Adapted from a Webtoon with 500 Million Global Views
Laughs and Tears with Performances by Jo Jung Suk, Lee Jungeun, and Yoon Kyungho
In the movie "Zombie Daughter," Jung Hwan (Jo Jung Suk) is training his daughter who has become a zombie. NEW
On a peaceful afternoon, a woman from the first floor is seen banging her head against the living room window. Bulging veins, a grotesque expression, and a growling sound?she is a zombie. Jung Hwan (Jo Jung Suk) and his daughter Soo Ah (Choi Yuri) freeze in shock at the unexpected sight. However, the zombie soon smashes through the living room window with her head and bursts in. The father and daughter, along with their pet cat Aeyong (Geumdong), hurriedly escape from the house.
An emergency disaster alert blares loudly, and outside, zombies are already swarming everywhere. Jung Hwan decides to flee to his family home in the south. During their escape, Soo Ah is bitten by a zombie.
Unable to accept that his daughter has been infected, Jung Hwan takes her to the hospital. There, he witnesses the shocking scene of soldiers immediately shooting and killing a young boy and his mother. Startled, Jung Hwan hides the fact that his daughter has become a zombie and heads to his family home.
Soo Ah’s grandmother, Bamsun (Lee Jungeun), steps up to protect her son and granddaughter who have come seeking refuge. With nothing but a back scratcher, which is even scarier than a gun, she protects Jung Hwan, Soo Ah, and Aeyong. She subdues Soo Ah, who lunges with her teeth bared, in an instant with the back scratcher, quickly bringing the situation under control. Soo Ah cannot take her eyes off her grandmother and the back scratcher in her hand. Bamsun plays a role in balancing the tone of the film, which could otherwise become too heavy.
Meanwhile, a foreign scholar claims that recalling past memories can alleviate zombie infection symptoms. Pinning his last hope on this, Jung Hwan immerses himself in socialization training for his daughter, teaching her Hangul, how not to bite, and how to greet others. He is encouraged by news reports that a cure will be developed soon. Dongbae (Yoon Kyungho), the neighborhood pharmacist and Jung Hwan’s friend, also learns about this and helps Soo Ah recover. The relaxed chemistry among Bamsun, Jung Hwan, and Dongbae is also impressive.
"Zombie Daughter" is based on the popular webtoon of the same name (written by Lee Yoonchang), which was serialized from August 2018 to June 2020 in Japan, Spain, North America, Thailand, and other countries, and has accumulated a global total of 500 million views. Director Pil Gamseong, who directed the film "Hostage: Missing Celebrity" (2021), is at the helm.
The protagonist Jung Hwan is played by actor Jo Jung Suk. As a father of a daughter in real life, he said, "I was naturally drawn into the story. As soon as I read the script, I was convinced, 'This is for me.'" He added, "I don't know if I will ever find a project that fits me better than this one."
He immersed himself in the role by recalling how he felt when his own daughter was sick. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a time when my daughter’s fever rose to 39 degrees Celsius. It was a moment that required courage," he said. "Because there were so many emotional scenes, there were times when my acting became excessive," he recalled. Director Pil Gamseong explained, "It is a story about protecting the one you love most, even after they become a zombie."
The film features K-pop music to add a lively atmosphere. Since all the family members?Jung Hwan, Soo Ah, Bamsun, and Aeyong?are portrayed as loving to dance, songs and choreography such as BoA's "Number One" and 2NE1's "I Am the Best" appear in the film. The director explained, "I thought the music suited the family well."
This work, which adds the warmth of a family movie to the zombie genre, asks how a family protects one another in the midst of the crisis of 'infection.' It stands apart from typical zombie films in that it focuses on how far one can go for someone they cannot give up on. Rather than a genre film, it is closer to a cheerful family drama. 113 minutes. Rated for ages 12 and up. Opens July 30.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
