Train to Busannever got a worthy sequel, but Netflix’s acclaimed zombie drama comes off as its perfect spiritual successor. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho,Train to Busanremains one of the most popular Korean action movies nearly a decade after its release. With a relatively low budget of $8.5 million, the film went on to earn $98.5 million globally, paving the way for two follow-up films. While one of these follow-ups was ananimated prequel, titledSeoul Station, the other was a standalone sequel,Peninsula.
Like the original film,Seoul Stationwas received fairly well by critics. However, whenPeninsulacame out, it almost felt like a forced expansion of the original film’s lore because of its inability to capture its predecessor’s emotional intensity and recreate its immersive action. Owing to this, it is hard to callPeninsulaa worthysequel to Train to Busan. A closer look at a highly acclaimed Netflix Korean zombie show reveals how it deserves to be labeled as an unofficialTrain to Busansuccessor because of how perfectly it combines brutal zombie action with grounded themes.
Peninsula Felt Like A Rushed Sequel
AfterTrain to Busan’s success, it seemed like the people behind the film rushed into making a sequel. As a result, the film’s official follow-up,Peninsula, came off as an unnecessary extension of the original universe, lacking the emotional and thematic depth that madeTrain to Busansuccessful. For the most part,Peninsulaseemingly prioritized spectacle over relatable character-driven drama and eventually failed to deliver both. Many critics complained how its CGI-fueled set pieces felt one-dimensional and dull, without the narrative heft that drove the original flick.
Netflix’sAll of Us Are Dead, in contrast, took the same approach asTrain to Busan. Instead of solely being about humanity’s survival in the wake of a zombie apocalypse, the series did an incredible job of humanizing its teenage characters by showing how their day-to-day snags affected them. WhilePeninsulaseemingly lacked the heart and soul of the original,All of Us Are Deadovercame many clichés of the genre and left its mark by simply spinning a coming-of-age yarn in its familiar narrative. This makes the Netflix show an unofficial but worthyTrain to Busansequel.
The Show Is Also Thematically Rich Like The Movie
Zombies are often portrayed as highly resilient but incredibly slow creatures. This allows humans to outrun them in most situations or kill them by hitting them in their heads. However, somemovies, like28 Days Later,World War Z, andTrain to Busan, have defied the norm by portraying fast zombies. By showing how their versions of the living dead are not sluggish and slow, the movies have given the creatures a scarier spin. Interestingly, even thezombies inAll of Us Are Deadare terrifyingly quick.
…All of Us Are Dead, likeTrain to Busan, dares to rise above the regular fare of zombie shows and movies by being a lot more than an action-packed survival thriller.
Similar toTrain to Busan,All of Us Are Deadalso presents grounded social commentary on relatable subjects. WhileTrain to Busantries to capture themes of class struggles, government corruption, and human selfishness in the face of danger,All of Us Are Deaduses its zombie apocalypse as a narrative device to highlight the impact of bullying, social mistrust, and institutional failure on young minds in a school. Put simply,All of Us Are Dead, likeTrain to Busan, dares to rise above the regular fare of zombie shows and movies by being a lot more than an action-packed survival thriller.
They Seem To Perfectly Complement Each Other
Train to BusanandAll of Us Are Deadhave no established narrative overlaps or connections. The two zombie franchises do not unfold in the same universe, and none of their characters cross over between the two stories. Despite this,their tonal and thematic similarities and ability to become way more than one-dimensional zombie stories make them perfect companion pieces.Train to Busan’s original sequel failed to live up to the high expectations set by it.
Fortunately,All of Us Are Deadcomes close to being as good as the Korean movie and arguably also manages to do some things better. Because of this, it would be fair to call the Netflix show a worthy spiritual follow-up toTrain to Busan. Viewers who have watched either of the two should certainly check out the other.
Train to Busan
Train to Busan is a South Korean action-horror film released in 2016. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, it centers on passengers aboard an express train from Seoul to Busan during a sudden zombie outbreak. As the virus spreads, the survivors must navigate the chaotic and dangerous environment to reach safety.
All Of Us Are Dead
Cast
All of Us Are Dead is a South Korean series that centers on a high school overrun by a zombie virus outbreak. The students, facing an unprecedented crisis, must navigate survival while combating the threat of becoming part of the undead horde.
