Peninsula

In 2023, a zombie virus swept across South Korea, triggering an outbreak that devastated the world. The once blue skies turned gray, and the once vibrant streets were now eerily desolate. The Korean government attempted to contain the outbreak but ultimately failed. Twenty years later, the movie Peninsula takes us to a dystopian South Korea. Jeojang, a.k.a. Sergeant Major Lee, is a former soldier, now exiled in the north of the peninsula's southern tip. A North Korean defector had given him intel about a group of survivors who possess a certain immunity to the virus, a quality extremely valuable in a post-apocalyptic world. In hopes of securing his family's protection, Lee gathers a few of his fellow soldiers to search for the group. Helmed by the masterful director Bong Joon-ho's colleague, Yeon Sang-ho, Peninsula opens with Lee and his crew navigating a massive convoy of zombies to reach the village. Their battle-hardened skills and tactics ensure their survival but highlight the team's small numbers compared to the unending hordes. Upon reaching the southern tip and facing numerous perils, they arrive at Mongtan port and reveal Lee's ulterior motive, making his intentions known to his troops. Among his crew members is an ex-police officer, a skilled and sharpshooter Hwang Joon-Hoo's ally known as Sergeant Marcus. Their hope lies in rescuing a group of survivors which they believe possess a highly desired immunity, known as 'Neo Citizens.' Neo Citizens boasts to have secured a part of the peninsula, well-armed with firearms, as well as food supplies enough to last them many years. However, the highly-protected Neo Citizens possess crucial technology to contain the virus, in turn offering Asia's valuable chance of survival and revival over its fellow post-apocalyptic regions. These two groups finally clash, culminating in spectacular battle sequences. Survival over territorial control and ownership appears the pinnacle fight between Lee's ragtag bunch and the Neo Citizens. Peninsula masterfully captures the unrelenting human will for survival. The film shifts its spotlight from the horror moments to those of emotional bonding and eventual sacrifice during relentless peril. Through exploring the struggles and heart-wrenching loss, Yeon Sang-ho weaves an emotional, thrillrider, post-apocalyptic drama set on the tragic landscape of South Korea's Peninsula. South Korean and Singaporean epic Peninsula opens to overwhelming reviews in almost all categories, all echoing a shared sentiment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emphasizing humanity's strength and battling in-fighting for an almost-inevitable survival, this 2021 disaster series indeed displays 'fear as a great teacher,' reflecting Asia's powerful defiance in facing hopelessness during the darkest time. While breaking free from overused zombie outbreaks, Peninsula keeps audiences piqued in watching Lee and Marcus's unbreakable friendship while navigating over a desolate post-apocalyptic road. The friendship blooms while consistently meeting brutal and vivid encounters which prove both resourceful and heart wrenching. So as our crew slowly converges towards Neo Citizens village in the South Asian wilderness, viewers find significance within Lee's motivations, even finding heart in this otherwise desolate post-apocalyptic nightmare.