[Drama 2020] The Zombie Detective, 좀비탐정

partyon · September 24, 2020

Thank you @Lmangla for your summary!

Great team work @Sleepy Owl @Skyline @kdramagrandma

Oppa fighting!

brooksmom · September 24, 2020

Watched ep 1, can't get interested in this one either. I've tried a few lately. I'm a fan of the lead, but not in this combo plot. It's like having coffee and peanut butter in one sitting. If you have ever tried it, you'll know. I like him especially when he's the lead. Liked Emergency Man and Woman. His seriousness made it comical. Like Tunnel also, the same as this drama, except in this drama for lack of fresh blood to wet his appetite he is now a doofus detective. And this is suppose to make me laugh. Maybe in future eps, he'll be a healthy zombie and turn into an fully serious detective. And like I stated above, his serious zombie-ness will make it comical.

CarolynH · September 25, 2020

Nice job on the thread spotlight! I like CJH, so I'll try it if I can find somewhere to watch this drama.

brooksmom · September 25, 2020

S O R R Y Spotlight Contributors and event organizers and thread master for crashing in with my wet blanket of a post. Liked your contributions.

booha · September 26, 2020

Thank you @Lmangla for 'Zombie Detective Thread Spotlight' and summery

Thank you Spotlight Contributors for great observation

wow so many references @@

At first I only noticed on EP1 some scenes that remind me of CJH’s Gu Wol-ryung in “Gu Family Book”, which gave CJH the first major career break. CJH was supposed to appear only in the first two episodes as a special guest. But the wol-ryung character created the ‘wol-ryung fever’ in Korea so that the writer had to bring back the character(as a dark WR).

(from GFB): Scenes of night forest & just before resurrection as a dark WR & WR's ( a gumiho) food

Spoiler

[making] With a treadmill and a zombie ....

[making] the first meeting Sun Ji & zombie

booha · September 27, 2020

**Those Spotlight comments made me rethink about ZD. Generally I don’t have much interest in any zombie stuff so I dragged my butt to watch it for the sake of CJH and since it was supposed to be a zombie comedy.

But I was surprised to find it so hilarious that I hardly noticed how the scary looking CJH’s zombie was lol. Then after reading about many reference points in the drama, I got interested and found this article which talks about many things but the one that caught my real interest was “B-class codes” I never heard this term and I had to guess in some way it had influence on the shape/color of the drama. After some googling I found it was called “B-class culture” (this one happened as a Korean phenomenon).
((**for anyone interested in reading …))
“B-class culture”: two articles talk about what it is in Korea.

'Cheesy ‘B-class culture’ sweeps Korea'(2012): http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20121005000818

'Kitschy pop culture in vogue '(2013): http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/12/386_142827.html

“B movie” (google) https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=B+movie%2C+B+film

(wiki) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_movie

(video clip)

B-CLASS CULTURAL HERITAGE - B級文化遺産

Spoiler

((translation))

Will “Zombie Detective” with the efforts of poignantly touching zombie revive the KBS drama?
“Zombie Detective”, a comedy but laughter comes with a feeling of melancholy

Are there any other hilarious zombies like this one?
Probably, viewers who watched the KBS new M&Tu drama <Zombie Detective> may have been surprised by the zombie that is so different from the current zombie genre.
Currently our zombie genre, K-zombie, is attracting attention from overseas. The zombie (Choi Jin-hyuk) of <Zombie Detective> turns out to be hilariously funny rather than scary.

Spoiler

The zombie, who wakes up without knowing how he was killed, is not as energetic as the zombies in <Go to Busan>, <#Alive> and <Kingdom>.
Even if he tries to move fast, his body acts sluggishly. Even if he tries to throw stones, he has no strength. He gets so hungry and finally faints which makes his eyes turn red, and then he wakes up to find dead animals.

So this zombie is different from current zombie types which are good at running and flock around in groups menacingly.
In addition, this zombie tries to control his appetite for humans.
When he looks at humans, he starts drooling automatically, but he thinks that's something he shouldn't do.
It’s inevitable this zombie is a weaker one in this deadly human world, when he has less than human abilities yet he insists on certain ethical boundaries.

So, the way this zombie bleeds through pronunciation correction, handling chopsticks, and walking practice for a year in order to behave like a human, gives a laugh that is worthy of the title of 'entertainment/or variety drama'.
In particular, the scene in which this zombie who has learned to speak through rap training for pronunciation correction becomes funnier with CJH’s hilarious acting.

After accidentally witnessing the murder of a detective, he goes down to town and lives in his detective office while experiencing our world.
In order to survive he even tries to earn meager money from children. The scene appears to be funny but it shows a poignant black comedy.
The zombie that used to threaten humans is now striving to survive in the human world.
This black comedy's interesting posture is to reverse the relationship between zombies and humans in the common zombie genre and portray a more terrifying human world than zombies.

