The Rise of the K-Zombie Genre

[@SpikimaMovies]

What's YOUR favourite K-zombie film? Watch FULL Train to Busan movie with my commentary at wewatch.best/spikima

[@yennefer440]

Kingdom

[@OfficeVigilante]

It's not my favorite, but there's a dark comedy k-zombie called "Zombie for sale". Kinda like shaun of the dead, its a fun watch.

[@Smiley-ps1yc]

"What's YOUR favourite K-zombie film?"... Are there that many ? 🤔 From internet i only find 2 or 3 from korean zombie movie. (scratch that) The Third one is like a School zombie tv show with only 10 episode. So yeah i find only Two "train to busan 1 and 2" Oh yeah i watched the "Kingdom" tv show too. Didn't liked it Though, too much politics involved with zombies Not "survival/zombie"

[@jaspermatias7327]

Kingdom/Ashin of the North and Happiness!

[@Joe-ge6ot]

My favourite is all of us are dead because there is alot of losses emotions and twists I like how the characters get to know and be close to each other it was very good

[@macbagie]

Train to Busan is one of the examples of "DO NOT ADD A SEQUEL TO A PERFECT MOVIE"

[@seabag96]

that’s funny because they did kinda make another sequel

[@DKJ100]

@@seabag96 and it sucked.

[@byejuyo]

Yeah, we just pretend that it doesn’t exist and that TTB is standalone.

[@mozambiquehere5903]

​@@byejuyo agreed

[@HenryHoang-x]

@@byejuyo At least it's just in the same universe and didn't have any correlation in the story.

[@AyubuKK]

What I find scary about Train to Busan is the idea of being in a closed space where you can’t easily escape with a dangerous threat. It mimics the penetrating and claustrophobic fear you get in nightmares where you’re trying to escape a dangerous person or creature but you’re both in an enclosed space where you can only keep hiding or running around to escape.

[@GameplayTubeYT]

It's copy from WWZ plane scene Lmao

[@raggosaki]

@@GameplayTubeYT don’t understand how this adds to the comment

[@QueenBoran]

Example: REC 2007

[@thoththeatlantean1226]

Rec, pontypool, dead end, splinter, it comes at night, 1408, etc

[@DccAnh]

@@GameplayTubeYT Train to Busan >>>> wwtrash

[@abebuckingham8198]

I certainly noticed that one of the things I enjoy about Korean cinema is the silence. Body language is our first language and it shines in Korean cinema.

[@R3TR0J4N]

Its great seeing the amalgamation from the sub-genre, by adding the signature melodrama fom Kdramas which brought zombie kdramas or "k-zombies".

[@totally_a_spy]

I agree. They understand the power of silence

[@Symora]

Their physical acting is almost always absolutely wonderful and conveys so much, they really get it

[@trolltoll440]

the Simpsons have superior body language

[@number9999]

K-Zombies actually have some characters into them, every single infected you see actually feels like a threat. As much as i loved The Walking Dead, considering that the show is about Zombies, ain't none of the walkers felt as menacing or even terrifying cause all of them felt the same, they all felt bland. There's literally not a single walker that made me scream "WHAT THE FUCKK!" throughout TWD series, unlike All Of Us Are Dead when the nurse started turning that alone was unsettling or Train to Busan what the soldiers started attacking was fucking terrifying.

[@billysanpidro]

Those ones in I Am A Hero (2015) is the best example of zombies that would make one say WHAT THE FUCK.

[@number9999]

@@billysanpidro super underrated movie 💯

[@user-pm2b47ar8d]

@@billysanpidro the Japanese movie? From what i remember those aren't regular zombies but rather similar to parasyte anime type of zombie where they are intelligent and have unique differences

[@Deadmaninks]

your talking about infected twd has regular zombies while those other films have infected obviously running infected are gonna be more intense but there are plenty of wtf moments in twd especially early on imo

[@gama103]

The Walking Dead was never about the zombies, as stated by its creator. The human conflict was always first (although that's debatable with the first season directed by Darabont) and the zombies were just a tool to convey those stories and establish the world they are in. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that casual audiences have this idea that if a show is about zombies then they always expect some kind of plot about saving the world or the zombies being the main focus of that story (fighting the zombies head on), which is something TWD never was. Even by the time Season 7 was airing i always saw people commenting in posts "When are they gonna find the cure?"

[@postulatedskateshoe]

During the quarantine, my dad and I got into “Kingdom,” which I have to say, is one of the best shows I had ever seen in a while. I do hope it returns soon.

[@nyflo718]

did you see the movie?

[@roxans557]

@@nyflo718 There’s a movie based on the series?!

