7 Greatest K-Drama Zombie Shows All Fans Must Watch, Ranked

When one thinks of zombies in Korean cinema, one may immediately snap their attention to modern classics like Train to Busan or its would-be successors. A major component of its particularly gritty magic in this market is in how ruthless zombies are depicted in the medium, with their outbreaks often directly exposing the rot at the heart of society, from class inequality, to crumbling institutions, to vulnerable populations left behind. But one doesn’t need to find these merely in feature-length film, as a select few shows from the K-drama medium have more frequently begun to crop up in recent years, often achieving enormous success.

Zombies and K-dramas are a surprising combination, playing into the rich audience potential beyond even the usual options like romance and thrillers which commonly dominate streaming charts. Even their more relatively underwhelming shows, thanks to novelty of their premise or featured stars, can strike a chord within the fandom, whether they’re seeking something new to watch or want to experience something truly brilliant. While the subgenre is still far less saturated for now, it’s worth documenting the standouts that have emerged so far, especially since its greatest performers have, true to their genre, attained far greater longevity than normally thought possible.

7

Newtopia (2025)

A Zombie Outbreak Becomes The Perfect Storm To Make A Breakup Fall Through

K-dramas have a pretty firm grasp on dark comedy just as they do on horror, action, romance, and thrillers, and where they intersect is in 2025’s Newtopia. Simply put, Lee Jae-yoon (played by Park Jeong-min) is an anxious soldier who breaks up with his girlfriend, only for a zombie outbreak to engulf Korea. Jae-yoon and his now-ex-girlfriend, Kang Young-joo (played by Jisoo of Blackpink) then find themselves desperately fighting to survive the outbreak and reunite despite being on opposite sides of the city.

But the two characters grow stronger and more resilient ahead of their reunion. Jae-yoon becomes a capable fighter and leader amidst the crisis, while Young-joo witnesses the terrors ahead as well, fighting just as hard, with the series ending on a hopeful-yet-ambiguous note for fans craving a happy ending.

The series explores themes of urban isolation distilled in the primary leads’ separation, and the anxieties surrounding mandatory military service, all against the usual trappings of a horror K-drama including a society, already pushed to its limit, now past its breaking point. Despite its edges, and admittedly plenty of superior zombie K-dramas out there, Newtopia manages to strike a funny, almost playful balance against its usual genre expectations.

6

Dark Hole (2021)

A Mysterious Hole Omits Smoke That Turns People Into Zombies

2021’s Dark Hole subverts the typical zombie genre by throwing a mysterious and lethal sinkhole into the mix. Dark Hole takes place in a city where a cavernous sinkhole has opened up and has begun spewing a strange smoke. As it turns out, the smoke isn’t as innocuous as it first seems, and in fact, inhaling it can infect humans with an indescribable virus that turns them into monsters.

The series then follows a group of survivors who not only must save their lives from the smoke and their violent zombie peers but also must figure out how to shut down the sinkhole before it hurts anyone else. Dark Hole isn’t basic when it comes to the zombie genre. It stands out for its unique concept and execution of a well-loved trope. However, that doesn’t mean that the show strays too far from what audiences love about zombie series.

Dark Hole includes plenty of the same zombie tropes that viewers know and love including intense chase sequences, scientific mysteries, and gross-looking zombie characters. If anything, Dark Hole goes above and beyond the zombie genre to make it scarier, and somehow, even more dangerous.

5

Sweet Home (2020-2024)

Neighbors In An Apartment Building Band Together During A Zombie Apocalypse

Created in 2020, Sweet Home follows a young man who finds himself barricaded in his new apartment during a zombie apocalypse after an upsetting family tragedy. Alone and scared, the protagonist must join forces with his neighbors and other apartment dwellers to protect their building and prevent the apocalypse from reaching them.

While the zombies are unquestionably dangerous, this series even goes so far as to explore the supernatural effects and powers of the zombies, making them much more than just the hungry undead.

