When I first saw NAKWON: Last Paradise‘s announcement trailer from NEXON, I immediately knew it was going to be a game I’d keep getting excited for. Why? Well, in all of the developer diary videos and gameplay features, NAKWON feels like many of my favorite films and series.
If you’re unfamiliar, Nakwon Last Paradise is a multiplayer zombie survival game set in the heart of Seoul, South Korea. NAKWON is shaping up to be an immersive zombie survival game where your only goal is to stay alive.
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Players will begin their lives as refugees in a safe haven built by survivors. From there, players will head out to scavenge for food and supplies in a city overrun by the infected to manage their shelter. With core survival game mechanics, every little thing counts in your fight for survival. This allows players to turn kitchen tools into weapons, but also increases the risk that small wounds can become fatal.
NAKWON embodies much of what we’ve seen in Korean cinema and apocalyptic stories. So, if you’re interested in playing NEXON’s NAKWON: Last Paradise, here is a quick watchlist to hold you over until the game releases or, at the very least, heads into beta.
The titles on this list focus on either K-horror zombies or survival stories. And if you’re already a fan of the titles on this list, why not check out NAKWON: Last Paradise?
Train to Busan (부산행)
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Stars: Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Su-an, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee
Where to Watch: Prime Video, PlutoTV
This entry is self-explanatory. As the film that brought K-Horror to American audiences, this Gong Yoo-led zombie story is both emotional and violent. More importantly, it establishes what comes next in Korean zombie stories by how it tackles zombie lore and capabilities.
While Train to Busan may not be about survival in the long-term sense compared to the other stories on this list, it is one of the best films to better understand Korean horror and Korean directorial approaches to zombies. With a prequel animated film called Seoul Station and a sequel called Penninsula, both of which are drastically different than Train to Busan, there was no way we could have a K-zombie list and not put this one on it.
Concrete Utopia (콘크리트 유토피아)
Director: Um Tae-hwa
Writer: Um Tae-hwa
Stars: Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-jun
Where to Watch: Viki
One of the best post-apocalyptic looks at class structure I’ve ever seen, Concrete Utopia was South Korea’s submission to the Oscars for the 2024 Academy Awards. Part character study around its two male leads, played by Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun, the film picks apart the thin strands of etiquette that hold up society and showcases how frivolous class boundaries are through the look at one apartment complex trying to survive a catastrophe.
From our review:
“Concrete Utopia is an emotional force of a film. Not concerned with the disaster itself or the spectacle of CGI it could employ to focus on the moment of tragedy, the film offers epic landscapes, but always keeps an intimate eye on the people in the high-rise. That intimacy helps make the film’s action deliver great impact. Whether it’s the physical fight scenes or how characters interact with their environment, all of the action in the film serves to build up each character’s emotional core.
Director Um Tae-hwa hones in on the people and highlights the ways in which humanity is deeply flawed and how those flaws shine brightly when there are decided hierarchies even in a world where you’ve lost everything. And even then, while Um Tae-hwa’s narrative is based on us versus them, he never loses sight of investigating who gets to choose which side of the apartment door you fall on.”
Badland Hunters (황야)
Director: Heo Myeong-haeng
Writer: Kim Bo-tong, Kwak Jae-min
Stars: Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee), Lee Joon-young, No Jeong-ee
Where to Watch: Netflix
Technically, Badland Hunters is a sequel to Concrete Utopia, in that it comes from farther along in the webtoon that the Um Tae-hwa-directed film is also based on (Pleasant Bullying). Badland Hunters works because of its absurdity, and its primary star, Ma Dong-seok. With a larger focus on survival than lore, and a more monster-focused approach, it’s hard not to include this romp because of the chaos that NAKWON: Last Paradise is offering players with its PvPvE focus.
From our review:
Badland Hunters isn’t high art, but it is rip-roaring fun that gets bigger and louder with each subsequent act. Filled with charm and humor—and ultra-violent fight scenes— the film is a top-tier popcorn flick for anyone in love with the action genre. Or, anyone deeply enamored with Ma Dong-seok’s action career, for that matter.
#Alive (#살아있다)
Director: Cho Il-hyung
Writer: Cho Il-hyung
Stars: Yoo Ah-in, Park Shin-hye
Where to Watch: Netflix
#ALIVE is easily one of the best single-location zombie films we’ve gotten. Stuck in an apartment building, Yoo Ah-in’s Joon-woo is forced to move from shut-in gamer to survivalist when the zombie apocalypse happens, and he’s the only one at home. Driven by only two performances, from actor Yoo and Park Shin-hye, the film’s focus is on working together and the importance of living for something instead of just surviving.
A look at how our extremely connected world fails us and leaves us alone at a moment’s notice, the thematic message, and the overall approach to zombies make it a must-watch and the first movie I think of every time Nexon reveals more information about Nakwon.