With the emergence of new platforms such as Netflix and YouTube in recent years, basic legacy-media ((like IPTV & cable tv)) faces a sense of crisis.
KBS can’t ignore this change while KBS dramas are gradually losing their market share except weekend dramas
In addition, the newly created native OTT wave to respond to these platforms, and IPTV, which is now losing its trending with the arrival of OTT, are feeling the same sense of crisis. In that sense, the fact that KBS, Wave, and SK Broadband jointly invested in the production of this work has a significant meaning.

Will <Zombie Detective> revive the stagnant KBS drama?

The drama is from the entertainment/variety drama-section. It has a fusion of zombie genres, black comedy, detectives, and maybe even melo, and contains B-class codes. So it’s a wonder whether it’s suitable for KBS which is a somewhat conservative channel, as the rating of this work stays at 3%(Nielsen Korea)
Nevertheless it deserves at least the applause for <Zombie Detective>'s unusual attempt.

http://www.entermedia.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=20644

partyon · September 27, 2020

Choi Jin Hyuk Receives An Odd Proposition From Park Ju Hyun In “Zombie Detective”

KBS 2TV’s Monday-Tuesday drama “Zombie Detective” has released new stills ahead of the new episode!

“Zombie Detective” is a comedy about a zombie in his second year of resurrection who becomes a detective and desperately searches for the truth about his past. Choi Jin Hyuk stars as Kim Moo Young, the titular zombie detective who struggles to adapt to his new life and coexist with humans. Park Ju Hyun plays Gong Seon Ji, a writer of an investigative journalism program with unrivaled optimism, tenacity, and a sense of justice.

Spoilers

Previously, Kim Moo Young began his new life as a zombie detective after taking on the identity of a man who had been mysteriously murdered and taking on his first case from a group of children. Seeing him with the children, Gong Seon Ji misunderstood what was happening and threw a helmet at his head. Without a penny to his name, Kim Moo Young set out to collect settlement money from Gong Seon Ji and ended up saving her from being kidnapped by a cult while drunk. Kim Moo Young grew flustered when Gong Seon Ji fell on his cold chest and muttered, “It’s warm,” signaling the moment their lives began to intertwine.

As the zombie detective and journalist begin to grow closer to one another, the new stills preview an intriguing development between the pair. Of particular interest is the flyer that Gong Seon Ji holds up to show him, which advertises a crash diet. Kim Moo Young looks down as he seriously ponders her offer. Another still shows him following a group of suspicious people into the forest, making viewers question why a zombie who has nothing to gain from a diet would be interested in the program.

The next episode of “Zombie Detective” will air via KBS on September 28 at 9:30 p.m. KST.

source: https://www.soompi.com/article/1427974wpp/choi-jin-hyuk-receives-an-odd-proposition-from-park-ju-hyun-in-zombie-detective

booha · September 27, 2020

**I don’t know why I felt touched by the last scene of Moo Young & Sun Ji. Maybe their dialogue …maybe the background music…
MY: ‘Heart doesn’t even beat. It has become cold.
SJ: It’s warm…
But hopefully it’s them. It’s about time to see some kind of chemistry from them. Since they are supposed to be a zombie-Sherlock & Watson team, any steaming love line would be out?! hehe Maybe that’s good because they exude none of it. Yeah maybe they are better as a working team: two socially misfits, one with constant paranoia and fainting spells from extreme hunger, and the other, out of her mind with uncontrollable obsession about the Santa murderer.

MY discovers he has a hidden martial art skill. The first clue about who he was

Spoiler

free tripe stew

Spoiler

cr to DC

“Zombie Detective” Choi Jin Hyuk Takes On A Group Of Kids As Clients

Drama Preview Sep 26, 2020 by E. Cha

KBS 2TV’s new drama “Zombie Detective” has revealed a sneak peek of its next episode!

Spoilers

Spoiler

On the previous episode of “Zombie Detective,” zombie Kim Moo Young (played by Choi Jin Hyuk) came to terms with his fate and began training to appear human again. In the process, he accidentally witnessed a murder, and he ended up becoming a “zombie detective” after receiving the key to a private investigator’s office and ID from the unknown dying man.

In the upcoming episode of the drama, Kim Moo Young will set out on his new career by taking on a case brought to him by a group of children. A trio of elementary school students led by Lee Joon Woo (Sung Min Joon), the young nephew of Gong Seon Ji (Park Ju Hyun), approach Kim Moo Young and offer him 500 won (approximately 43 cents) to find a missing dog.

After hearing their initial offer, Kim Moo Young responds with disbelief at the kids’ proposed fee, and at the end of some hilariously petty squabbling, they finally bring out the big guns: a crisp 5000 won (approximately $4) bill.

