In 2016, South Korean film director Yeon Sang-ho suddenly turned a lot of heads. After establishing an 8 year career as a respected director of animated films, he focused his attention on live-action cinema. His live-action debut would be an ambitious zombie movie in an unusual setting. No one expected too much, really. It was figured that it would be just another zombie movie in a marketplace that is rapidly tiring of the genre. When the film premiered in a midnight screening at Cannes, however, all expectations were shattered. The movie turned out to be a gripping, fast-paced, stylish, and most of all, fun thrill ride of a zombie flick. Soon after its debut, it became something of an international phenomenon. That film was TRAIN TO BUSAN.
The film begins with a workaholic fund manager named Seok-woo (Yoo Gong) arguing over the phone with his estranged wife about whether to allow their daughter, Soo-an (Su-an Kim) to ride a train by herself to Busan to visit her for her birthday. Feeling she is too young to go by herself, he decides to take the morning off, ride with Soo-an to Busan, and be back at work by lunchtime. As they are departing, an ill woman dashes onto the train, convulses, and dies. As the train attendants attempt to help her, she suddenly revives and attacks – thereby infecting the train crew. As more passengers and crew succumb to this zombie infestation, the surviving passengers learn that the infection has overtaken much of the nation, and that only the city of Busan, the train’s destination, seems to have successfully survived and contained the outbreak. The task now is for Seok-woo and Soo-an to get to Busan alive.
TRAIN TO BUSAN is a zombie movie, through and through. There will be a lot to love in this movie for fans of the genre. With terrific zombie effects, well staged set-pieces, and realistic performances, everything is there for the zombie fan. TRAIN TO BUSAN certainly borrows heavily from zombie films that came before it, and that’s ok. A movie doesn’t have to be wholly original in order to be worth seeing. Indeed, one of the reasons the film works so well is how it takes what we expect to see in a zombie movie and places it in a setting we may not have thought of before. One thing TRAIN TO BUSAN does offer that a lot of other zombie movies lack is its heart. Though his daughter doubts him, Seok-woo loves Soo-an and will do anything to ensure her survival. As the film progresses, Seok-woo sheds his earthly, material side and becomes the father he has always been, but never showed. It is a surprise and a delight watching this man emerge and seeing his daughter gradually realize how worthy he is.
TRAIN TO BUSAN dominated the box office in Asia, setting records in China, Malaysia, and Singapore. In South Korea alone, the film sold over 11 million tickets. Critics all over the world responded positively as well. Film director Edgar Wright, who directed “Shaun of the Dead”, called this movie the “best zombie movie I’ve seen in forever”. TRAIN TO BUSAN is very easy to find here in the states, streaming on Netflix, among other services. It is a fun, fast-paced Horror film with a lot of heart to go along with its scares. It is a ride well worth taking.
TRAIN TO BUSAN fun facts – An animated feature called “Seoul Station” was made to accompany this film. The events in “Seoul Sation” take place one day before the events in TRAIN TO BUSAN, and it was also directed by Yeon Sang-ho.
The star of the film, Yoo Gong, was actually born in Busan.
The word “zombie” is only mentioned once in the entire film.
Ahn Sohee was a member of the K-POP group Wonder Girls.
Sang-hwa - “A father is all about the sacrifice.”
Seok-woo – “I’ll take you to mom no matter what.”
Soo-an – “I didn’t see you there. That’s why I couldn’t finish the song.”
Soo-an – “Dad, you only care about yourself. That’s why mommy left.”