Netflix’s Flawless 2-Season Horror Thriller Is the Best Zombie Show of the 21st Century

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The zombie genre originated in movies, starting with the 1932 film White Zombie, which influenced iconic series like George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. While the first zombie TV show, Zombie Hunters: City of the Dead, didn’t gain much popularity in 2007, The Walking Dead quickly became the dominant force in zombie television.

Since the initial success of zombie shows, many others have appeared, ranging from excellent to just okay, firmly establishing zombies as a staple of modern pop culture. However, Netflix’s Kingdom still stands out. Instead of following typical zombie outbreak stories, this South Korean series cleverly combines the undead with the political turmoil of Korea’s historical Joseon period. Kingdom skillfully mixes different genres and explores multiple themes, all of which enhance each other, making it arguably the best zombie series of the 21st century.

Kingdom Features Some of the Scariest Zombies on Television

As a fan, I’ve seen zombies done in so many ways – from the classic slow walkers like in The Walking Dead to the really scary, mutated infected from The Last of Us. But what’s interesting is that all these shows, even newer ones like All of Us Are Dead, Black Summer, and Daybreak, are set in our current world. It feels like we haven’t really explored what a zombie outbreak would look like in a different time period.

Most people generally understand how infections – whether from viruses, bacteria, or fungi – work. While they might not know the complex science behind it, they grasp the basic principles of modern medicine. Now, picture a zombie outbreak happening in Korea in the early 1600s, a time when most people relied on old beliefs and superstitions instead of science.

The zombies in Kingdom, referred to as monsters in the year 1601, are among the most terrifying creatures in zombie fiction. They originate from a plant called the Resurrection Plant, which harbors a parasitic worm that controls their brains and causes the outbreak. Driven by an intense hunger for living flesh, these monsters are far more agile than typical zombies, able to run and leap quickly as they relentlessly hunt humans over long distances.

People in Korea were likely terrified by the outbreak, possibly seeing it as a punishment from God or believing their family members were turning into evil creatures. Even those who didn’t worry about where the disease came from knew they were vulnerable against the attacking monsters. Their best weapon was the bird gun, an old-fashioned Korean musket, but it was very slow to reload after each shot. Cannons were also available, but they were too heavy to move easily and could only be used to defend walls and forts.

While many skilled warriors fought bravely and won against the fierce monsters, true weapon expertise was rare. Archers struggled to be effective, often needing numerous arrows just to bring down a single creature, and communication and travel were both slow and unreliable due to the primitive technology available.

The relentless horde keeps coming, constantly searching for victims and wearing down the defenders like a flood. These monsters used to rest during the day when the plague first began, but they stopped hibernating as winter arrived. Defeating them isn’t easy—you have to completely destroy the head by beheading, burning, or a precise shot, which is tough given how basic the technology is. Luckily, they aren’t invincible and have a few vulnerabilities.

Fire and water were effective against the monsters, and water could even cure those recently bitten by removing the parasitic worms from their wounds. While a small number of people, like Cho Hak-ju, weren’t infected despite being bitten, these instances were rare. King Lee Yeom, who was bitten as a baby, still carries the worms within him, a mystery Season 3 was intended to solve. However, Netflix hasn’t yet decided whether to renew Kingdom, nor has it officially cancelled the show.

Kingdom Reinvented the Zombie Genre Through Historical Fiction

Look, I get why some folks say this movie didn’t completely redefine zombie films. It didn’t necessarily do anything brand new with the undead themselves, but what really set it apart for me was the incredible historical detail. It wasn’t just about scary zombies; it brilliantly mixed in political tension, social issues, and genuine medieval atmosphere. That’s what elevated it beyond the typical bleak, post-apocalyptic zombie fare we’ve seen so much of – it felt richer and more thought-provoking.

The series takes place in a harsh, traditional society struggling with widespread hunger, political dishonesty, and constant warfare. These problems had already broken down people’s hope and unity before monsters appeared. But the show doesn’t just use this setting as a backdrop; it deeply connects the fears and challenges of the Joseon period to the terrifying zombie world. Everything feels realistic, from the clothes and buildings to the way people fight and speak, all carefully based on historical details.

Screenwriter Kim Eun-hee explained that the monsters in Kingdom represent a ‘plague of hunger,’ meaning the real problem wasn’t a supernatural outbreak, but the extreme inequality in Joseon-era society – a situation she sees mirrored in the world today. The first people to turn into monsters were actually starving and contracted the disease by eating the flesh of someone already infected.

Lee Chang uniquely became king through his own merit, and witnessing the widespread plague transformed him. He saw how issues like greed, corruption, and unfair social structures allowed the disease to spread throughout Joseon. Though he’d always lived a privileged life as royalty, Chang quickly understood his people’s pain, aligning with the compassionate worldview of Eun-hee.

Unlike the humble bravery of Chang, the plague reveals the Joseon nobility to be utterly without shame, destroying any pretense of power or respect. Cho Hak-ju and the Queen consistently use the monsters to strengthen their own positions and those of their allies. However, Hak-ju refrained from a reckless act – unleashing a monstrous horde on the palace – even though it ultimately led to his daughter’s death and infection as a result of her own decisions.

A core idea in Kingdom, as the Queen bluntly put it, is that if she can’t have power, no one can. This message – that the wealthy and influential would rather destroy everything than share – resonated strongly when the show first came out in 2019, and feels even more impactful today in 2026.

South Korean Media Is on the Rise

Korean films and TV shows have become increasingly popular around the world this century, and a common theme in many of the biggest hits is the huge gap between rich and poor. South Korea is dealing with a particularly strong version of this global problem, which is powerfully shown in acclaimed works like Parasite, Squid Game, The Handmaiden, and even older, classic films such as the 1960s’ The Housemaid.

Kingdom is a powerful commentary on class inequality, ranking among the best examples of the genre. Like many zombie stories, it’s less about the zombies themselves and more about the societal breakdown they represent – a theme that feels particularly relevant today. Kingdom excels at delivering this message, successfully blending high-quality television with the thrills of horror and raising the standard for everything it touches.

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2026-05-18 17:38