Train to Busan was truly one of the greatest zombie movies ever made, leaving viewers eager for more of something similar. As a South Korean story of not just survival but also parenting, selflessness, and sacrifice, director Yeon Sang-ho managed to create a thoughtful story that was as profound as it was action-packed. While there are plenty more great South Korean zombie movies to check out, there are plenty more fast-moving zombie releases from around the world that echo the appeal of this modern horror classic.

From subsequent releases within the Train to Busan franchise to entirely unconnected Hollywood zombie movies, there’s a whole world of cinema to explore for viewers looking to reexperience the appeal of this South Korean horror. Whether it was the more emotional side of its story or the intensity of hordes of unᴅᴇᴀᴅ threats that you connected with, Train to Busan was just the tip of the iceberg in the zombie genre, and, although it was one of the best, many other releases scratch that same itch.

10

The Girl With All The Gifts (2016)

Available On: Prime Video

The Girl with All the Gifts was an incredible zombie movie that maintained the gritty feel and emotional resonance of Train to Busan. As one of the best British horror movies in living memory, there were also aspects of 28 Days Later and The Last of Us within this tense vaccine survival story. Set in the near future, where society has been ravaged by a parasitic fungus, the last hope for humanity is a small group of infected children who are the only ones not to transform into zombified “hungries.”

Like so many other movies in this genre, this is a zombie film that is not really about zombies and instead spreads a message of acceptance and understanding. With a scientist, teacher, and young girl embarking on a journey of survival, The Girl with All the Gifts asks tough questions about the infected girl’s right to live despite societal fears around her potentially ᴅᴇᴀᴅly nature. With a great premise and some unpredictable twists and turns, The Girl with All the Gifts packs a real emotional punch.

9

#Alive (2020)

Available On: Netflix

While Train to Busan told of the death-defying journey taken by pᴀssengers traversing from Seoul to Busan, the South Korean movie Alive was a much more confined affair. Telling the story of a video game streamer trapped in an apartment following a zombie outbreak, Alive traded intense train sequences for a man’s quest to find unique ways to keep the infected out of his home. With an emotional and character-driven story, amid all the chaos of a society in freefall, was a sense of humanity as Oh Joon-woo found a connection with Kim Yoo-bin in their bid for survival.

As an exploration of loneliness, desperation, and the will to survive, Alive was grounded in a modern, urban South Korean setting and leaned heavily into themes of isolation in the digital age. While Oh Joon-woo’s social life revolved around gaming online, Alive highlighted how, in a zombie apocalypse, it was only his neighbor he could rely on. Released in early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, Alive felt particularly relevant when it was released on Netflix back in 2020.

8

Maggie (2015)

Available On: MAX

While Arnold Schwarzenegger almost always plays an unstoppable action hero, he traded this iconic persona for a more grounded take on zombie stories with Maggie. This touching tale saw Schwarzenegger play Wade Vogel, a man struggling to come to terms with the infection of his daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin), a young girl who has been bitten and will soon turn into a cannibalistic zombie. As an emotional film dealing with the psychological hardships of being a father, Maggie mimicked many of the same themes and concerns seen in Train to Busan.

Maggie depicted a realistic and heartbreaking version of society overtaken by a zombie pandemic, and rather than seek revenge and go on a killing spree against hordes of zombies, Wade simply wanted to do everything he could to ensure his daughter did not suffer. With a surprisingly poignant turn from Schwarzenegger, Maggie was more a story about the need for mercy and the power of a parent’s love than the over-the-top, rock-em-sock-em style its lead actor was known for.

7

Dawn Of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (2004)

Available On: Prime Video

While director George A. Romero practically invented the modern zombie movie with his undisputed classic Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, his sequel, Dawn of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, has arguably had an even bigger influence over the genre. Featuring survivors of the zombie apocalypse attempting to take refuge in a shopping mall, the arrival of hordes of unᴅᴇᴀᴅ zombies led to them barricading themselves inside as they were overtaken by mᴀss hysteria and panic. While the original 1978 movie was a classic, Zack Snyder’s 2004 version expanded upon its premise and created its own zombie universe in the process.

With a shift toward fast-moving zombies over the slow-shambling ghouls seen in Romero’s world, this remake of Dawn of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ captured the same frantic and heart-racing terror as Train to Busan. This version leans even more heavily into action and gore, and although the underlying themes around capitalism and consumerism still stand, Snyder’s version was less concerned with social commentary.

6

World War Z (2013)

Available On: Paramount+

While the terrifying consequences of a zombie outbreak are explored in practically every movie dealing with rising hordes of unᴅᴇᴀᴅ, there are a select few that truly capture the heart-racing intensity of this experience with the same level of fright as Train to Busan. Among this select few was World War Z, a movie whose depiction of mᴀssive swaths of zombies highlighted just how overwhelming this kind of catastrophic pandemic would be.

