A popular streaming series has a horde of zombies threatening to overtake a medieval kingdom in the midst of murderous royal intrigue and an unforgiving winter. Though this matches the broader premise of the prominent Winterfell storyline in “Game of Thrones,” it’s also a concise description of the South Korean series “Kingdom.” The Netflix original show is set within Korea’s historical Joseon period in the 17th century, albeit with a paranormal twist. This unique setup not only breathes new life into the tried-and-true zombie genre, but it also appeals to “Game of Thrones” fans whether they’re familiar with K-dramas or not.
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“Kingdom” picks up several years after the Koreans repel invading Japanese forces in the 17th century, at which point the Joseon Dynasty Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) discovers a mysterious contagion is spreading throughout the countryside. This disease transforms the infected into ravenous dead who threaten to overwhelm the kingdom, which is still recovering from years of harrowing warfare. As Prince Chang tries to contain and eradicate this growing danger, he faces internal conspiracies within his own royal court to replace him as the heir apparent to the throne. Running for two seasons, “Kingdom” received a spin-off special in 2021, “Ashin of the North,” that expanded its medieval horror with a concurrent side story.
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Why Game of Thrones fans will like Kingdom
Despite not being set in a fictional fantasy world and lacking European medieval trappings, there is plenty for “Game of Thrones” fans to enjoy in “Kingdom.” The unflinching horror-tinged action alone is enough to wow anyone who felt underwhelmed by the Battle of Winterfell, with “Kingdom” actually keeping its zombie fighting visible and coherent. And much like “Game of Thrones,” the political gamesmanship and backstabbing shows people will not only avoid unifying while facing common threats but also exploit the resulting chaos for their own ends. That this story is wholly told from the unique perspective of medieval Korea only makes it feel more distinctly refreshing.
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But the big thing that “Kingdom” has that “Game of Thrones” doesn’t is a relative singularity in storytelling vision and clearly planned ending to the series. Both seasons and the special are directed solely by Kim Eun-hee, while the show only has two credited screenwriters: Kim Seong-hun and Park In-je. This, along with the significantly shorter episode count, trims a lot of bloat and ludicrous moments apparent by the latter seasons of “Game of Thrones.” Similarly, anyone who felt burned by the final season of “Game of Thrones” will be relieved to know that “Kingdom” sticks its landing.
More concisely told while containing plenty of identical plot elements, “Kingdom” not only scratches the itch “Game of Thrones” left behind but is also one of the best K-dramas ever made.
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