Premiere Watch: Rookie Cops, All of Us Are Dead

36 January 25, 2022January 25, 2022

by missvictrix

Puppies, incoming! This week we’ve got two premieres, both featuring their own youthful (and adorable) cast, and both original to streaming broadcasters. The two dramas might have puppies in common, but if the promos are any indication, there will be a marked difference between students studying to become cops, and students desperate to stay alive during a zombie invasion. No biggie.

Rookie Cops

Time slot: Wednesday-Thursday
Broadcaster: Disney+
Genre: Coming of age, drama, romance
Episode count: 16

Reasons to watch: Ever heard of this guy Kang Daniel lol? Well, this is his acting debut — and he’s paired with none other than the lovely Chae Soo-bin. Outside of being excited to see Chae Soo-bin again, I’m a little confused by this drama, since my brain is telling me it’s just going to be a more breezy version of Police University. But is that such a bad thing? I probably wouldn’t have minded more cuteness and less corruption in that drama, so maybe this is our ticket. Maybe this drama will do for our hearts what Sassy Go Go did so many moons ago? (If that isn’t wishful thinking I don’t know what is!)

All of Us Are Dead

Time slot: Friday
Broadcaster: Netflix
Genre: Coming of age, horror, thriller
Episode count: 12

Reasons to watch: Where to start, where to start… Netflix is racking up quite the resume with its original Korean content, and I have a feeling this will be another one for the books. In my estimation, with All of Us Are Dead, Netflix is taking what they’ve already proven they can do well (zombies a la Kingdom) and merging it with what we’ve been wanting them to do — please, some characters I can love, and just a teeny tiny pinch of cuteness? With a fresh-faced cast (Yoon Chan-young, Park Ji-hoo, Park Solomon, Jo Yi-hyun) and absolutely terrifying zombie gore promos, this won’t be for the faint of heart… but it might also be pretty darn good.

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1 halofan68

January 25, 2022 at 12:36 PM

Sigh. I really need zombies to go the way of sexy vampires as passe monsters of the moment. Kdramas should broaden the horror repertoire beyond the flesh/blood/brain eating undead (kudos to Hellbound in this respect). It's hard for me to believe that in the age of the video game, marketable scripts involving lycanthropes, succubae, or other non-zombie stuff of nightmares (even with allegorical intent) would be hard to complete or find.

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Kafiyah Bello

January 25, 2022 at 4:55 PM

I saw it and said the same thing, I am sick of zombies, so that will be a pass for me.

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Victorian23

January 26, 2022 at 7:20 AM

Well. As much as that sounds intriguing We won’t ever be seeing a succubus or incubus on a Prime time K drama I guarantee you that ;)

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halofan68

January 26, 2022 at 8:09 AM

Haha, point taken, especially with respect to the broadcast networks but given Netflix's propensity for dark and/or provocative material (and the ultimate success of those productions), I would not be shocked to see watered down versions of such beings in the near future.

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Victorian23

January 26, 2022 at 8:50 AM

Dark not particularly sexual though. Unless it’s watered down as you say and played for Broad semi bawdy comedy sex sucking Rapey demons is unlikely.

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redfox

January 26, 2022 at 1:05 PM

there are at least 34 types of walking deads in estonian folklore. cold shoes. forest maidens. disease spirit. knocker. poltergeist. Grave spirit (it is not the dead person who is buried, but a remnant of all the dead, together). walled in maiden. water horse. chimney monster. black snake. etc etc.

I wonder if Korea has anything like that.

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halofan68

January 26, 2022 at 1:37 PM

Wow, I never expected to learn about the plethora of mythological undead in Estonia in this thread. But as for your question, I can't recall any reference to zombies (in film or other media) other that the "American" brands: shambling, George Romero types or the too-much-redbull fast movers like in World War Z.

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bbstl 🧹

January 26, 2022 at 3:04 PM

I think Korea just has “Fastest and Hungriest” zombies, only the one kind 😂

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pohonphee

January 27, 2022 at 2:17 AM

But zombies never die 😅

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2 jillian

January 25, 2022 at 12:58 PM

I can get on board both shows to see the puppies survive in their respective worlds. But not sure if I will get Disney+ just to see Kang Daniel and Chae Soo Bin be cute together.

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sks22

January 27, 2022 at 5:24 PM

Only available in Asia regions. Assuming you subscribed to D+ you will need VPN to watch it. Korea/Japan/Singapore/Thailand/I forgot the other region. 5 countries all together.

