Newtopia (2025)

zombies, comedy, and character growth: a surprisingly solid journey

updated review

after finishing the series, i can confidently say it got a lot better as it went on. the second half was hands down the best, with perfect comedic timing and excellent character dynamics. youngjoo and aaron park ♡ became the standout characters! their swag and unique way of thinking brought so much life to the show. it felt like the characters finally found their rhythm, and the humor really clicked.

jisoo's performance was the highlight. while i initially felt she was somewhat restrained by the fast paced humor, she truly shone in the later episodes. her acting was phenomenal, and her character became the emotional core of the show. it was clear that she had a lot to offer when given the right material. <3

the supporting characters also stepped up their game. jae yoon and young joo brought depth to their roles, making the story more engaging... i was especially impressed by how well the two female characters were written. they were absolutely the backbone of the series, and i believe they were the smartest of all.

i'm indeed sad by the deaths of some major characters. it’s always tough to see favorite characters go, but in a zombie drama, it’s part of the territory. their deaths added emotional weight to the narrative, making the stakes feel much higher.

☆ while the beginning of the series was a bit slow, especially episodes 1 and 3 (they were AWFUL) the later episodes made up for it. the pacing issues were real, but once the series hit its stride, it was hard to deny its charm. i still think it would’ve been better if all the episodes had been released at once (or at least in batches). the one episode per-week model didn’t help build momentum, especially when the show had its slow moments early on. i believe binge-watching it would have made for a more satisfying experience. the ending was beautiful tho.

that said, it met my expectations and then some. the blend of zombie-action and comedy was unique, and the characters were what really kept me hooked. i’m giving it an 8/10. better writing, much-improved pacing, and a fantastic cast. hope there's a second season!

also, stream amortage while you are at it. no matter how much jisoo thrives in her acting career, her music is always gonna top it.

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review for the first half of the drama:

i know this review might get some people ruffled up, but i’m going to say it anyway. this drama definitely has its moments, but it’s also lacking in uhh some areas. first off, i don’t think jisoo is the weak link when it comes to the acting, despite what some viewers are saying. the other actors are pretty good too. the issue isn’t her performance…in fact, in this comedy, it feels like she’s being pushed into something that doesn’t let her show her full potential. the fast paced humor and exaggerated situations just don’t match her natural style, which is a bit of a shame because i think she could’ve really thrived like in snowdrop (for the record, no i have not watched that drama but have seen of the clips).

now, my biggest problem with this drama is the “writing”. comedy isn’t for everyone, and this drama is a clear example of that. i really dislike when characters are dumbed down just to make the audience laugh. it feels like the male characters, in particular, are written to be ridiculously clueless, and instead of being funny, it just makes everything feel forced. it’s frustrating because the potential for more depth and everything is there, but it’s being sacrificed for cheap laughs 🫠. honestly…it’s hard to enjoy a show when the characters’ intelligence is treated like a punchline.

as much as i’m a blink and sooya, and still having fun with the show, i can’t ignore the pacing issue. the drama would have worked SO MUCH better if all the episodes were released at once. watching one episode per week feels like a drag. it’s hard to build momentum when you’re just getting small pieces of the story at a time. if it were all available to binge, i think it’d be a much more satisfying experience. the slow pacing really hurts the overall flow of the show, and it’s starting to feel like it’s dragging on longer than it needs to. 😓

for now, i’ve dropped my rating to a 7. the writing needs work, and the pacing is a real problem. i’m still hopeful the drama will improve as the last 3 eps come out, but at this point, i’m tempted to just wait until the entire season is available and binge-watch it in one go!!

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Started with No Soul (Just Like Zombies) but Actually Improved Over Time (Not Like Zombies)

Honestly, the second half was way better than the first one. At first, the show gave us some action, some comedy, some romance, and some good looking gore, but none of these elements really came together to create a solid picture. That's why I said it was without soul, it just felt empty. Later on, though, they actually started utilizing these elements much better.

The first episode was pretty weak to me (I think Coupang thought similarly, so they released two episodes in the first week lol). Not just because it dragged a bit, but also because it didn't properly introduce the characters. They focused much more on showing the leads relationship rather than making them interesting as individuals, which was unfortunate because, for most of the drama, they don't really interact with each other. I feel like it would've been better to first make them interesting as standalone characters and then develop their relationship as a couple.

That's why, in the first half, I didn't really care about anyone, which was quite disappointing because, having seen the director's previous works, I knew he has the ability to present characters you're curious about or at least feel some kind of connection to. Sam Su and Su Jeong had some fun moments, but nothing that really amazed me. That changed in the second half. Both Jae Yun and Yeong Ju were given more time to develop as individuals, and suddenly, they became much more interesting to watch. The whole metro sequence with one of them was SO GOOD.

Everything that started happening at that point was just so much better to watch. It felt like they finally managed to blend the genres the way they wanted to.

The performances were pretty good. Jisoo really isn't as bad as people are saying. It will take her a while to break away from her idol image since she was in it for so long, but with a few more projects, I think she'll be fine.

There was some wasted potential in certain characters, though, like Ra In Ho. At one point, they teased us into believing there might be something more to his character, but they never really addressed it later.

The music? Guess it was fine. There were some cool BGMs, but nothing extraordinary.

Overall, I feel quite mixed. I feel like I'm giving it a higher rating than it actually deserves, but the second half left me with a really good impression, so I'm letting it stay this way. I think I expected more because of the director and cast (and the fact that I usually love zombie dramas), but despite its problems, it's still a decent watch. Definitely not a bad drama, just not the great one it could have been.

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