In this way, Sweet Home amps up the physical aspect of the zombie genre, not only with incredibly powerful zombies but also with strong human characters as well. It is perfect for those seeking a gory, fight-heavy zombie series. Plus, the series also has an amazing ensemble cast that is easy to fall in love with, especially as the apocalypse forces them to grow closer.

4

Zombie Detective (2020)

A Newly-Turned Zombie Becomes A Detective To Investigate His Change

Not all zombie shows have to be intense or scary, and the supernatural and fantasy k-drama Zombie Detective is proof of that. The series follows a young man who wakes up one day to find that he is a zombie. Without a memory, the protagonist hides his zombie identity and becomes a private investigator to figure out his own story, and more than that, discover what is behind the zombie outbreak. Joined by a former investigative journalist, the pair grow close in their mission to uncover the mystery of the zombie apocalypse.

Zombie Detective manages to balance the darkness of the zombie genre with a more lighthearted tone. The show’s main character may be a zombie, but he’ll do anything to remain human and bring justice to himself and other zombies. Additionally, the series has a heavy mystery element to it that includes not just the overarching question of where zombies come from, but also smaller mysteries tackled in each episode. Overall, Zombie Detective is a sweeter yet still solid piece of zombie content.

3

Happiness (2021)

An Immune Woman Investigates The Zombie Outbreak

In 2021’s Happiness, the world has descended into chaos after a drug called “Next” began a worldwide pandemic of a disease called the Lytta Virus, or “mad person disease.” Amid this apocalypse, the series’ main character gets scratched by an infected person but finds that she is immune to the virus. From there, she enters a fake relationship to secure housing, and the protagonist and her false husband fall into a conspiracy that will ultimately uncover the origins of the zombie apocalypse.

Though Happiness is heavily rooted in zombies, the story expands far beyond the undead monsters. In this series, there is science, intrigue, investigation, and even a heavy romantic storyline involving a fake dating plot. In this way, Happiness stands out for its unique ability to be a zombie k-drama and have one of the best k-drama romances. However, the series also brings plenty of zombies. The infected of Happiness are a mystery in and of themselves, and present an intriguing aspect to explore further.

2

Kingdom (2019-2020)

A Crown Prince Protects His Kingdom From A Zombie Outbreak

Kingdom not only presents a deadly zombie apocalypse, but a period adventure as well. The series takes place during the Joseon Dynasty, where the crown prince must fight to protect his nation from an outbreak of plague that wakes the dead. On top of that, the prince must also face political conspiracies and plots to take him and his family down, which come from much closer than he even realizes. Overall, this is an intense and complex situation that makes for highly entertaining television.

Kingdom adds a lot to the zombie genre with this unexpected historical setting. It’s difficult enough to support a zombie plot, which often includes measures of science and mystery. However, to do it in a period piece as well is an impressive feat. This series balances its genres well, creating an epic story of death, survival, and justice. The crown prince must do whatever it takes to save himself, his kingdom, and those he loves.

1

All Of Us Are Dead (2022-)

Students Fight For Their Lives Inside Of A School Overrun By Zombies

All of Us Are Dead images the chaos of a zombie outbreak happening in the middle of a school day. The series explores a science experiment gone wrong that leads to a zombie outbreak right in the middle of a high school. In turn, a group of teenagers must work together to survive against the monsters and the threat of starvation. While this series brings plenty of high tension, it is only amplified by its young cast of All of Us Are Dead and their intense emotions and fears.

All of Us Are Dead balances horror and drama effectively. With every fight sequence comes an emotional turn that brings the audience a step closer into the character’s lives and feelings. It is a series that is both terrifying and emotional, bringing the most basic of human emotions to the forefront. In this way, All of Us Are Dead cements itself as a great Korean zombie series by bringing a slice of reality to an otherwise otherworldly situation, and the best part is, as season 2 has wrapped filming as of February 2026, more will soon be on the way.

Release Date

January 28, 2022

Network

Netflix

Writers

Chun Sung-il

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  Yoon Chan-young

  Lee Cheong-san

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