Here’s Why “All Of Us Are Dead” Viewers Believe The Apocalyptic Series Is Based On The Sewol Ferry Tragedy

The similarities are heartbreaking.

Spoiler Alert

This article reveals plot details of a current movie or series.

It’s no secret that Netflix‘s apocalyptic survival series, All of Us Are Dead has been taking over the globe with its high school-based plot line. The intense, thrilling story and the constant zombie-filled action sequences are proving to be a worldwide success.

Poster for “All of Us Are Dead.”

In light of the series’ ongoing popularity, however, is a particular netizen who made a surprising connection between the K-Drama and a real-life Korean disaster, The Sewol Ferry tragedy.

Photo of the Sewol Ferry sinking from April 16, 2014.

Back in 2014, 304 innocent lives were abruptly cut short when the Sewol ferry sank unexpectedly during its journey from Incheon to Jeju. Out of the 304 lives lost were 250 high school students from Danwon High School who were embarking on a field trip. While almost 8 years have passed since the disaster happened, the memories of the victims have been kept alive in different cultural references—including All of Us Are Dead.

The lost lives of Danwon High School students | The New York Times

TikTok user recently posted a short clip comparing and contrasting the potential similarities between the two—and it has started to receive viral attention. The TikToker first mentioned one particular scene in All of Us Are Dead, when the Hyosan High School students film themselves waiting to be rescued in the midst of the zombie outbreak.

This was compared to the actual real life footage of Danwon High School students, who filmed themselves on the Sewol Ferry boat while awaiting their promised rescue. The heartbreaking clip shows the high schoolers joking around with one another due to the false information that was shared with them about the severity of the situation.

Scene from “All of Us Are Dead” (top) and real live footage of students onboard the Sewol ferry (bottom) | @baejieun199/TikTok

The second comparison was about the two main characters in the zombie series, Lee Su Hyeok and Nam On Jo. The two characters, who were involved in a semi-romantic relationship, can be seen with their hands tied together in the photo provided by @baejieun199.

Along with this picture, the TikToker also revealed photos of two high schoolers, Kim Su Jin and Lee Jeong Jin, who passed away during the Sewol Ferry disaster. These two were belatedly revealed to be a couple after rescue divers found their bodies tied together with their life jacket cords.

“All of Us Are Dead” couple (top) and real life Sewol Ferry couple who passed away (bottom) | @baejieun199/TikTok

In addition to that, TikTok user @baejieun199 shared the different scenes in All of Us Are Dead that showcased the ribbon memorial setup for the lives lost at Hyosan High School…

…which were compared to the real life memorials that were created for the hundreds of lives that were taken during the Sewol Ferry tragedy. The yellow ribbon, which represents and commemorates all of the precious lives lost during the disaster, has become a globally recognized symbol.

While these are just assumptions made by a TikToker, these clips have gone viral on the social media platform, as they continue to accrue millions of views and thousands of likes by viewers.

Number of likes, circled in yellow by Koreaboo | @baejieun199/TikTok

Almost 8 years have already passed since the tragedy, but it will never be forgotten. May all the victims rest in peace.

All of Us Are Dead