Train to Busan

❧

Wikipedia

Train to Busan
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
부산행
Hanja
釜山行
RRBusanhaeng
MRPusanhaeng
Directed byYeon Sang-ho
Written byPark Joo-suk
Produced byLee Dong-ha
Starring
CinematographyLee Hyung-deok
Edited byYang Jin-mo
Music byJang Young-gyu
Production
companies
Distributed byNext Entertainment World
Release dates
  • May 13, 2016 (2016-05-13) (Cannes)
  • July 20, 2016 (2016-07-20) (South Korea)
Running time
118 minutes[1]
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Budget$8.5 million[2]
Box office$98.5 million[3]

Train to Busan (Korean: 부산행; RR: Busanhaeng; MR: Pusanhaeng; lit. To Busan) is a 2016 South Korean action horror film[4] directed by Yeon Sang-ho, written by Park Joo-suk, and starring Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee, and Kim Eui-sung.[5] The film mostly takes place on a KTX from Seoul to Busan as a zombie apocalypse suddenly breaks out in the country and threatens the safety of the passengers.

The film premiered in the Midnight Screenings section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on May 13.[6][7][8][9] On August 7, the film set a record as the first Korean film of 2016 to break the audience record of over 10 million theatergoers.[10][unreliable source?][11]

The movie successfully launched the Train to Busan film series, with the animated prequel Seoul Station released in 2016 and a standalone sequel named Peninsula released in 2020. Another installment and an American-produced adaptation are also in development.[citation needed]

Plot

Fund manager Seok-woo is a cynical workaholic and divorced father. His estranged daughter Su-an wishes to spend her birthday with her mother Na-young in Busan. Seok-woo sees a video of Su-an attempting to sing "Aloha ʻOe" at her singing recital and succumbing to stage fright as a result of his absence. Overcome with guilt, he decides to grant Su-an's birthday wish. The next day, they board the KTX 101 at Seoul Station, bound for Busan. Other passengers include blue-collar worker Sang-hwa and his pregnant wife Seong-kyeong; COO Yon-suk; a high school baseball team including player Yong-guk and his cheerleader girlfriend Jin-hee; elderly sisters In-gil and Jong-gil; and a traumatized homeless stowaway hiding in the bathroom. Just before departure, an ill woman boards unnoticed, soon turning into a zombie and infecting a train attendant, sparking a rapid outbreak on the train.

The survivors flee to another car and secure the doors. News reports and phone calls confirm that an epidemic is spreading southward across the country. When the train stops at Daejeon Station, they find the city overrun by zombies and hastily retreat to the train, becoming separated into different cars in the chaos. Seok-woo learns from an employee that his company is indirectly responsible for the outbreak. The military establishes a quarantine zone near Busan, to which the conductor sets the train's course. Seok-woo, Sang-hwa, and Yong-guk fight through the zombie horde to reunite with Su-an, Seong-kyeong, In-gil, and the homeless man in another car. They struggle toward the front car, where the remaining passengers have taken shelter. Prompted by Yon-suk and train attendant Ki-chul, the passengers deny entry, fearing infection. Sang-hwa sacrifices himself to buy the others time to force open the door and enter, but In-gil is killed in the process.

Yon-suk, Ki-chul, and the passengers demand that the survivors isolate themselves in the front vestibule. However, Jong-gil, distraught over her sister's death and disgusted by the passengers, deliberately opens the door to allow the zombies to enter and kill the remaining passengers in the car. Yon-suk and Ki-chul escape by hiding in the bathroom.

A blocked track at the East Daegu Station forces the survivors to stop and search for another train. Yon-suk escapes after pushing Ki-chul into the zombies. A flaming locomotive derails, separating the group and trapping Seok-woo, Su-an, Seong-kyeong and the homeless man beneath a carriage swarming with zombies. Meanwhile, Yon-suk runs into Jin-hee and Yong-guk, pushing the former into a zombie in his attempt to escape. Heartbroken, Yong-guk remains with Jin-hee until she turns and kills him. The conductor starts another locomotive on a separate track but is thrown to the zombies while trying to help an injured Yon-suk. Seok-woo finds a way out from under the carriage, but it is blocked by falling debris shortly after. The homeless man sacrifices himself to buy Seok-woo time to clear the debris, allowing Seok-woo, Su-an, and Seong-kyeong to escape and board the new locomotive.

The group encounters Yon-suk, who is on the verge of turning and desperately begging for help. Seok-woo manages to push him off but is bitten in the process. He puts Su-an and Seong-kyeong inside the engine room, teaches the latter how to operate the train, and says a final farewell to the former. In his last moments before turning, he reminisces Su-an's birth before throwing himself off the locomotive.

