Summary
Those who enjoyedAll of Us Are Deadshould check outThe Matchmakers, a historical romance K-drama from 2023 that has a major connection to the zombie how. In 2022, Netflix releasedAll of Us Are Dead,a horror K-drama based on a webtoon from 2009. The story follows a group of teenagers who become trapped in their high school when their science teacher causes a zombie outbreak.All of Us Are Deadreceived high praise upon its release, earning an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and a season 2 renewal.Audiences have been waiting forAll of Us Are Deadseason 2’s release date to be revealedever since.
Those who lovedAll of Us Are Deadmay be eager to find another K-drama that has the same level of thrills and terror. Luckily, there are countlessgreat horror K-dramas, includingSweet HomeandGyeong Seong Creature.However, not everyK-drama perfect to watch afterAll of Us Are Deadhas to be horrifying. In fact, there is one romantic K-drama that doesn’t have the same themes as the zombie series but is connected to it in a big way –The Matchmakers, which is a perfect follow-up toAll of Us Are Dead.
8 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching All Of Us Are Dead Ahead Of Season 2
Rewatching Netflix’s All of Us Are Dead ahead of season 2’s release reveals some harsh truths about the zombie K-drama that became a global hit.
Cho Yi-hyun Is A Major Part Of Both Series
For more ofAll of Us Are Dead’s cast, viewers should watch 2023’sThe Matchmakers.The shows are connected by actress Cho Yi-hyun, who appears in both series. InAll of Us Are Dead,Yi-hyun stars as Choi Nam-ra, the class president of Class 2-5. Meanwhile, inThe Matchmakers,Yi-hyun plays widow-turned-matchmaker, Jung Soon-deok. For context,The Matchmakersfollows a widower and widow who team up for a strange business that seeks to marry “old maids” who are causing problems during the Joseon era. Notably, the series earned a 7.5 out of 10 on IMDb.
Cho Yi-hyun has also appeared in K-dramas likeHospital Playlist, My Country: The New Age,andSchool 2021.
ThoughAll of Us Are DeadandThe Matchmakershave vastly different genres, Cho Yi-hyun is a great connector between them. For the most part, this is because Yi-hyun is vital to both shows.Nam-ra’sAll of Us Are Deadstory, her hambie powers, and her romance with Su-hyeok are all significant parts of the plot. Furthermore, Nam-ra’s connection to other, unknown hambies is another important aspect of the show. The same can be said forThe Matchmakers.As the sole female lead, Yi-hyun’s performance holds up half of the show with her arc of becoming a matchmaker and forming a bond with Shim Jung-woo.
Soon-deok And Nam-ra Are In Difficult Positions
For the most part,Cho Yi-hyun’s roles inAll of Us Are DeadandThe Matchmakersare quite different. While Nam-ra is a rather shy and reserved teenager, Soon-deok is a crafty and secretive widow. Where Nam-ra attempts to stay out of others' lives, Soon-deok inserts herself into the romances of others due to her position as a matchmaker. Additionally, Nam-ra struggles to find her place among her high school peers, whereas Nam-ra seems to have a solid support system. In this way, Soon-deok and Nam-ra sit on different sides of the spectrum when it comes to social status and personality.
Soon-deok and Nam-ra are two women who are trying to break free of others' expectations to find happiness in their lives.
Underneath the surface,Soon-deok and Nam-ra do have some similaritiesthough. For one thing, both women are in tough positions. Nam-ra earned the role of class president due to her mother’s money, making her a laughingstock of the school. In this way, she is an outcast. Meanwhile, Soon-deok should have very few freedoms as a widow, yet she works undercover as a matchmaker. If others found out, she would be in serious trouble. Soon-deok and Nam-ra are two women who are trying to break free of others' expectations to find happiness in their lives.
The Matchmakersis streaming on Viki in the US and Netflix in some regions.
Nam-ra Will Take On A New Role
WhenAll of Us Are Deadseason 2 hits Netflix, Cho Yi-hyun will continue to play a pivotal role in the series. At the end ofAll of Us Are Deadseason 1,Nam-ra reappears after a brief disappearanceand reveals that she has been protecting other halfbies that were abandoned by the government. Rather than returning to her friend group, Nam-ra decides to keep doing her work with halfbies. Notably, Nam-ra seems to have controlled her powers. This sets her up to follow a veryexciting storyline inAll of Us Are Deadseason 2.
Nam-ra went from a person who would ironically be referred to as class president to a true leader inAll of Us Are Dead season 1,a story arc that will continue in season 2. Nam-ra will play an important role with the halfbies, and based on the webtoon, she could be a potential source for a cure for the zombie virus.The Matchmakersonly has one season, butAll of Us Are Dead’s story will continue.
All Of Us Are Dead
Cast
All of Us Are Dead is a South Korean series that centers on a high school overrun by a zombie virus outbreak. The students, facing an unprecedented crisis, must navigate survival while combating the threat of becoming part of the undead horde.
