way longer than i intended it to be but the more i type the more nonsensical things i think about !! LMFAO!! cheongsan's mother was kind of dumb ngl like she saw one of his friends limping around as a zombie and she approached him?? bro can you not see hes not human anymore?? she died so easily too... all she provided to the story was an emotional moment for the group when they finally see her as a zombie. ALSO the commander that issued the bomb strikes.. he said in the video he recorded that he takes full responsibility for the bombings yet shoots himself right after. thats not taking responsibility? what happened to him ? do they find the body?

on a more positive note, i got attached to cheongsan and namra the most i think. they both were such important parts of the story and i was so so sad when cheongsu died. that idiot gwinam just couldn't leave him alone fr. and namra,, she was so cool. she stayed calm the whole time and noticed nayeon intentionally infecting gyeongsu. she even helped them after she got bit when we all know full well she could've bit them all given the many chances she had. cheongsan's character was down to earth and boyish and easy to like. he was fast and brave and willing to die for his friends and also had his vulnerable moments and that made him seem the most human to me

i dont want to make this longer than it needs to be but even tho i talked abt a lot of negative aspects i still enjoyed this drama! tears were shed and hearts were broken but overall this show made little sense and not enough for me to rewatch it

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binged watched and... worth it!

let me say... im not one for zombie dramas. they just arent my vibe. but this zombie drama was something else, it always kept me on my toes, made me scream/shout and also cry. i really hope there is a 2nd season to see how their life moves on, there isnt much of a cliffhanger but i still want a 2nd season.

i wish they made it to 10 episodes because there was unnecessary scenes and parts that i skimmed through, and some extra characters that were wasted off. you will love and hate some characters and maybe fall in love with 1 or 2. i would recommend this show if youre bored and need a new drama.

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My favorite Zombie show ever

Yes, there are some little plot holes - I'll get to those later - but overall, this was amazing. There were episodes where I was completely glued to the screen and did not dare to move. I've watched many zombie shows and movies but this is now by far my favorite. The drama starts out good, then becomes really amazing and fast-paced, then there's one episode that is slower and less plot-driven, but it is a nice breather before the final few action-filled episodes.

The young actors all did amazing jobs bringing these characters to life. The good characters, as well as the bad, that viewers really really hate. I found On Jo kind of annoying but I guess that's part of her character. I loved that there was no plot armor and anyone could die at any time - major characters included.

I guess the only questions I had are the following:
- Does anyone who gets bitten by Gwinam only turn into a "Hambie"? The characters assume this, because both Gwinam and Namra, who was bitten by him, are Hambies. And Soohyeok even says to Namra "If you bite me, I will only turn into what you are." But then why did Nayeon, who was also bitten by Gwinam, turn into a full zombie??
- If you have Namra in your group, who is immune to the Zombies, why not just let her bite everyone in the group in order to get out of the school? Kind of like a vaccine?
- Did all her friends forget that On Jo got bitten by that first girl who got bitten by the hamster? Shouldn't she have turned into either a Hambie or a Zombie, or be immune to everything? Maybe the second season will reveal that she's got like super-immunity, but why did none of her friends stop and think "hey, didn't you get bitten?"

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Apocalyptic Brilliance

This zombie apocalypse series ranks among my favorites, with each episode delivering intense excitement. While some criticize the characters for not making sound decisions in zombie encounters, I consider their actions within the context of being students. My standout character is Namra, the brainy president, who initially intrigued me with her mysterious and cold demeanor. When she transformed into a hambie, she became even more captivating.

There's debate about her perceived selfishness in not informing others about Nayeon infecting Gyeong Soo in a particular episode. However, I argue that this aligns with her character. Frankly, she's the unsung hero of the series, as the survival of other characters, including Onjo, hinges on her actions. The pivotal moment of preventing a missile strike on their school? That was all her. Yet, she doesn't receive enough credit, with people fixating on a single perceived mistake in her actions. She's the true MVP of the series. In summary, this stands out as one of my all-time favorite shows

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Why did I put off watching this for so long

This is, by far, one of the best things I’ve watched in a long time. It held my attention from beginning to end. Well paced, great characters and storyline. The right amount of action, thriller and the well timed comedic relief. Not many dramas are able to have this amount of characters without the story being all over the place, but for this drama, it actually made sense and they were all correlated.

