Korean dramas and movies are known for more than just their romantic plots—they've also built a solid reputation for their thrilling zombie, horror, and suspense-filled stories.
Over the years, K-content has captivated audiences worldwide, offering a diverse range of genres, with zombie thrillers and post-apocalyptic themes standing out for their intense storytelling and stunning visuals. Iconic titles like Kingdom and Train to Busan have received international acclaim, proving that Korean creators can masterfully blend suspense, drama, and horror to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
That said, if you’re looking for another genre to jump on and binge-watch, or if you simply love being kept on the edge of your seat, we’ve compiled a list of K-dramas and movies about zombies that are sure to make your heart race in suspense.
TV Shows
1. Kingdom
Watch on: Netflix
A mysterious plague befalls Joseon-era Korea, bringing the dead back to life as a result. Controversy begins to spiral as the Crown Prince Lee Chang tries to juggle his efforts to stop the spread of the plague, save his people, and find out what really happened to his father, the King, who’s rumored death has led the kingdom into a state of frenzy.
Starring: Ju Ji Hoon, Bae Doo Na, Ryoo Seung Ryong, Kim Hye Jun, Kim Sang Ho
2. Kingdom: Ashin of the North
Watch on: Netflix.
An origin story to the Kingdom series, the sidequel revolves around the heir to a Northern tribe village, Ashin, who was introduced by the end of the show's second season. The drama features the much-anticipated reveal of the truth about the resurrection plant.
Starring: Jun Ji Hyun, Park Byeong Eun
3. Sweet Home
Watch on: Netflix
While it doesn’t center exclusively on the topic of zombies, Sweet Home is just as much a thrilling watch as the rest. This webtoon-based series tells the tale of a monster apocalypse as humans mysteriously start to turn into gruesome beasts. Caught in the chaos, an orphaned teenager, along with his neighbors, all scramble for survival.
Starring: Song Kang, Lee Si Young, Lee Do Hyun, Go Min Si, Park Gyu Young
4. All of Us Are Dead
Watch on: Netflix
All of Us Are Dead is based on a popular webtoon titled Now at Our School. Trapped in their high school in the middle of a zombie infection, a bunch of students all persist to stay alive and stay away from the virus wreaking havoc across the institution.
Starring: Park Solomon, Park Ji Hoo, Chan Young Yoon, Yoo In Soo
5. Zombie Detective
Watch on: Viu, Viki
Kim Moo-young is secretly a zombie in disguise. Upon rising from his grave, he feigns being human and starts to work as a detective, using his newfound ability to retrieve missing dead bodies. Seon-ji is a former TV writer who soon works alongside Moo-young and inevitably finds out his secret. Together, the unlikely pair team up to solve crimes, all while Seon-ji helps Moo-young recover his lost memories prior to being a zombie.
Starring: Park Ju Hyun, Choi Jin Hyuk, Kim Yo Han, Kwon Hwa Woon
6. Dark Hole
Watch on: iQIYI, WeTV
When a mysterious dark smoke engulfs Muji City, turning its residents into monsters, detective Lee Hwa-Sun (Kim Ok Vin) heads there to find her husband’s killer. She joins forces with Yoo Tae-Han (Lee Joon Hyuk), a former detective turned wrecker driver, as they struggle to save the city from chaos and uncover the dark truth behind the smoke.
Starring: Kim Ok Vin, Lee Joon Hyuk
7. Happiness
Watch on: iQIYI, Netflix, WeTV, Viu
In a newly built high-rise, residents face a terrifying reality as a mysterious infectious disease spreads, forcing the building into lockdown. Among the residents, special police officer Yoon Sae-Bom (Han Hyo Joo) and detective Jung Yi-Hyun (Park Hyung Sik) navigate fear and distrust to protect their community. Meanwhile, Han Tae-Seok (Jo Woo Jin), a health official, holds crucial information on the outbreak.
Starring: Han Hyo Joo, Park Hyung Sik, Jo Woo Jin
Movies
8. Train to Busan
Watch on: Netflix
A man and his daughter embark on a train from Seoul to Busan. However, what’s supposed to be a smooth and easy journey suddenly takes a turn for the worst when a sudden zombie apocalypse breaks out in South Korea. Stuck inside the train, the pair must fight to stay alive no matter the cost.
Starring: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu Mi, Ma Dong Seok, Kim Soo Ah, Kim Eui Sung
9. Peninsula
A sequel to Train to Busan, Peninsula is set four years after the award-winning 2016 film. This time, the story is centered around Marine Captain Jung-seok and his team as they’re sent out on a mission to the Korean Peninsula, despite the evident danger of zombies lurking around. Tasked to retrieve a food truck containing $20 million, the group stop at nothing to bring home the ludicrous fortune.
Starring: Gang Dong Won, Lee Re, Lee Jung Hyun, Koo Kyo Hwan
10. #Alive
Watch on: Netflix
A strange virus outbreak takes place in modern-day Seoul, leaving the city in pure and utter mayhem. Trapped in the same apartment building, neighbors Joon-woo and Yoo-bin team up and help each other stay alive throughout the harrowing ordeal.
Starring: Park Shin Hye, Yoo Ah In, Lee Hyun Wook, Joo Boo Bi
11. The Odd Family: Zombies on Sale
A man and his family’s peaceful life in their small, countryside village is disturbed when they find an individual who is later revealed to be a victim of the illegal experiments aimed to create zombies. Despite the clear dangers, they take in the lone undead and find a way to profit off him.
Starring: Jung Ga Ram, Kim Nam Gil, Uhm Ji Won, Jung Jae Young
12. Rampant
Set in the Joseon dynasty, Prince Lee Chung was imprisoned abroad for more than a decade. When his older brother and heir to the throne, Prince Lee Young, helps him return, his homecoming is cut short by a zombie plague that has spread around the kingdom. Together with his countrymen, Lee Chung fights to rid his homeland of the monsters running rampant at night.
Starring: Hyun Bin, Jang Dong Gun, Lee Sun Bin, Seo Ji Hye
13. The Wailing
A string of mysterious deaths shakes a peaceful village, with local police suspecting poisonous wild mushrooms as the cause. But when rumors point to a reclusive Japanese man (Jun Kunimura), Officer Jong-goo (Kwak Do Won) begins to investigate. As the illness spreads to his daughter, he becomes desperate, seeking answers from a shaman (Hwang Jung Min) while confronting dark forces.
Starring: Kwak Do Won, Hwang Jung Min, Chun Woo Hee, Jun Kunimura
14. Zombie School
At Chil Sung School, a horrifying outbreak begins when zombie pigs—resurrected from a mass culling—infect the teachers. As the staff turns into flesh-hungry zombies, the students must band together to survive and fight back against their undead teachers.
Starring: Baek Seo Bin, Kim Seung Hwan, Ha Eun Seol, Kim Kyung Ryong
15. The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey
Journalist Im Jin Hee (Uhm Ji Won) investigates a chilling case tied to shamanism and a sinister corporation. She encounters So Jin (Jung Ji So), a girl with psychic abilities, who helps uncover the truth. This film sequel to the 2020 drama The Cursed follows Jin Hee as she pursues the mystery behind a murder case where the suspect is a resurrected corpse.
Starring: Uhm Ji Won, Jung Ji So, Jung Moon Sung, Oh Yoon Ah
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