[Report] Facing Zombies Brings Cold Sweat and Chills... Visiting Everland, the 'Jiu Hak Reality' Version

Horror Like Netflix's Ju Hak in 'Blood City'
6-Person Team Horror Maze Zombie Experience 'Sweat'
"Foreign Visitors Doubled Since Theme Zone Opened"

Everland is no longer just an amusement park. It has brought to life Hyosan High School, overrun by zombies in the Netflix original drama 'All of Us Are Dead (Jiwoo-hak)'. Just 100 meters next to Hyosan High, you are transported back to 1980s America. You can explore Starcourt Mall, the underground secret base, and the Upside Down world featured in the Netflix sci-fi thriller horror drama 'Stranger Things'.

Visitors are passing through the HyoSan High School broadcasting room from the Netflix original drama "All of Us Are Dead (Jiwoo Hak)" implemented in Everland's horror theme zone "Blood City" on the 24th.
[Photo by Moon Chae-seok]

On the 24th, the horror-themed zone 'Blood City' opened at Everland in Yongin. This zone brings to life Netflix original series intellectual property (IP) content. From the afternoon, crowds of visitors flocked to the entrance, creating a sea of people. An Everland official explained, "This is the first time in Korea that multiple drama IPs have been used to create an outdoor complex experience zone offering spatial production, performances, events, food and beverages, and merchandise."

The most eye-catching spot was the 'Horror Maze' corner within Blood City, themed around Jiwoo-hak. Everland transformed the approximately 10,000㎡ Blood City space into a movie set. Experiencing the Horror Maze was on a whole different level from the typical 'haunted house.' The Horror Maze is a course where groups of six hold onto a single rope side by side and navigate through the dark classrooms of Hyosan High. Zombie-turned students reach out and scream in the broadcasting room, nurse's office, and other locations to startle visitors.

Customers are trying on school uniforms at 'Gamseong School Uniform,' a rental shop for Hyosang High School uniforms from the drama 'Jiwoo Hak' inside Everland's Blood City.
[Photo by Moon Chaeseok]

After the Horror Maze experience, stepping outside revealed Hyosan High, ruined buildings within Hyosan City, the cafeteria, and shopping streets. Nine maze spaces such as the infirmary, library, and science lab were set up, along with zombie costumes, offering visitors the experience of becoming protagonists from the drama. Actors who seemed to have just stepped out of the drama suddenly appeared to surprise guests.

After sunset, visitors watched the 'Jiwoo-hak Live' performance. It was the first live show in Korea to recreate the original Jiwoo-hak story, depicting the main characters Namra, Cheongsan, Onjo, and others trying to escape the zombie virus.

Everland is reaping significant benefits from designing Blood City around popular Netflix drama IP concepts this year. Since Blood City opened earlier this month, online buzz has increased more than sevenfold compared to the same period last year. Videos of Blood City posted on Everland’s social media channels such as YouTube and Instagram have surpassed 10 million views. Offline, the zone has also played a key role in attracting foreign tourists. The number of foreign visitors to Everland up to the 24th has nearly doubled compared to the same period last year.

Park Juhyun, head of Everland’s Park Planning Group, said, "It is expected to take about 3 to 4 hours, but we recommend experiencing the Horror Maze after zombie makeup and uniform rental, and enjoying all the zombie performances. The number of customers visiting Blood City with young children and elementary school students is increasing, and more families are enjoying the zone together."

Giant panda Bao family 'Halbuji' Kang Cheol-won, Everland zookeeper, is speaking at a press conference held on the 24th at Everland in Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si.
[Photo by Moon Chae-seok]

We also visited 'Panda World,' which has become a signature attraction at Everland. Although visitor numbers declined after Poobao left for China in April, about 100 people still filled Panda World even on weekday afternoons. On this day, visitors could see the entire panda family: father Lubao, mother Aibao, and twins Rui and Huibao. Rui and Huibao, born last July and just over one year old, went about their usual day, eating and climbing trees, indifferent to visitors taking photos. Aibao smiled while eating bamboo. Lubao enjoyed a nap. Huibao rested comfortably at the top of a tree, gazing at the sky.

Everland zookeeper Kang Cheolwon said, "Although visitor numbers have decreased compared to just before Poobao left for China, the number of visitors coming to see Rui and Huibao is similar to when Poobao was one year old (in 2021)." When asked if Poobao could be re-leased to Korea from China, he replied, "It would not be easy," adding, "A surprise event where Poobao temporarily comes to Korea could cause stress to the wild animal, so it is considered inappropriate."