Category: K-DRAMA

5 K-Dramas with Bad Endings that Leave Us Wanting More

In general, when watching a romantic Korean drama, there are a few things you tend to expect. This includes a love triangle, a situation at the end that causes a bit more drama, and a happy ending. Most expect everything to work out for the two main leads by the end of the drama (this, of course, comes with an exception for K-dramas with more than one season). But there have been quite a few K-dramas over the years that didn’t end the way we expected them to.

While they have amazing actors and great plots, some K-dramas end in disappointment for watchers. Whether that’s from the lack of a happy ending for the two main leads, the lack of questions being answered in the last episode, or the push for a happy ending without really feeling like it deserves it, there’s always something more to be desired in the last episodes.

These five K-dramas with bad endings on our list have left fans more than disappointed in the show’s producers.

K-Dramas with Bad Endings

While these five K-dramas with bad endings on our list do have a good set of cast members and eye-catching plot, they’ve left many fans wishing for better. Of course, take note that while these K-dramas are on the list for bad endings, some fans were not disappointed in these dramas’ endings and were satisfied.

Twenty Five, Twenty One (2022)

Starting off with the most recent disappointing ending for watchers, the 2022 K-drama Twenty Five, Twenty One caused quite the uproar when it ended at the beginning of April. This K-drama had such a great plot, amazing acting, and even more hopes for a happy ending.

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Starring Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Bona, Choi Hyun-wook, Lee Joo-myeong, and more, this drama was one of the most anticipated of 2022. It follows the story unfolding between Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin, who first met when they were 22 and 18—Hee-do struggling to reach her dreams, and Yi-jin just trying to rebuild his life. Later, when they’re 25 and 21, they fall in love.

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The story is told as a memory, as Hee-do’s daughter—Min-chae—reads through her mother’s diary that contains everything to do with their love story.

You can watch Twenty Five, Twenty One on Netflix.

Why is Twenty Five, Twenty One’s ending bad?

Well, for one, there’s no happy ending for the main pairing.

The drama is spent mostly in the memories of Hee-do and Yi-jin’s relationship, building up fans’ love for the couple and their story. So in the last episode, when the pair break up, it’s understandable that fans are a bit upset. If the drama spent so much time showing their love story, it’s nearly devastating to see it all ripped away at the end. (Though, some understood and felt that it was bound to happen after everything.)

Further, fans felt that there were still some things left unanswered by the end of the show. Such as: who did Hee-do end up marrying then? Who was Min-chae’s father? Why do we not see present-day Yi-jin like we see present-day Hee-do? Why did Hee-do become the person she did?

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Open endings aren’t always a bad thing, but they tend to leave a bitter taste in fans’ mouths after falling in love with such an enrapturing love story between two people. More times than not, open endings leave us wanting something more—something better that would answer all of our questions. And open endings in romance K-dramas… well, it’s a dangerous thing. People will always expect romance K-dramas to end in happiness—it’s what we all go to romance K-dramas to see, after all. It’s all that more jarring when the K-drama doesn’t deliver.

Cheese in the Trap (2016)

We have already talked briefly about Cheese in the Trap on our blog about K-dramas that give us major second lead syndrome, so maybe it’s not much of a surprise that we’re mentioning it on our K-dramas with bad endings list.

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Cheese in the Trap is a K-drama based off on Webtoon of the same name. It features actors/actresses Kim Go-eun, Park Hae-jin, Seo Kang-joon, and Lee Sung-kyung. It focuses on a group of university students just going through life. Jung is rich and popular in the university, but he has a bad temper and a knack for manipulating people. Seol is far from rich or popular, getting into school on a scholarship and having to work hard through everything.

When the two start dating, it’s awkward and a bit complicated. Fans found it even more complicated when the second lead, Baek In-ho, was more lovable than Jung.

You can watch Cheese in the Trap on Viki.

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Why is Cheese in the Trap’s ending bad?

Just like Twenty Five, Twenty One, the bad ending for Cheese in the Trap comes from the issue of open endings. Not only do we not see the main pairing together—not that many wanted that—but we are also given a lot of scenes that simply don’t give us anything except disappointment.

Many have expressed their distaste for how Jung and Seol broke things off in the last episode—Jung just left and Seol was left broken-hearted. Then, the episode jumps three years into the future… where they still aren’t together. Instead, we see Seol still sending Jung emails that go unread.

What could make the ending worse?

At the very end of the last episode, we see that one of Seol’s emails to Jung finally gets read. And then we hear Jung calling out to Seol. Then it ends. Seriously, that’s how the K-drama ends.

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Not only do fans get an unsatisfactory break-up, but they also get a strange flashforward to years down the road where things are no better than they were to begin with. It leaves you wondering why you would have the flashforward to begin with if it was just going to end that way.

Without a second season, a happy ending, or answers to their questions, fans are still left quite disappointed in this K-drama’s bad ending.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)

Since its release in 2016, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo was one of the most talked-about historical K-dramas out there. Not only were the love stories great, but the acting was even better.

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Starring Lee Joon-gi, Kang Ha-neul, and IU, this K-drama was destined to make an impression on fans. The K-drama follows the 21^st-century woman, Go Ha-jin, as she’s teleported back to the Goryeo Dynasty. She wakes up in the body of Hae Soo. As the story develops, Hae Soo is tangled in the political issues and rivalry between the many princes for the throne. Hae Soo also ends up falling in love with 4^th Prince Wang So, who’s the most feared among all the princes.

The entire story, quite a tangle of emotions and political issues, unfolds more as each episode goes on.

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Why is Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo’s ending bad?

Like any other story or drama, if it ends in the character “waking up” from a “dream” and realizing that nothing they dreamt of actually happened… then it makes the entire story feel like it happened for no reason.

It’s hard to say that this ending felt like an actual ending at all. Sure, it was expected that Ha-jin would eventually make her way back to the present. But the presentation to the ending felt so sudden that it was more disappointing than anything.

After Hae Soo’s death, the show seems to start skipping time—years flew by, princes came and went, until astrologer Ji-mong tells the King that he thinks Hae Soo was from a different world. The 4^th Prince swears that he’ll find her if they’re from different worlds. Meanwhile, Ha-jin is waking up in the 21^st century from what was the most vivid dream she’s ever experienced. When Ha-jin visits a museum and sees paintings of what she dreamt, she realizes it was all real. She ends up crying over a portrait of the 4^th Prince. And it ends like that. (Except, there is also an unreleased ending that many haven’t seen…)

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Overall, while fans loved the drama itself, they also thought the ending attempted to cover so many different things that they hardly had enough time to understand what was happening. To add the sadness of no happy ending with the main pairing… it made quite the recipe for a bad ending.

