Kingdom: Ashin of the North
Ashin Jun Ji-hyun
Young Ashin Kim Shi-ah
Min Chi-rok Park Byung-eun
Ai Da Gan Koo Kyo-hwan
Ta Hab Kim Roi-ha
Ashin of the North is a prequel to the first season of Kingdom, which is set in the western year of 1602 in the Joseon Dynasty in Korea. A mysterious woman, Ashin, treats the recently deceased emperor of Korea by administering a tincture of the so-called “resurrection plant.” The emperor does in fact resurrect, as a zombie. He in turn sparks a zombie apocalypse that sweeps through much of Korea.
The story of the zombie plague can be seen in the first two seasons of Kingdom on Netflix. Between strong writing, solid acting, and absolutely amazing set and costume design, it’s one of the best zombie shows around, intelligent and genuinely terrifying.
Ashin is a girl in a remote village to the North. Japan’s Hideoyoshi is the first Shogun of Japan, and the land is unified for the first time in centuries. But there’s a problem: Japan has thousands of samurai and ashigaru who have known nothing but war and have no other way to earn a living. Hideoyoshi decides the answer is to invade Korea and China. It doesn’t go well, but it keeps the central Joseon regime from paying much attention to what’s going on in remote villages near the Chinese border.
The best description of what is a rather involved plot can be read here: https://dmtalkies.com/kingdom-ashin-of-the-north-summary-ending-explained-2021-netflix-special-episode/ It does have spoilers, of course. The upshot is Ashin, as a young girl, discovers the resurrection plant and its properties in a vain search to save her ailing mother, her village is destroyed, her father is framed and viciously punished by the Korean empire, and she swears vengeance against the Emperor.
The costuming isn’t as jaw-dropping, but then much of the locale of the series is the imperial palace, which is dressier than remote villages in the tiger-infested north. Yes, there is a tiger.
The production values are stunning, and while there is considerable violence and cruelty in the film, it all plays an essential role for the plot.
A third season of Kingdom is in the works.
Now on Netflix, along with the first two seasons.