All Of Us Are Dead Analysis: keys to better understand this South Korean series

All of Us Are Dead takes place in an apocalyptic context, focusing on the scourge of bullying that occurs within a high school. The South Korean apocalyptic horror series has been very successful and the second season is already in development.

Below is a brief analysis of this brave and terrifying story.

Trying to survive

All of Us Are Dead features a group of high school students trying to survive a zombie virus that has spread and they know full well that they can die if they don't escape.

The South Korean series dares to transform the conventional account of the zombie attack into a work rich in nuances. This is due, in part, to the fact that its protagonists are a group of teenagers who lack the presence of adults (at least for the most part) and to the crudeness of the narrative. The plot makes smart choices in depicting that first and crucial hour of the contagion, with a fast-moving camera illustrating the increase in violence.

It is also established that this school is a disturbing labyrinth. The combination of these elements creates a version of the story that is, at times, overwhelming. However, the series fails to maintain that rhythm and tone throughout its twelve episodes, much less in each of the sequences that it weaves into a chain of horrors.

One of the main drawbacks of the series is that its duration negatively affects its cohesion. With a dozen chapters of an hour each, the narrative becomes claustrophobic, especially when the plot must find a solution to the fundamental problem of the growing virulence of the infection. The characters, trapped in a building that becomes a threat by itself, must find ways to survive. However, the narrative loses strength as it encounters blind spots in the midst of an increasingly confusing conflagration.

Ending Explained

In the final chapter of All of Us Are Dead, the students are forced to face a zombie attack once again, this time in a village near their school. During this surprise assault, Woo-jin, the brother of archer Ha-ri, loses his life.

From this tragic event, the group begins to fragment. Nam-ra, the student who has been infected with a more advanced virus, makes the decision to separate from her classmates. Although her infection allows her to maintain her humanity and ability to choose, she considers that she poses a risk to her friends due to her increasing hunger. Despite her determination to resist this urge, danger is imminent, as evidenced when she nearly bites Su-hyeok, her romantic interest, and subsequently her partner On-jo.

The rest of the group is detained by the authorities and taken to a refugee camp, where they will be tested to check their health status and make sure they are not infected. In this place, at least, they are safe.

After these events, the narrative of the series moves forward temporarily, placing us four months later. The epidemic seems to be subsiding and restrictions are beginning to loosen. In this context, On-jo manages to escape some nights to leave offerings at an altar he has created in memory of those who failed to survive the disaster. One night, he observes from a distance that someone has lit a fire on the roof of the institute and decides to investigate with Su-hyeok, Ha-ri, Dae-su, Mi-jin and Hyo-ryung, who are the last survivors of the season. Upon arrival, they meet Nam-ra, who shows remarkable improvement. She is not alone and reveals that there are more partners in her situation. In the final scene, Nam-ra utters "They're back" and throws himself into the void from the roof of the institute, leaving an enigmatic denouement that anticipates new challenges for the second season of the series.