Crash Landing On You (2019)

This one might be a bit unexpected to see on our list of K-dramas with bad endings. While it doesn’t necessarily have a bad ending like the ones already on our list, it still leaves fans wanting way more from the show.

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Crash Landing On You features actors/actresses Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, and Seo Ji-hye. The K-drama follows Yoon Se-ri, a successful South Korean heiress, as she accidentally crash lands in North Korea from a paragliding accident. She meets North Korean army captain Ri Jeong-hyeok. The two are truly star-crossed lovers.

Between having Se-ri take shelter in North Korea, having Jeong-hyeok’s fight to protect Se-ri even when she’s back in South Korea, and the political differences, this K-drama has a lot to unpack.

You can watch Crash Landing On You on Netflix.

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Why is Crash Landing On You’s ending bad?

As mentioned, the ending for Crash Landing On You isn’t necessarily bad in the way you’d expect. The main couple doesn’t technically separate forever, there are no major unanswered questions, nor is it rushed.

Instead, the ending seems to be a bit bittersweet. Realistically, fans know that the ending they got is the best case scenario they could’ve gotten. While the pairing isn’t fully together—as they realize they can’t be together in either of their countries—they do get to see each other for a couple of weeks each year on neutral ground.

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Fans surely wanted the two to be together permanently, making the actual ending unsatisfying and leaning on the edge of a bad ending.

Love Alarm (2019; 2021)

With two seasons, Love Alarm simultaneously filled fans’ hearts and crushed them all at once. Similar to Cheese in the Trap, we’ve also written about Love Alarm in our second lead syndrome blog post because of the tug-of-war between the three main leads.

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The first season of Love Alarm focuses on the love story blooming between Jo-jo and Sun-oh. Their love story was intense, full of swirling emotions, and near desperation of wanting it to work out. By the end of the first season, the two are torn apart from one another and dealing with their own emotions.

The second season, on the other hand, focuses on the relationship between Jo-jo and Hye-young. And tying up the loose ends left over from season one. It’s also a whirlwind of emotions as Sun-oh is still not over his relationship with Jo-jo, but Jo-jo just wants to move on. And then there’s Hye-young, who’s seemingly caught in the middle at some point.

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Both seasons are available to watch on Netflix.

Why is Love Alarm’s ending bad?

There are a couple of reasons, actually, for Love Alarm’s slightly unsatisfactory ending. Firstly, the first season’s ending is probably one of the biggest cliffhangers you’ll ever watch. The season ends with Jo-jo standing in a room with Sun-oh (after their break up) and Sun-oh’s girlfriend. Except it’s not his girlfriend’s love alarm that rings, it’s Jo-jo’s.

With an ending like that, season two was expected to either be a rekindling of their relationship or something similar. Instead, season two picks up in a completely different place and sets off on a course we’re not quite expecting.

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On one hand, fans are totally on board with Jo-jo ending up with Hye-young. Because Hye-young is a lot nicer, less selfish, and truly respects Jo-jo’s choice on things. But on the other hand, some fans can’t let go of the love story that had unfolded in season one between Sun-oh and Jo-jo. The intensity of their story in the first season brought quite a bit of expectation to the second season. Usually the couple, even after breaking up, will find a way back together. That just doesn’t happen in season two… making this a quite upsetting and bad ending.

A Few Honorable Mentions

While these five K-dramas with bad endings already encompass what a bad ending truly is in K-dramas, there are a few other K-dramas with bad endings worth mentioning. Again, though, many of these endings are bad for some but good for others.

Hotel Del Luna (2019)

Many consider the ending of Hotel Del Luna to be quite a sad ending. Many wanted the two leads to end up together, but it simply wasn’t possible with the plot. Del Luna was simply a place for ghosts to rest before the afterlife. So it only makes sense that the ending would have Jang Man-wol departing from Del Luna.

Nevertheless (2021)

While being one of the most popular K-dramas from 2021, Nevertheless left quite a few fans wanting more. The ending, while the main pairing seemingly ends up together, answers absolutely nothing. Na-bi and Jae-eon, after a swirling relationship throughout the ten episodes, finish the show off by kissing and holding hands as they walk down the street. We don’t get answers for why Jae-eon suddenly disappeared and came back, we don’t get any real conversation about their relationship, and there are quite a few loose ends left untied. Some were satisfied with the main pair ending up together, but many wanted something more to explain all of the questions remaining.

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Boys Over Flowers (2009)

As one of the most-watched K-dramas, you would expect Boys Over Flowers to have a happy ending, right? Well, for many, it doesn’t. Instead, the ending seems like a mess—caught between the love triangle’s dramas, the sudden choices of the characters, and the confusing actions of everyone. Many found the main male lead to be quite toxic and were left quite upset when the female lead still ended up with him after everything he put her through.

Which K-dramas with bad endings have you watched?

Do you agree that some of the dramas listed have bad endings? Have you ever finished a K-drama and felt unsettled by the ending?

If you’re looking for more K-dramas to watch—not just ones with bad endings—then check out our post about upcoming K-dramas in 2022! Feel free to also check out our K-Drama Category, where we’ve written tons of blogs about various K-dramas to fall in love with.

May 16, 2022
10 Charming Kdrama Couples That Dated in Real Life

10 Kdrama Couples That Dated in Real Life

The quiet charms of office life, with its intriguing blend of camaraderie and mutual esteem that sometimes evolves into flirtation or romance, are far from new. It’s quite normal that people spending time and effort almost every day develop feelings for each other. That’s not really how it works when it comes to actors. When co-stars fall in love on set, it automatically becomes a huge thing. Numerous celebrities became enamored of their co-workers and decided to embark on a relationship. The same situation takes place in the K-dramas where couples fall in love in real life.

K-dramas are known for being romantic, cheesy, and dreamlike. Therefore, seeing some couples that end up dating in real life should be anything but unthinkable. Some characters went from portraying some real-life-inspired love stories on TV to actually starting their own hence inviting everyone to believe true love still exists.

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Kdrama Couples That Are No Longer Together

Kdrama Couple – Lee Min-ho and Park Min-young

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When City Hunter aired in 2011, it was revealed that the co-stars Lee Min Ho and Park Min Young were dating. When announcing the stars’ relationship, their respective agencies carefully admitted the two “got to know each other better during filming and decided to move on after the show ended.” Lee Min Ho and Park Min Young broke up a year later due to their busy schedules.

