Train to Busan’s Different Take on the Zombie Apocalypse
Turns out you don’t always need to be a stone-cold asshole to survive a zombie apocalypse.
Contains images with grotesque themes, and spoilers for Train to Busan (2016),
There’s so much to unpack after watching this South Korean film coming from an American perspective, and being so used to a specific version of the Zombie Apocalypse genre. Of course while Train to Busan (2016) has many of what I know to be classic elements of this genre, such as viral outbreak leading to a dangerous uprising that society will attempt to fight against as it awaits its inevitable downfall, there’s many familiar tropes that this film defies.
When comparing Train to Busan to American films and shows, it’s important to recognize the cultural backgrounds these different media depictions come from. The United States has always and currently stands by an individualistic value point whereas South Korea has more community-based values, which are reflected in these stories put out.
In the apocalypse genre, especially in stories like The Walking Dead, it’s typical to be “rewarded” by acting violent. Any characters that had any ounce of humanity, care, or caution, either die or must have those traits crushed to survive. (Lavrey, 45)
This film overall has a completely different message than depictions like TWD. The AMC show, and other American zombie depictions, essentially portrays that masculine aggression and cold-heartedness derivative of personal loss are key factors to get you through tough times and keep you surviving, while others that hang onto anything else die quickly (consider Carol or Rick from TWD).
However this approach has been challenged multiple times in Train to Busan: especially evident in subtle moments brought by the characters, strategic approaches to defeating the enemy, and significant plotpoints.
In contrast to most American depictions, Train to Busan shows that having humanity provides a little peace, and is actually more helpful than going completely savage (applicable to both the survivors and zombies). To use both aggression and stealth sparingly and strategically is key here, in the South Korean film.
Femininity also goes mostly unpunished. In fact, compassion that is typically associated with motherhood and femininity is the main factor that the last two survivors of the film share. Soo-Ann, Seok-Woo’s daughter, and Sung-Gyeong, a pregnant wife, did not do much fighting at all but were protected by those that did. From an American perspective on the genre, these two are a bundle of all the expectations for a character in the zombie apocalypse to die- feminine, considerate of others, and freeze in the face of danger. If anything, one would expect the father to survive because he starts off with the mentality of “put yourself before others,” but then develops the balance between self sufficiency and empathy for others. He came really close, but died at the very end out of self-sacrifice.
Because of the sacrifice and dedication of Seok-Woo and others, these two girls were able to survive until the very end and serve as a symbol for the possibility of a clean slate and hope for the future.
Instead of using a concrete cut-and-dry formula of who dies and who lives, there’s more of a mix in outcome. What’s unique about this movie is that when it comes to approaching these character tropes, and personal strategies of survival or reactions in the face of danger, it doesn’t matter- you can still die whether you hold the door open for that one last survivor, or you push anyone out of the way just to get ahead. Whether you develop that aggressive fighting urge or you freeze up on impact- whether you’re a muttering homeless man that everyone overlooks or a corporate COO- no matter where you fall on the power spectrum, you can still die, and will. Even if it takes you the whole length of the film to do so.
On that note, even when these compassionate characters die, they seem more likely to die in peace.
The father, Seok-Woo, had one of the biggest character arcs in the movie, but still ended up being bitten. Even so, he did not go completely rabid on transformation, like the other zombies. We actually got one last glimpse of his greatest value in his lifetime. His greatest value was being his daughter, when in the beginning of the film it was more evident that it was his job. Maybe because he ended up dying with that love in his heart, he didn’t go completely rabid.
Maybe this was the same case for In-Gil (sister) earlier.
The remaining sister of that group left herself behind in between the train cars to cave into the wrath of the zombies they ran from. Even after all their efforts towards exhaustive fighting, the 6 remaining survivors in addition to a friend that sided with them were banished from the main train crowd they fought to get to. Amongst the screaming crowd, Jong-Gil on the other side sat, numb with grief and hopelessness after watching her sister die with the zombie hoarde. This crowd created a blockade to keep those they banished out, with their backs toward the real threat- In the meantime, Jong-Gil saw her sister on the other side, calmly waiting by the door underneath the wild bloodthirsty zombies clawing at the door to get in; two people unlike the crowd they’re stuck in, at peace or numbed from the hostility surrounding them.
Remembering the perspective Seok-Woo had in his final moments, this makes me think that In-Gil had a similar experience. She also seemed at peace with the idea of dying, whereas most of the others ran away or feared this fate. What did all of the others think of just before they turned? Was it acceptance and content that determined their zombie state? Was it thoughts of something or someone they loved, or lack thereof?
Or was it just their final thoughts? Was their state as a zombie reflective of how they felt about dying? Many of the feral zombies, including the COO, feared the thought of approaching this zombie state, and throughout the film possibly had a resentment towards the world they were in. However, In-Gil seemed to approach her fate with acceptance of some sort, whether it was a peaceful acceptance or a loss of hope. Seok-Woo, while devastated, understood that to distance himself was necessary after being bit, and every approach he took to his fate was for the safety of his daughter.
By this time, every action he took was for the safety and well-being of the one(s) he cared for more than himself, which itself is enough to be set apart from this genre.
Mentioned sources: Lavery, Louise. “Confronting the Zombie-pocalypse; Deconstructing Conflict in The Walking Dead.” Screeneducation.com.au. Accessed October 19 2022.