Beating and Stripping... The Crossed Line of 'Jigeum Uri Hakgyoneun' Meaningless No.1

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Online video service (OTT) content must continuously captivate viewers. Regardless of genre, a provocative ending and development that compel viewers to watch the next episode are essential. Recently produced and released domestic content also exhibits these characteristics. Bloodshed and exposed skin are a must. Chasing, hitting, getting hit, crying. They gather all the provocative elements to the soul and mix them, and nothing does it better than 'zombies.'

The first K-content produced and presented by Netflix in 2019 was "Kingdom," a story about zombies that ravaged the Joseon Dynasty. "Kingdom" played a role in establishing the overseas OTT platform Netflix in Korea. K-zombies dressed in hanbok and wearing gat hats running around piqued the curiosity of overseas viewers and gained attention.

Last fall, having tasted the success of K-content with "Squid Game," Netflix pulled out the K-zombie card again after three years. This time, the setting was moved to a high school.

Netflix released the original series "All of Us Are Dead" on January 28, just before the Lunar New Year holiday. The work attracted attention by ranking first in the global Top 10 TV (non-English) category. It ranked first in 25 countries including Korea, Germany, France, Turkey, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia, and second in 20 countries including Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and India.

"All of Us Are Dead" depicts students trapped in a school where a zombie virus has started, waiting for rescue, and fighting together to survive. Based on the popular webtoon of the same name by writer Joo Dong-geun, the series was directed by Lee Jae-gyu, who made the dramas "Damo" and "Beethoven Virus" and the film "Perfect Stranger," and starred rookie actors including Park Ji-hoo, Yoon Chan-young, Jo Yi-hyun, Lomon, and Lee Yoo-mi.

The character "zombie," created in the West, refers to living corpses, the living dead. Zombies in Western works respond to light or sound but move slowly, whereas in domestic works like "Train to Busan" and "Kingdom," they are fast and agile. These are called K-zombies and have been loved as a genre.

Zombies in school uniforms running down classroom corridors are new. Now that K-content has become a genre, the word Hallyu (Korean Wave) seems inadequate, but the image of high school students in earlier K-dramas that led Hallyu attracted overseas viewers' interest. Although it is a setting from the webtoon, the combination of zombies and high school students creates an intriguing character.

"All of Us Are Dead" succeeded in capturing the attention of overseas viewers but also revealed the challenges and limitations of OTT content. In portraying school violence, which is linked to the inherent background of zombies, the violence inflicted on victims is depicted in full, leading to criticism that it is "pornography of misfortune." Scenes where a teenage high school girl's uniform is stripped off and violence is inflicted while filming with a mobile phone were pointed out as serious problems due to their sensational portrayal.

Contrary to the director's claim that the work contains a message about school violence, the work commercially consumes school violence. The director did not consider the fact that real victims exist and the recent social atmosphere that urgently requires raising awareness through various crimes. The work details the methods of crime and adds sexual tension through victim characters. While depicting various forms of school violence, it is unclear what the work intends to convey through them.

It also lacks plausibility. It is sloppy, omitting the connections and conflicts that should be fundamentally established between characters and suddenly having some characters disappear. A solid worldview is key to the zombie genre. The reason the American drama "The Walking Dead" has lasted over ten seasons lies here. To develop a series long-term, it must not expose flaws in depicting the characteristics or evolution of zombies. "All of Us Are Dead" introduces "Jeolbi," a half-zombie, but portrays the symptoms of Jeolbi differently. Since this is a major point that provides great fun in the genre, it should not be glossed over. The suddenly depicted romance disappears like a performance without any impact.

The way mothers are portrayed is also provocative. Scenes directly depicting high school students beating the mother of a zombified friend during their survival process and frequent parental-related insults were also criticized. Some pointed out that scenes of injury to women's bodies were particularly detailed and repetitive, making them uncomfortable to watch.

There is consensus that "All of Us Are Dead" is cruel, sensational, and may incite hatred. It received a rating prohibiting adolescent viewing. Although teenagers are not allowed to watch, as was the case with "Squid Game," reviews from children and adolescents who watched the work continue on social networking services (SNS).

A production official said, "Due to the nature of OTT content, provocative scenes can make viewers curious about the next episode and keep them watching, but a high number of views does not mean the work is recognized for its quality."

He added, "While free creation is possible on platforms, recent works have repeatedly revealed ethical issues regardless of their success, and criticisms about lack of plausibility are also frequent. There is a possibility that provocative content chasing popularity will be competitively produced rather than works made with thoughtful consideration. To continuously develop K-content in the global market, creators need to have a thoughtful attitude."

Regarding scenes of sexual assault and teenage pregnancy, director Lee Jae-gyu said, "I included them because I thought they were necessary, but if they were conveyed excessively, I apologize as a director and planner."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.