Kdrama Couple – Nam Joo-hyuk and Lee Sung-kyung

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Model and actor Nam Joo Hyuk and model and actress Lee Sung Kyung fell in love while filming Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo and continued the relationship after the show ended. They had been friends since their modeling days, but the feelings gradually turned into something more real. Unfortunately for fans of this real and dramatic couple, they separated in August 2017 after a very short relationship of 4 months.

Kdrama Couple – Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo

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Actor Song Joong Ki and actress Song Hye Kyo was a match made on screen during the smash hit Descendants of the Sun. After rumors started swirling about them dating during their trip to Bali, the couple released a surprise wedding announcement! The two, affectionately dubbed the Song-Song couple by fans, got married following a surprise wedding announcement in October 2017. Their marriage only lasted 1 year and 10 months before getting divorced in June 2019.

Kdrama Couple – Ahn Jae-hyun and Koo Hye-sun

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Ahn Jae-Hyun and Goo Hye-Sun met on the set of Blood, which aired in 2015. The show made sure that being a vampire was contracted by a virus and not by a bite, which differed from the usual clichés of vampires.

Other than that, the two main characters tied the knot in 2016. Sadly, they finalized their divorce in 2020. The split caused fans to be confused. No one could tell what happened exactly. Things got out of hand. Private conversations were revealed and cheating accusations were made.

It seems like it is all water under the bridge, at least based on Goo Hye-Sun’s statement: ‘I have already forgiven everything. I’m positive that all of the things I went through were to help me grow as a person. Please encourage the person who stayed with me during his new chapter. The past is the past. Even though I wasn’t able to, please embrace him, even through his mistakes.’

Kdrama Couples That Are Still Going Strong

Kdrama Couple – Ji Sung and Lee Bo-young

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Actor Ji Sung and actress Lee Bo Young only started dating four years after they met on the set of Save the Last Dance for Me in 2004. However, the wait was worth it, as the two got married in 2013 and gave birth to a beautiful daughter in 2015 and a son in 2019.

Kdrama Couple – Ki Tae-young and Eugene

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The co-stars, actor Ki Tae Young and idol-turned-actress Eugene, began dating in real life after starring in the series Creating Destiny together in 2009. The couple got married in July 2011 and had a daughter in 2015. The family of three received massive fan love with their appearance in The Return of Superman. The couple, since then, welcomed a second daughter.

Kdrama Couple – Lee Chun-hee and Jeon Hye-jin

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Actor Lee Chun Hee and actress Jeon Hye Jin proved that, in some cases, age doesn’t matter. Even though there is a difference of nine years, the co-stars of the drama Smile, You started dating in 2009 and got married while expecting a child in 2011. Since then, they have remained one of the strongest couples in the K-drama world. In an interview, Lee Chun Hee explained during the filming of the drama that he and his wife were not interested in each other due to the age difference. He confessed to falling instantly in love with the actress, however, when she drove around in a Volkswagen Golf GTI which has always been his dream car!

Kdrama Couple – Yeon Jung-hoon and Han Ga-in

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Actor Yeon Jung Hoon and actress Han Ga In have been together for a long time. They started dating around 2003 when they met on the set of Yellow Handkerchief. Then they got married in 2005 and have not left each other since. Happily married for 17 years, the couple had their first child in 2016.

Kdrama Couple – Ryu Soo-young and Park Ha-sun

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Actor Ryu Soo Young and actress Park Ha Sun became a real-life couple after co-starring in Two Weeks which premiered in 2013. In 2015, their relationship was revealed to the public. The couple married in January 2017 and gave birth to a beautiful daughter in August of the same year.

Kdrama Couple – Hyun-Bin and Son Ye-Jin

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A year ago, it was revealed that Son Ye Jin was in a relationship with Hyun Bin, alongside whom she starred in 2020’s Crash Landing on You. In February, the public also learned that the couple was getting married, and it has not been dragged on since the wedding took place on March 31.

Clearly, they go very well together. Fans were rooting for them. But frankly, it was too obvious that they had a relationship just based on their eyes: the look of two people in love. They couldn’t deny it any longer.

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Love is stronger than acting. That’s why actors also succumb to their partners and end up declaring their love in broad daylight. Kdrama couples like any other stars also fall for their partners and do not hesitate to show it.

It goes without saying we’ll keep on seeing Kdrama couples date in real life. So, why don’t you make predictions, why don’t you tell us what couples will end up together in the upcoming Korean Dramas in 2022?

April 11, 2022
7 K-Dramas that Give Us Major Second Lead Syndrome

If you’ve watched enough K-dramas, then you’ve no doubt stumbled into similar themes and tropes along the way. In the romance genre specifically, K-dramas tend to follow a few set tropes. This includes the love triangle—or love triangles in some cases because there can be multiple overlapping couples. But what we don’t always expect are the effects of these tropes if they’re executed correctly. One of the effects of a love triangle is second lead syndrome.

What is Second Lead Syndrome?

Second lead syndrome, in a quick explanation, is essentially when the audience roots more for the second lead as opposed to the main lead. This means they care more about and sympathize with the second lead rather than the main lead. As most love triangles (but not all of them) tend to surround the female lead, second lead syndrome would entail the audience wishing the second lead would end up with the female lead.

Of course, this doesn’t typically happen, the two main leads most often end up together. And because of this, we’re all left with second lead syndrome.

How / Why Do We Get Second Lead Syndrome?

While the second lead is usually the exact opposite of the main lead, they’re also pretty nice and caring throughout most of the drama. So why don’t we experience second lead syndrome more often? Well, that’s because second lead syndrome depends a lot on the main character themselves.

Typically, we’re supposed to love and support the main lead—even if they’re a little rough around the edges in the first few episodes of the K-drama. However, if the main lead’s character arc isn’t enough for us to truly support them, then we fall more so for the second lead.

On one hand, second lead syndrome isn’t the worst thing a K-drama can have. But it can leave a bitter taste in the audience’s mouth as they watch the drama because 95% of the time the second lead won’t get the happy ending. When we’re left with second lead syndrome, the drama can feel rather disappointing at the end or can feel incomplete (though not all of the time). And even the best dramas can be ruined by it.

K-Dramas that Give Us Second Lead Syndrome

If you want to experience the taste of second lead syndrome and haven’t found the right drama yet, then we’ve got a list! These seven K-dramas are great in their own ways—some definitely still had endings worthy of our time—but each left us with the bitter taste of second lead syndrome by the time they were over.

Nevertheless (2021)

One of the most popular K-dramas to sweep 2021 was Nevertheless. With the refreshing plot and the young and relatable characters, this K-drama was quite addicting to watch.

