Summary
- Train to Busan & Peninsula are arriving on Netflix in February – marking a celebration for zombie movie lovers.
- Train to Busan was a global hit in 2016. The sequel, Peninsula, follows a truck of cash amidst zombie chaos .
- Potential Train to Busan remake shelved – Director Sang-ho explores new projects with a hint of horror.
For fans of the undead, February will be a day to mark on the calendar as Netflix is set to add the two modern classics of the horror genre to its streaming library. Train to Busan and its successor film, Peninsula, currently occupy the zombie genre’s hall of fame with an action-garnished original story regarded by critics as the most high-profile among the Korean film industry’s burgeoning horror genre. Their arrival on the streaming giant is a sure way to win over a whole new set of fans who will probably never look at train rides (or zombies) the same way again.
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Why Are the Train to Busan Films a Fan Favorite?
The Train to Busan franchise has a cult following for good reason. 2016’s Train to Busan, the first movie, revolves around a father’s (Seok Woo) undying love for his daughter (Su-an) as both embark on what is meant to be a standard train ride. However, their journey becomes ill-fated as zombies overwhelm South Korea — starting on that very train. More than just relentless escape from zombies goes on in the movie, although there’s no arguing that there’s plenty of that. It’s a classic tale of the extremes of human nature — the very best and worst — when faced with survival. Nowhere is this contrast more evident than in the noble sacrifice of a mother-to-be and the ruthless self-preservation of a businessman willing to endanger others to save himself.
Upon its 2016 release, Train to Busan became a box office juggernaut, grossing $98.5 million worldwide, including $2.2 million from North American audiences. In South Korea alone, more than 10 million moviegoers flocked to see it, cementing its status as a cultural phenomenon. Critics were just as enthusiastic, awarding it a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and praising its exhilarating pacing, well-developed characters, and fresh take on the zombie invasions — which, by that time, had started to feel creatively exhausted.
In 2020, director Yeon Sang-ho returned with Peninsula, a standalone sequel set four years after the first film. This time, there’s no calm before the storm. Korea is already a zombie-infested wasteland, but one hiding a golden opportunity: a truckload of cash. A former soldier undertakes a dangerous mission to recover the truck in the heart of zombie territory and surviving humans who have descended into savagery. Though Peninsula doesn’t quite capture the emotional depth of its predecessor, it more than makes up for it with high-action sequences that feel like a mix of Mad Max: Fury Road and any classic zombie horror. Fans of the first film appreciated the expanded world-building of the second, and guided the movie to $42 million globally — a respectable tally for a film released during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What’s Happening With Train to Busan In February?
Come February 11, 2025, fans will have a chance to re-immerse themselves in two major zombie films from the last decade thanks to Netflix’s introduction of both Train to Busan movies into their content catalog. First-time viewers can give in to their curiosity, and die-hard fans of Korean horror and dystopian survival thrillers, fresh from Squid Game Season 2, are unlikely to reject an offer to once more appreciate some of their favorite Korean actors and actresses on screen.
What’s Next For The Train to Busan Mini-Franchise?
With three projects under its belt — the original film, its sequel Peninsula, and an animated prequel titled Seoul Station — the Train to Busan films qualify as a mini-franchise. Sang-ho had previously hinted at a third movie, but it never grew bigger than an idea. Entertainment Weekly reported that a Hollywood remake, The Last Train to New York, was originally pegged for an April 2023 release window after catching the attention of James Wan, Timo Tjahjanto, and Warner Bros. But that project remains in limbo, having since missed its scheduled release date. With no word of the remake, there’s every reason to believe that Warner Bros. has shelved the project. Interestingly, fan backlash may have played a role.
Nothing says “cultural impact” more than Hollywood deciding to remake a foreign-language film. But that, Wan’s success as caretaker of The Conjuring horrorverse, and Timo Tjahjanto’s brilliant work on The Night Comes for Us didn’t stop fans from expressing skepticism about a remake of Train to Busan. Given that Hollywood remakes usually end up closer to the “miss” mark than hits, this worry is not unfounded. The very fact that it is hotly debated is proof of the film’s widespread influence.
As for Sang-ho, he is set to make his English-language directorial debut in the action-horror film 35th Street, after creating the most underrated sci-fi film of the year in Jung E. The former is not directly connected to the Train to Busan series, but it is evidence of his continued interest in his horror roots. If a third Train to Busan film is indeed made and Sang-ho returns as director, it would not be surprising to spot elements of 35th Street incorporated within.
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