All of Us Are Dead

All of Us Are Dead is a South Korean coming-of-age horror series that traps a group of high school students inside their school during a sudden zombie outbreak. The show is adapted from the popular Naver webtoon Now at Our School by Joo Dong-geun, and it premiered on Netflix on January 28, 2022. The series was created by Chun Sung-il, JQ Lee, and Kim Nam-su, who also directed all twelve episodes. Set almost entirely within the walls of Hyosan High School, the story follows a handful of students fighting to survive as the virus turns their classmates and teachers into fast-moving, ravenous creatures.

The central cast includes Park Ji-hu as Nam On-jo, a resourceful and empathetic student; Yoon Chan-young as Lee Cheong-san, her loyal childhood friend with a secret crush; and Cho Yi-hyun as Choi Nam-ra, the stoic class president who becomes an unlikely leader. Lomon plays Lee Su-hyeok, a reformed bully who falls for Nam-ra, and Yoo In-soo portrays Yoon Gwi-nam, the school's most vicious bully, whose quest for revenge becomes a terrifying subplot. The series blends intense horror with the raw emotions of adolescence, exploring themes of bullying, class hierarchy, and the moral compromises required to stay alive.

Within its first week, the show amassed over 361 million viewing hours on Netflix, becoming the platform's most-watched non-English-language series at the time. It reached the Top 10 in 91 countries and topped the charts in 24, including South Korea, Brazil, France, and India. The series has been credited with boosting the global popularity of Korean zombie content, alongside films like Train to Busan and the series Kingdom. A second season is in production, with filming having wrapped in February 2026, and is expected to premiere in February 2027. [edit]

The story begins when Lee Byeong-chan (Kim Byong-chul), a science teacher at Hyosan High School, conducts a secret experiment in hopes of protecting his bullied son. He develops a virus that he believes can turn humans into aggressive, superhuman beings, but the experiment goes catastrophically wrong. When his son becomes the first infected, the virus spreads rapidly through the school, transforming students and staff into fast-moving zombies within minutes. The outbreak quickly overwhelms the building, cutting off escape routes and trapping hundreds of students inside.

The core group of survivors includes Nam On-jo, Lee Cheong-san, Choi Nam-ra, Lee Su-hyeok, and a few others. They are forced to navigate a nightmarish labyrinth of classrooms, stairwells, rooftops, and the school broadcasting room as they fight to stay alive. The students must make brutal choices, leaving others behind, sacrificing themselves, and confronting the darkest parts of human nature. Meanwhile, outside the school walls, the South Korean military and government struggle to contain the outbreak, which threatens to engulf the entire nation.

The first season, comprising 12 episodes of approximately 65 minutes each, follows the students over the course of roughly two days as they attempt to escape the school and reach safety, while also uncovering the truth about the virus and its origins. The season is structured as a relentless survival thriller, punctuated by moments of emotional intimacy, teenage romance, and dark humor. A key element of the story is the emergence of halfbies, infected individuals who retain their human consciousness and abilities rather than fully succumbing to the virus, a concept that adds moral complexity to the narrative.

The series was renewed for a second season, which is currently in production. Filming for Season 2 officially began following a table read announcement by Netflix Korea on July 23, 2025, and wrapped on February 19, 2026. The second season is expected to premiere in February 2027, though Netflix has not confirmed an exact release date.[edit]