After creating a global sensation with Squid Game, South Korea has produced its latest No. 1 Netflix series with All of Us Are Dead.

Advertisement

The mega-budget thriller climbed to No.1 seven days after its release on 28th January 2022, making South Korea the first country to get multiple non-English language series in the Netflix Top 10.

With blood and horror galore, and another title that appears to be a metaphor for a deep social malaise, All of Us Are Dead certainly seems to have a lot in common with Squid Game, and even features a Squid Game cast member in a major role.

Based on the webtoon (ie South Korean digital comic) Now at Our School, All of Us Are Dead follows a bunch of high school students immersed in a zombie apocalypse after a science experiment goes terribly wrong.

All of Us Are Dead might boast a massive cast of characters, but director Lee Jae-kyoo looked largely for unknowns when casting the roles in the hope that a lack of familiarity would make the zombie series feel more real for audiences at home.

More like this

“I thought that bringing on actors who were great at acting but still unknown to the public would add to the immersion of the series," he recently explained in an interview with Soompi.

This is unlikely to stay the case for long, however, thanks to the success of the show.

Cast member Park Ji-hu, who plays Nam On-jo in the zombie thriller series, has opened up about the series’ success and how it has drastically increased her social media following.

Ji-hu’s follower count on Instagram has increased by more than “80 times” since the premiere of the show, according to Yonhap News Agency, and currently sits at over 2.5 million.

“I can see the numbers on Instagram or read news reports, but it looks surreal. I can’t believe that’s mine,” she said. “I’m just grateful for the love and support.”

Talking about the show’s widespread success, she added: "I did expect some positive reviews for this series, but not this much."

She continued: “I think people like this show because it stars teenagers and shows how students fight against zombies and what they think.”

So, without further ado, read on for everything you need to know about the cast of All of Us Are Dead on Netflix.

All of Us Are Dead cast: Full list of characters in Netflix thriller

Lee Yoo-mi plays Na Yeon

Lee Yoo-mi All of Us Are Dead
Lee Yoo-mi in All of Us Are Dead (Netflix) Netflix

Instagram: @leeyoum262.

Who is Na Yeon? Na Yeon is a wealthy, stuck-up student who enjoys spreading rumours and making judgements about her fellow students. However, her classist attitude threatens her survival when the zombies attack. Viewers will see her as a villain, according to Lee Yoo-mi.

"I really can’t wait to show you my character Na Yeon, and I know that a lot of you might hate the character and hate me for the character, but going forward, and because of that, I wish I could present you maybe a lovely character that’s endearing," she said in a virtual press conference ahead of All of Us Are Dead's release date.

What else has she been in? Lee Yoo-mi due will probably be best known to Western audiences for her role in Squid Game, where she played Ji-yeong (player 240), the young woman who made a huge sacrifice for North Korean defector Kang Sae-byeok in the marble game.

She has also appeared in other South Korean hits including The Yellow Sea (2010), Young Adult Matters (2020) and My Holo Love (2020).

Park Solomon plays Lee Soo-hyeok

All of Us Are Dead
Park Jihoo (left) and Park Solomon (right) in All of Us Are Dead (Netflix) Netflix

Who is Lee Soo-hyeok? Lee Soo-hyeok is an athletic and fearless student who attempts to fend off the wave of zombies when they come swarming into his suburban Hyosan High School. He's also a bit of a heartthrob at the high school and captures the attentions of Choi Nam-ra (Cho Yi-hyun).

What else has Park Solomon been in? Solomon rose to fame in 2014’s Bride of the Century series. He has since gone on to appear in a handful of popular South Korean dramas, such as 2016’s Doctors, and Lookout and Sweet Revenge in 2017.

Yoon Chan-young plays Lee Cheong-san

Chan-young Yoon All of Us Are Dead
Yoon Chan-young in All of Us Are Dead (Netflix) Netflix

Instagram: @yooncy1.

Who is Lee Cheong-San? Cheong-san is a student at Hyosan High School who is secretly in love with Nam On-jo.

