Kingdomis a South Korean action-horror series about azombie plaguethat premiered onNetflixin2019. It has unfortunately remained in a state of limbo after two seasons and one special episode. It has not been officially canceled, but at the same time, no third season has been announced. The most recent episode of the second season ended on a cliffhanger, leaving plenty of room for more.
Regardless, the show received stellar ratings from critics and audiences alike. One of the primary reasons why was due to its relatively small, but memorable cast of characters.
10Lee Seunghui
Lee Seunghui (Kwon Bumtaek) is the physician to the royal family. Though the old man is your typical wise sage, he suffers from keeping vital secrets and looking after his own hide. He does things that he clearly finds morally questionable, but in his old age, can’t really do anything about because he isn’t a fighter.
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Despite this, the secrets he keeps are sometimes in the best interest of the people around him. When he returns with a dead body that has been unknowingly infected, he does not disclose what happened to the poor boy, for fear of causing mass hysteria. Or worse, having the Haewon Cho clan slaughter the village to preserve their own secrets.
9Lord Ahnhyun
Lord Ahnhyun (Huh Joonho) is the Prince’s mentor figure, appearing later in the first season. While he is kind and understanding, he also has a strong sense of honour, and acts only in the defense of his own people. He also keeps his word, as despite the propaganda spreading against the prince, Ahnhyun remains loyal.
He’s shown that he has no qualms about sacrificing himself to save his subjects; an important quality in a leader. It’s no wonder the Prince trusts him so much and sees him as a sort of father figure apart from his actual father.
8Min Chirok
Min Chirok (Park Byungeun) is a soldier of the Royal Commandery who is tasked with investigating the Haewon Cho conspiracy in Season 2. He upholds the classic attributes of a soldier, in that his duty comes before anything else.
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He also appears in the special episode, where he listens to the plight of the borderlander village. He is empathetic, but ultimately, his duty and his allegiance to the crown come first, and he can only do so much. Regardless, this is still an asset to have during the political tension falling over Joseon.
Tahab (Kim Roiha) is the father of Ashin who appears in the special episode. He proves to be a good father, making the sacrifices he needs to in order for his family to thrive, and educating his children on the dangers of the world. He seems to be the only one in the village who really understands how the world works, in that he warns Ashin not to enter the woods. This isn’t because of the legends of monsters prowling the forest, but because of the soldiers that travel there to find the resurrection plant on a regular basis.
Even though it pains him to do so, he travels away from his family to act as a spy so that they can live more comfortably, away from the region they currently reside in, which is a region full of political turmoil.
6Cho Beompal
Cho Beompal (Jeon Seokho) comes from the antagonistic Haewon Cho clan, but he proves to not be like them at all. While he may be cowardly and evasive towards accusations, he more than proves himself towards the end of the second Season. This is because he becomes infatuated with Seobi, and resolves to do everything in his power to protect her, even if it goes against his family’s wishes.
He is among the first to see the monsters in action and is forced to secretly ally himself with the Prince despite the odds being stacked against him. He may admit to being a coward, but he also shows a fair amount of courage, even if he doesn’t realize it.
5Yeongshin
Yeongshin (Kim Sungkyu) gets off to a rocky start, as he accidentally unleashes the first wave of the plague by feeding human remains to a starving enclave of smallpox patients. While cannibalism is certainly not a good look, he more than makes up for it in later episodes. He immediately makes every effort to contain the plague and joins the Prince on his quest to bring peace to Joseon.
On top of that, he is incredibly skilled with a rifle and is quite the force to be reckoned with. His standoffish personality stems from his history as a hunter, and doing whatever is needed to survive. Fortunately, that’s the exact type of attitude one needs in a zombie outbreak.
4Ashin of the North
Ashin (Jeon Jihyun) only appears at the very end of Season 2, Episode 6, as well as in the special episode, “Ashin of the North” (2021). A girl from an impoverished village in the borderlands, she witnessed tragedy at a very young age as her hometown was burnt to the ground in the wake of a war between Joseon and the Jurchens.
This causes her to personally seek revenge on all those who wronged her. She trains for years for this vendetta, leading her to become a legendary, Robin Hood-esque archer. Aside from her skill with a bow, she is one of the few characters in the show who is independent of politics and family affiliation. She serves only herself, which makes her an interesting sort of villain/hero hybrid. But that’s why she’s so cool.
Seobi (Bae Doona) is a compassionate nurse who is also the only one who really seems to understand what the heck is going on. She is among the first to raise the alarm about thezombie plague, which gets her thrown into prison. She is also the only person shown who actively pursues research into the resurrection plant, trying to find a cure.
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Though she appears unassuming and isn’t much of a fighter, she is very intelligent and perseverant. She has a strict moral code that she adheres to, which usually involves doing things for the good of Joseon.
2Prince Lee Chang
Prince Lee Chang (Ju Jihoon) is the main protagonist of the series. He is a seasoned leader with a knack for combat, and the incredible ability to rally almost anyone at his back. He is the first to catch on to the Haewon Cho conspiracy and immediately begins trying to rally his people to revolt against them.
He upholds a firm hand when it comes to the law, but is also willing to go out of his way to get to the bottom of things himself rather than sending others to do his dirty work for him. Even if he does enlist others to do things for him, he almost always has a hand in other plans to make the task a joint effort. Above all, he is an inspiring leader and a likable hero.
Muyeong (Kim Sangho) is Prince Chang’s personal bodyguard. He was assigned to the duty after being caught stealing food for his pregnant wife. Prince Chang, with his sense of empathy, opted not to punish Muyeong, and let him work instead. Muyeong is something of a comic relief character, though he is also fiercely loyal and protective towards the Prince.
Beyond his loyalty to the Prince, his allegiance goes mainly toward his family. He has proven time and time again that he will do anything to protect his wife and his unborn child, even if that means making sacrifices. An honest family man, and a funny one, at that, he is one of the most adored characters in the show.
