Kingdom

South Korea with Netflix is serving up an uncompromising zombie survival series in 6 episodes and it's a treat for fans of history, zombies, Asia, and palace intrigue. The king dies and the only heir to the throne is the crown prince, but other houses disagree and the hunt for the prince and the battle for the throne begins against the backdrop of the zombie apocalypse. The acting is absolutely superb, you will like the crown prince from the first moment, and also his companions – I really enjoyed the tiger hunter who performs some nice stunts. There is a nice and original depiction of the origin of the virus and the zombies have a special ability (they only come to life at night), and we can all agree that the zombie sequence in the third episode is not only the highlight of the series, but also the top of the genre. The beautiful locations, the palaces and the costumes are also worth praising, as are the nicely dosed twists and turns, which have a lot of pizzazz. Even lovers of severed heads will enjoy it. The only downside is that the series ends at the best moment and there is nothing to do but wait for the second season. 85% (02/26/2019)

I still don’t fully understand how it’s possible that two essentially identical projects have come out of Korea at the same time: this Netflix series and Rage. They are so similar that they have to be adapting the same template, but even that it’s weird – just like the almost identical names of their directors :D In any case, Netflix comes on top. Kingdom beats its film competitor thanks to better drawn and more likeable characters and a clearer and better narrated plot. The craftsmanship is flawless, the scenery of the Korean landscape and ancient palaces is gorgeously captured, and when it comes to the zombie action, there’s nothing to complain. The first half of the third episode is one of the best zombie sequences that I’ve ever seen on film. All the time I looked forward to the sixth episode, expecting it to be brutal, but instead of a zombie massacre, what we got was an episode that moves the plot forward with several interesting twists. All we’ve left to do is to look forward to the second season. (02/03/2019)

Yes, I admit I have a soft spot for Korean productions! I don't know what it is, but they manage to innovate every genre in a unique way. I never thought a combination of historical drama and zombie apocalypse could work, but they nailed it with Kingdom. The series relies heavily on beautiful settings and stunning costumes, and I can't find anything to criticize in that regard. The story itself offers an exclusive viewing experience. The dialogues are perfected, and the script can be quite shocking at times. The palace intrigues were a joy to watch! And let's not forget the undead! The uniquely filmed action sequences, full of violence and blood, are rare (especially the beginning and end of the second season are top-notch). I would be very disappointed if the creators didn’t continue the series. The cliffhanger at the end of the second season clearly suggests that. For me, it's a strong 8.5/10. P.S. Ji-hoon Joo as the crown prince is excellent! (12/26/2022)