Based on a webtoon of the same name – A blend of comedy, family drama, and zombie thriller

Scene from the film "My Daughter is a Zombie"

[Provided by NEW & Studio N. Resale and DB prohibited]

"My daughter is a zombie. The last zombie left in the world." (Jung-hwan)

The film "My Daughter is a Zombie" opens with this blunt declaration. What would a family do for the sake of their child?

"My Daughter is a Zombie" is based on the popular webtoon of the same name written by author Lee Yoon-chang. It tells the story of Jung-hwan (played by Jo Jung-suk), a wild animal trainer, who faces the unthinkable when his daughter Soo-ah (played by Choi Yu-ri) becomes infected with a zombie virus.

The film skillfully combines genre elements born from its premise, delivering a unique mix of humor, suspense, and emotion. Starting with Jung-hwan’s narration, "My Daughter is a Zombie" the film rewinds time to show the realistic and tense circumstances that led up to this point. As the zombie virus spreads globally, Jung-hwan and Soo-ah flee and head toward his mother Bamsun (played by Lee Jung-eun), which brings out the film’s thriller aspects.

Scene from the film "My Daughter is a Zombie"

[Provided by NEW & Studio N. Resale and DB prohibited]

When Jung-hwan and Bamsun accept Soo-ah and begin to train her, the comedy shines. The family embarks on bizarre efforts to tame Soo-ah, including “no-biting training,” “social behavior training,” and “memory recovery training.” The gap between Soo-ah’s zombie state and her human-like actions brings plenty of laughs. Wordplay-filled dialogue also draws chuckles from the audience. The performances of comedy-savvy actors like Jo Jung-suk, Lee Jung-eun, Cho Yeo-jeong, and Yoon Kyung-ho add significantly to the film’s humor.

At its core, however, the film strongly emphasizes the theme of familial love. Jung-hwan’s efforts to protect his daughter may seem blind or obsessive, but as he says, “What parent could give up on their child?” His daily recordings of Soo-ah’s progress evoke the image of a parent keeping a baby journal. His total devotion reflects the self-sacrifice familiar to many parents. In this way, the film taps into universal emotions.

Director Pil Gam-seong, speaking at a press screening held at Megabox COEX in Seoul on the 21st, said: "I kept asking myself if a zombie could still be considered family. This is a story about protecting the one you love most, even if they become a zombie."

Opening in theaters on the 30th.

Runtime: 113 minutes. Rated 12 and up.

Scene from the film "My Daughter is a Zombie"

[Provided by NEW & Studio N. Resale and DB prohibited]

Jo Jung-suk, lead actor in the film "My Daughter is a Zombie"

[Provided by NEW. Resale and DB prohibited]

Plays a father protecting his zombie daughter in a tearful yet humorous film: “Tried to capture both laughter and emotion”.

“The story about a father’s love really resonated with me. I became a dad, and as I naturally got older, this project came to me at just the right moment.”

Actor Jo Jung-suk, who is the father of a six-year-old daughter in real life, shared a special sense of connection with his role as Jung-hwan, a father in the film My Daughter is a Zombie.

Speaking at a café in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 24th, Jo reflected, “I think this film was a big turning point for me emotionally, as a parent.”

He was so immersed in the role that he sometimes had to pause filming when emotions became overwhelming during certain scenes.

My Daughter is a Zombie is a comedy film about Jung-hwan (played by Jo Jung-suk), a wild animal trainer who struggles to save his daughter Soo-ah (Choi Yu-ri), who has been infected by a zombie virus. The film is directed by Pil Gam-seong, known for works like Hostage: Missing Celebrity (2021) and the drama A Bloody Lucky Day (2023), and is based on a webtoon of the same name.

Scene from the film "My Daughter is a Zombie"

[Provided by NEW & Studio N. Resale and DB prohibited]

Jung-hwan’s first love, Yeon-hwa, is played by Cho Yeo-jeong, and his longtime friend Dong-bae is played by Yoon Kyung-ho. The on-screen friendships were mirrored by the off-screen camaraderie of the cast.

 

Jo shared, “Our group chat on KakaoTalk was titled ‘Zombie Girls’ High School Reunion.’ It really felt like we were a bunch of high school girls laughing and chatting nonstop.”

 

As the film centers around family love wrapped in comedy, the real-life friendships among the actors naturally added to the warm, humorous tone.

 

Jo admitted, “I had a lot of NGs [bloopers] because I just couldn’t stop laughing. Sometimes I didn’t even have a line, and I’d burst out laughing for no reason.”

 

He also shared how much he enjoyed working again with Lee Jung-eun, his co-star from the drama Oh My Ghost (2015): “It was just as fun as I’d hoped.”

 

On his on-screen daughter Choi Yu-ri, Jo offered high praise: “The more I watched how she approached the role and carried herself on set, the more I wanted to meet her parents. She’s such a well-raised, respectful kid.”

 

 Scene from the film "My Daughter is a Zombie"

[Provided by NEW & Studio N. Resale and DB prohibited]

Although the film is based on a webtoon, Jo revealed that he intentionally didn’t read the original until after filming.

“There’s a different tone and vibe in the webtoon character compared to how I portrayed him,” Jo said. “I think that helped me create my own version of Jung-hwan.”

As for Lee Jung-eun’s performance, he said she perfectly captured the essence of Bamsun, Jung-hwan’s mother: “It was like she stepped right out of the comic—truly a ‘webtoon ripped character.’”

He also emphasized that even those unfamiliar with the webtoon will enjoy the film, as it blends the zombie genre with heartfelt family themes.

“I just hope people watch it thinking, ‘This is so fun.’ I’d love to hear people say, ‘It’s a movie that delivers both laughter and emotion.’”

Scene from the film "My Daughter is a Zombie"

[Provided by NEW & Studio N. Resale and DB prohibited]