entertainment

33 Stunning Shots From Netflix's 'Kingdom' That Prove It's Unlike Any Other Korean Drama

Poetic cinema.

By Samantha Khor

Cover image via Netflix

Intense and meticulously crafted in a fashion fit for cinema, it's almost a shame that Kingdom will mostly be watched on our smartphones or laptop screens

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

A cross between Train to Busan and Game of Thrones, the Korean zombie thriller has received critical acclaim from both critics and viewers alike, with some calling it a "breath of fresh air" for the zombie genre, since premiering on Netflix on 25 January. 

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Amongst the sea of praise for the six-episode epic, many were particularly impressed by its A+ cinematography and gorgeous scenery

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

Feast your eyes on some of the most cinematic shots from Kingdom we couldn't resist pausing to look a little closer at:

Warning: There may be mild spoilers ahead. 

1. Crown Prince Lee Chang cuts a lonely figure outside his father's private chambers

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

2. The queen arrives

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

3. The prince takes a minute to brood in near darkness

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

4. In a scene from the trailer, villagers unveil a horrific sight

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

5. Beautiful on the surface...

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

6. ... Terrifying and gruesome underneath

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

7. You can almost anticipate the horrors to come in this silhouette shot

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

8. It all begins with the king...

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

9. A rare moment of calm in the zombie's awakening

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

10. Watch how the focus shifts from the shoulder to the tip of the sword

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

11. The prince and his bodyguard begin their quest for truth

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

12. The duo contemplates braving the rocky, frozen terrain

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

13. Lee Chang grows into his role as the people's leader in this majestic pose

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

14. The prince tries to escape from sinister forces at his tail

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

15. No amount of makeup is gonna fix that, honey

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

16. The queen's makeup table is #beautygoals

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

17. A sneak peek into the royal dressing room

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

18. The queen gets dressed for an audience with the royal court

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

19. A clandestine meeting by the pond

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Image via Netflix

20. "Infected" bodies are dragged out for further examination

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

21. A closer look at the zombies of Jiyulheon

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

22. When the sun sets...

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

22. ... the horrors of the night comes to life

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

23. This zoom-in through the crack is one of the most jaw-dropping shots in the show

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

24. An undead wearing a mask shows his true face

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

25. The mysterious Yeong-sin visits the ghosts of his past

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Image via Netflix

26. Survivors from far and wide try to seek refuge from the spreading epidemic

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Image via Netflix

27. A ship makes its escape

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

28. A preemptive measure to curb the zombie apocalypse

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Image via Netflix

29. A ship is mysteriously stranded by the shore

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

30. Men and women hold their weapons high...

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Image via Netflix

31. ... As they brace themselves for yet another zombie attack

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

32. Ready, steady...

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

33. ... GO!

Image from Netflix
Image via Netflix

BONUS: A super kan cheong scene, shot in the perspective of a prisoner who finds himself locked onto a fellow prisoner who's turned into a zombie

Kingdom is now streaming on Netflix

Here's an overview of what Kingdom is about:

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