[@QueenKittles]

So wrong of them to tease Jun Jihyun and then make us wait so long😭😭

[@user-pm2b47ar8d]

@@roxans557 a prequel episode should I say. Not really a movie tho.

[@starryyynightzzz4691]

Me and my dad too! And my dad hates shows with subtitles but we binged the entire thing in a day and he even bugged me to watch the movie (Ashin of the North) with him lol. Great k drama

[@endiryu8276]

It's interesting you point out the formalities in Korean speech that get lost in subs/dubs. I've always thought color-coded/distinctive ENG subtitles would go a lot further in helping non-Korean speakers understand the true depth of the dialogue. It can go a lot further too, e.g. accents/dialects can maintain a translation more in faith to the true meaning instead of the interpretation being butchered by whoever happens to be transcribing the movie.

[@mercesletifer47]

That would be so good.

[@bi4bye]

This is actually the norm is fansubbing communities. So much of my own cultural knowledge comes from fan groups (or one very dedicated person) going out of their way to explain even the finest detail. The lack of this level/effort of translation is very much corporate nonsense and, unfortunately, something that we'll have to deal with for the foreseeable future

[@juanitaparpandacute3511]

it really would, i´ve only seen it in thai webseries subtitles where they put the word in the original language (and explain like this in brackets the cultural significanse or translation)

[@knaditya8228]

it's was trend in anime fansubs and many fansubs i believe but for some reason mainstream media doesn't use it dunno why..

[@wanderinglizzy]

Coming from Hong Kong, one thing I found especially terrifying about Train to Busan, which I haven't seen in western zombie media, is the sense of crowdedness. The train is very fully packed, and in the scenes after they get off the train at the station and on to the station, the main source of terror is from the vast number of zombies all rushing towards them like an unstoppable force of nature. I think this comes down to how overcrowding is a bit problem in many Asian cities, on a scale that western cities don't really experience.

[@axis8396]

Another thing I like is that by starting slightly after the initial outbreak it's early enough to where people still hold onto their normal personalities before they become "survivors" like a Walking Dead type situation but it also doesn't back load the story with RND or science stuff relating to the virus like a Resident Evil since how we got there doesn't matter, we're here and have to deal with it

[@R3TR0J4N]

Totally 👏, what an amalgamation of a genre is, more so how flexible a sub-genre can expand; From George Romero, 28 days later, Shaun of the dead comedy genre, and melodrama brought by Kdramas. I respect RE series and World War Z for their direction that centers on its origin for being a diff movie.

[@gemonizam2469]

What i like about Korean movies is they capture the core of the genre and the sub-genre of the story very well being its a horror with zombie take or thriller with mystery but what makes them special is definitely the human drama... and Korean culture just adds another layer to the story, as the western cinema gets more lost in political translations, Korean movies deliver better understanding and balance...

[@R3TR0J4N]

melodrama brought by Kdramas and zombie sub-genre that brought "kzombie" or what media calls it as "zombie kdramas", it's great seeing the amalgamation of the sub-genre. Western aint political, more so the audience fatigue being saturated by tropes of the sub-genre. It's a welcome one when it has its own take which makes it genuine like 2017's "Cargo" and "The Cured", alter-history Overlord (2018), 2019's "Blood Quantum" and comedy "Little Monsters", to 2021's heist zombie.

[@elizabethtangora4353]

It’s been years since I saw train to Busan, and I still started to get teary just *remembering* some of those scenes and characters, that’s how deep it cut for me. Great analysis too, the collectivist mentality of Korean zombie movies is what got me back into the sub genre. You just feel more for characters who struggle to protect people instead of just instantly reverting to their basest survival instincts.

[@justinholtman]

One of if not the best film critic commentary channels on KZbin.

[@theoneandonly4268]

It’s crazy because I’ve been saying for quite a while that Korean zombie movies are great, I was just talking about it yesterday, this is perfect timing.

[@Karin_Allen]

K-horror in general is pretty great. I'm not saying every Korean horror movie knocks it out of the park, but the best ones hit Western audiences in ways that most of us have never been hit before. For instance, The Wailing ripped me to pieces.

[@R3TR0J4N]

@@Karin_Allen foreign horror films in general, since it ain't saturated by tropes and we're genuine, plus it's more immersive since it's a foreign movie are alienating.

[@Karin_Allen]

@@R3TR0J4N Yep, I totally agree. I was kind of shocked, though, to hear that Korean audiences aren't crazy about Train to Busan. But Spikima explained it so well: what's weird and alienating to us is cliche to Koreans. That makes me wonder how Koreans react to Western horror films. I'm going to assume they don't put much stock in simple slasher films, but I wonder how they feel about movies like Hereditary or The Others or even something like An American Werewolf in London.