Later, a blocked track forces Su-an and Seong-kyeong to stop the train before a tunnel just outside Busan. They leave the train and continue on foot along the tracks through the tunnel. Snipers stationed on the other side of the tunnel spot them, and prepare to shoot, mistaking them for zombies, but stand down when they hear Su-an singing "Aloha 'Oe".

Cast

Production

The film is based on an original story created by Park Joo-suk. The team tried to reference the movements of the zombies in the game 7 Days to Die and the movements of the dolls from Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, and also reviewed the movements of the nurses in Silent Hill.[12] The film was filmed in various stations from Daejeon, Cheonan and East Daegu.[12] The water deer in the movie was created using real videos of water deer and 3D modelling.[12] The scenery that is seen outside the train in the film was shot with an LED plate rear screen technique behind the set that was based on the interior of the KTX-I, facilitating the increased focus on the characters.[12] The blood vessels of the zombies were drawn with an airbrush. The zombies were styled differently depending on the progress of the infection.[12]

Reception

Box office

Train to Busan grossed $80.5 million in South Korea, $2.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $15.8 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $98.5 million.[3]

It became the highest-grossing Korean film in Malaysia,[13] Hong Kong,[14] and Singapore.[15] In South Korea, it recorded more than 11 million moviegoers[16] and was the highest-grossing film of the year.[17]

Critical response

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 95% of 129 critics have given the film a positive review with an average rating of 7.70/10. The website's critics consensus states: "Train to Busan delivers a thrillingly unique—and purely entertaining—take on the zombie genre, with fully realized characters and plenty of social commentary to underscore the bursts of skillfully staged action."[18] Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating to reviews, assigned the film an average score of 72 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19]

Clark Collis of Entertainment Weekly wrote that the film "borrows heavily from World War Z in its depiction of the fast-moving undead masses while also boasting an emotional core the Brad Pitt-starring extravaganza often lacked," adding that "the result is first-class throughout."[20] At The New York Times, Jeannette Catsoulis selected the film as her "Critic's Pick" and took notice of its subtle class warfare.[21]

In a more mixed review, David Ehrlich of IndieWire comments that "as the characters whittle away into archetypes (and start making senseless decisions), the spectacle also sheds its unique personality."[22] Kevin Jagernauth of The Playlist wrote: "[Train to Busan] doesn't add anything significant to the zombie genre, nor has anything perceptive to say about humanity in the face of crisis. Sure, it lacks brains, and that's the easy quip to make, but what Train To Busan truly needs, and disappointingly lacks, is heart."[23]

In 2016, British filmmaker Edgar Wright, director of zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead, highly applauded the film, personally recommending it on Twitter and calling it the "best zombie movie I've seen in forever."[24] Rotten Tomatoes lists the film on its 100 Best Zombie Movies, ranked by Tomatometer.[25]

In 2025, it was one of the films voted for the "Readers' Choice" edition of The New York Times' list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century," finishing at number 308.[26]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Asian Film Awards March 21, 2017 Best Actor Gong Yoo Nominated [27]
[28]
Best Supporting Actor Ma Dong-seok Nominated
Best Editor Yang Jin-mo Nominated
Best Visual Effects Jung Hwang-su Nominated
Best Costume Designer Kwon Yoo-jin and Rim Seung-hee Nominated
Blue Dragon Film Awards November 25, 2016 Best Film Train to Busan Nominated [29]
[30]
[31]
Best Supporting Actor Kim Eui-sung Nominated
Ma Dong-seok Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Jung Yu-mi Nominated
Best New Director Yeon Sang-ho Nominated
Best Art Direction Lee Mok-won Nominated
Best Screenplay Park Joo-seok Nominated
Best Editing Yang Jin-mo Nominated
Best Cinematography Lee Hyeong-deok Nominated
Best Lighting Park Jeong-woo Nominated
Technical Award Kwak Tae-yong and Hwang Hyo-gyoon (special make-up) Won
Audience Choice Award for Most Popular Film Train to Busan Won
Buil Film Awards October 7, 2016 Best Film Train to Busan Nominated [32]
[33][unreliable source?][34]
Best Supporting Actor Kim Eui-sung Won
Best Supporting Actress Jung Yu-mi Nominated
Best Cinematography Lee Hyeong-deok Nominated
Best Art Direction Lee Mok-won Nominated
Yu Hyun-mok Film Arts Award Yeon Sang-ho Won
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards N/A Best Foreign-Language Film Train to Busan Won [35]
Best Actor Gong Yoo Nominated
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards November, 24, 2016 Technical Award Train to Busan Won [36]
Saturn Awards June 28, 2017 Best Horror Film Nominated [37]
Baeksang Arts Awards May 3, 2017 Best Film Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Kim Eui-sung Won
Ma Dong-seok Nominated
Best New Director Yeon Sang-ho Won
Chunsa Film Awards May 24, 2017 Technical Award Kwak Tae-yong Won [40]
Special Audience Award

