Kingdom on Netflix – the 5 biggest plot holes in the Korean zombie drama which is drawing coronavirus comparisons

Apr 24 , 2020

With stunning cinematography, a gripping storyline, and a zombie pandemic that draws comparison to our current situation, we’re hooked on Kingdom. However, there are some gaps in the lore that need answers. Photo: @ekdytrp/Instagram

With the social commentary of Parasite, political intrigue of Game of Thrones, and undead horror of Train to Busan – and a gripping zombie pandemic uncomfortably comparable to the Covid-19 crisis – Kingdom is a timely Netflix hit … but not everything makes sense

Combining social commentary à la Parasite, the political intrigue of Game of Thrones, and the undead horror of Train to Busan, Netflix’s Kingdom is an unexpected international hit.

Unlike most zombie flicks, this is set in the Joseon dynasty. Kingdom follows crown prince Lee Chang (Joo Ji-hoon) as he tries to uncover the mystery behind the zombies, prevent them from spreading, and reclaim his place on the throne. While the zombies are truly terrifying, the cruel machinations of prime minister Cho Hak-ju (sageuk veteran Ryu Seung-ryong) and his daughter/Lee Chang’s stepmother, Queen Cho (Kim Hye-jun) are a driving force behind the undead terror.

Season two ramps up the tension with more reveals about the zombie virus, and we’ve got some questions about potential plot holes we’re dying to have answered. Spoilers ahead!

If Lord Ahn Hyeon knew about the zombies, why didn’t he know they feared heat?

As hinted in Season one, the crown prince’s beloved mentor and father figure had already fought zombies before. It was revealed in season two that Lord Ahn Hyeon (Heo Joon-ho) had worked together (however unwillingly) with Cho, sacrificing a village to create a zombie army to fight the Japanese. Shouldn’t Lord Ahn have known it was heat and not sunlight that they feared?

If the worm is sensitive to heat and water, why didn’t they die when being cooked?

The big reveal in season two was that the zombies aren’t afraid of sunlight – it’s the temperature they’re affected by, which spells big trouble for our heroes as winter is coming (pun intended). That being said, the disaster started back in season one, when peasants unknowingly ate a stew made from the body of an infected boy. How did the double whammy of heat and water not kill or get rid of the worms?