K-좀비와 한국 전통 문화의 창의적 결합 편집하기 (부분)

===Eng===
The Netflix series <i>Kingdom</i> pioneered a new genre known as “K-zombie” by originally combining Western zombie conventions with Korean traditional culture and folklore. Writer Kim Eun-hee constructed a narrative set in the Joseon dynasty where plague victims transform into zombies, creatively reinterpreting Korean traditional tales, folk beliefs, and historical accounts of epidemics. This cultural fusion transcends simple genre borrowing and has been recognized as distinctive storytelling infused with Korean sensibility and aesthetics, earning enthusiastic responses from global audiences.

The zombies in <i>Kingdom</i> originate from a fictional plant called the “resurrection plant” (<i>saengsakcho</i>). This borrows the motif of miraculous herbs from traditional folklore that could revive the dead, reflecting yearnings for immortality and resurrection found in Korean folk religion and shamanic beliefs. In the series, the resurrection plant emerges from an attempt to revive a dying king to maintain power, developing into a theme about catastrophe caused by human desire. This premise represents a distinctly Korean variation from Western zombies, which typically arise from viruses or scientific causes, by utilizing traditional folk beliefs and supernatural elements instead.

Additionally, <i>Kingdom</i>’s zombies possess the unique characteristic of being inactive during daylight and mobile only at night. This connects to figures from Korean traditional tales such as corpse demons (<i>seobi</i>)  and plague ghosts (<i>yeokgwi</i>)—spirits of the dead and disease-bringing supernatural entities. During the Joseon period, when epidemics actually occurred, people attributed plagues to ghostly forces and performed folk rituals such as shamanic ceremonies (<i>gut</i>) or posting protective talismans. The series reflects this historical background to depict the terror of the zombie plague more authentically.

Through Season 1 (2019), Season 2 (2020), and the spinoff <i>Kingdom: Ashin of the North</i> (2021), <i>Kingdom</i> expanded its uniquely Korean zombie narrative universe. Alongside passionate performances by actors including Ju Ji-hoon and Bae Doona, writer Kim Eun-hee’s creative screenplay crosses boundaries between tradition and modernity, Eastern and Western genres, proving the creative potential of K-content. <i>Kingdom</i> stands as a representative example demonstrating how Korean traditional culture can create new cultural value when combined with global popular culture, introducing the world to the possibilities of the distinctive “K-zombie” genre.