Netflix unveils Korean zombie series from 'The Tunnel' director

Netflix teams up with Kim Seong-hun, the director of th 2016 thriller film titled “Tunnel” for a new show that will be focused on zombies. The series is titled “Kingdom," which is expected to combine a historial period drama with zombie action as confirmed by the official press release.

Kim Eun-hee, writer of television series “Signal,” will be working alongside the network and Seong-hun. Seong-hun said he is thrilled to be working with Eun-Hee. Astory is in charge of overseeing the production of the show.

The upcoming zombie show is set during the medieval times. Some viewers may be familiar with its title because a settlement on “The Walking Dead” was called “Kingdom” too, but this upcoming show is a different thing. It is expected to be a breath of fresh air for Australian and American audiences as it is being led by Korean storytellers.

Based on the official press release for “Kingdom,” the series will be a combination of historical period drama and zombie action. The setting for the show will be during Korea's Joseon period. It centres on the story of a crown prince who takes on a mission to unveil the mysteries of an outbreak in his land.

It seems “Kingdom” is intriguing as the writer revealed that it has been painstakingly worked on since 2011. “I wanted to write a story that reflects the fears and anxiety of modern times but explored through the lens of a romantic fascination of the historical Joseon period,” writer Kim Eun-hee said in a statement on Media.netflix.com. Eun-hee’s forte also includes the crime-thriller genre as seen in “Signal,” in which she won a Best Screenplay Award for at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards.

He said the chance to work with Netflix is great help in unlocking their creative vision for the zombie show. “I am excited to further build this unique story with the director for whom I have tremendous respect,” he added.

A representative from the network said Eun-hee's work has captured their imagination since they read part of the script. Netflix's Erik Barmack shared that one of the things notable about “Kingdom” was the visual feast of Korean history combined with supernatural fantasy. “We are incredibly honoured by this rare opportunity of pairing two premiere creative minds in Korea,” he said.

The first season of the zombie show will be composed of eight episodes. The show’s US and Australian release date are yet to be announced.