From our review:
“#ALIVE is a film that checks all of the things I want from a zombie film. Its pace is interesting, its characters are dynamic, its setting is unique, and above all else, it’s entertaining. There isn’t a better zombie film on Netflix right now, so it’s time to push this one to the top of your queue.”
All Of Us Are Dead (지금 우리 학교는)
Showrunner: Chun Sung-il, Lee Jae-kyoo, Kim Nam-su
Director: Lee Jae-kyoo, Kim Nam-su
Writer: Chun Sung-il
Stars: Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon
Where to Watch: Netflix
Half high school drama, half zombie series, All of Us Are Dead chronicles the lives of a group of students trying to survive while their school has been overrun with zombies. While some elements of the series lean toward more absurd elements, the core interpersonal relationships, class politics, and bullying are fertile ground for trying to work together in a microcosm of society.
Throughout the series, we get high-octane action, jump scares, and emotional confrontations that prompt characters to realize how they need to be better people. The series doesn’t skimp on blood or violence, but the heartfelt confrontation of social hierarchies for youth in Korea is hard to ignore. And with a season 2 on the way, it’s one to get invested in.
From our review:
“All Of Us Are Dead Season 1 is the best zombie story I’ve seen in years; it has a cast of compelling characters, a truly frightening set of zombies, and a setting that presents challenge after challenge for its protagonists. “
Zombieverse
Showrunner: Park Jin Kyung
Stars: Lee Si Young, DEX, Park Na Rae, Dindin, Fukutomi Tsuki, Hong Seong Woo
Where to Watch: Netflix
Zombiverse is a fun Korean variety television series where parts of Seoul have been turned into a zombie-infested area. The contestants on the series, who are all online or entertainment personalities, work together to survive the zombies and are eliminated if bitten.
The series’s complete immersion offers some interesting story elements, and the dedication to the bit works so well that, a few times, the contestants clearly seem aware that this is all for variety TV. One of the best reality television series out there, but an even better look at a zombie apocalypse unfolding in real time. With two seasons, Zombieverse does the absolute most, including Season 2’s takeover of large swaths of Jeju to create a world where the contestants feel real fear and push themselves.
From our review:
“Zombieverse Season 1 isn’t asking us to take it too seriously, and that’s part of the fun. Instead, it demonstrates the effects of the human condition — the selfish, self-centered, and commendable aspects — as we watch a group of celebrities run, scream, and run again as actors painted in zombie makeup chase them in an elaborate game of tag. It’s exactly what’s needed if what’s needed is some mindless fun.”
Sweet Home (스위트홈)
Showrunner: Kim Seol-jin
Directors: Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo, Park So-hyun
Writers: Hong So-ri, Kim Hyung-min, Park So-jung
Stars: Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young
Where to Watch: Netflix
While it might not be zombies, Sweet Home’s post-apocalyptic monster setting and the way that the apartment complex pulls together for survival are fitting for a game like NAKWON. While the series shifts its overall focus to a loud, action-driven series, moving away from the more contemplative take on mental health and class we see in Season 1, Sweet Home is a series that directly aligns with the survival elements in NAKWON. Primarily because human connection, conversation, friendship, and overall just how we connect to each other are key to understanding this series.
From our review:
“Sweet Home Season 1 is able to deliver big horror elements while also driving forward a dramatic plot with twists, turns, and character reveals that Korean dramas are known for. When all is said and done, the Sweet Home TV series is not just another successful Netflix-backed Korean production but also another jewel in the crown of 2020 WEBTOONS adaptations. This series is a must-watch for horror fans. The series’s tight narrative makes it perfect for pressing play and binging until the end.”
Season 1 Review | Season 2 Review | Season 3 Review
Kingdom (킹덤)
Showrunner: Kim Eun-hee
Director: Kim Seong-hun
Writer: Kim Eun-hee
Stars: Ju Ji-hoon, Bae Doona, Ryu Seung-ryong
Where to Watch: Netflix
The prestige zombie series Kingdom is a period political drama set in the Joseon dynasty of Korea. It may not match the time period for NAKWON, but you can not find better zombie horror on television. With two season and a tie-in movie, Kingdom can also get you excited for Nexon’s upcoming title, Woochi, which is around the same time period.
From our review:
Overall, Kingdom Season 1 offers a period drama, a zombie show, and a tense atmosphere that will keep you watching until you’re done with this season. In an oversaturated sub-genre, this show takes common horror tropes and rewrites zombie rules for Joseon Korea, reinvigorating my love of the sub-genre.
Each episode of the show overspent its budget, at an estimated $1.78 million per episode, and it shows. Personally, I can’t find a fault in this show. The acting from every character is superb, and Ji-Hoon Ju as Chang is a hero that I am thoroughly invested in. I am invested in his growth and the world around him. With a six-episode season, this is a must-watch, and with a strong season finale, season two can’t come soon enough.
Season 1 Review | Season 2 Review | Tie-In Movie Review
NAKWON: Last Paradise does not currently have a scheduled release window.