[@pixelpikachu6577]

I sobbed the first time I watched this movie, and as soon as you started showing part of the goodbye scene I started to tear up again!! This is a phenomenal movie.

[@henrye3935]

You showed Shaun of the Dead during the gun section, so I just wanted to say that guns are illegal here in the UK too. Our police rarely carry them 🙂

[@SpikimaMovies]

Oh right - absolutely. That scene wasn't really related to my point - apologies for confusion

[@henrye3935]

@@SpikimaMovies Awesome video as always!

[@rkitchen69]

Certain firearms are legal here in the UK. They are just highly regulated and require a license and rigorous checks to own one.

[@henrye3935]

This doesn't changed the thesis of my point, but if it's important to you to get super specific, then okay. We're co-writers now. It's me and you Ryan. I'll concentrate on story, characters, and tone. You're our details guy. The world builder. Don't let me down.

[@henrye3935]

@@homeskillybisquik8285 Huh? I wasn't mad. I didn't realize my reply read as mad? I was going for playful.

[@GojiMet86]

4:42 Yeah, I did notice this collectivisim you talk about in the movie. There is a difference in the standoff-ish attitude in American zombie movies where people are portrayed as more as paranoid loners who are very leery of large groups or authority figures. In those movies, the army/goverment is usually a really repressive force, maybe worse than the actual zombies. But in this movie, people are really willing to help each other. Even in real-life, with this recent pandemic, I was surprised to see how helpful people were to each other.

[@R3TR0J4N]

lol "Government = bad" in the zombie sub-genre does dates back like years before World War Z (2013).

[@guitarhamster102]

Only in asia. Nonasians will still be selfish assholes

[@SarkkiKarkki]

"When a character remains by his zombifying friend or when a group risks everything for one person, there is an inherent credibility in their actions because they're Koreans in Korea." Based Koreans.

[@Lornext]

The reason why this movie was so good is not because it is "Korean", the actual reason is because it is well written and well acted. Hollywood and western media in total has kinda forgotten how to just write good and Im tired of seeing people ignore that fact.

[@brookb5890]

So glad this popped up on my recommended! I didn't even realize how much Korean Zombie content I was consuming, but it really is a category all on its own. There's a webtoon comic called Surviving Romance that combines the zombie genre and another popular genre of a main character realizing they're inside a story and learning to navigate within that story. It did the same thing as Train to Busan did for me by making the zombies terrifying and making me care about the characters. Even Walking Dead was more about finding out what happens next and less about me wanting the characters to make it out alive/have a happy/satisfying ending.

[@ThePrettyTomboy]

Train to Busan is my favorite zombie film of all time, it gets the pacing and tension exactly right imo

[@Wolfstar26]

a sense of collectivism is definitely something i'va always wished i saw much more in zombie media.

[@rzmeme5846]

The coolest zombie media always descends from collectivism, one that from the last of us that I really found interesting was the commune and how a small sense of collectivism arose in a predominantly individualistic country

[@hamingnu6610]

It's honestly something you hoped would shine more in disaster-type movies where thousands to millions of people have died, humans are against an unpredictable threat, and everyone's trying to figure out how to survive. Sure, individualism is bound to happen when people learn how to survive in isolated groups instead of seeking shelter elsewhere right as the disaster strikes or as the apocalypse starts, but what surprises me about a whole load of disaster movies / apocalypse scenario movies released in the past 20 years is just how many times they insist that everyone starts off trusting nobody else. The pandemic's shown me so far that when you're confused and desperate (and the world's in a pretty bad situation), your first response isn't to turn down all outside help out of fear that they'll be a threat to you, it's to literally seek anything and everything else out because isolation equals lack of resource security. I wouldn't be surprised if a 'real' zombie apocalypse's realest threat is the lack of an ability to collude with each other despite a desire to do so, instead of the opposite shown in movies which too often assumes that everyone absolutely does not want any association with anybody else that they do not immediately trust. I just believe that more people would start going into collectivist attitudes in a zombie apocalypse instead of trying to insist on isolation, like what is seen in movies.

[@yamahrahda]

im OBSESSED with zombie/infected media. tlou, train to busan, twd, shaun of the dead, dawn of the dead, zombieland, highschool of the dead, world war z, reality z, #alive, all of us are dead etc and i really think it’s the best genre. you get to examine characters on such a deep level, how they think, cultural aspects, age, personality, how smart they are, what they find important, who they love. i really enjoyed this video! kzombie media is killing it and im excited to see other examinations of cultures interacting with the genre

[@AlternateEndingsMovies]

In Canada and France, Train to Busan is consired as one of the greatest Zombie movie ever made, this is a massive hit !