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The two main leads were Yoo Na-bi (played by Han So-hee) and Park Jae-eon (played by Song Kang). The two were entwined in a friends with benefits situation for most of the drama, but there was no full commitment there. The second lead, Yang Do-hyeok (played by Chae Jong-hyeop), was a childhood friend of Na-bi. As expected, the three enter a love triangle.

Though Jae-eon is nice at times, a little confusing but not inherently out to destroy Na-bi’s heart, he’s very standoffish throughout the entire drama. Even at the end, he doesn’t seem to have figured out his own feelings enough to be honest about them with Na-bi. Because of this, Do-hyeok’s character seems like a knight in shining armor to viewers. He’s kind, really understanding of Na-bi, and doesn’t push her.

Comparing both personalities of Jae-eon and Do-hyeok, there’s no surprise that viewers rooted more for the second lead.

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You can watch this drama on Netflix here and you can read more details about it with our blog post here.

Love Alarm (Season 1: 2019, Season 2: 2021)

Between the first and second seasons of Love Alarm, you’ll experience a whole rollercoaster of emotions. One of the biggest ones, of course, is the second lead syndrome.

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In this drama, the lead characters are Kim Jo-jo (played by Kim So-hyun), Lee Hye-young (played by Jung Ga-Ram), and Hwang Sun-oh (played by Song Kang). The first season focused quite heavily on the relationship between Jo-jo and Sun-oh, unfolding their love story the further the season went. Because of a few instances, their relationship was torn apart, leaving the two grappling with their emotions at the end of the season.

The second season, however, focused on the blossoming relationship between Jo-jo and Hye-young. While equally as amazing, the second season did feel a bit disappointing. With how focused the first season had been on Jo-jo and Sun-oh, you couldn’t help but hold onto the idea of them possibly working out what went wrong and getting back together. But that didn’t happen.

Depending on how you look at it, this could be a special case of second lead syndrome. Since Sun-oh was the main lead in the first season, we might be able to consider Hye-young a second lead who actually won the girl in the end. But it’s also about how you view the characters. By the second season, Hye-young was much more involved than Sun-oh, perhaps taking over the main lead position. This would mean that our second lead syndrome came from Sun-oh’s misfortune.

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You can watch both seasons for Love Alarm on Netflix here.

True Beauty (2020/2021)

The next K-drama on our list is the ever-popular 2020-21 drama True Beauty. This drama not only filled the hearts of K-drama lovers but has been a favorite Webtoon for the past few years.

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Main characters Im Ju-gyeong (played by Moon Ga-young), Lee Su-ho (played by Cha Eun-woo), and Han Seo-jun (played by Hwang In-yeop) spend the entirety of the drama running circles between their own emotions and the regular high school dramas. Though this K-drama has probably one of the best plots, there is a mild case of second lead syndrome.

While Su-ho and Ju-gyeong are absolutely adorable together—both have a lot of similarities and the right personality for each other—there’s something about how sweetly Seo-jun treats Ju-gyeong that gets you falling for him as well. He’s a little rough around the edges, but he doesn’t take that out on Ju-gyeong. In fact, it seems like he starts changing for the better because of her.

However, both guys after Ju-gyeong’s heart are great in their own way—neither of them treats her poorly or does things that make us dislike their character. So, really, this second lead syndrome only comes about if you lean more towards Seo-jun.

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You can watch True Beauty on Viki here—you just need a VikiPass Standard—and you read a bit more about the K-drama and Webtoon on the blog we wrote about it here.

My Roommate is a Gumiho (2021)

My Roommate is a Gumiho is a K-drama that received a lot of attention. For the interesting plot tied together with Korean folktales and the amazing cast, many watched this K-drama. Though not all enjoyed it the longer it went on.

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The three main characters in the love triangle of this drama include Lee Dam (played by Hyeri), Shin Woo-yeo (played by Jang Ki-yong), and Gye Seon-woo (played by Bae In-hyuk). Woo-yeo is the nine-tailed-fox of this story and Dam is the university student who ends up swallowing his fox bead. Seon-woo is a character that’s introduced later on in the drama, intended to make the drama a bit more interesting with a love triangle.

Though Seon-woo did come in and swept the hearts of many viewers, there were some who felt the situation was a bit forced. Seon-woo was sweet, though, and had a gripping storyline that kept many wishing that he’d get his happy ending.

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This drama is available to watch on Viki with a VikiPass Standard here. And if you want to read any more into Korean urban legends like the one of the nine-tailed-fox, then you can check out this post we’ve written about them here. This blog also talks about some K-dramas that include these kinds of urban legends, so you’ll be able to find more fascinating K-dramas to watch!

Start-Up (2020)

Compared to some of the other dramas, Start-Up had quite the impactful punch with the second lead syndrome. Viewers absolutely adored the second lead and were devastated when he didn’t get the girl in the end.

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The main characters include Seo Dal-mi (played by Bae Suzy), Nam Do-san (played by Nam Joo-hyuk), and our unfortunate second lead Han Ji-pyeong (played by Kim Seon-ho). From the very beginning of the show, the audience was falling in love with Ji-pyeong’s character. He had the background, the hopes and dreams, and the passion many expected for the main lead. He suffers, though, from not admitting his feelings to Dal-mi and is left on the sidelines.

The love triangle between the three main characters is entwined with a lot of lies, drama, and broken hearts. The whole show is an up and down of emotions, a spinning confusion of feelings. Do-san wasn’t necessarily a bad character, he just wasn’t the one viewers were in love with since the beginning. Ji-pyeong had always put Dal-mi first and had the sweetest relationship with her grandmother… it shouldn’t be a surprise that many hoped he’d be the end goal.

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You can watch Start-Up on Netflix here and read our blog about the fashion from Start-Up here.

Cheese in the Trap (2016)

Many have said that Cheese in the Trap brings the worst case of second lead syndrome with it. And if you’ve watched it, you’ll understand why.

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Cheese in the Trap is a 2016 K-drama was based on a Webtoon of the same name. The main leads, Hong Seol (played by Kim Go-eun), Yoo Jung (played by Park Hae-jin), and Baek In-ho (played by Seo Kang-joon), broke the hearts of many viewers.

From the very beginning of the show, many had disliked the male lead Yoo Jung—there was something about him that didn’t settle quite right with viewers and many didn’t think he had a character arc throughout the drama worthy of giving him any sympathy. Baek In-ho, on the other hand, was someone who was continuously caring for the main lead Hong Seol. He was devoted and passionate, always honest and too easy to love when he was with her.

The two characters were essentially enemies, making it all that much more heartbreaking when Hong Seol ended up with Yoo Jung.

