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30 Thoughts you will probably have while watching Netflix’s 'Kingdom'
K-dramas are really stepping up their game. From a steady diet of romantic comedies (which are great by the way), we’re now getting a taste of genre-bending television shows with a more global appeal. No wonder they’re trending on Netflix.
Case in point: "Kingdom." Successfully bringing together Korean historical drama and the zombie genre, the show is one of the new breed of Korean television you can stream on the site. People have called it the Korean Walking Dead but with faster zombies and a period version of "Train to Busan," but clearly, "Kingdom" is more than that.
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably binged watched it like we did or you're about to.
Below are 30 thoughts that crossed our minds while watching the show all through the weekend, and we're betting these same 30 thoughts will cross yours too. Feel free to add the missing blood curdling screams and expletives. Major spoilers ahead!
1. Is that the lead from Princess Hours?! He looks...different
You may remember Ju Ji-hoon from the K-Drama Princess Hours. He played the crown prince there as well. Yeah, it’ll take you a while to see it, but if squint really hard, you’ll recognize him.
And here’s a bit of bonus trivia: According to an article in Soompi, Song Joong-ki was originally approached to play the part of Lee Chang, the crown prince, but he declined. His loss!
2. Wait, the female physician is the girl from Sens8?
Yup, that’s her. Her name is Bae Doona and she’s done quite a bit of work for the Wachowski siblings.
3. That’s it. I’m going vegetarian!
We’re all for feeding the hungry, but maybe giving the starving peasants infected human corpse stew is going a little too far.
4. Are all the prime ministers in the Joseon period evil or what?
Pick a period K-drama and there’s bound to be a conniving prime minister who’s after the throne. Is this historically accurate? Were they all really this evil?
5. Doesn’t a whole bunch of bamboo spikes with bloody entrails hanging from them send a clear “Keep The F Out” message? No? Okay then.
So you need to see the old doctor who treated your dad to find out what’s wrong with him, and if he’s dead or alive or sick…or you know, the undead. But when you get there and the place looks like a medieval horror show, you head the other way!
6. The king is clearly feeding on the palace servants. Why aren’t they turning into zombies? What are the zombie rules in this world, anyway?
7. You should always listen to the health professionals, people!
Seo-bi lays down Zombie rule #1, Kingdom-style: The undead are dormant during the day and hunt at night.
8. Boys, there are more pressing matters, like that box in the corner that clearly has a zombie stowed inside!
Commander Cho, the prime minister’s son, really should get his priorities straight before he loses his head. Oops! too late!
Zombie rule #2 Kingdom-style: If you wanna kill them, aim for the head or burn them.
9. That zombie’s the old physician, huh?
10. RUUUUUUUUN!
Yeah, this will be running through your mind a lot while watching the show.
11. Can’t zombies swim in this world?
When Prince Lee Chang escapes by jumping into a river, the zombies that followed him drowned and the rest stayed on the shore. Does this mean something or are we just reading too much into it?
12. Thank God for the sun!
Daytime means we switch from horror genre to political drama, with a powerful commentary on class division thrown in the mix.
13. The prince’s bitch slap game is strong!
Prince Lee Chang takes control of the situation after putting the local officials in their place with a nice little bitch slap.
14. Is Lord Ahn Hyeon a friend or foe?
Because the search for the old physician turned out to have an undead end, it’s time to find the next wise old man.
15. Embarrassing is when your crush diagnoses you with gonorrhea while you’re trying to make a move on her.
16. Flashback time: Good news! There’s a cure!
The old physician was able to mention how the disease has mutated. A zombie bite used to just kill, and not turn you into one.
17. Don’t these secondary characters know that when you sail off without the lead characters, you’re basically doomed?
18. See?
19. RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!
This zombie chase scene is even more intense!
20. Damn! That Young-Shin can shoot!
Which begs the question, who is he really?
21. OG can’t get a break!
When they’re not being chased by zombies, they’re being shot at with arrows by the prime minister’s men.
22. Gaaaah! Is the prime minister going to feed the other officials to the zombie king?!
23. Lord Ahn Hyeon to the rescue!
Although he doesn’t seem all that surprised about the zombies. What does he know that he’s not telling Prince Lee Chang?
24. Is that a leper colony?
And what does it have to do Young-Shin and his backstory?
25. GASP! Stop eating and get out of there, pregnant ladies. And oh no! The pregnant wife of the prince's personal guard, is there, too.
It’s basic mathematics really: 2 + 2 = 4. The queen lost her baby and now we have a room of well-fed pregnant ladies. Insert baby-switching trope here.
26. Battle prep montage
Our heroes beef up their defenses against the zombie horde.
27. Did someone say Frozen Valley?
See #16.
28. Seo-bi was wrong about Zombie rule #1.
Our heroes celebrate as day breaks. It looks like their defenses scared the zombies off, but what’s this? It’s morning, isn't it?
29. Gasp! I can hear my brain breathing.
30. When’s Season 2 coming?!
— LA, GMA News
