This Kdrama was such a surprise for me. I honestly didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did which I will explain in my review. I think people should check this one out because in my opinion, it is sort of a gem in Kdramaland.
Yes, it is December and YES, I AM DOING A REVIEW FOR A KDRAMA THAT IS PROBABLY MORE SUITED FOR OCTOBER! Hey, it is what it is. Zombie Detective is one of those dramas that I checked it out but didn't think I was going to stick with it or like it. It surprised me SO MUCH which is why it is getting a review.
First let's do a SYNOPSIS: A man wakes up with no memory and is now a zombie. He eventually becomes a private detective and teams up with a writer. They solve various cases all while trying to figure out his true identity and solve a BIGGER case that has affected both their lives.
I thought this drama would be a straight forward zombie drama...BOY WAS I WRONG! It is a mix of genres which was surprising. As I have said in the past, the more I am surprised by a drama, the more I tend to like it. Zombie Detective is one of those dramas FOR SURE!
4 things that stood out to me in this drama and what I want to discuss during this review:
1) Comedy - I knew going into this drama that it would have comedy. I was worried that I would not like it and I would end up dropping the drama. I am very particular when it comes to comedy and slapstick comedy usually doesn't work for me. I obviously did not drop this drama so that tells you something. Some of the comedy in this drama was cringey and didn't always work BUT overall, the comedy fit well into the drama. This drama was just ONE HUGE MEME! It makes fun of other Kdramas and viewers also find comedy from scenarios in the drama not just the dialogue or jokes. It makes fun of itself and also offsets too much comedy by the darkness of the crimes in the story. A lot of the comedy was done by the supporting cast which was full of actors/actresses who are known for their comedic skills.
2)Story - As I said above, the comedy was offset by the darkness of cases/crimes in the plot. What surprised me about this drama is that the drama had depth. I thought that the plot would be very simple and entertaining but shallow. That was NOT the case. You have a multi-layered story and you become connected to the characters and their quirks. This drama is odd. It is titled Zombie Detective but the zombie elements of this drama are very light and not even a horror drama. The "horror" or darkness of this drama lie within the crimes depicted in the story. When it comes down to it, this drama is essentially a crime drama with other genres sprinkled in. This story is refreshing and unique within the genre.
3)Characters - You become invested in these characters. You want the zombie to find out about his past. You want the zombie to adapt and become more adjusted to living life as a zombie. The zombie's monologues throughout the drama are both comedy but also philosophical. The zombie's thoughts were one of my favorite parts of this drama. You want the writer to be successful and want her to sharpen her skills as a detective's assistant. When the band of misfit characters finally get together to investigate the big case together, you want them to work well together and want them to stay safe. I never thought that I would be connected and care about the characters in this drama, given the synopsis and premise of the drama itself.
4)Cinematography - This surprised me SO MUCH! I didn't go into this drama thinking "I am going to see SOME GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHY"! It had some gorgeous wide shots. The night scenes were also cinematic. Just a small thing I noticed but appreciated a lot in this drama.
Rating: 8.5/10 (the rating dropped a little because there was a few cringey humor moments - but just a few)
So, have you seen Zombie Detective?
What did you think?
Is it on your list to watch?
Have you checked out my review for the Cdrama - A Murderous Affair in Horizon Tower or Kdrama - Flower of Evil?