Believe it or not, “zombie reality show” is actually a well-worn subgenre. In 2008, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker created the scripted series Dead Set, following the cast of a fictional season of Big Brother as they realize their isolation from the outside world has allowed them to be the sole survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Dead Set enjoyed a Brazilian remake called Reality Z, while its conceit was made “real” in the 2015 BBC reality series I Survived a Zombie Apocalypse, where everyday people tried to outsmart and outrun a horde of actors playing zombies.
But the best example of the weird collision of TV and zombies is the Korean reality show Zombieverse, which follows a group of celebrities trying to survive a (simulated) zombie outbreak, complete with life-changing decisions and heartbreaking casualties. Now, Zombieverse is back and more ambitious than ever, adding a plot and stakes to its reality show trappings.
Zombieverse Season 1 required a lot of suspension of disbelief. When a group of celebrities were brought together to be commentators on a dating show, they seemed absolutely shocked when one contestant turned into a zombie and they had to run for their lives. Zombieverse: New Blood doesn’t lean quite as hard on its fictional premise, although there are moments where you can see the celebrities crack up while they discuss being separated from their loved ones by the supposed apocalypse.
But what makes Zombieverse: New Blood better than its predecessor isn’t just the new contestants, but the new type of blood found in a returning contestant. Korean TV personality Ro Hong-chul was bitten by a zombie back in Season 1, but he shows up alive and well in Season 2, albeit with a nasty scar and a clouded-over eye.
As the survivors learn through a conveniently-timed media update, a handful of people bitten by zombies can actually survive the virus by developing antibodies. Much like in The Last of Us, the survivors' goal shifts from staying alive to delivering these miracle humans to people who can develop a cure. It’s a surprising amount of worldbuilding for a series that could absolutely get away with leaving things unexplained, but it makes buying into the show’s reality that much easier.
It’s still a goofy series, though, and its light-heartedness remains in written captions that provide humorous commentary and observations throughout (because of this detail, the subtitled version of the series is vastly superior to the dub — you don’t want to miss out on half the fun). Even tense moments, like the survivors figuring out which of them can take a helicopter to safety without breaking the weight limit, are juxtaposed with statements mocking everyone’s case for their own survival.
Zombieverse: New Blood is a series unlike any other, even its own first season. It’s more than just another reality show; it’s a zombie drama with a reality twist that interrogates our drive for survival and our drive for entertainment. Which is more powerful? You’ll have to watch to find out.
