All Of Us Are Dead starts out with a massive cast, but the first episode is quick to sweep through the students in a display of dramatic devastation.

Much like its Korean survival drama predecessor, Squid Game, the newest Netflix hit series All Of Us Are Dead shows no mercy toward its main characters. The show centers primarily on Hyosan High's students, who attempt to escape their school during a zombie virus outbreak.

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All Of Us Are Dead starts out with a massive cast, but the first episode is quick to sweep through the students in a display of dramatic devastation that is somewhat reminiscent of Squid Game’s very first stage. By the end, there are very few survivors left, both in the high school and in the nearby city.

In the first part of the show, the firefighter father of female protagonist Nam On-jo, So-ju, is called to evacuate a group of politicians after one of its members falls victim to the virus. As the infection spreads, So-ju proves his incredible ingenuity and, alongside his fellow firefighter, manages to ensure the safety of Assemblywoman Park Eun-hee and her subordinates.

The politicians are brought to the quarantine camp and survive the whole experience. So-ju isn't so lucky, as his subsequent quest to help his daughter costs him his life.

One of the less preeminent characters in the show, Seo Hyo-ryung, doesn’t stand out as a particularly skilled asset to the group. She is understandably disheartened by the events but keeps going at the encouragement of her friends.

She follows the lead of the others and does her best to help. In one of the later episodes, she has a close call when she trips and falls, but is rescued by Jang Wu-jin. While Wu-jin himself is killed—the tragic final death of the series—Hyo-ryung manages to make it to the end.

After finding out the truth about the Jonas Virus from Lee Byeong-chan, Detective Song Jae-ik embarks on a quest to share the information with the authorities. While making his way across the city, he recruits inexperienced officer Jeon Ho-cheol.

He ends up rescuing video streamer Orangibberish, as well as two other survivors—a little girl and a newborn baby. Miraculously, the whole group manages to survive the ordeal and reach the quarantine camp safely.

The older student who is smoking in the bathroom at the beginning of the outbreak, Park Mi-Jin, may be a little rough around the edges but her blunt realism certainly makes her special. On occasion, she appears to be almost dismissive of the events around her, commenting that final exams are much more difficult. But her budding friendship with archer Jang Ha-ri shows a far more emotional side of the character.

She is also grief-stricken when witnessing the final deaths in the show, perhaps because, unlike the others, she didn’t see quite as many of her friends succumb to the disease in front of her. Despite the traumatizing experience, Mi-jin remains determined to fight on. Upon reaching the quarantine camp, she even stages a protest, actually requesting to continue her education.

One of the most likable characters in the series, Yang Dae-Su may play the part of comic relief, but that doesn’t make him any less of an asset. On the contrary, there are times when his physical strength acts as the sole barrier between the group and the zombies. On one occasion, he is able to single-handedly hold back the massive throng, though he would have doubtlessly been overcome had his friends not stuck around to save him.

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Dae-su runs into a spot of trouble later, when the military explosion injures his leg. But he and the rest of the group persevere, and Dae-su survives. If a second season rolls around, fans definitely look forward to seeing him again.

Gifted archer Jang Ha-ri returns to her high school after experiencing failure at her competition. But while she may not have managed to qualify for the national archery team, she does much better throughout the show.

Not only does she keep many of her friends alive but she makes it to the end. Unfortunately, her ultimate survival comes at the cost of her brother’s death. She fights on despite her loss, a true testament to her determination and courage.

Reformed bully Lee Su-hyeok often acts as the group’s protector throughout the show, making good use of his fighting skills to combat even the most dangerous of zombies. It’s not unusual for him to throw himself headlong into danger, walk across the ledge of a building, or make highly risky jumps.

His affection for class president Choi Nam-ra also proves to be unexpectedly dangerous after she is bitten and turned into a half-zombie. But despite all the perils Su-hyeok is exposed to, he is one of the group’s final survivors. It’s safe to say that he more than earned it.

So-ju’s daughter, On-jo experiences a tremendous amount of loss throughout the show. One of the very first deaths in the group is her best friend, I-sak. She later loses So-ju after he sacrifices himself to save her and her friends. Finally, in one of the most shocking and saddest moments in the series, her longtime friend and potential love interest, Cheong-san, is killed.

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The repeated emotional blows take a heavy toll on On-jo, with I-sak’s death shocking her so much she almost sabotages her own rescue. But in the end, that doesn’t happen. On-jo perseveres, remembering her father’s advice and becoming a pillar of strength for the group. She survives to the end, but even then, she remembers everyone she has lost and often leaves the quarantine camp, leaving mementos in remembrance of their deaths.

Class president Choi Nam-ra is among the lucky few who, upon being bitten by a zombie, don’t fully transform. After being attacked by antagonist Yoon Gwi-nam, she becomes a hambie. She manages to control her impulses and remains with her friends, Su-hyeok’s unfaltering support providing her with an unexpected anchor. But as the show finally reaches its end, the pressure of her new nature finally makes her snap.

Nam-ra doesn’t hurt her friends but she does end up leaving the group of survivors. A few months later, the teens spot a fire on the roof of their old high school and reunite with Nam-ra. She explains that there are more people like her around and she still has things to do. It would appear that Nam-ra may have taken her leadership role to the next level and could perhaps be leading the hambies in the future. But whether or not that is the case, viewers definitely hope to see Nam-ra return in the second season.

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Alexandra Moroca is an author with a degree in Political Science and a penchant for obsessing over fictional characters. Hailing from Romania, the country of all things vampire, she particularly enjoys digging her non-existent fangs into works of supernatural fiction. When she isn't binging the newest anime series or writing her newest novel, she likes to scream about her favorite characters on CBR.

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