However, Kim Moo Young gains more from his encounter with the children than just 5000 won. Not only does he help them with their case, but they also wind up unexpectedly helping him in his quest to find clues about his forgotten past. Additionally, as Gong Seon Ji’s nephew, Lee Joon Woo ends up bringing her and Kim Moo Young together.

The next episode of “Zombie Detective” will air on September 28 at 9:30 p.m. KST.

In the meantime, catch up on the first two episodes of the drama with English subtitles below!

Watch Now

https://www.soompi.com/article/1427851wpp/zombie-detective-choi-jin-hyuk-takes-on-a-group-of-kids-as-clients

booha · September 28, 2020

Kim Soo Hyun Shows Support For “Zombie Detective” And “Producer” Director With Thoughtful Gift

Celeb Sep 28, 2020 by C. Lee

Kim Soo Hyun showed some love for “Producer” director Shim Jae Hyun!

On September 28, Kim Soo Hyun sent a coffee truck to the set of the director’s newest KBS 2TV drama “Zombie Detective.”

Kim Soo Hyun provided the “Zombie Detective” cast and crew with a variety of drinks along with the messages: “Time to transfuse coffee for survival,” “The sweet-smelling coffee is here!”, and “We support director Shim Jae Hyun and ‘Zombie Detective!'”

The production team commented, “Kim Soo Hyun and Shim Jae Hyun have been maintaining a great relationship as actor and director for many years. Shim Jae Hyun was very thankful for the coffee truck that Kim Soo Hyun sent him.”

Previously, Kim Soo Hyun worked with Shim Jae Hyun for the 2015 drama “Producer,” where Kim Soo Hyun played an absent-minded producing director in the variety department. The drama reached an impressive viewership rating of 17.7 percent at its peak.

The director’s ongoing drama “Zombie Detective” is a comedy about a zombie in his second year of resurrection who becomes a detective and desperately searches for the truth about his past. Choi Jin Hyuk stars as Kim Moo Young, the titular zombie detective who struggles to adapt to his new life and coexist with humans. Park Ju Hyun plays Gong Seon Ji, a writer of an investigative journalism program with unrivaled optimism, tenacity, and a sense of justice.

The drama airs Mondays and Tuesdays on KBS at 9:30 p.m. KST.

https://www.soompi.com/article/1428404wpp/kim-soo-hyun-shows-support-for-zombie-detective-and-the-producers-director-with-thoughtful-gift

KBS 드라마

Spoiler

itsmeash · September 28, 2020

Trying to decide whether to catch up and watch as it airs, or wait until it ends like I usually do with shows so I can binge watch all at once.

crystaltears · September 29, 2020

loving this drama so far! The latest eps seem to be a spoof on Save Me (k-drama)

He is just too cute using that air freshener spray on himself

"From what I saw on TV, characters like Grim Reapers or aliens all had their own cars and houses, but what is up with me?"

also laughed at him hiding meat under his clothes and hat

and the Zombie yoga position: "It gives you a physical sense of freedom that you can't even tell if you're dead or alive"

booha · September 29, 2020

EP3 rating: 2,8%

KBS 드라마

partyon · September 29, 2020

Watching ep 3. OMO! Oppa's shower scene

This yoga pose though

partyon · September 29, 2020

I guess this is from ep 4 ?

booha · September 30, 2020

6 hours ago, partyon said:

I guess this is from ep 4 ?

Yes but as usual the preview isn’t clear about whether Sun Ji will find Moo Young is a zombie. Still since ZD has only 12EPs it might be better if she finds out about him early and decides to help him since she is all about pursuing justice?

EP4

http://osen.mt.co.kr/article/G1111443819

**Very good product endorsement; antibacterial deodorant for smelling fabrics like ‘Febreze’ It’s so strong and effective that even it can eliminate zombie’s dead body order. lol

Spoiler

cr to DC

booha · October 1, 2020

** ZD got a good response on B-tv. It sounds like Korean viewers are watching ZD on 2 different platforms, KBS and B-tv. In this circumstance it might be hard to get the right ratings since people who watch the drama through B-tv streamline would be excluded in a rating survey.
Though the flow of the story line is a bit choppy here and there, I like this different approach to the very familiar zombie theme. In ZD there are some people that are acting more like zombies than a real zombie does.

((partial translation))
“According to SK Broadband on 9/29, ZD preleased EP1&2 as on-demand videos (VOD) on B tv two days earlier than the KBS main broadcast at 9:30 pm on the 19th. As a result of analyzing the viewing status for two days from the 19th to the 20th, the B tv movie (OCEAN) showed a high response, surpassing new movies and overseas dramas, ranking 2nd in total viewing time.”

Chan and A.C.E. members made a special appearance in ZD.

https://www.fnnews.com/news/202009291349302529