An unexpected addition to the Netflix library is Kingdom (킹덤), a fictional historical horror thriller set during the Joseon Period after Japanese invasions in the 1590s. The series is the first Korean Netflix Original and is based on a Korean web comic called Kingdom of the Gods. Although Kingdom is a zombie thriller, do not let that put you off. It masterfully explores the dynamics of political crises in Korea during the time of kings and also delves into the nuances of class struggles. When dealing with a zombie outbreak, there will inevitably be a discussion regarding who deserves to survive, after all this is one of the most compelling questions that humans must face in the time of extreme crisis. Kingdom takes that idea and pushes it to its limits by combining it with challenges for the throne in Korea. Survival is not between small groups of people, the antagonist, Lord Cho Hak-ju, is willing to sacrifice the populace to steal the throne from the Crown prince, Lee Chang. Thus this amalgamation of themes ends up being very similar to Game of Thrones, which I am sure most people will have heard of. The zombies end up becoming a tool of political conflict and creates a very interesting experience for the audience.
The main value that Kingdom offers is not found in the fantasy elements but in how Korean politics worked during the Joseon period. It is a good introductory media for Korean learners that is both entertaining to watch and also educational if you ignore the guts and blood lol. In my opinion, Kingdom is a fantastic watch that is an authentic cultural artifact that exceeds quality expectations. Most zombie thrillers are pretty bland when it comes to story but Kingdom does a fantastic job of fleshing out Korea in the Joseon period, and covers a wide range of character perspectives that keep the experience fresh. One criticism of this show is how sometimes the characters have plot armor and deus ex machina becomes a problem as the series progresses. This is a necessary issue with horror thrillers though since keeping the protagonists alive is necessary for story purposes. At times the situation becomes a bit unbelievable despite the fantastical nature of the show. I won't reveal any spoilers for this critic though.
Also despite that Netflix produced this show, the actors are all professional Korean native actors. It is not a bastardization of source material like Dragon Ball Evolution. Thus, the performance and audio is basically a typical Korean drama but with more CG. Unsurprisingly, Kingdom received critical acclaim for its fantastic visual effects, acting, and writing. It was nominated for Best Drama at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards, a major awards ceremony in South Korea, and also won numerous awards at the 2nd Asia Contents Awards.
There are currently two seasons released on Netflix which currently conclude its story but a special episode called Kingdom: Ashin of the North is set to be released in 2021.
Comments
Thanks for sharing! I've always come across this drama when I was browsing through Netflix. Therefore, I went watching some of the episodes and I found it to be interesting for its fantastical visuals yet a little surprising about the historical content it includes as well. Even though I am not a huge fan of zombies, I enjoyed the series.
Hey Victor. I watched both seasons of this drama when it was first released on Netflix. My experience from watching zombie movies in both American films and Korean films has taught me that their perception of zombies is slightly different. Overall, I really enjoyed this drama and hope that season 3 of this drama will be released soon.
I watched both seasons during quarantine, I thought it was well made and am very impressed these days by how much Korean shows and dramas Netflix actually has time and time again. It was definitely cool to see the historical and political aspects in the show which differentiated it and provided its own niche for itself which was well done!
I started watching seaon 1 at the beginning of the year. It's really engaging and the historical and political aspect of the show is really interesting, and I absolutely enjoyed it. I haven't had time to watch the second season yet but there are rumors that Netflix is considering a third season.
Hi Victor, I have actually seen Kingdom on the homepage of Netflix multiple times but I have been ignoring it because the short trailer looked bad. Zombies mixed with ancient Korean drama didn't entice me that much haha. However, after reading your analysis of Kingdom, I am willing to see the film.
I think it is really cool how Netflix has so many Korean TV shows on it! I have seen a couple before and I know a lot of my friends watch Korean TV shows on Netflix too. I don't like horror movies or shows at all so I probably won't be watching this, but I am definitely interested in the other Korean shows Netflix has to offer. I think it will be a great way to practice listening and reading in Korean because they have subtitles as well.
I watched a couple of episodes of this show last year with a friend! I’m not a huge fan of horror films so I didn’t last long, but I was surprised that there was a good amount of historical content in this show. I remember how the people in the show were distinguished by their status through the color and material of their clothing. Overall I thought the show was intriguing and the acting was really great.