[@olivierluisin1790]

I'm french, I can confirm we like that movie pretty much

[@andrewf6111]

The first part is really cool. As a westerner I only got a general sense of distance and a too busy father, and the finer parts of Korean formal/informal language were lost on me. Thanks!

[@thekrapbook]

I was just so thankful that I've seen this film in the theaters with my friends. Going in blindly with just the recommendation of one of my friends. It was definitely one hell of a ride watching it.

[@js0m0]

I am a big fan of the zombie genre and will almost watch anything related to it. As usual, people have often asked me to watch The Walking Dead and I did give it a try, but left it because I felt they were unnecessarily killing characters at one point. I then proceeded to watch other shows like Z nation (which I liked better than TWD because it was comedic until the plot turned to a shitshow) and Black Summer but felt something was missing. Enter the K-Zombie Genre, and I was HOOKED. What I especially like about them is the community aspect, be it Train to Busan, All of Us are Dead, Alive....there is a certain trust between characters that I feel the Western Zombie film characters lack...they just completely distrust anybody and everybody aside themselves and will start killing any strangers or wanderer they meet. Also, as you mentioned, weapons make a huge difference, when the community as a whole come together to plan and kill zombie rather than relying on fire weapons it makes the situation even more intense.

[@hannah666]

I found your channel recently and I love it SO SO much. You've really helped me bring a whole new appreciation for films I already loved. I was never able to really express the reason for it.. it was just a feeling? So having someone else put it into words helps a lot.

[@icequeensamwich9309]

I think it's so important to be able to differentiate between informal and formal speach to be able to properly appreciate korean media. Even if you're not able to tell the difference between haeyo-che and hae-che, or hasipsio-che and haera-che, knowing what to listen for to know if someone is using banmal or jondanmal makes a huge difference in comprehension and appreciation of the depth. Formality levels in speech does so much unspoken context. An easy way to do this without needing to know how to speak Korean, is to know that sentences are ended in specific ways that show their formality level. Listen for the sentance ending in "-imnida " ( ㅂ니다 ) which detonates a formal speech level. The ending "-yo ( 요 ) detonates a police speech level, where banmal, or informal, speech, doesn't use a specific verb ending.

[@dauntlessnicholas1672]

To add up to this entire video viewpoint as to why Korean zombie films works, we can look at the exact opposite of the spectrum: Train to Busan neglected deform brother, Peninsula. That film goes against literally everything that’s addressed in this video, and that further proves how well made this video essay is, bravo

[@hamingnu6610]

(Spoilers but like...) Peninsula literally ends with United Nations forces saving the main characters via a lucky helicopter ride. It's crazy.

[@matthewmolnar1285]

I love Train to Busan ! One of my top favourite Zombie movies.

[@pauli_joy]

This is the first time I've ever had chills watching a movie commentary video Well done!

[@viiviviviiv]

holy crap wewatch is SO COOL??? i can't wait to binge movies with you!!

[@valentinetheace]

Man, I love Train to Busan, there was just something about the zombies that actually made me think this was the kind of movie where everyone dies in a tiny train car, the suspense leading up to the main attraction of the movie was one of my favorites, "Calm before the storm" moments a lot of zombie movies portray but never quite had me on the edge of my seat. The cramped nature of the movie was the most interesting parts of the movie with the outdoor shots seeming large and able to fit all the characters onscreen really sold the picture of loneliness before the horde of zombies, these zombies felt fast and bloodthirsty when they kept climbing over one another and managing to outpace the characters that unfortunately manage to take out some of the cast. (some I liked some I didn't) Overall, one of the best zombie movies I've ever had the pleasure of watching. It was like taking a fresh breath of air.

[@P3N1SLUVR]

I can't believe we watch is free!!! I love hearing your in depth takes. As a biotech major I don't get to analyze art/language/etc so I really don't know how to. It's been very helpful to see how you break down films and it's actually helped me to better analyze some of my favorite films. Thank you!

[@KM10HM12]

I love it cuz they ain’t scared to get ugly. Like the women aren’t out there looking like models with perfect makeup and hair but they actually look like they are going through a zombie apocalypse. It’s realistic - from their mindset to their actions. They ain’t scared of looking “ugly” either, It’s human and it beautiful. Might be the bare minimum but as a woman I like to see the realistic approach to things like apocalypse. Cuz people often tend to put themselves in those situations and discuss what they would do it is was them, and Korean zombies movies shows you that perfectly and unbiased. Cuz I don’t like how the western zombies movies dumb down the women. It’s frustrating.