for Best Film

 Train to Busan Won

Home media

American distributor Well Go USA released DVD and Blu-ray versions of Train to Busan on 17 January 2017.[41] FNC Add Culture released the Korean DVD and Blu-ray versions on 22 February 2017. It is also available on Rakuten Viki and Amazon Prime Video streaming. The Indian version is a minute shorter than the original version due to a few violent zombie shots being censored.[citation needed]

In the United Kingdom, it was 2017's fourth best-selling foreign language film on home video (below Operation Chromite, Your Name, and Guardians).[42] It was later 2020's sixth best-selling foreign language film in the UK, and third best-selling Korean film (below Parasite and Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula).[43]

Follow-ups

Prequel

An animated prequel, Seoul Station, also directed by Yeon, was released on August 18, 2016.[44] Shim Eun-kyung, who played as the runaway girl that triggered the spread of the virus inside the train, appeared as a voice actress for the main character Hye-sun.

Sequel

Peninsula, a standalone sequel set four years after Train to Busan and also directed by Yeon, was released in South Korea on July 15, 2020 to mixed reviews.[45] Yeon has stated that,

Peninsula is not a sequel to Train to Busan because it's not a continuation of the story, but it happens in the same universe.[46]

Spin-off

In 2016, Gaumont acquired the rights for the English-language remake of the film from Next Entertainment World.[47] In 2018, New Line Cinema, Atomic Monster and Coin Operated were announced to be the co-producing partners for the remake, with Warner Bros. Pictures distributing worldwide, except for France and South Korea. Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto is in talks to helm the film, while Gary Dauberman adapts the screenplay and co-produces the film alongside James Wan.[48][49] In December 2021, the film's official title was revealed to be The Last Train to New York, scheduled to be released on April 21, 2023.[50] However, in July 2022, Warner Bros. removed the film from the release schedule[51] with Evil Dead Rise, another New Line Cinema film, taking its original release date.

