The sequel to South Korean thriller ‘Train to Busan’ cites ‘Mad Max’ and ‘Akira’ as influences

If you liked 'Parasite', keep an eye out for 'Peninsula'

South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho has shared details about Peninsula, the upcoming sequel to his zombie locomotive thriller Train to Busan.

Yeon teased information in an interview with Screen Daily, highlighting how Peninsula builds on Train to Busan both in budget and narrative scale.

“The scale of Peninsula can’t compare to Train To Busan,” said Yeon. “It makes it look like an independent film. Train To Busan was a high-concept film shot in narrow spaces whereas Peninsula has a much wider scope of movement.”

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The filmmaker revealed Peninsula takes place four years after the first film, within the same universe, but focuses on different characters in a new story.

“Government authority has been decimated after the zombie outbreak in Korea, and there is nothing left except the geographical traits of the location — which is why the film is called Peninsula.”

Train to Busan
Train to Busan

Yeon also spoke of the appeal of apocalyptic sci-fi as an influence, naming Mad Max and Mad Max: Fury Road, as well as The Road and Land of the Dead, and apocalyptic manga series Akira and Dragon Head.

“The idea of being able to build a post-apocalyptic world — which would be sort of savage but also in a way like ancient times, or like ruined modern times, with rules of its own — was interesting to me,” the filmmaker said.

Train to Busan was released in 2016, and starred Choi Woo-shik – who went on to play Ki-woo in Best Picture winner Parasite earlier this year.

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