Zombie Detective

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Zombie Detective
Promotional poster
Hangul
좀비탐정
Hanja
좀비探偵
RRJombitamjeong
MRChombit'amjŏng
Genre
Created byKBS Drama Division
Written byBaek Eun-jin
Directed byShim Jae-hyun
Starring
Music byOk Jeong-yong
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes24
Production
Executive producerKi Min-soo (KBS)
Producers
  • Park Ji-young
  • Kim Dong-rae
Running time60 minutes
Production companyRaemongRaein
Original release
NetworkKBS2
ReleaseSeptember 21 (2020-09-21) –
October 27, 2020 (2020-10-27)

Zombie Detective (Korean: 좀비탐정; RR: Jombitamjeong) is a 2020 South Korean television drama series broadcast by KBS2. Directed by Shim Jae-hyun, it stars Choi Jin-hyuk and Park Ju-hyun.[1] It aired from September 21 to October 27, 2020.[2] It tells the story of a zombie and a writer who team up to solve crimes.[3]

Synopsis

Kang Min-ho (Choi Jin-hyuk) wakes up and discovers that he is a zombie with no memories of his past. He trains himself to walk and talk like a human, covers up his scars with makeup, and assumes the identity of private detective Kim Moo-young while trying to solve the mystery of his past. Gong Sun-ji (Park Ju-hyun) is a former investigative journalist who gets hired as a part-time assistant at Moo-young's agency. She discovers Moo-young's zombie secret, and the two team up to solve crimes and discover the mystery behind the existence of zombies.

Cast

Main

Supporting

World King Agency

Gong Sun-ji's family

Gangrim Police Station

  • Park Dong-bin[5] as Hwang Chun-seob
  • Jung Chae-yul as Bae Yoon-mi[6]

Others

  • Lim Se-joo as Kim Bo-ra
  • Bae Yoo-ram as Station PD
  • Park Sang-myun as Lee Gwang-sik
  • Ha Do-kwon as Noh Poong-sik
  • Seo Yeon-woo as Yeon-woo
  • Uhm Tae-yoon as Um Tae-yoon
  • Yoon Ki-chang as real Kim Moo-young

Special appearances

  • Park Joo-yong as Santa suspect (Ep. 1)
  • Yoo Min-sang as pizza box man (Ep. 1)
  • Lee Seung-yoon as zombie movie actor (Ep. 1)
  • Kim Hye-seon as zombie movie actress (Ep. 1)
  • Yoo Jae-suk[7] as zombie movie poster actor (Ep. 1)
  • Kim Min-kyung as zombie movie poster actress (Ep. 1)
  • Kim Yo-han as skin cream CM model (Ep. 1)
  • Lee Ga-sub as Oh Hyeong-cheol (Ep. 2)
  • Han Hye-ji as Oh Hyeong-cheol's wife (Ep. 2)
  • Song Ga-in as trot singer (Ep. 2)
  • A.C.E[8] as zombie dancer (Ep. 2–3)
  • Shin Yun-sook as Kim Moo-young's landlord (Ep. 2)
  • Ok Joo-ri as food cart vendor (Ep. 2)
  • Kwon Hae-hyo as movie company CEO (Ep. 2)
  • Lee Young-ji as paramedic (Ep. 2)
  • Kim Jung-pal as fast center manager (Ep. 3)
  • Jang Se-hyun as fast center client (Ep. 3)
  • Park Sun-young as Kang Go-eun (Ep. 3)
  • Yebin as Yoo Hee-seon (Ep. 3)
  • Sam Hammington as Butcher (Ep. 5)
  • William Hammington as Butcher son (Ep. 5)
  • Ryu Hye-rin as Shaman (Ep. 6)

Production

Zombie Detective is a joint production by KBS, Wavve, and SK Broadband for its B TV service, consisting of 12 episodes.[9] Production company RaemongRaein handled the production of the series.[9] KBS released photos from the first script reading on July 22, 2020,[10] and the main poster of the series featuring all the casts on August 24.[11]

The series is the first original co-production by a terrestrial broadcaster, OTT platform, and IPTV service.[12]

Release

Zombie Detective was first released as video-on-demand (VOD) on Wavve and B TV on September 19, 2020, two days prior to its premiere on KBS2 on September 21.[13][14]

Wavve and B TV continued to release two episodes at 9:30 PM on the Saturday before the Monday and Tuesday series broadcast on KBS2.[12][15][16]