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You can watch this K-drama on Viki here.

Love in the Moonlight (2016)

The last K-drama on our list is Love in the Moonlight, a historical drama that gives us just as much second lead syndrome as any other.

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With the ever-loved actor Park Bo-gum playing as the main lead Prince Lee Yeong, it was hard to even look away from him. But Kim Yoon-sung (played by Jun Jinyoung) is so charismatic and dedicated to lead Hong Ra-on (played by Kim Yoo-jung) that it’s hard not to fall a little in love with him, too.

From a distance, Yoon-sung continued to show his love for Ra-on in the only way he could. Even his willingness to do anything for her was enough to root for him. Of course, Prince Yeong isn’t a bad character, so it turned into a battle for viewers much like that in True Beauty. Both characters are lovable in their own right, it’s all just a matter of taste as to who you ended up rooting for.

Image from IMDb

You can watch this drama on Viki with a VikiPass Plus here.

Which Second Lead Character has Stolen Your Heart?

Out of these seven K-dramas with second lead syndrome, have you fallen for the second leads as we have? Are there any other dramas that have you rooting for the second lead more than the main lead?

If you want to check out any other K-dramas—with or without second lead syndrome—you can scroll through the posts in our K-Drama Category. If you’d like to check out the K-dramas expected to come out throughout 2022, you can check out the blog post we have about them here (or check out the 2022 Webtoon to K-drama adaptations blog we have here).

March 21, 2022
10 Exciting Webtoon to K-Drama Adaptations of 2022 to Anticipate

If you’ve got a love for Webtoons and a love for Korean dramas then you’re in luck! With the success of Webtoon to K-drama adaptations in 2020 and 2021, there are even more adaptations expected to be made this upcoming year.

From the action-packed and fast-paced Webtoons to the soft and romantic ones, the Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022 won’t disappoint. Along with the rest of the K-dramas coming out in 2022, these ten are a must to check out! If you’re curious about which adaptations came out in 2021, feel free to check out this article about them—there are plenty of amazing ones there that you either didn’t know were based on Webtoons or new ones that you can enjoy!

Webtoon to K-Drama Adaptations of 2022: Romance / Drama

Starting off strong, these four Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022 will capture your heart and make you fall in love with the characters (as they inevitably fall in love with each other, of course). After the success of adaptations True Beauty and Imitation, there were bound to be more romance/drama Webtoon to K-drama adaptations. These four will not only make your heart race with each passing episode, but they’ll bring you an unexplainable warmth that other genres can’t replicate.

A Business Proposal (Release: Feb. 21 – Mar. 15)

Kicking off our list, we have the upcoming Webtoon to K-drama adaptation A Business Proposal.

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Based on the webtoon 사내 맞선 (The Office Blind Date) by Hae-hwa that was originally published on Kakao from August 2017 until November 2018. It’s available in Korean on the Kakao website here and in English on Tapas here.

With twelve total episodes, the upcoming Webtoon to K-drama adaptation of A Business Proposal is set to follow main characters Shin Ha-ri and Kang Tae-mu. Tae-mu is the CEO of a company founded by his grandfather. When his grandfather keeps setting him up on blind dates, Tae-mu decides to marry the next one just to make them stop. That just happens to be Ha-ri… who’s actually pretending to be someone else. And did we mention that Ha-ri works for Tae-mu?

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With a lot of quirky moments and an interesting plot, this Webtoon to K-drama adaptation is bound to keep you entertained. Its release is scheduled to start at the end of February, so make sure to keep an eye out for it! It’ll be released on Netflix for everyone to watch.

Until then, check out the trailer for it here:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJZz1ZfITcY[/embedyt]

Cast Members

The two main leads of this show include:

Ahn Hyo-seop (who’s acted in dramas such as My Father is Strange [2017], Dr. Romantic 2 [2020], and Lovers of the Red Sky [2021]);

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And Kim Se-jeong (I Wanna Hear Your Song [2019] and The Uncanny Counter [2020/2021]).

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See You in My 19^th Life (Release: 2022?)

The next Webtoon to K-drama adaptation of 2022 on our list is See You in My 19^th Life, a drama that will combine romance with the fascinating ability to remember your past lives.

The Webtoon for this K-drama, 이번 생도 잘 부탁해 (See You in My 19^th Life), first came out on Naver Webtoons in June of 2020 and it is still ongoing today. Despite its recent release and continued plot, this Webtoon has gained a lot of attention (enough that it’s due for a K-drama adaptation). You can read the Korean version on the Naver Webtoons website here and the English version on the Webtoons website/app here.

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Unfortunately, we don’t have too much information about the upcoming K-drama for this Webtoon. What we do know, though, is that it will follow the same kind of plot—the main character, Ban Ji-eum, is cut short during her eighteenth life and wishes to find the people from that life in her nineteenth life as well. Of course, it’s never that easy. There’s predicted to be about twelve episodes for this drama, but there’s no actual date saying when they’ll drop. Similarly, we don’t know where this drama will be available to watch—there’s been no mention of Netflix or Viki as of yet.

Cast Members

Along with the little information that we’ve received about this particular Webtoon to K-drama adaptation, there’s only been one actual actress confirmed for this show. And this is Shin Hye-sun (Five Enough [2016], Thirty But Seventeen [2018], and Mr. Queen [2020]).

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Cherry Blossoms After Winter (Release: Feb. 24 – Mar. 18)

To keep the lovey-dovey romance going, our next Webtoon to K-drama adaptation is Cherry Blossoms After Winter, a boy-love drama that will melt your heart (like the snow after winter… that was a bad pun, sorry).

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Based on the Webtoon 겨울 지나 벚꽃 (Cherry Blossoms After Winter), this K-drama is expected to bring in a ton of viewers. The Webtoon was first started back in 2017 by Bam-woo and published on Mr. Blue. There are over 140 total episodes for this Webtoon, but there’s said to be another season coming at some point in the future. You can find the Korean version on the Mr. Blue website here and the English version on the Tappytoon website here.

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Like the other boy-love K-dramas on Viki, Cherry Blossoms After Winter will only be eight episodes. It will follow both Hae-bom and Tae-sung as they grow up together (living together because of Hae-bom’s situation, but not actually family) and as they figure out their feelings for one another. The first episode for this Webtoon to K-drama adaption will drop on February 24^th, so make sure to head over to Viki and save it to your list soon.

Cast Members

The two main leads of this drama include:

Trot idol group SUPERFIVE’s member Ok Jin-wook (Be My Dream Family [2021]);

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And YG Kplus’ fashion model Kang Hui (Dream Change Laundromat [2017], Ending Again [2020], and Life of Jung, Lee, Ro, and Woon [2021]).

