Kingdom: 5 Things That Set It Apart From Other Zombie Shows (& 5 Commonalities) – Screen Rant

Centered on zombies, Netflix's South Korean series, Kingdom, has fans hooked. Though it's a unique take on the genre, it also covers familiar tropes.

The South Korean Netflix seriesKingdomhas been described asGame of ThronesmeetsThe Walking Deadby western audiences. However, there is far more to the show than these comparisons. Zombies were never an unknown in Asian culture, andKingdomhas set itself apart from the zombie genre in many ways through exploring Korean history and folklore. With two thrilling seasons, fans are still waiting for news about season3.

RELATED:The 10 Highest Rated K-Dramas In 2019 & 2020, Ranked (According To IMDb)

But while there is much more that make the series unique, there are also plenty of tropesthat both horror and zombie fans will find familiar.

Note:Spoilersahead.

The zombies of Kingdom actually have more in common with Jiangshi than the western undead. Jiangshi are known as "hopping vampires" that hide in caves during the day and come outat night. This is just what the zombies do in Kingdom, which is later elaborated upon with the zombies being active in the cold and inactive in the heat.

Also, they run rather than slowly walk.This is more like the hopping vampire rather than the slow-moving undead of The Walking Dead.

All genres that involve disaster,whether natural or supernatural, exaggerate the flaws of humankind. One of those flaws is the separation of class the theory that the rich will use the poor as meat shields against oncoming threats and the poor will know far more about survival than their rich counterparts, who are used to lives of luxury.

RELATED: 10 Alternate History Dramas To Watch If You Like HBO's The Plot Against America

All of this is common in the zombie genre, and is quite true to Kingdom. The main character is an exiled prince who has a viewpoint of both classes and how they are constantly at odds with one another in how to handle the threat of a supernatural foe.

Kingdomtakes place in Korea'sJoseonperiod, three years after theJapanese invaded. The show expertly reflects these times in its fashions, methods of fighting zombies, politics, and in its characters' backgrounds. This certainly sets it apart fromother zombie shows and movies, as it's very typical for them to take place in modern times. With the Joseon period, characters have to fight the zombies with swords, arrows, andold, old guns.

Due to the time period, politics is a focus that makes sense in Kingdom, as the Joseon period is commonly used in Korean political dramas. There is a lot for the writersto work with.

Originally posted here:
Kingdom: 5 Things That Set It Apart From Other Zombie Shows (& 5 Commonalities) - Screen Rant

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero