Jo Jung-suk’s Zombie Comedy Divides Audiences on Fatherhood
Jo Jung-suk is back in the spotlight with his new film Zombie Daughter, a comedy that takes a surprising twist on the zombie genre—focusing on a father’s unconditional love rather than suspense or horror. The film, which smashed box office records on its first day in South Korea, tells the story of a father who risks everything to protect his daughter, the last zombie left in the world.
What adds weight to Jo’s performance is the fact that he’s a real-life father to two daughters. Married to popular singer Gummy, Jo has openly shared that playing this role resonated deeply with him. He even admitted that he often saw glimpses of his own children in the eyes of his on-screen zombie daughter, which helped him channel raw and genuine emotions into his acting.
The Father-Daughter Bond: Heartwarming or Overplayed?
What’s Working
Zombie Daughter reimagines what a family film can be by using fantasy elements to highlight heartwarming emotional truths. Critics have applauded the bold storytelling choice of using an undead daughter to reflect the immeasurable depth of paternal love. This risky fusion of comedy and tragedy seems to have paid off—offering both laughs and tears for many viewers.
Jo Jung-suk’s performance is central to this emotional impact. He doesn’t simply act like a loving dad—he is one, and that authenticity bleeds into his scenes to moving effect. It's clear that his personal experience shaped how he portrayed the onscreen father character, showing both the pain and humor of parenting.
The film has also been praised for provoking conversation about modern fatherhood and its often underrepresented emotional complexity. Traditionally, media tend to frame mothers as the emotional anchors, but here, it’s the dad who cries, protects, fails, and learns. This reversal gives audiences something uniquely touching.
What’s Not Working
Still, tying deep human emotions to a fantasy concept like zombies isn’t without its drawbacks. Some viewers and critics argue that mixing absurd situations with heartfelt moments can make the emotional beats feel forced or confusing. It's not always clear whether you’re supposed to laugh, cry, or both.
Moreover, some parents—especially those with younger children—find the zombie concept unsuitable for a family-friendly narrative. Jo himself admitted he hasn’t shown the film to his daughters yet because they find zombies frightening. That disconnect between the film’s emotional goals and its scary visuals can alienate parts of its intended audience.
There’s also growing discussion around the film's singular focus on paternal love. By glorifying the father-daughter relationship, others in the family—like the mother or siblings—fade into the background. And when fatherhood is marketed too heavily, it can feel like a calculated branding effort rather than sincere storytelling.
Wrapping It Up—What Are We Really Watching?
Zombie Daughter invites both praise and skepticism with its unconventional approach. It’s touching and inventive, using the zombie trope (a typically violent genre) to highlight the beauty of love and sacrifice in a parent-child relationship. Many audiences resonate with its core message: that love persists even when the world turns upside down.
But as with many genre-bending films, not everything lands. Some viewers seem unsure what message they're supposed to take away. Is this a comedy with emotional depth? Or a drama wearing a Halloween costume?
What’s clear is that Zombie Daughter will remain a conversation piece—not just for its brave genre mashup, but for how it reflects the evolving portrayal of fathers in film. For Jo Jung-suk, it may be one of his most personal roles to date, and for viewers, whether you're a fan of zombies, family films, or emotional narratives, it offers something worth thinking about—if not loving outright.
