A high school zombie outbreak becomes a global streaming phenomenon from South Korea
In short: When a science teacher creates a lethal virus, a group of trapped students must navigate their crumbling school to survive. This South Korean series blends coming-of-age drama with intense apocalyptic horror, capturing massive global attention and securing a multi-season run on Netflix after its record-breaking initial release.
The series is adapted from a webtoon titled Now at Our School, originally published between 2009 and 2011 by Joo Dong-geun. The narrative centers on the Jonas Virus, an experimental pathogen developed by Lee Byeong-chan, a former pharmaceutical researcher with a PhD in cell biology. After the virus escapes within Hyosan High, it rapidly infects the student body and spills over into the surrounding city. As local officials fail to manage the containment, the story shifts to the desperate efforts of students like Nam On-jo and Lee Cheong-san to find safety in an isolated, hostile environment.
Director Lee Jae-kyoo intentionally cast relatively unknown actors to heighten the audience's sense of immersion. The production process faced significant hurdles, including a temporary suspension in August 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, the first season premiered on January 28, 2022, and quickly became a massive success, accumulating over 474.26 million viewing hours within its first month on Netflix. Critics generally responded favorably, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting an 89% approval rating, though some reviewers noted that the season's length occasionally diluted its impact.
The story continues in a second season, which follows Nam On-jo as she attempts to transition to university life in Seoul, only to be confronted by a resurgence of the virus. The production timeline for this follow-up was extensive; filming was initially planned for 2024 but was pushed to 2025 to ensure higher production quality. Principal photography eventually ran from July 23, 2025, through February 18, 2026. This expansion introduces new characters played by actors such as Roh Jae-won and Kim Si-eun, further developing the high-stakes world established in the original run.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: All of Us Are Dead
- Also: Wikidata — All of Us Are Dead · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — All of Us Are Dead · CC0
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