[@leilanikicksass]

It's always a good day when Spikima posts. This was great to watch 😊

[@PuckHarkness]

Spot on analysis, as always. Your videos always get me so hyped to watch these films again with fresh eyes. Every time I find myself nodding along like "omg wow he's so right" Thank you for sharing your passion with us

[@sherlock___holmes]

the fact that kingdom parasite cure the whole time was simply (cold) water really makes you realise how they could have avoided the entire spread if only they knew...

[@Unaccountxble]

Dude, i love your video's and the whole wewatch thing is even better, so intresting watching you point out things that i wouldn't even see myself and makes me enjoy movies and your content so much more! Big love

[@elviskaboom]

Really enjoyed this video and your WeWatch commentaries! Hope you get the chance to make more.

[@Your96kidz]

WE NEED KINGDOM SEASON 3 IN NETFLIX ASAP PLS 😭😭😭😭 ohh and btw i like zombie series which took a more darker phase and character development such as kingdom and black summer and this 2 is the only zombie series i only binge on

[@DeathBeforeComicSans]

I’m so excited to try WeWarch-you’re my favorite reviewer. Your commentary is so informative and insightful. I’m psyched to have access to more!

[@Teddy-lj2rk]

I watched Train to Busan while riding a train, which I found to be a very fun experience! A little freaky, but I loved it

[@SMtWalkerS]

Fascinating analysis. I really enjoyed "Train to Busan" and you brought up lots of new aspects to ponder.

[@nighte11e]

Brilliant analysis, as always. I’m glad to see your channel grow more, because you deserve it. Also, I love how you’ve used music (drums) at the background. It’s so subtle, but well placed. Great job!

[@KS-vt6wk]

I’m surprised there wasn’t more mention of kingdom. I Feel like it used the overall commentary of the social system in Korea and perfectly nailed the storytelling of corruption while using zombies!

[@thedrunkencatlady]

After wathich Korean content for almost 6 years now, I finally understand the cultural nuances, which makes the movie easier to understand, and the importance of certain cultural references is further enhanced. I believe there are a lot od things that get lost in translation for every language. People rarely talk about this. Loved your take on the movie

[@MiggieSmalls91]

They know how to add fear and tension when it comes to story writing. Plus giving every character to shine as well.

[@haralambimarkov6862]

I am so glad I stumbled on this glorious channel. Subscribed. I am a massive fan of K-zombies. The physical interpretatin of what zombies are - the sheer chaos and disregard of the confines of the human body as it relates to movement. Terrifying. TERRIFYING.

[@whofan1212]

I love these and ,though it's not a zombie film it has similar themes, sweet home. Series like this have me crying and attached so so often

[@aaronmartinez5139]

I watched this back in 2019 with my cousins and I was just balling my eyes. And right when you were replaying the key scenes, i just started crying soooo hard.

[@nakynie463]

I love how you calmly depict things and tear them apart-- it's amazing to see the subtle things that we might've picked up on only subconsciously

[@JB-ku6si]

Without a shadow of a doubt 'Kingdom' is my favourite K-Zombie show. This is partially due to the amalgamation of zombie show crossed with period drama which is an interesting mix, however Kingdom pulled it off beautifully. Hopefully a third season is released soon. Train to Busan for me will always be incredible to me as it showed me what a zombie film/show should be like. As Number 9 pointed out, the zombies actually have character.

[@KingDetraktos]

This reminds me of Cargo, starring Martin Freeman. If you haven’t watched that, I recommend it. It’s gripping, tragic, emotional, all because of the human element. The zombies are secondary. This is NOT a spoiler, as it’s either in the movie synopsis, or established within the first 10 minutes, but it’s about a new mother and father, to a little baby girl, during a “zombie” outbreak. The mother is very connected to their daughter, and the daughter is very deeply connected to the mother in return, but the father is having trouble connecting with his daughter, as she always seems to cry for her mother even if he’s there for her. The virus will convert anyone into a zombie within a 48 hour window. Injuries and wounds can speed that along. The wife ends up being bit, and is lost to the virus. Tragically, the father ends up contracting the virus himself, as well, and he has to find somewhere for his baby daughter-somewhere she can be raised to live a happy, healthy, and SAFE life, in the midst of an apocalypse, before his time runs out. This is only a very mild spoiler, as it’s a development that anyone would assume would happen given the details I’ve already shared, but now, in this tragic scenario, along their perilous journey together, the father and daughter end up growing that strong connection the father had been missing. This makes the film even more powerful. Anyway, I recommend Cargo if you want a zombie flick with an intense dimension of humanity-in the form of love and utter desperation-leading the way.