World War Z starred Brad Pitt as a former United Nations investigator traveling the world to try and find a solution for the zombie apocalypse. While most zombie movies tell their stories on a much smaller scale and focus on individuals trying to fend for themselves and their family under terrifying circumstances, part of the appeal of World War Z was it looked at things from a global perspective.

5

It Comes At Night (2017)

Available On: Cinemax (Via Hulu)

It Comes at Night was an incredible horror movie from A24 that suffered from misleading marketing, resulting in a mᴀssive disparity between its critics and audience’s scores on Rotten Tomatoes. With an 88% critics score and a 44% audience response, It Comes at Night was made to look like a terrifying monster movie, although it was actually a thoughtful exploration of paranoia and fear built around slow-building tension and an unnerving atmosphere. While not as action-packed as Train to Busan, It Comes at Night mirrored the South Korean classic’s themes of fear and loss.

From writer and director Trey Edward Shults, It Comes at Night was not a typical zombie movie and toyed with audiences’ perception of warnings signalling imminent danger. As a movie that keeps viewers guessing throughout, Joel Edgerton gave a compelling performance as a man living in a world ravaged by an infectious disease. While It Comes at Night may have divided critics and viewers, those who connect with this a-typical zombie movie will find a lot to love about it.

4

28 Days Later (2002)

Available On: Hulu

28 Days Later was perhaps the most important zombie movie of the 21st century, as it helped reinvigorate the genre and remind audiences just how scary this unᴅᴇᴀᴅ plight could be. The impact of 28 Days Later served to recontextualize zombies as genuine threats and helped undo decades of lighthearted, humorous depictions that blended horror with comedy. The appeal of this movie had ripple effects that have continued right up to this day and certainly influenced other fast-moving zombie releases like Train to Busan.

With Cillian Murphy as Jim, a bicycle courier who was previously in a coma, 28 Days Later began with uncertainty as the audience was also in the dark about what had ravaged society. As Jim walked through an abandoned London, it was impossible not to be overwhelmed by its eerie depictions of desolate streets and abandoned stores. When the infected humans finally appeared as agile, relentless, and aggressive threats, it was clear that 28 Days Later would go down in history as one of the best zombie movies ever made.

3

Peninsula (2020)

Available On: Shudder

The Train to Busan franchise expanded with the release of Peninsula, a standalone sequel that opened the door to many more stories being told within this world. As a blend of action, heist, and zombie movie tropes, Peninsula maintained the fast-paced excitement of the original movie while telling a new story about a former soldier attempting to retrieve a truck full of money. However, following the zombie outbreak seen in Train to Busan, this vehicle was inhabited by zombies, rogue militia, and a family struggling for survival.

Peninsula was a fast-paced and stylish movie that admittedly lacked the emotional depth of its predecessor and sadly traded nuance for generic action movie tropes. While it’s true that Peninsula failed to live up to the lofty expectations of the first movie, it’s a testament to this franchise’s quality that it was still one of the best South Korean zombie movies out there. Those looking for something similar to Train to Busan will find a lot to love about Peninsula.

2

The Wailing (2016)

Available On: Peacock

Director Na Hong-jin’s incredible horror thriller The Wailing was informed by far more than just zombie movie influences, as it conjured the terror of some of the most horrific movies ever made. Telling the story of a series of supernatural occurrences plaguing a small fishing town, The Wailing was equally informed by dark thrillers like Se7en as it was by captivating zombie films that influenced Train to Busan. As a genre-bending exploration of a mysterious illness and man’s quest to save his daughter, The Wailing was one of the greatest South Korean horrors of recent years.

With local police officer Jong-goo (Do-wan Kwak) attempting to solve the mystery of a viral illness, The Wailing was a cleverly constructed mystery that more than justified its 156-minute runtime. Through a mix of South Korean cultural influences and the classic tropes of zombie cinema, The Wailing amounted to something new and fascinating. With over 30 awards to its name, The Wailing gained accolades from the likes of the Blue Dragon Film Awards, the Fantasia International Film Festival, and the Asian Film Awards.

1

Seoul Station (2016)

Available On: Prime Video

Seoul Station was the second installment in the Train to Busan franchise and was actually an animated prequel to the original movie. As an exploration of how the zombie epidemic began in the first place, Yeon Sang-ho delivered a layered and fascinating insight into the franchise’s lore that did not shy away from societal issues like prosтιтution and homelessness. By pairing social critique with the tenets of zombie movies, Seoul Station carried on the spirit of George A. Romero’s Night of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ series and applied it to issues affecting South Koreans.

With beautiful animation that was no less frightening than its live-action counterpart, Seoul Station was a fantastic addition to this franchise that’s a must-watch release for anyone looking for a film to complement Train to Busan. With Yeon’s first two feature films, The King of Pigs and The Fake, both being animated releases, it’s clear this filmmaker was more than comfortable in the sphere of animation. As a powerful and underseen prequel, Seoul Station deserves a much larger audience from zombie movie fans.