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madlily

January 27, 2022 at 7:47 PM

after being cock-blocked by geotagging on viki etc.., Australia can finally see drama's as they air, Disney + (star channel) allows us to see these as they air for once! Australia is one of the countries that gets kdrama's on D+ \o/

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3 Zestileigh

January 25, 2022 at 1:10 PM

Personally, I don't mind seeing frequent zombie stories. I don't see it as a trend as much as I see it as a genre, at this point. And I dig the genre (though I won't watch solely BECAUSE of zombies).

I'm looking forward to starting All of Us Are Dead this weekend.

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4 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)

January 25, 2022 at 1:47 PM

Have to try the Chae Soo-bin show.

"All of Us Are Dead" the title sounds too much like the Covid situation. But I'll check it out too.

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5 redfox

January 25, 2022 at 2:04 PM

read my mind... you all know what throughts and images are circling my brain right now

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6 ladynightshade wants to be gazed at by namgoong min

January 25, 2022 at 2:25 PM

I’ve been excited about All of Us Are Dead for a while now and now I’m counting down the days till it’s here. I know it’s not a very popular sentiment here on dramabeans, but I personally love zombies and South Korea does them so, so well. I think this very well could be a hit for Netflix.

As for Rookie Cops…well, I like Chae Soo-bin. I don’t know if I like her enough to watch a Disney+ copaganda show.

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7 TeaTimeandCrime

January 25, 2022 at 4:17 PM

I love the zombie genre and have seen All of Us are Dead in the 'worth the wait' category on netflix for what seems like forever and I'm so excited that it's finally here!

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8 bong-soo

January 25, 2022 at 5:10 PM

Up front I probably will not be watching either drama so in all likelihood I should not be commenting but based on the three Chae Soo-bin dramas that I have watched (STRONGEST DELIVERYMAN, I’M NOT A ROBOT and WHERE STARS LAND/FOX BRIDE STAR) the ‘puppies’ should watch out. Her characters generally do not suffer fools gladly.

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WishfulToki

January 25, 2022 at 6:08 PM

I haven't seen those dramas, but she was a good antagonist for the puppies in SASSY GO GO back in 2015.

My favorite Chae Soo-bin dramas are REBEL: THIEF WHO STOLE THE PEOPLE and A PIECE OF YOUR MIND. Both highly recommended.

She was also great in HOUSE OF BLUEBIRD, the only weekender I've seen (mainly because the lead is Lee Joon-hyuk hehe). Chae Soo-bin and Lee Sang Yeob ended up being the highlight for me, because the rest of the drama tends to drag.

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bong-soo

January 26, 2022 at 10:40 AM

@wishfultoki, you know I am also a big fan of Lee Joon-hyuk (1984). Even though I only arrived in kdramaland in 2016 his CITY HUNTER (2011) was my sixth kdrama and I have been a fan ever since. I found out that all 50 episodes of HOUSE OF BLUEBIRD (2015) are available on KBS World on YouTube. I took a quick look at episode one and I swear LJH didn’t change from 2011 to 2015. It looked liked (in his famous suit) he walked from one show to the other lol. I have been a fan of Lee Sang-yeob since MASTER OF REVENGE (2016) which was my eighth kdrama and first that I live watched. The 50 episode count for HOB will probably be the stumbling block to me watching.
The other three dramas you mentioned are all available on Viki US. Honestly it took some time for me to warm up to CSB. I found her off putting in SD (maybe because she was in contrast to good guy Go Kyung-po). By the end of INAR a I had warmed up to her character but not at the beginning. I have complained in the past about how negatively the leads were introduced in INSR and I believe that hurt its ratings. Then there was FOX BRIDE STAR.

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bong-soo

January 26, 2022 at 10:47 AM

With the Olympic hiatus coming up I may take a look at A PIECE OF YOUR MIND (2020). I haven’t seen Jung Hae-in’s romantic dramas except if you include WYWS. I loved the guy in PRISON PLAYBOOK and D.P. I remember that there was an episode cut because of poor ratings but I think I recall beanies enjoying it and being upset at the cut.

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LoveKDramas

January 27, 2022 at 11:35 AM

You should consider watching Jung Hae-in in One Spring Night… his best rom-com in my humble opinion ( I’ve also watched A piece of your mind, something in the rain, DP and Prison playbook, obviously also While you were sleeping…)

bong-soo

January 27, 2022 at 2:00 PM

@ninonnamour, LoveKDramas,
Thanks for the recommendation.