[@ravena1441]

YES! Cargo was so good! It did tension right!

[@lemonlordminecraft]

I watched the first 2 minutes of this video, all 2h of Train to Busan, then the rest of this video. Thank you for introducing me to it, that was an amazing movie I am going to think about it a lot.

[@cheramie278]

Bro this movie was a fucking masterpeicethis commentary is giving me flashbacks for realthanks for the video!

[@후녈]

부산행은 따분했다고 생각하는 사람이지만 다른 나라사람의 관점에선 오히려 매력으로 다가오는 점이 신기하네요 한국영화가 해외에서 나름 좋은 반응 받는 거 보면 뭔가 뿌듯한 것도 있고 ㅋㅋ

[@SpikimaMovies]

맞아요! 해외에선 정말 난리였죠 :)

[@ly_sea]

I would also like to mention the korean zombie series "happiness". a masterpiece imo. it realistically portrays what actually might go on when an apocalypse strikes, with the government and military getting involved, and how there's food and water shortages, quarantine procedures and power cuts. the characters feel so real and hardly over exaggerated. what makes the series scary is not just the zombies but the /humans/ , since most of the characters are selfish, conniving and frustrating to be around; and although as a viewer you might find it ridiculous, it's actually a close portrayal to what people might actually be like if an apocalypse did break out; our primal instincts where we selfishly care about ourselves going so far as to hiding the fact that we've been infected just so we aren't kicked out of the safe group (yes this happens in the series) is its strongest in situations like this. an amazing series that I HIGHLY recommend

[@SarahAbundance]

I’m literally scared of K-Zomb movies, and, I want to know more of your observations! Can’t wait to watch it with you at WeWatch! I’ll keep the lights on, hahaha!

[@abysmal5599]

Loved Train to Busan. All Of Us Are Dead was also really enjoyable, I’m curious to see what they do with Season 2.

[@moonmun]

You know a movie is great if it can make you tear up again watching a video about it!

[@ericjourdain892]

Hey Spiki, I am late to the but Wewatch is fantastic news, especially regarding Train To Busan, which was my favourite 2016 movie. All the best to you 😊

[@달팽이-o1i]

daaaaaaaaaaamn. this is the first time ive ever seen your content and i gotta hand it you, this was a fucking masterpiece bro. the resolution and your knowledge of film writing came thruuuuu. Im subbed and belled after this, this shit was great man.

[@Masanumi]

That remembers me a little bit on "all quit on the western front". Despite getting an Oscar in a foreign country it was torn apart by a lot of german critics.

[@flavourruling2162]

Now all we need is a zombie movie that is just a schizophrenic episode experienced by the viewer and they go mad but it’s set up as the guy being sane in the beginning, the perspective is the world experiencing a zombie outbreak, and this guy surviving. In reality, he’s a mentally ill homeless man trying to survive in any way he can. In the world of this movie, zombies can act like humans, but his processing of it is a little different, say a door is left open when someone walks in - he sees the door get busted down. If it is closed when he is away and doesn’t see it, the door is fixed and nothing broke it down. This is his introduction into his breaks from reality within his mind, but not the full awareness of the problem and it further perpetuates the problem - now the zombie world is making him insane. His insanity is driving him insane and he might never come back due to the horror of it. Or will he? Damn see y’all in 5 years when this comes out

[@sebastianmichael5819]

Wow, you spoke my mind and also added many details I overlooked. I would like to add, I think that choosing the “breakout time” actually is a safer route, it’s the time when surprise and fear dominates the scene, humans use adaptability skills to survive and reach the main objective that comes as an instinct, finding stability and a sense of safety. Thus the breakout moment is the best to show off the survival skills of each characters and how they react to critical situation (which may come as a surprise sometimes since the spectators already unconsciously judge the characters during the presentation, example: Making a seemingly weak person useful, by adding hidden information sounds like a great idea). But after this stability is found, even in an apocalyptic environment, they return to a more or less stable daily life, so unless some sudden event happens, making it dramatic may be harder, unless they actively search for a cure (reason why I love the last of us). And the thing about guns lmao, the majority of zombie movies are based in America, before watching kdrama, I always wondered how the rest of the world would handle the crisis. As for the subtitles, I always prefer to watch whatever movie in the original language, sometimes I may be lucky and understand a bit, so that mistranslation doesn’t always fool me (Japanese after years of watching anime lol), some other times all thought I don’t understand the original language, I think that not only words but the way it’s conveyed matters (not trying to look down on voice actors and translators job, they are amazing, but the cultural difference is tricky to deal with). A few times I would settle to watch it translated so that I can share the experience with others,…the way I cringe and have to watch the original later, ugh.