On June 26, 2025, James Wan tells to Entertainment Weekly that the film is a passion project for them and Wan confirmed that the Last Train to New York is not a remake but more of a spin-off and he also add that the film is set at the exact same time as the original film.[52]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Train to Busan (15)". British Board of Film Classification. September 20, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.[dead link]
  2. ↑ Noh, Jean (August 13, 2018). "'Train To Busan' director Yeon Sang-ho working on sequel". Screen Daily. Media Business Insight Limited. Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Busanhaeng (2016)". The Numbers. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Train to Busan (2016) – Yeon Sang-ho". AllMovie. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  5. ↑ Kay, Jeremy (June 9, 2016). "Well Go USA Entertainment boards 'Train To Busan'". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on October 15, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Cannes 2016: Film Festival Unveils Official Selection Lineup". Variety. April 14, 2016. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  7. ↑ "'Train to Busan' to screen at Cannes". The Korea Times. May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Zombies fail to impress in 'Train to Busan'". July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  9. ↑ Chen, Heather (August 3, 2016). "Train to Busan: Zombie film takes S Korea by storm". BBC News. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  10. ↑ notclaira (August 7, 2016). ""Train To Busan" Is The First Korean Film Of 2016 To Break This Audience Record". Soompi. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  11. ↑ Byun, Hee-won. "Korean Movies Prove Box-Office Gold". The Chosun Ilbo. ChosunMedia. Archived from the original on September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "[스페셜] <부산행> 스탭들이 재구성한 영화 촬영현장". Cine21. July 27, 2016. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  13. ↑ Begum, Mumtaj (September 24, 2016). "'Train to Busan' speeds away to box-office record". The Star. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  14. ↑ Chu, Karen (September 28, 2016). "South Korean Zombie Hit 'Train to Busan' Becomes Highest-Grossing Asian Film in Hong Kong". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  15. ↑ Wai Yee, Yip (August 24, 2016). "Train To Busan is No. 1 at Singapore box office and top Korean movie to date". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Zombie Movie 'Train to Busan' Passes 11 Million-Viewer Mark". The Chosun Ilbo. August 19, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  17. ↑ "South Korean Box Office For 2016". boxofficemojo.com. Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Train to Busan (Busanhaeng) (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Train to Busan Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  20. ↑ Collis, Clark (August 24, 2016). "Train to Busan: EW review". Entertainment Weekly. Time. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  21. ↑ Catsoulis, Jeanette (July 21, 2016). "Review: All Aboard 'Train to Busan' for Zombie and Class Warfare". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  22. ↑ Ehrlich, David (July 18, 2016). "'Train To Busan' Review: This Electric Korean Zombie Movie Goes Off The Rails". IndieWire. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  23. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (July 22, 2016). "Korean Zombie Thriller 'Train To Busan' Needs More Brains [Review]". The Playlist. Spin Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  24. ↑ Wright, Edgar [@edgarwright] (November 4, 2016). "Best zombie movie I've seen in forever. A total crowd pleaser. Highly recommend. Go see 'Train To Busan'" (Tweet). Retrieved August 30, 2017 – via Twitter.
  25. ↑ "100 Best Zombie Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Readers Choose Their Top Movies of the 21st Century". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  27. ↑ "South Korean cinema leads nominees at Asian Film Awards". Yahoo!. January 11, 2017. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  28. ↑ Frater, Patrick (January 11, 2017). "'Handmaiden,' 'Bovary,' 'Train' Lead Asian Film Awards Nominations". Variety. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Hollywood Local Productions Dominate Nominations for South Korea's Blue Dragon Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  30. ↑ "박소담 연기한지 3년만 여우조연상 "솔직히 부담돼" 눈물 펑펑 – 스포츠투데이 – TV보다 재밌다". stoo.asiae.co.kr. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  31. ↑ [제37회 청룡영화상] '곡성' 쿠니무라 준 "한국영화의 힘 알게 됐다" 남우조연상 수상 (2016 청룡영화제) – 스타서울TV. November 25, 2016. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  32. ↑ Kil, Sonia (October 7, 2016). "Busan: Bu-il Awards Provide Counterpoint to Festival". Variety. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  33. ↑ "Winners Of 25th Buil Film Awards Revealed". Soompi. October 8, 2016. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  34. ↑ "2016 Buil Film Awards". Dramabeans. October 7, 2016. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  35. ↑ "Never mind Oscar, here's the 2017 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards Nominees Ballot!". FANGORIA®. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  36. ↑ Endrino, Jorge (November 24, 2016). "36th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards". asiateca.net. Archived from the original on December 13, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  37. ↑ McNary, Dave (March 2, 2017). "Saturn Awards Nominations 2017: 'Rogue One,' 'Walking Dead' Lead". Variety. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  38. ↑ 공유·박보검·남궁민·한석규...백상예술대상 男TV연기상 4파전. Maeil Business Newspaper. April 7, 2017.
  39. ↑ "'Guardian,' 'The Handmaiden' win big at Baeksang Awards". The Korea Herald. May 4, 2017. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  40. ↑ "'2017 춘사영화상' 나홍진, 최우수감독상...하정우·손예진 남녀주연상". The Seoul Economy Daily. May 25, 2017. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Train to Busan (2016): Releases". AllMovie. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  42. ↑ Statistical Yearbook 2018 (PDF). United Kingdom: British Film Institute (BFI). 2018. pp. 97–8. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  43. ↑ 2021 – Film on Physical Video. United Kingdom: British Film Institute (BFI). 2021. p. 10. Archived from the original on April 27, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  44. ↑ Conran, Pierce (April 7, 2016). "YEON Sang-ho's SEOUL STATION Debuts in Belgium". KoBiz. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  45. ↑ Choi, Jin-sil (February 28, 2020). "강동원 주연 '반도', 런칭 포스터 공개...'부산행' 그 후 4년". Sports Seoul via Naver (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  46. ↑ Noh, Jean (February 20, 2020). "'Train To Busan' follow-up 'Peninsula' scores raft of sales (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Media Business Insight Limited. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  47. ↑ "'Train to Busan' English-Language Remake Rights Go to Gaumont". December 7, 2016. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  48. ↑ "James Wan to produce remake of South Korean zombie movie 'Train to Busan'". EW.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  49. ↑ Kroll, Justin (February 18, 2021). "New Line Taps Timo Tjahjanto to Direct 'Train To Busan', Its Remake Of South Korean Box Office Hit". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  50. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 16, 2021). "Warner Bros Dates 'Blue Beetle', 'Last Train to New York' & 'Toto' For 2023 & Beyond". Deadline. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  51. ↑ King, Aidan (July 11, 2022). "'The Last Train to New York': Warner Bros.' 'Train to Busan' Remake Delayed". Collider. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  52. ↑ Romano, Nick (June 26, 2025). "James Wan says The Last Train to New York 'still a passion project,' reveals connection to original (exclusive)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 4, 2025.