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The Sound of Magic (Release: 2022?)

The last of the romance/drama Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022 on our list is The Sound of Magic, a K-drama that’s been expected for quite some time now. If you read through our blog about 2021 Webtoon to K-drama adaptations, then this one should sound familiar to you!

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The Korean Webtoon 안나라수마나라 (Annarasumanara) was first released on Naver Webtoon back in 2010. In 2014, this Webtoon was translated into English and released on the Webtoon website/app. There are less than ten parts to this Webtoon, but it has captured the attention of thousands of readers.

The Webtoon to K-drama adaptation was originally mentioned to be released in 2021, but the date was never fully announced and there has yet to be anything more than a plot and main cast. However, just recently, Netflix announced that filming has finished for this drama so we might be able to expect it sometime soon!

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This drama will follow Yoon Ah-yi, a strong character who’s been supporting her and her sister by taking on part-time jobs and busying herself with her studies. When Ah-yi wishes to grow up faster, so she can better support her sister, a magician changes her life completely.

Cast Members

The main cast for The Sound of Magic are quite familiar faces if you’ve kept up on K-dramas over the past few years. They include:

Ji Chang-wook (Melting Me Softly [2019] and Lovestruck in the City [2020]);

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Choi Sung-eun (Start-Up [2019] and Beyond Evil [2021]);

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And, of course, Hwang In-yeop (The Tale of Nokdu [2019], 18 Again [2020], and True Beauty [2020/2021]).

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Webtoon to K-Drama Adaptations of 2022: Horror / Thriller

The next major genre for Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022 is the horror and thriller genres. These genres, if you don’t know, are the next most popular genres besides romance. Everyone absolutely loves a good scary story and one that’ll keep us on the edge of our seats. These four horror/thriller Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022 are sure to have you holding your breath with each new episode release.

All of Us are Dead (Release: Jan. 28)

This first horror Webtoon to K-drama adaptation has actually already started releasing on Netflix this past week. If you love high-stake dramas and zombies, then you’ve probably already got this one on your list to watch.

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Written by Joo Dong-geun, the Korean Webtoon, 지금 우리 학교는 (Now at Our School), was first published on Naver Webtoons back in 2009. It follows the lead characters who are trapped in their school when it becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. You can read the Korean version on Naver Webtoon here or the English version on the Webtoon website/app here.

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The Webtoon to K-drama adaptation for All of Us Are Dead is said to have twelve total episodes, each ranging at the one-hour mark. They began releasing on January 28^th, just a few days ago. A new episode will air on Netflix every Friday.

Watch the trailer for this highly action-packed and blood-pumping drama here:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN5TD4VRcSM[/embedyt]

Cast Members

In such high energy and emotional dramas such as this, the show really needs to have impactful actors and actresses. The main cast for this drama will definitely pull you into this story more. They include:

Park Ji-hoo (Beautiful World [2019] and Little Women [2022]);

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Yoon Chan-young (Mama [2014], Everything and Nothing [2019], and Nobody Knows [2020]);

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Jo Yi-hyun (Hospital Playlist [2020/2021], How to Buy a Friend [2020], and School of 2021 [2021]);

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Park Solomon (The Guardians [2017], Sweet Revenge [2017], and Lookism [2019]);

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And, lastly, Yoo In-soo (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon [2017], Love Alarm [2019], and At a Distance, Spring is Green [2021]).

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Island (Release: First Half of 2022?)

Much like The Sound of Magic, this particular Webtoon to K-drama has been a long time coming. Island was first mentioned to be released in 2021, but without a proper release date or notice, it’s been pushed back until now.

Based on the Korean Webtoon 아일랜드 (Island) written by Yoon In-wan and illustrated by Yang Kyung-il, there has been a lot of hype for this upcoming Webtoon to K-drama adaptation. The Webtoon was first published in 2016. You can find the Korean version on the Naver Webtoon website (Part 1 and Part 2). Unfortunately, there’s not an official English-translated version to read.

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Though there still isn’t too much information about this Webtoon to K-drama adaptation, what we do know is the plot. This drama will follow the story of a woman who moves to Jeju Island to become a teacher. However, she doesn’t know that the island is a place where evil just roams free. This twenty-episode drama will follow the group of characters banning together to get through it all.

For now, this drama is said to air on tvN during the first half of 2022, no word on whether it will also be on Netflix or Viki so we will just have to wait for more information.

Cast Members

The predicted cast as of right now include:

Kim Nam-gil (Queen Seon Duk [2009], Live Up to Your Name [2017], and The Fiery Priest [2019]);

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Lee Da-hee (The Beauty Inside [2018], Search: WWW [2019], and L.U.C.A.: The Beginning [2021]);

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Cha Eun-woo (My ID is Gangnam Beauty [2018] and True Beauty [2020]);

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And Sung Joon (Can We Get Married? [2021], Hyde, Jekyll, Me [2015], and The Magic [2021]).

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Black Knight / Delivery Knight (Release: 2022?)

The next horror/thriller on our list of Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022 is Black Knight (or Delivery Knight).

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This Webtoon to K-drama adaptation is based on the Webtoon 택배기사 (Delivery Knight) by Lee Yoon-kyun. This webtoon was first released on Toomics in 2016—it finished in 2019. You can find the Korean version on Toomics here and you can find the English version also on Toomics here.

Set in the future, this drama follows the story of a delivery person—called a knight—who meets a boy that wants to become a knight. In a world like this, where citizens hardly go out and rely heavily on the delivery services, it’s no wonder that crazy things start to happen.

It’s been confirmed by Netflix that production is underway for the drama, so we should be able to expect it soon! Though there’s no actual date yet, many say it will be released in 2022. Keep an eye out for more information!

Cast Members

The cast members for Dark Knight include:

Kim Woo-bin (School 2013 [2012/2013], The Heirs [2013], and Uncontrollably Fond [2016]);

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Esom (Because This Is My First Life [2017] and Taxi Driver [2021]);

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And Kang Yoo-seok (Melting Me Softly [2019], Once Again [2020], and Start-Up [2020]).

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Dak Gang Jeong / Sweet and Sour Chicken (Release: 2022?)

The last horror/thriller on our Webtoon to k-drama adaptations of 2022 list is a bit different than what you might have expected.

Published originally in 2019 on Naver Webtoon, Dak Gang Jeong by Park Ji-dok is a thrilling sci-fi Webtoon dipped in the sweetest sauce. It may seem like an entertaining and funny Webtoon on the surface level, but it’s said to hold more thrilling elements as it goes on. You can find the Korean version on Naver Webtoon here. Sadly, there’s no official English version at this moment.