The only thing that could have made this better is if two of the characters had a showdown – the main bully and his female victim. I honestly feel like it should have come down to them at one point given their relationship to each other.

What a fun watch this was, and I can’t wait for season 2! Netflix + Asian dramas is one of the best things to happen to the drama world lol. Thank you to the writers and the All Of Us Are Dead team for making such a great series.

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Definitely survival of the fittest..

Another take on the zombie apocalypse genre. It's good enough to keep me hooked on the show. I've watched plenty from this genre, so I had high expectations.

I think the show has a cohesive way of story telling. The writers aren't lazy. They provided a plausible explanation for every twist and turn and yet left enough space to maneuver for
hopefully another season.

From the backstory of the main characters to each character development. From highschool bullying to teenage pregnancy. From unrequited love to unconditional love of a parent to a child. From animosity to friendship to selfless love and loyalty. The show ain't perfect but it's good.

Actors were really good too, so many familiar faces.. that gave some heart wrenching moments. OST's good too.. I wouldn't mind watching another season of this show.

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A Zombie Fan Must Watch

I placed spoilers at the end of this review.

If you love the zombie genre, you should watch this series. Not only does it have a solid story concept, it also has a great script. They managed to cover a lot of ground in only 12 episodes. See the potential spoiler alert at the bottom if you want more info. There are also a lot of twists and turns that keep you guessing, but still manage not to confuse you. They did an outstanding job with the cinematograph. The acting was also very good.



******Potential Spoiler Alert******
They managed to explain why and how the virus was created, and how it was spread. The ending is bittersweet and does have a few loose ends. However, there are hints that there may be a second season. One can only hope.

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Did not live up to the amazing preview, potential and zombie expectations

Amazing preview, potential and the beginning of the series; but once you start watching it further, the potential unravels and stressful angst on what these characters do starts

Life is too short for stressful drama. Why spend all that time watching and be stressed? Don’t our lives already provide enough of that?

Summary of the series:
- an attempt to a great zombie series; series slows after the beginning
- a bit of stress watching it, had to fast forward some due to the many mis-opportunities, zero trust when surviving together (if there is no trust, why stay together)
- added super zombies and of course lets fight them without weapons as much as we can
- bad decision making though out that some time it doesnt even make sense, but need to add it for the cinematography and extend the story (lets all stay on top of a roof where there is no food)
- good zombie cinematography
- some struggles, add bad guys, calamity or miscommunications to cause more drama, stress to extend the series
- cant finish and had to drop it; its not the zombie land which I was hoping for and its very awkward and trust issues

If you are looking for bad decision making and zero trust among the character about zombies, super zombies with gratuitous stress/drama, frequent cringey out of no where throw-in jabs, insipid side stories, then this is for you.

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All of Us Are Glad That It's Over

I felt pretty strongly that I wouldn't enjoy "All of us are dead" from the trailer, but I decided to stomach it after really enjoying Park Solomon's acting with Kim Hyang-gi in "Sweet Revenge". I found his character and acting in "All of us are dead", as Lee Su-hyeok, refreshing, and probably most enjoyed the 'bromance' he had with Yoon Chan-young's character (Lee Cheong-san). Though I have to admit it wasn't a standout "WOW" performance, his character was probably the only reason i watched to the end and his acting was consistent.

As for the drama overall, my major criticisms are these:
-The writing was unfortunately really flat. There wasn't much of a plot to begin with. The only parts i found really enjoyable was the characters drop kicking zombies, and the minor internal distresses the group had.
-There were too many female damsels in distress who were intentionally written to be dumb, the main FL being a prime example.
-There's nothing to really focus on or hope for with this drama. Even one of the main conflicts with Gwi nam doesnt actually make much sense.
-The acting messed me up, more on that below.