[@PolishCommunist750]

You got me so invested in the Father-Daughter Relationship I forgot this was a zombie movie at first

[@gail8834]

I liked World War Z for similar reasons. The struggle to find answers and the desperation were felt throughout the movie. Plus it was nice to see that a cure was found and possible. In reality it probably would have taken years instead of months like it appeared. But it was more realistic then a lot of movies. Some criticized it because it wasn’t scary enough. Well not everyone likes jump/scare movies. In WWZ the desperation throughout the movie and the “are they going to make it “ scenes are enough to keep a person on the edge of their seats. Oh I watch a lot of Asian movies and series on KZbin and the translation in the close captions are definitely confusing sometimes. Most I can reword in my head so it makes sense.

[@kateee9553]

10:25 It's kind a ironic, considering majority of Korean male know how to use a gun 😂

[@julius-stark]

I think the success of TTN also had a lot to do with the writing. A lot of Asian films tend to focus a lot on characters and their relationships (largely felt but unspoken) towards other characters. American cinema rarely does this; everyone's character or relationship is stated and out in the open so that there can be no chance for misinterpretation. It's the fear of having the audience not figure out something because you think they're too stupid to figure it out so you flat out tell them. It's the hallmark of bad writing. Also, the confined nature of the the train in TTN makes for some really suspenseful scenes that are crafted with a lot of forethought as well as a lot of well placed cowardice/heroism from the characters that, had this been an American production, likely would have been poorly written.

[@yunhoiswithmern]

4:25 theres not even any audio from the movie but i started sobbing just from seeing that scene again

[@Taylor-kb6dp]

The thing i like about korean zombie movies is that the zombies feel like a threat to everyone, not just the adult, main characters best friend because the movie needs to kill someone off. Korean zombies are scary as hell

[@bapbirb]

I think Korean apocalypse/thriller/horror movies tend to do such a great job at incorporating antagonists or scenarios where they evoke emotions of helpless rage in the audience. I have no idea how to describe the word in english.. but its the word '억울하다' or '괘씸하다'. Which is when good people in the movie gets helplessly mistreated and overpowered by the antagonist. But its usually very realistic and relatable. Not fictional or anything... Idk why that specific aspect of Korean horror/thriller movies stand out to me the most, but it's something that always affects me the most emotionally.

[@SkyBlue-ww5mf]

Wow great job picking up the language formality at the beginning. As small kids my sister and I addressed our parents informally, like mum and dad. When I turned 8? My dad being a traditional bloke asked us to address him formally, calling him ‘father’ and use the formal language, this immediately changed things I think. We still called and talked to mum the same way and it was easier and she was more approachable while it was difficult to talk to dad. There are other elements of course like dad working all the time to provide the family, hence not seeing him that much and mum always home looking after us. But it definitely created distance.

[@cambruh5992]

Still, and forever, grateful you're taking the time to explain the cultural details for my wee lil brain operating at Idiocracy-levels of global awareness 😂

[@R3TR0J4N]

Ifunny when people compare the zombie kdramas on previous zombie sub-genre back last 10 years.. people are missing alot from this category.

[@lissaliss6716]

No one is talking about how heart wrenching the final scene with soo an and her father is. I've watched this movie several different times, showed it to friends who haven't ever seen it, and every single time, that entire scene makes me ugly cry. It's uncontrollable and one of the absolute best acted out scenes in film history. Breaks my heart.

[@darlington1715]

Train to Busan's ending really made me think a lot about things. Stayed in my nightmares too

[@robotictophat8331]

Train to Busan is one of the only movies ever (which totals to probably 3) to make me cry and I would've never expected that from a zombie movie but man does this movie make you care about everyone's struggles, bonds, and goals. 9.5/10 movie for me. It's only flaw to me is that the father and daughter's bond could've been just a hint more developed but its great as it is right now.

[@Rossie123able]

I just found your channel and you’ve given me a lot to think about and digest as a cinephile and filmmaker

[@eddiew2325]

Will u marry me

[@illidanstormrage9149]

Ayyyy. I just thought about you man. Nice to see you upload Spikima. Keep up the good work.

[@MeisenWong]

Did you catch The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale? That's my favourite K-zombie film.

[@naha2153]

Kingdom not getting a season 3 should be a crime

[@drewgoin8849]

I appreciate you discussing the problem of translating a foreign film into the language of the audience. I often experience a degree of anxiety watching movies like Train to Busan, fearing that the message will be obscured.