What else has Yoon Chan-young been in? Yoon Chan-young is a South Korean actor with a wealth of experience, having previously appeared in TV series such as Nobody Knows, Uisa Yohan and Still 17. Most recently, the actor appeared in TV series Do You Like Brahms.

Park Ji-Hoo plays Nam On-jo

Park Ji-hoon in All of Us Are Dead (Netflix)
Park Ji-hoon in All of Us Are Dead (Netflix) Netflix

Instagram: @03_hu.

Who is Nam On-jo? Nam On-jo is Cheong-san’s neighbour and childhood friend, but she doesn't reciprocate his romantic feelings. Her father is a firefighter and she puts the skills he has taught her to use during the zombie outbreak.

"I think I’m actually very similar to my character because we’re both kind of clumsy, very upbeat and I like hanging out with my friends. In a lot of moments, I thought to myself if I were On-ju, I would have done the same," Park Ji-hoo said of her character to Tatler.

What else has Park Ji-hoo been in? Park Ji-hoo is an 18-year-old South Korean actress who made her acting debut in 2016’s Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned. She is perhaps best known for her part in House of Hummingbird back in 2018. She is the youngest cast member in All of Us Are Dead.

Yoo In-Soo plays Yoon Gwi-nam

All Of Us Are Dead
Yoo In-Soo in All Of Us Are Dead (Netflix) Netflix

Instagram @k.a_insoo

Who is Yoon Gwi-Nam? Gwi-nam is the notorious school bully, who doesn’t think twice about inflicting pain on his fellow classmates.

What else has Yoo In-Soo been in? The South Korean actor has featured in a number of hit TV series in South Korea. These range from 2020’s Stranger 2 and At a Distance, to 2019’s Love Alarm and 2021’s Spring is Green.

Cho Yi-hyun plays Choi Nam-ra

Cho Yi-hyun in All of Us Are Dead (Netflix)
Cho Yi-hyun in All of Us Are Dead (Netflix) Netflix

Instagram: @yihyun_1208.

Who is Choi Nam-ra? Choi Nam-ra is one of the students trapped in the zombie virus outbreak at Hyosan High School. She is the class president and a top student and, while she avoids interaction with her peers initially, when disaster strikes, she joins On-jo's crew and eventually lets down her walls.

"I think Nam-ra is very charming because she stays poised during all the crises while everyone else is in panic. She’s very discerning which is what really drew me to her. And because my character becomes different later in the series, I went to action school and took a lot of action lessons to show my expressions and how I would use my fingers and the rest of my body," actress Yi-hyun explained to Tatler.

Speaking to NCB News, Yi-hyun attributed the show's success to its relatable characters.

“Students are not children but not yet adults either. I’m like that. I’m neither human nor a monster," she explained.

“Everyone faces an identity crisis at one point in their life. As a teenager, I also felt like an adult but not yet an adult. I went through stages like that. In those aspects, I related to Nam-ra,” she said.

What else has Cho Yi-hyun been in? Yi-hyun made her debut in 2017's web series Sweet Revenge. Since then, the 22-year-old South Korean star has appeared in some of the biggest K-dramas in the world, from 2019’s My Country: The New age back and 2020’s Hospital Playlist to Inspector Koo in 2021. Her role in 2021’s School earned her the Best Couple Award at the KBS Drama Awards.

Supporting cast members in All of Us Are Dead

The cast of All of Us Are Dead is rounded out by Lee Eun-Saem (Park Mi-Jin), Ha Seung-Ri (Jang Ha-Ri), Kim Bo-Yoon (Seo Hyo-Ryung), Ahn Seung-Kyoon (Oh Joon-Young), Jin Ho-Eun (Jang Min-Jae), Ahn Ji-Ho (Kim Cheol-Soo), Shin Jae-Hwi (Chang-Hoon) and Kim Jin-Young (Kim Ji-Min).

All of Us Are Dead is currently available to stream on Netflix. Check out our lists of the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, or see what else is on with our TV Guide.

Advertisement

The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement