Netflixs Newest K-Drama Is The Perfect Watch For Fans Of All Us Are Dead

Mr. Plankton is very different from All of Us Are Dead, but Netflix’s newest K-drama is the perfect show for those missing the cast of the zombie series. Since almost three years have passed since the premiere of All of Us Are Dead, the best way to scratch the itch for more of that show is to watch other K-dramas starring at least one of its actors. While the cast of All of Us Are Dead includes a long of young actors who haven’t been in a lot of projects yet, plenty have already starred in other great K-dramas.

By the time All of Us Are Dead season 2 premiers, most of the main actors from the zombie K-drama will probably have starred in a least a couple of other shows. This puts into perspective how long All of Us Are Dead’s second season is taking. One of the All of Us Are Dead actors who have been shining the most since the horror K-drama came out in January 2022 is Lee Yoo-mi, who played the controversial Lee Na-yeon in season 1. After starring in Strong Girl Nam-soon, Lee Na-yeon has now led her own Netflix webseries, Mr. Plankton.

Lee Na-yeon Actress Lee Yoo-mi Steals The Show In Netflix’s Mr. Plankton

Lee Na-yeon Plays Jo Jae-mi in Mr. Plankton

Mr. Plankton was one of the most anticipated K-dramas of 2024, and it did not disappoint. Not only does it include a fantastic cast led by Lee Na-yeon, Woo Do-hwan, and On Jung-se, but all of the actors shine in their respective roles. Lee Na-yeon gives a particularly impressive performance as Jo Jae-mi, a woman in her late 20s who cannot catch a break. Jae-mi is a funny character, which is made obvious during her first scene on the show, but she is also a very tragic protagonist.

Lee Na-yeon is able to show both of these sides of the character, which is helped by the fact that Mr. Plankton is both a romantic K-drama and a dark comedy. The series deals with heavy themes, including Jae-mi’s dream of becoming a mother being crushed by an early menopause diagnosis and Hae Jo discovering a brain tumor. Lee Na-yeon had previously shined in supporting roles such as in Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead, but Mr. Plankton is a great reminder that she can nail leading roles.

Lee Yoo-mi’s Mr. Plankton Character Couldn’t Be More Different From Na-yeon

Jae-mi Will Get You Rooting For Her Right From The First Scene

For those who discovered Lee Na-yeon in All of Us Are Dead and want to watch Mr. Plankton, it will be shocking how different Jae-mi is from Na-yeon. In All of Us Are Dead, Lee Yoo-mi plays a repulsive character who is willing to infect a colleague with the zombie virus on purpose just because she doesn’t like him. While Na-yeon was given sort of a redemption right before her death, her character remained one of the most hated villains in a K-drama. The actress even had to acknowledge how much hate her character was receiving.

In Mr. Plankton, Lee Yoo-mi plays a funny, charismatic character who is trying to make it through all the challenges life throws at her. Lee Yoo-mi’s Mr. Plankton character also puts into perspective how long it has been since All of Us Are Dead season 1 came out. In the zombie series, the actress was playing a high schooler. In Mr. Plankton, she is a 28-year-old woman who is about to get married. Still, if Lee Yoo-mi could make such an impact in All of Us Are Dead, it’s no surprise that she has done great as a lead actress.

Lee Yoo-mi’s Career Has Achieved New Heights Since All Of Us Are Dead

Lee Yoo-mi Has Since Become An Emmy-Winning Actress

While Lee Yoo-mi was already a promising actress before All of Us Are Dead, her career achieved new heights between 2021 and 2022. At the end of 2021, she played Ji-yeong, aka Player 240, in Squid Game – this role would give Lee Yoo-min an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in September 2022. Around that same time, she starred in Mental Coach Jegal. In 2023, Lee Yoo-min once again proved her leading actress chops in Strong Girl Nam-soon, a spinoff to the fan-favorite K-dramaStrong Girl Bong-soon.

Considering that Gwi-nam killed Na-yeon in All of Us Are Dead season 1, it’s safe to say that Lee Yoo-mi will not return for the second season of the zombie K-drama. Still, it would have been nice if Na-yeon had survived a little bit longer. Giving such a hated character a redemption arc would have been risky, but it could have worked, especially given how great of an actress Lee Yoo-mi is. Regardless, Mr. Plankton is yet another example of an All of Us Are Dead actor shining in another project.

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  All of Us Are Dead is a horror-thriller series based on the webtoon from creator Jeon Bae-soo. Set in a South Korean high school, a scientist father trying to find a way to protect his son from bullies accidentally creates a serum that uses the fear within humans to turn them into zombies. Set loose in the school, the surviving students and staff find themselves cut off from the outside world and must now fight to survive the infected onslaught – and each other.

  Cast

  Park Solomon , Cho Yi-hyun , Park Ji-hoo , Yoo In-soo , Yoon Chan-young

  Release Date

  January 28, 2022

  Seasons

  2

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  A man facing the end of his life and his former partner, the reluctant bride-to-be, embark on a poignant final journey together. The series examines their complex relationship and the profound impact of confronting mortality, blending emotional exploration with life’s stark realities.

  Cast

  Rich Ting , Woo Do-Hwan , Lee Yoo-mi , Oh Jung-se , Kim Hae-sook , Lee Hae-young

  Release Date

  November 1, 2024

  Seasons

  1