[@michaelpotatoman1240]

Oh my god the drum soundtrack is perfect. Like it literally seems like it was composed for this video.

[@Celestial_Fiend]

I like the new type of zombies that can grow (You can find them in Chinese and korean manhwa/manhua) the zombies not only get stronger when you kill them you can get stronger

[@Leguinan]

And Kingdom reached perfection...

[@owl2787]

I kinda wish you mentioned Happiness too, since it’s unique in the sense that even the zombies are still human most of the time and only really look and start acting like zombies when they get hungry or smell blood. It’s cool since it doesn’t treat infected folks like lost causes and makes you still see them as humans

[@timallen5073]

I find you content super engaging me and my boyfriend love seeing you post

[@정성원-e5b]

이런 채널이 있었군요. 그토록 찾아해매던 채널을 드디어 찾은 기분이네요. ㅎㅎ 깊이있고 영화를 배울수 있는 좋은 채널이라고 생각합니다. 이런 좋은 영상을 만들어 주셔서 감사합니다.

[@SpikimaMovies]

재밌게 봐주셔서 감사합니다! :)

[@GettinSpooky]

Korean disaster films in general are very well written and they all tend to have all sorts of emotions, I can confidently say that a zombie movie has NEVER made me cry like this one. Cried my eyes out

[@mariapaz6379]

i feel like it has to do with the fact that koreans understand what they want to make the central focus on their stories. If they want senseless violence they can do it without trying to give excuses, but here in the zombie movies and series, we see an intense focus on the interactions between the characters. if we compare American zombie movies, you find an obvious focus on the fight with the zombies and search for the cure. But if you go to korean movies, like train to busan, the focus is on the characters and how they interact in these dire circumstances. One might think this is something we only see in train to busan, but the movie\series of kingdom also explores the dynamics between the characters under the threat of zombies, even going a step further, as it dissects how a society with a very strict structure slowly falls apart and how the structure itself contributes for this to happen. There are other examples too and its not only in zombie movies, but something that these films have in common, is that they don't bother to create explanation to why things are happening, or how these things can be solved. Korean movies just give into the feelings and motivations for the characters, and we are taken for a ride.

[@8teenOfficial]

what's great about them is about the writing of the characters and the zombies were like the icing on the cake

[@dommyboysmith]

I have a simple theory. "If Don Lee is in it, it's a good movie." 😄

[@GloomysDespair]

I know you probably don't do requests, but I just thought of something. What about Snowpiercer? The differences in morality displayed in the movie from a Korean trying to describe a western point of view vs how it might actually be from a western point of view? I feel as though the movie is an expression of a western caste society system, no matter how much we deny there is one, and yet it still shows the very thing foundation of what western society likes to hold over other countries, the right to fight off your shackles when facing human injustice.

[@reeye9881]

Great video as always. But one thing though, for me at least, your trumbnail and title has mislead me. i went in the video expecting you to cover the kzombie genre as a whole, like train to busan (of course), Kingdom, all of us are dead, and other kzombie that i might have missed or forgotten and elaborate on why kzombie genre is on a rise (like the title suggests) compared to other zombie content. But then this video just 80% about train to busan, with some and little general reasons for the rise of kzombie. Like maybe as i'm writing this comment i now understand what you are going for, using train to busan as a prime example of the kzombie genre and why it's different from other zombie movie/series. But again as i said, i clicked this video hoping for you to cover the kzombie as a whole with kingdom and all of us are dead (both series that i love) and not just train to busan. Or maybe i'm just not smart enough to understand what you are going for.

[@kerons13]

재미있게 본 영화인데 이렇게 보니 정말 대단한 영화였군요! 항상 잘 보고 있습니다. Keep up the good work! :)

[@cicadathegod8277]

I’m not really a zombie person. I find them to be extremely boring but train to busan was and is my personal exception to the genre.

[@whofan1212]

I'd definitely give all of us are dead a try! It has the same well rounded characters so you might also enjoy it

[@savvi3128]

I consider myself a very tough person, and Korean isn't even a language I have ever come across with, barring Netflix and viki, but boy did I have my stomach churned, throat dry and eyes watery in the final scene. Korean and Japanese child actors crying has this distinct helplessness and despair, that makes me extremely sad for them. Wonderful analysis as always, agree with the joke designed to fit within the cultural context, however ridiculous it may seem to Korean, or by extension non-Asian people. Especially anything concerning studies.

[@CentralAssassin]

The title is a little bit misleading...It's more like Train to Busan deep review