[REVIEW] Park Jung-Min and Jisoo “Newtopia”: a Roma of zombies who has become unexpectedly controversial

In preview in sequence from 20:00 (KST) on January 7, “Newtopia” is a series of eight-episode Coupang players that follows the soldier Park Jung-Min (Jae-Yoon) and his girlfriend Jisoo (Young-Joo ) while making their way through a Soul infested with zombies to gather. Directed by Yoon Sung-Hyun, known for “Bleak Night” and “Time to Hunt”, the drama is based on the novel by Han Sang-Woon “influence”. The screenplay was written by Han Jin-Won (parasite) and Ji Ho-Jin (a shop for Disney+assassins).

According to the evaluation report of the content spectators for the first week of February, published by Consumer Insight of January 6, “Newtopia” generated a significant hum even before its release, ranks first in awareness and intention of visualization, overcoming the Very expected titles such as Netflix “Melo Movie” and “The Scandal of Chunhwa.”

Martial law declared to Soul with zombies

The zombies have become a family theme for the Korean public. When “Train to Busan” was published, the concept of a Korean zombie film felt fresh and surprising. However, over the years, the films and k-zombie dramas have sculpted their niche, offering unique shots that distinguish them from the Hollywood productions.

In this landscape, “Newtopia” emerged, with its production team that defined it as “zombie rom-com” (zom-com). However, distinguishing itself from other K-Zombie content seemed like a challenge.

So unexpectedly, reality took an ironic turning point. While the show was originally understood as a mixture of romantic zombies and comedies, it also incorporated various elements that reflected Korea of ​​the current South. The events surprisingly and of real life have explained themselves that they reflect the aspects of the drama, involuntarily making Newtopia a controversial job.

In the series, the zombie epidemic begins with a plane crash in the center of Seoul, throwing the city into chaos. Director Yoon Sung-Hyun admitted, “Since this scene marks the beginning of the story, I tried some concern. But since it was a moment of crucial opening, I focused on the depictions faithfully of the script. “

While the virus spreads, the citizens of Soul begin to transform into zombies and the government declares martial law. Since the military play a central role in the series, the drama captures the shock and confusion of the soldiers who face this unprecedented crisis. The epidemic is even called “revolt” and the line, “This is neither terrorism nor war, but represents a threat to national security”, It rises strangely familiarly despite coming from an imaginary script.

The way the public will interpret the themes, scenes and dialogue of Newtopia remains uncertain. Some may find its discounted carefree tone, while others can appreciate the way in which it thinly reflects the issues of the real world, making it even more engaging.

Overcome the first episode

The biggest weakness in the series is his first episode. Take a lot of time to establish relationships, emotions and background of the characters that the spectators could find themselves asking themselves, when the zombies actually appear?

Park Jung-Min, an older conscript that enlisted late, and Jisoo, an employee for fresh office, are introduced in a way that does not seem particularly unique. The large accumulation aims to give credibility to their actions after the epidemic, but drags itself and risks losing the interest of the spectators.

However, once the first episode has passed, “Newtopia” finds its rhythm. The series combines bloody actions sequences with an elegant mise-en-scène and its unexpected B-Film humor keeps funny things. The contrast between meticulously symmetrical backgrounds and the epidemic of chaotic zombies creates a visually surprising effect. While some scenes are brutally graphic, they are presented in order to camp, almost playful, making violence more attractive. Thanks to the solid bases in the first episode, the public can immerse itself completely in the struggles of each character while the story takes place.

How does Jisoo do as an actress?

One of the greatest questions relating to “Newtopia” is Blackpink Jisoo and its acting performance. Can he resist as the leading actress?

The answer: it has improved. Although not completely free from past criticism regarding its vocal delivery, it presents a more refined performance than its previous work. Reports indicate that Jisoo dedicated for four days a week, spending hours at a time, to the training of intensive acting in preparation for this role.

In the meantime, Park Jung-Min, known for his experience in playing exasperating characters, fully embodies his role as a soldier obsessed with keeping in touch with his girlfriend. His performance is so convincing that the spectators could find themselves taking sides with Jisoo and seeing his character as irritating, showing that he has done his job well.

Support actors such as Lim Seong-Jae, Kim Jun-Han and Lee Hak-Joo initially present themselves as exaggerated caricatures. However, as the series advances, their performances are perfectly aligned with the bizarre aesthetic of the film B of Newtopia, making them an integral part of the charm of the show.