Viewership

Average TV viewership ratings
Ep. Part Original broadcast date Average audience share
(Nielsen Korea)[17]
1 1 September 21, 2020 2.9%
2 3.6%
2 1 September 22, 2020 2.7%
2 3.0%
3 1 September 28, 2020 2.1%
2 2.8%
4 1 September 29, 2020 2.0%
2 2.8%
5 1 October 5, 2020 2.0%
2 2.9%
6 1 October 6, 2020 2.5%
2 3.4%
7 1 October 12, 2020 2.4%
2 3.1%
8 1 October 13, 2020 2.6%
2 3.7%
9 1 October 19, 2020 2.4%
2 3.1%
10 1 October 20, 2020 2.0%
2 2.6%
11 1 October 26, 2020 2.1%
2 2.2%
12 1 October 27, 2020 1.9%
2 2.6%
Average 2.6%
  • The blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
  • N/A denotes that the rating is not known.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2020 18th KBS Entertainment Awards Best Challenge Award Zombie Detective Team Won [18]

References

  1. Baek, Ji-yeon (2020-07-03). 최진혁X박주현, 드라마 '좀비탐정' 주연 발탁 [공식입장] [Choi Jin-hyuk x Park Joo-hyun selected as the lead role in the drama 'Zombie Detective' [Official Position]]. Stoo Asiae (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2020-08-07.
  2. Kim, Myung-mi (September 7, 2020). "'좀비탐정' 21일 첫방송 확정, 좀비-인간 예측불허 케미(공식입장)" ['Zombie Detective' set to premiere on the 21st, unpredictable chemistry between zombie and human (official statement)]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  3. "최진혁·박주현, 환생한 셜록·왓슨으로 변신…'좀비탐정'" [Choi Jin-hyuk and Park Ju-hyun transform into reincarnated Sherlock and Watson… 'Zombie Detective']. Newsis (in Korean). July 29, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  4. "[HanCinema's News] Hwang Bo-ra Cast for "Zombie Detective"". HanCinema. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  5. Park, Jae-hwan (July 22, 2020). 박동빈, 좀비 쫓는 강력반 팀장 [Park Dong-bin, leader of the homicide class chasing zombies]. Korean Broadcasting System (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  6. "'Zombie Detective' star dead: South Korean actress Jung Chae-yul was 26". New York Post. 2023-04-11.
  7. Park, Jae-hwan (August 27, 2020). 예능드라마 좀비탐정, 유재석 강시 출연 [Entertainment drama Zombie Detective, Yoo Jae-seok appeared as Kangshi]. Korean Broadcasting System (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  8. Park, Jae-hwan (August 27, 2020). 보이그룹 에이스, 드라마 '좀비탐정' 깜짝출연 [Boy group Ace makes a surprise appearance in the drama "Zombie Detective"]. Korean Broadcasting System (in Korean). Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  9. Ahn, Tae-lahm (September 28, 2020). "[SPONSORED REPORTS] SK Broadband B tv launches its first original content". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  10. Kim, Hyun-sik (July 22, 2020). 최진혁·박주현...KBS2 새 드라마 '좀비탐정' 대본 리딩 현장 공개 [Choi Jin-hyuk and Park Ju-hyun in KBS 2TV "Zombie Detective"]. E-Daily (in Korean). Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  11. Park, Soo-in (August 24, 2020). "'좀비탐정' 최진혁→박주현 단체포스터 공개, 인간-좀비 공생 어떨까" ['Zombie Detective' Choi Jin-hyuk and Park Joo-hyun's group poster release]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  12. Jeon, Hyo-jin (September 7, 2020). "최진혁·박주현 '좀비탐정', 21일 첫방송 확정 [공식]" [Choi Jin-hyuk and Park Ju-hyun 'Zombie Detective' premiere confirmed on the 21st [Official]]. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  13. Kang, Mi-hwa (September 17, 2020). "웨이브, 예능드라마 '좀비탐정' 독점 선공개" [Wavve, entertainment drama 'Zombie Detective' exclusive pre-release]. Maeil Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  14. Kim, Heungsoon (17 September 2020). "Ahead of Terrestrial Broadcast... B tv's First Original 'Zombie Detective' Scheduled Boldly". The Asia Business Daily. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  15. Park, Jong-jin (September 17, 2020). "K브로드밴드, B tv 첫 오리지널 콘텐츠 선보여...파격적 편성" [SK Broadband unveils B tv first original content... groundbreaking programming]. ET News (in Korean). Electronic Times. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  16. Lee, Kyung-ho (October 14, 2020). "'좀비탐정', 다채로운 변화→지상파 드라마의 新패러다임" ['Zombie Detective', diverse changes → A new paradigm for terrestrial dramas]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  17. "Nielsen Korea". AGB Nielsen Media Research. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  18. POP, 헤럴드 (2020-12-24). "[2020 KBS 연예대상]김숙, 대상 "父·하늘에 계신母 감사" 감격의 눈물(종합)" [2020 KBS Entertainment Award]Kim Sook, Grand Prize" 父·하늘에 Thank You in Heaven " Tears of excitement (Comprehensive)]. pop.heraldcorp.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-12-26.