All of Us Are Dead Review: Survival, Chaos & High School Horror

Title: All of Us Are Dead 

Episodes: 12

Genre: Thriller, Action, Survival 

Main Cast: Yoon Chan-young, Park Ji-hu, Park Solomon, Cho Yi-hyun

Streaming Platform: Netflix

Image Credit: Wikipedia

What happens when a zombie outbreak traps high school students inside their school? All of Us Are Dead is a gripping survival K-drama packed with suspense, raw emotion, and intense action. It’s more than just blood and bites; it's about bravery, friendship, and growing up in the face of chaos.

“All of Us Are Dead” is a South Korean television series released on January 28, 2022, on Netflix. Written by Chun Sung-il and directed by Lee Jae-kyoo and Kim Nam-su, this zombie apocalypse series is available to watch on Netflix with 12 episodes. The second season of the series has been announced for release, but a specific date has not been provided.

Plot Summary 

Lee Byeong-chan, a science teacher at Hyosan High School, creates a Jonas virus that turns his son and wife into zombies. In the science lab of the school, student Kim Hyeon-ju gets bitten by a rat infected with the virus. After being discovered by other students, she is taken to the infirmary, but she bites the nurse, Kim Kyung-mi, while turning into a zombie. 

The school teachers quickly send her to the hospital while Byeong-chan gets arrested for locking her up in the lab. Soon, Kyung-mi turns into a zombie and starts biting other students, causing a huge zombie outbreak in the school. 

Lee Cheong-san and Nam On-jo, childhood best friends and neighbors, escape the cafeteria swarmed by the zombies while class president Choi Nam-ra is saved by her classmate Lee Su-hyeok, and they all hide in one of the classrooms with their other friends I-sak, Gyeong-su, Na-yeon, Dae-su, Ji-min, Joon-young, Woo-jin, Hyo-ryung, and Min-ji. 

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Hyeon-ju bites many people, which spreads the virus throughout the city. At the school, Cheong-san encounters the school bully, Yoon Gwi-nam, who killed the school principal. While fighting, Cheong-san injures Gwi-nam's left eye and pushes him into the zombies. 

Despite being bitten by zombies, Gwi-nam excludes human behavior and decides to take revenge on Cheong-san. While looking for Cheong-san, he runs into other students and bites Nam-ra, but Su-hyeok pushes him out the window. 

Soon, Nam-ra starts showing zombie symptoms and tries to bite Su-hyeok, but Su-hyeok stands by her side, and they confess their feelings for each other. Gwi-nam keeps coming back for Cheong-san while Nam-ra saves him through her zombie strength. At the rooftop, Cheong-san confesses his feelings for On-jo, which makes her upset. 

Later, they meet Ha-ri, Min-jae, Jun-seong, and Mi-jin, who hide in the restroom. As they try to escape the school filled with zombies, many of them sacrifice their lives while turning into zombies so that their friends can reach the safe place and survive.

My Thoughts 

This is one of the best zombie apocalypse series I have ever watched. The fast-paced storyline with a thrilling survival race will keep you on the edge of your seat. The cinematography is dark and creepy, capturing the chaos caused by the virus outbreak in the city. With its cold and gripping vibe, the school setup quickly turned into a battleground to fight against zombies. 

The whole cast gave their best performance, and I would like to praise Yoon Chan-young, Park Ji-hu, Park Solomon, Cho Yi-hyun, and Yoo In-soo for their excellent acting. I loved watching the adorable chemistry between Su-hyeok and Nam-ra, as well as Cheong-san and On-jo. It was like ‘a calm amidst chaos’! 

Also, the comedic touch added by love-blinded Dae-su and cursing queen Mi-jin was hilarious. The scene where all the kids try to create fire by rubbing wooden sticks, and after watching them for a while, Nam-ra casually hands the lighter to them was SO funny. The bond shared by the students showcased their strong friendship and loyalty to each other. 

The show depicted different sides of human nature, where people like Nam So-ju or Joon-young sacrificed their lives to save others, while people like Gwi-nam and Na-yeon threw others under the bus to save their lives. The series also touched on the topic of school bullying, and in fact, that was the reason why Byeon-chan created this dangerous virus. 

The plot of the show was engaging, which kept you hooked till the very end. I binge-watched this series and absolutely enjoyed it. The ending of the series was bittersweet yet realistic, and it also hinted towards the second season of the show. So I'm patiently waiting for the next season; it will be worth watching, I guess.

All of Us Are Dead delivers more than zombie thrills; it explores loyalty, fear, and what it means to stay human when everything falls apart. If you're into emotional storytelling layered with horror and heart, this K-drama should be at the top of your watchlist.

Did you get a chance to feel the thrill of All of Us Are Dead? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below. If you have suggestions or any topic you want me to cover, please feel free to comment down. 

Looking for such thrilling zombie shows? Check out my review of Happiness.

My Rating: 9/10