I just started a rom-com which is not one of my go to genres. Being in need of a Yoon Shi-yoon fix and having recently watched Kim Min-jae in DALI and Lee Se-young in RED SLEEVE last night I watched the first 2 episodes of THE BEST HIT (2017) on Viki US.
I really enjoyed the first two episodes and with the story being set up YSY’s minutes were limited.
NOW THE TEASER: Once the credits of episode one were finished immediately the first scene is a shirtless Kim Min-jae doing a homage to Bruce Lee. That has to be the fastest I have seen a drama get a shirtless scene in. The funny thing is that KMJ has a shirtless scene rather early in DALI (2021) and to me it is like the guy didn’t age from 2017-2021.
He and Lee Se-young look like they are handling the comic scenes beautifully.
I wish I had seen KMJ in THE BEST HIT before BRAHMS where his character was so uptight.

WishfulToki

January 27, 2022 at 5:45 PM

@marcusnyc20 Dabong!! I hope you enjoy THE BEST HIT.

I need a Yoon Shi-yoon fix too. I stayed away from his last drama... Maybe I should try YOUR HONOR again? I watched Ep. 1 back when it aired and for some reason didn't feel like continuing.

Miky

January 28, 2022 at 2:11 PM

I actually watched HOUSE OF BLUEBIRD (2015) and Lee Sang-yeob was the best part aside from his family that delivered the comedy in tone with weekend dramas...

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bong-soo

January 27, 2022 at 9:26 PM

I can always recommend YOUR HONOR with a warning. YSY is so over the top at the beginning that when I first watched I was in shock (like in what the heck did I just watch?). It turns out he knew what he was doing and YH settled into a fine drama. However there was an episode cut from 40 to 32 (20 to 16) and the ending though not a wreck was rushed.

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9 miss h

January 25, 2022 at 6:31 PM

I'm excited for All of Us Are Dead. I still like the zombie genre and an outbreak in a high school sounds like gory fun.

I watched Police University so I'm not too upset about the nonavailability of Rookie Cops.

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10 bbstl 🧹

January 25, 2022 at 7:30 PM

Well, there is definitely no zombie like a Korean zombie 😲

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11 immawish

January 25, 2022 at 7:39 PM

I'm SOOOO excited for All of Us are Dead because Kdrama in general, netflix production or not, when they picked small names actors it does mean they have absolute confidence with their story. And honestly, I'm saying small names because these are some younger actors who usually took smaller young ver. roles but acting wise I'm pretty sure they're not to be doubted. Yoon Chanyoung has been is so MANY things that actually took me by heart.

Ps. as much as I am happy for Park Sieun and her relatively success girlgroup, I wonder how much fun it was if we got another Yoon Chanyoung x Park Sieun drama

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12 ssandulak

January 26, 2022 at 1:23 AM

I’m also growing a little tired of the zombie shows. But despite that, I do find myself enjoying all the ones I watch (Happiness was a good time as a recent example). Also it’s a Netflix show so my expectations are even higher as I’ve generally liked everything they’ve put out.

Rookie Cops has a pretty solid cast so I’ll at least check it out but the premise isn’t original so I’m not expecting to be blown away. I’d love to be pleasantly surprised though.

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13 Anya Folger

January 26, 2022 at 9:55 AM

Not sure if Rookie Cops will get recaps here, but I just watched episode 1 and I think it's off to a good start. I haven't seen Police University, so I can't comment on their similarities. But I'm already liking the leads and their classmates. I wouldn't exactly say acting was superb, but it was effective enough that I just watched the drama with ease.

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14 Kurama

January 26, 2022 at 12:12 PM

Oh it's nice that Rookie Cops will air on Wednesday and Thursday! Channels gave up on those days...

I saw there was the actress of School 2021 in All of Us Are Dead... Can she die early in the story? Please? It will make sense in this kind of story!

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15 Lala

January 26, 2022 at 4:53 PM

I definitely know a guy called Kang Daniel lol I watched both episodes of Rookie Cops today and it's a fun, breezy show I'll enjoy as a pick me up every week. The cast are great, the student antics are so fun, and Daniel impressed me with his first formal acting role. Would love if Dramabeans did recaps!