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The Webtoon to K-drama adaptation really doesn’t have much information out at this moment. But since it’s following the Webtoon, we do have a pretty good idea what it will be about: the main character accidentally gets turned into a piece of fried chicken. Her father and an intern work to turn her human again, but stumble into a darker secret.

Other than that, there’s no saying when this drama will pop up or where to watch it. We’ll just need to be patient as the year goes on.

Cast Members

As of right now, the only cast member said to be confirmed is Cha Eun-woo (My ID is Gangnam Beauty [2018] and True Beauty [2020]). Though many sources have also said that it’s still up in the air. Who wouldn’t love another show with Cha Eun-woo, though?

Webtoon to K-drama Adaptations of 2022: Fantasy / Mystery

The last category on our Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022 list is the fantasy and mystery genre. Though these can sometimes overlap with the horror and thriller category, these have a bit more fantastical elements to them.

Tomorrow (Release: March 2022)

Tomorrow is one of the more highly anticipated Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022.

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With hundreds of parts, the original Korean Webtoon 내일 (Tomorrow) by Ra-ma was published on Naver Webtoon starting in 2017. Over the years—and continuously, as the Webtoon itself isn’t over yet—it has gained a ton of followers all excited for the next step. You can read the Korean version on the Naver Webtoon website here. Like the past couple, this unfortunately does not have an official English version.

Set to start its release in March on Netflix, this Webtoon to K-drama adaptation will follow the struggling Choi Joon-woong who’s trying his best to get a job. Even though he seems like the perfect guy, he keeps getting rejected at his interviews. Eventually, he runs into a couple of angels of death. From there, things start to change for Joon-woong. It will be a total of sixteen episodes.

You can watch the trailer for this drama here:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Y55h5pzCg[/embedyt]

Cast Members

The main cast for this drama includes:

Kim Hee-sun (Angry Mom [2015], The Lady in Dignity [2017], and Alice [2020]);

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Ro-woon (Extraordinary You [2019], She Would Never Know [2021], and The King’s Affection [2021]);

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Lee Soo-hyuk (Born Again [2020], Handmade Love [2020], and Doom at Your Service [2021]);

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And, lastly, Yun Ji-on (Dear My Room [2018], Sweet Home [2020], and You Are My Spring [2021]).

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Again My Life (Release: First Half of 2022)

Our final Webtoon to K-drama adaptation on our list is Again My Life, a looping drama that will leave you wanting answers the further it goes on.

This Webtoon was first published on Kakao in 2016 by Lee Hae-nal. While the K-drama won’t cover the entirety of the Webtoon, this one is still ongoing (it currently has over 140 parts). There doesn’t seem to be an official English version of this Webtoon, so if you’d like to read it you can find the Korean version on Kakao here.

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Scheduled to come out during the first half of 2022, Again My Life is an action-packed Webtoon to K-drama adaptation that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. It follows Kim Hee-woo, a prosecutor who’s investigating the corruption of a politician when he gets killed. But, the next day, he wakes up as if he hadn’t died.

This drama will be released by SBS and available on ViuTV with a total of sixteen episodes. You can watch the trailer for it here:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8tqkchH72U[/embedyt]

Cast Members

The cast members for this Webtoon to K-drama adaptation include:

Lee Joon-gi (Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo [2016], Lawless Lawyer [2018], and Hotel del Luna [2019]);

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Lee Kyung-young (Misaeng: Incomplete Life [2014], Room No. 9 [2018], and Vincenzo [2021]);

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And, lastly, Kim Ji-eun (The Best Moment to Quit Your Job [2017], I Have Three Boyfriends [2019], and The Veil [2021]).

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Which Webtoon to K-drama adaptations of 2022 will you watch?

Though this list isn’t too terribly long, there’s a good number of K-dramas worth watching during this upcoming year. Did any of these pique your interest?

If you want to find more K-dramas coming out in 2022, you can check out this blog we wrote about thirteen other K-dramas to expect. And keep an eye out on our Drama Category, we’re going to be posting more and more content about dramas you won’t want to miss!

February 6, 2022
All Of Us Are Dead (2022): Another Outstanding Gory Show from South Korea
All Of Us Are Dead is this new series about a zombie invasion in a high school that has already topped the Netflix charts in fifty-three countries around the world. Recently with My Name, Vincenzo, Squid Game, and Hellbound, South Korea is set to establish itself as the new goose that lays the golden eggs of Netflix’s hit series. 2021 will go down in history as the year that crowned Korean series as international hits. On Friday, January 28, 2022, the platform released a new fiction in twelve episodes of one hour on average.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN5TD4VRcSM[/embedyt]

Cast

This show featured very young actors and actresses, of which:
- Park Ji-hoo (as Nam On-jo), born in 2003 and featured on Sweet Revenge 2 (2018), Beautiful World (2019), Little Women (2022).
Instagram handle: @03_hu

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- Yoon Chan-young (as Lee Cheong-San), born in 2001 and featured on Doctor John (2019), Nobody Knows (2020), Do You Like Brahms? (2020).
Instagram handle: @yooncy1

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- Cho Yi-hyun (as Nam-ra), born in 1999 and featured on Hospital Playlist (2020-2021), How to Buy a Friend (2020), School 2021 (2021).
Instagram handle: @yihyun_1208

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- Park Solomon (as Lee Suhyeok), born in 1999 and featured on Doctors (2016), Sweet Revenge (2017), Lookout (2017).
Instagram handle: @actor_solomonpak

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- Yoo In-soo (as Yoon Gwi-Nam), born in 1998 and featured on Love Alarm (2019), Stranger 2 (2020), At a Distance, Spring is Green (2021).
Instagram handle: @k.a_innsoo

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The plot of All of Us Are Dead

In All of Us Are Dead, a dangerous virus is spreading among humans. Not Covid but rather a strange disease that turns the infected into zombies. There is a particularly high rate of contagiousness since, quickly, almost all the students are affected. Only a handful manage to escape by locking themselves in a room. Martial law is in place. No Internet, no phone; impossible to communicate with the outside world. The uninfected have to survive and scientists try to shed light on this very special epidemic that is sweeping through the campus.

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This zombie series ‘All of Us Are Dead‘, oscillating between horror thriller and teen melodrama, adapted from Joo Dong-geun’s 2009 webtoon Now at Our School, follows a group of students stranded on the grounds of their high school in Hyosan.

Why is All of Us Are Dead worth watching?