THE ACTING:
-The acting of the main female lead, Park Ji-hu (On-jo), was completely unbearable. Everything about her acting was completely flat: her voice sounded the same whether she was happy, distressed, scared, "brave", supportive etc. Her facial expressions were worse-- in her sad scenes I could only tell she was sad by the single tear drop strategically placed on her cheek. Otherwise she almost always appeared as though she was either bored or irritated. To give the actress a tiny break, the character of On-jo herself really sucked. She was supposed to be resourceful, being a firefighter's daughter but instead she was completely useless and only saved by plot armor whenever she actually came in contact with zombies. I skipped a bunch of this character's "most impactful scenes" because the acting annoyed me so much. Literally skipped her reaction to her father's death, Cheong-san's death and parting with Nam Ra because i felt her acting literally made the scene worse. I don't know what went wrong and i dont know if i disliked the character of On-jo or the actress's portrayal of her but the outcome is the same-- i would have totally excluded this character if i could, and if she wasn't present i might actually rate this drama's acting much higher at maybe 7/10 or 6.5/10 rather than 3/10.
-What was worse for me was that the side characters did too much of a better job than this main FL, which in my opinion should never be the case. Even the actress for the archer girl Ha-Ri and actress for Mi-jin did a better job and we didn't see much of them at all.
-As a second female lead Cho Yi-hyun as Nam-Ra also did a better job as well.
-The cast's relationship with each other was really fun. If i could separate scores for acting and cast i'd give cast a 6/10 and acting a 3/10.
-I actually enjoyed Im Jae-hyuk's (Dae-su) character and felt he made some otherwise dull scenes slightly more enjoyable.
-I also felt Yoon Chan-young's (Lee Cheong-san) acting and character were decent as well but I might be biased because he was a primary zombie drop-kicker so I don't know that i cared that much about the emotional weight of his character. I still felt his portrayal of the emotional range of his character was decent.



The Good:
-The best part of this drama for me was drop-kicking zombies
-The connection of the cast with each other
-The bromance of the two male leads
-The suspense of them getting out of some situations earlier on in the series
-Letting one person in their inner group become a halfie zombie was interesting as a concept but not executed in the best way
-The camera work was largely pretty good at capturing the action in ways that feel you're right there with the characters

The Bad (just about everything else):
-The acting of the main FL was really stiff for me (i just cant get over this)
-The writing seemed to only care about tying all 1000 extra characters in with the main group of students. It wasn't tight writing.
-Why do they have 1000 extra characters? They should have focused on the main side characters.
-They really didn't need to insert romance into resting moments of the characters, it felt forced
-They wrote the female lead to not use her brain and be useless while pretending she's brave. She was a decent emotional support nearing the end but that wasn't enough to redeem this character for me.
-Killing off characters is only impactful when you know they had to die and their deaths were meaningful. Most of the character deaths were completely uncalled for (ex On-Ju's father, the archer dude, Cheong-san's mother ,the female teacher Na-yeon and many more)
-Childish sense of morality "you did bad--now you die" was repeated literally for every character-- even ones not turned into zombies, like that Chief of Defense who (SPOILER) bombed the city then took his own life. Why did they do that to his character?
-The whole Gwi nam hunting for Cheong-san thing actually made no sense, yet it was supposed to be a central part of the plot and climax, why?
-The music was trash. I literally muted some moments to escape the soundtrack at times.


Summary:
"All of Us Are Dead" was for the most part good for mindless entertainment--you could be a zombie watching it and still get the jist of it. It doesn't strive to be smart (and it isn't), it doesn't strive to be philosophical or deep (and it isn't). It's just a slightly better than mediocre bit of fun and though it wasn't high quality at all, I still moderately enjoyed it for the reason i watched it--mindless fun. Despite my moderate enjoyment I don't actually recommend it. There aren't enough redeeming points to give it above a 2 for me; still if i ever feel like I particularly don't want to use my brain while watching something I might give this a partial rewatch.

total critical rating: 2/10
mindless entertainment rating: 6/10

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Fun ride...

I was initially a skeptic when I saw that this would be a series instead of a movie. Because, how long can you drag a zombie apocalypse??

Was i ever wrong! From the very first episode, I was drawn in to the world of Hyosan high school students. The series had a perfect balance of light and scary moments. Comedic lines were properly timed just when you need a break from the heavy, adrenaline pumping, zombie chases.

But what I really liked about this, was the valid reason why the Professor invented the virus in the first place. The viewers were not left to wonder as to why these zombies came about. Unlike The Walking Dead, wherein no explanation was given as to their presence.

I still have a few episodes left, but I am wishing for another season already....

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