20 Amazing South Korean Movies You Must See Before You Die

The zombie genre has, somewhat ironically, become largely brainless and derivative in the 2010s, perhaps thanks to years of oversaturation of the market. Fortunately, it got a much needed shot in the arm with this taut and intelligent story of a handful of survivors on a cross country train.

Director Yeon Sang-ho made his name in animation, helming the unsettlingly violent King Of Pigs, and there is also an animated prequel to Busan - Seoul Station - which fans of this movie would do well to check out afterwards. But he made the transition to live action features expertly here.

The trainbound setting makes for both a tightly focused location, but also a dynamically changing environment and a plot that clips along at an appropriately high speed.

The characters may be broad archetypes, but Yeon makes sure to put the time in to make sure you care about their fates. You will long for Kim Eui-sung's self-serving businessman to get his comeuppance and cheer for a scene-stealing performance from former personal trainer Ma Dong-seok as a blue collar tough guy out to protect his pregnant wife.

Scary, action packed and deeply satisfying, Train To Busan was a breath of fresh air for the rotting corpse of the undead movie genre.