The origins of the virus

The virus was created by life science teacher Lee Byung-chan, a specialist in cell biology and a former researcher at a pharmaceutical company. With this virus, he wanted to help his son, a victim of school bullying and prone to suicidal thoughts, to transform his fear into strength in order to become a predator to defend himself from his attackers in high school.

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But the virus the teacher created was too powerful and dangerous. His son then became a bloodthirsty zombie and infected his wife. The professor locks them up, unable to bring himself to kill them, and tries to find an antidote in the high school laboratory. The story could have ended there with a virus contained only in two bodies locked in his house.

Except that a student is bitten by one of the mice infected with the virus, locked up in the high school laboratory for the professor’s experiments. And it is through this student, who will bite the school nurse, then other people in the hospital, that the epidemic begins.

In All of Us Are Dead, when a person is infected, they very quickly turn into a zombie and run to find their next prey. A person can be infected with the virus via the bite of a zombie or with the blood of an infected deposited on an open wound.

Full of high-school clichés
- Bullying
As mentioned above the very origins of the virus have to do with bullying, a preoccupied father who wants his son to be strong. The teacher’s son’s life is hell. It is characterized by the repeated use, not only of physical violence but also of teasing and other humiliations.
- Body shaming
Min Eun-ji is the victim of body shaming. She gets insulted and called “ugly”. With ever heavier injunctions and ever more acerbic mockery about her physical appearance, Min Eun-ji does not want to let herself be overwhelmed by her “complexes” or sink into a loss of self-confidence.

Both the teacher’s son and Min Eun-ji are bullied by Yoon Gwi-nam, who feels a strong need for domination and is, in general, impulsive. He has little to no empathy: he is unable to put himself in his victims’ shoes and, in addition, has a very weak feeling of guilt. He also considers himself a victim of his seniors.

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- Love/crush
Nowadays, popular culture, cinema, the Internet, and novels, also have their influence on the love of young people. School is no longer just a place of learning, but also a cocoon for their love. Some of the students had a crush on their fellows but, until the appearance of the virus, were afraid of confessing their love. Knowing that they might die at any time made them vulnerable and more than ready to share their feelings.

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The zombies’ acting in All of Us Are Dead

In All of Us Are Dead, the zombies offer stunts that make the approach very bodily, physical. The viewer can feel the difficulty of containing the rage; which makes it clear that the slightest infection puts everyone in danger. The zombies’ makeup is astonishing. We can fathom when exactly they were infected.

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The colors in All of Us Are Dead

The overall assemblage of All of Us Are Dead is disturbing with a relatively composed tone. There are some special effects rarely used (frontally), which makes the production a little bit more realistic. The photography perfectly highlights the organic veil. We feel a certain depth that makes the series, once again, realistic while reminding us that we are in a horrific fiction.

The tone seeks to emphasize the green of the students’ uniforms. This color makes us feel the nature that takes back its rights in this humanity going into a spin, where survival becomes necessary. And above all, the green color is there to contrast the blood-red color that flows in abundance as the episodes progress. What also charm the visual identity are the decorations, the school that was chosen. A gigantic school used as a playground to introduce ‘the apocalypse’.

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The emotions in All of Us Are Dead

If the production is marvelous, the writing is just as much. Because empathy for the protagonists is inevitable. And, quickly, we understand that All of Us Are Dead will not spare us since everyone can be sacrificed/killed. Students lost their best friends, parents, siblings. Imagine how hard it is emotionally when someone very close to you turns into a zombie and you have to kill them.

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So, whenever All of Us Are Dead doesn’t focus on tension, it emphasizes emotion. The relationship between the young students is precious, whether it leads to feelings of love or, on the contrary, to profound hatred – that between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, as a frightening metaphor for the class struggle.

The “half-human, half-zombie” concept (or hambie)

If the first episodes of the series explain to us that all infected people just become bloodthirsty living dead, the rest of All Of Us Are Dead shows that the virus evolves. This twist reinforces the dangerous and unpredictable nature of the virus and further damages relationships between students.

Thus, Yoon Gwi-nam, one of the high school bullies, is bitten but the virus mutates in his body. He is a conscious infected, able to heal on his own and he is not attacked by “classic” zombies. This is why he repeatedly attacks the main group to get revenge on Lee Cheong-san for gouging out his eye.

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Another student is affected by the mutated virus. It is Choi Nam-ra, the class representative. Also sentient, able to heal on her own, and blessed with strength, she is not attacked by zombies, and she can control her hunger. Choi Nam-ra will prove to be a great help for her comrades.

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This is also the case of Min Eun-ji, a victim of harassment who becomes half-human, half-zombie.

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These are people whose natural immunity to the virus causes them to transform into something in between. That is just the ‘rational’, ‘scientific’ explanation. Nevertheless, there is another analysis that can be done. What do these three all have in common? One thing only. THEY ARE NOT AFRAID!

The one who was being harassed, with a video of her topless. She was no longer afraid. She was already angry. She only had one thing in mind: her video.

The bully of this girl and so many other students. Same principle: he was no longer afraid, he just wanted to prove that he was not under anyone’s orders. That he wasn’t a minion.

And Nam-ra, the last hambie. Why would she be afraid? This epidemic delivered her. She withdrew into herself, had no friends. This tragedy offered her deliverance, friendship, and love.

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Despite a very dynamic production and gore imagery that should delight fans of the genre, the story can get bogged down fairly quickly. Because twelve one-hour episodes can be considered a long time. Very long (it is clear that a series is always too long or too short regardless of the format, people may never be totally happy/satisfied). Many intrigues are thus mixed with others, even if it means losing the viewer with a wet firecracker effect.

But with endearing characters, rather well-brought cases of conscience, and a very marked universe adored by many fans, All of Us Are Dead should be able to seduce a large audience of young adults. Provided you are not put off by the tsunamis of blood, used excessively.

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Furthermore, All of Us Are Dead does not fail to put adults face to face with their responsibilities. Indeed, it is an adult who is at the origin of this disaster. And them, with rare exceptions, who will repeatedly abandon young people in their misfortune, before and during the zombie epidemic.

Finally, teacher Lee Byung-chan is adamant in his videos, there is no cure for Jonas virus. But there may be hope in Nam-ra, who survived and went into hiding. Found months later by her comrades, Nam-ra no longer shows any visible signs of the virus and seems to be in perfect control in addition to having developed her exceptional abilities. Could she be the solution to find a cure? We can have an answer if Netflix greenlights a second season of All of Us Are Dead.

In the meantime, take a look at our Drama category here or watch our reaction to the drama!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lOq2zaau24[/embedyt]
February 2, 2022