The Last of Us (2023), the American TV series about a zombie apocalypse, has finally reached Korean audiences with the official launch of HBO programs on Coupang Play, a Korean OTT platform. This has renewed reflections on zombies in Korean movies, particularly in Train to Busan.
The Last of Us follows Joel, a man in his fifties, as he journeys through the breathtaking landscapes of America, set against the larger backdrop of a world ravaged by a zombie outbreak. As he travels through the ruins of civilization, the remnants of the apocalypse evoke images of war-torn countries. They serve as a grim reminder of the fungal infection’s biblical-scale devastation, reducing humans to flesh-eating monsters. Yet, amid these desolate sites, pockets of calm and nature emerge, offering moments of respite. Joel takes refuge in these spaces, gathers much-needed supplies, and reminisces about life before the outbreak. Snow-covered Jackson, Wyoming; the Beechwood Estates area of High River; and Waterton Lakes National Park, for instance, serve as striking counterpoints to the relentless, high-speed zombie attacks.
Train to Busan (2016) is also about a journey. As the title suggests, it takes place in the confines of a train whose destination is Busan, the train’s final stop. Onboard, Mr. Seo and his young daughter encounter an uninvited guest—a zombie-bitten woman whose infection triggers a tidal wave of contagion. As the infection spreads, Mr. Seo’s journey shifts from a physical destination to one of survival. The farther the train moves south toward Busan, the larger the number of zombies aboard becomes. Mr. Seo’s struggle to protect his daughter feels increasingly like an uphill battle with no hope of a happy ending. Though the train is heading to Busan, his journey seems doomed, unable to reach its ultimate goal: keeping his daughter alive.
The Zombies on 4.0 GHz: The Speed of the New Breed
The Last of Us and Train to Busan share a common thread: at the center of both stories is a man on a mission to protect his traveling companion. Joel’s mission is to protect Ellie, who may hold the key to humanity’s survival. She seems to be immune to the zombie infection, and her immunity might provide the chance for resistance fighters to develop a vaccine. Whether Joel can successfully protect her until they reach their destination could determine the future of humankind. Similarly, Mr. Seo, a divorced single father, is suddenly thrust into the daunting task of protecting his daughter from the ravaging zombies on the train. Even without the added threat of monsters, taking care of his child on his own presents a significant challenge. Another crucial similarity between The Last of Us and Train to Busan is the speed of the zombies. Unlike the slow-moving zombies in earlier films of the genre—who stumble like intoxicated individuals—these zombies are fast, agile, and capable of climbing and attacking like trained soldiers. Their mindless yet precise hunt for humans is terrifying, making escape or counterattack seem nearly impossible. The only way to survive is, perhaps, to run faster than them—if that’s even possible.
The speedy zombies reject an interpretation that they are mere apparitions of the past or symptoms of societal malfunction, whether organizational or structural. They are too physical and relentless to serve as symbols of social disorder. Instead, the immediacy of their presence—highlighted by their movements that leave no room for human escape—suggests they may represent a form of impaired cognitive ability, in which emotions like desire or longing lack any reasoning or control mechanisms. Is it even possible to experience desires or nostalgia without any capacity for contextualization that critically examines where those feelings come from? Perhaps not. But the zombies in both shows seem to be driven by a single, overriding motive and a singular need.
Survival or Sacrifice
The premise of The Last of Us is that a parasitic fungus, driven by rising temperatures, switches hosts from ants to humans. This scenario is terrifying because it awakens a nagging suspicion that such an event could happen in reality—especially in a post-COVID-19 world, where the idea of viruses jumping from animals to humans is no longer mere conjecture. As this premise lends weight and seriousness to the drama, Joel’s struggle to protect Ellie—who appears immune to the fungal infection—becomes a crucial step in the survival of humankind.
If The Last of Us frames scientific discovery as a possible solution or narrative dénouement, Train to Busan emphasizes family bonds, suggesting that they are worth the ultimate sacrifice. Near the end of his journey, Mr. Seo is bitten. To protect his daughter from himself, however, he throws himself off the train. He never reaches the final stop, but in doing so, he may have already achieved his ultimate goal: ensuring his daughter’s safety.