[HanCinema's News] "#ALIVE" Sets Off New Wave of South Korean Zombie Media

With the powerful response earned by "Kingdom - Season 2" earlier this year, itself building off the hype of "Kingdom", which itself was building off the hype of "Train to Busan", more South Korean zombie media seemed inevitable. But it's only just now that production is catching up with past trends, as "#ALIVE" seems certain to leave a mark on the box office this summer.

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"#ALIVE" has popped up almost out of nowhere in terms of movie hype, as distributors have been reluctant to compete in the current COVID-19 pandemic environment, which has badly depressed sales. "#ALIVE" has been the first major release to elect against pushing back its projected release schedule. In part this is because there hasn't been a new major release since February. However, the oddly appropriate timing of zombie media appearing at this time is another likely factor.

Conceptually "#ALIVE" is also not just a zombie movie, but rather explicitly brands itself on social isolation for people who can't go outside for fearing of being attacked by zombies. The hashtag in the title denotes the emphasis the story places on social media. Such aspects are highly relatable in these current times. Indeed, "#ALIVE" is such an obvious story of interest for self-isolators at home a theoretical box office loss might be worth it just to get the movie into the secondary markets.

The tone also contrasts nicely with "Kingdom - Season 2", which is produced on a much more epic scale and in a historical environment. "Peninsula", the sequel to "Train to Busan", is another summer movie with a similar tone to the "Kingdom" series, albeit in a modern setting. Its release date remains ambiguous, however. As a big budget production the distribution company is likely waiting to see how the first new movies will perform before giving a definite release date.

But even when the summer is over more new zombie media is expected to come. This includes not just the anticipated "Kingdom: Ashin of the North" but also "All of Us Are Dead" which, true to form, is another zombie piece in yet another distinct setting. A high school in this case. Both series are expected on Netflix at some point in the indefinite future.

Written by William Schwartz