Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020), directed by Yeon Sang-ho, is the standalone sequel to the global hit Train to Busan (2016). While it takes place in the same zombie apocalypse universe, the story follows entirely new characters, shifting from claustrophobic survival horror to a large-scale action thriller.
Detailed Summary
The Fall of Korea
The film begins four years after the outbreak depicted in Train to Busan. South Korea has become a quarantined wasteland, abandoned by the world. Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won), a former soldier, flees with his family but fails to save his sister and nephew. This haunting failure shapes his guilt throughout the story.
Return to the Peninsula
Now living a grim life in Hong Kong, Jung-seok and his brother-in-law Chul-min are recruited for a dangerous mission: return to Korea, retrieve a truck containing $20 million in cash, and escape by boat. If they succeed, they can finally escape poverty and start anew.
The Ambush and Unit 631
Things quickly go wrong when they return. The group is ambushed not just by zombies but also by a rogue militia unit called Unit 631, made up of survivors who’ve turned brutal. The unit is led by Sergeant Hwang and the unhinged Captain Seo, who treat survivors as playthings in grotesque zombie “games.”
Meeting the Survivors
Jung-seok is rescued by a resourceful family: Min-jung (Lee Jung-hyun) and her two daughters, Jooni and Yu-jin, who skillfully drive through hordes of zombies with remote-controlled cars and bold maneuvers. Jung-seok realizes that not everyone left in Korea is broken; some are still fighting for humanity.
Survival Games in the Arena
Meanwhile, Chul-min is captured by Unit 631 and forced into their sadistic arena, where prisoners must fight off swarms of zombies for the entertainment of the soldiers. These tense sequences show the collapse of morality among survivors and highlight how humans can be more monstrous than the infected.
⇢ VIRAL RIGHT NOW
Movie Ending
In the climax, Jung-seok and Min-jung’s group plan to escape Korea with the money truck. After a harrowing chase through zombie-infested streets, they reach the evacuation point where a UN relief chopper is waiting.
Chul-min sacrifices himself to help the others escape but dies in the process. Captain Seo, desperate to survive, tries to force his way onto the escape helicopter. However, the soldiers reject him, leaving him screaming as zombies swarm over him.
In a final emotional sequence, Min-jung is injured while buying time for her daughters. She urges Jung-seok to save the children and leave her behind. As the rescue helicopter prepares to depart, Jung-seok refuses to abandon her, recalling how he once failed to save his sister. He drags Min-jung onto the chopper just in time, finally redeeming himself. The film ends with Jung-seok, Min-jung, and the girls flying away from Korea, leaving the burning wasteland behind.
It’s a bittersweet victory: survival comes at great cost, and Korea remains lost, but the survivors find hope in one another.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No. Peninsula does not have a post-credits or mid-credits scene. The story concludes fully with the helicopter rescue, offering emotional closure without hinting at a direct sequel.
Type of Movie
This is a post-apocalyptic zombie action thriller. Unlike Train to Busan, which leaned heavily on horror and emotional drama, Peninsula resembles a high-octane heist film mixed with dystopian survival action.
Cast
- Gang Dong-won as Jung-seok
- Lee Jung-hyun as Min-jung
- Lee Re as Jooni (Min-jung’s older daughter)
- Lee Ye-won as Yu-jin (Min-jung’s younger daughter)
- Kwon Hae-hyo as Elder Kim (grandfather)
- Kim Min-jae as Sergeant Hwang
- Koo Kyo-hwan as Captain Seo
- Kim Do-yoon as Chul-min
Film Music and Composer
The music was composed by Mowg, who previously worked on I Saw the Devil and The Witch: Part 1 – The Subversion. His score blends suspenseful electronic tones with dramatic orchestration, amplifying both the action set pieces and the tragic emotional beats.
Filming Locations
The movie was largely filmed in South Korea, particularly around Incheon and abandoned industrial areas repurposed to represent the ruined peninsula. Large-scale sets and heavy CGI were used to create post-apocalyptic Seoul, highways filled with wreckage, and the sprawling zombie arena.
⇢ KEEP UP WITH THE TREND
Awards and Nominations
- Nominated at the 2020 Sitges Film Festival for Best Film.
- Received recognition for visual effects and production design at Korean film award ceremonies.
- Although not as critically acclaimed as its predecessor, it gained praise for its technical ambition.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Director Yeon Sang-ho aimed to avoid repeating Train to Busan by focusing on action rather than intimate drama.
- The cast underwent intensive stunt training for the driving and combat sequences.
- Over 2,500 CGI shots were used, the highest in Korean cinema at the time.
- Lee Re (Jooni) did many of her own stunts, surprising even the stunt team.
- Yeon compared the movie’s tone to Mad Max: Fury Road, citing it as a major influence.
Inspirations and References
- Based on the zombie apocalypse universe first created in Train to Busan and the animated prequel Seoul Station.
- Inspired by dystopian action films like Escape from New York, Mad Max, and 28 Weeks Later.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
No confirmed alternate endings have been released. However, Yeon mentioned in interviews that earlier drafts were darker, with Min-jung dying definitively, but he changed it to allow a more hopeful conclusion.
Book Adaptations and Differences
Unlike Train to Busan, Peninsula does not directly adapt a novel or comic. It is an original screenplay by Yeon Sang-ho, though it exists in the same expanded universe as Seoul Station.
⇢ MOST SHARED RIGHT NOW
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- The opening escape sequence where Jung-seok abandons his sister.
- The remote-controlled car chase through zombies led by Yu-jin.
- Chul-min’s desperate fight in the zombie arena.
- The final helicopter rescue, with Jung-seok saving Min-jung at the last second.
Iconic Quotes
- Min-jung: “Do you think money matters in a place like this?”
- Jung-seok: “Four years ago, I turned my back on my family. I won’t make the same mistake again.”
- Captain Seo: “Survival is the only rule left.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The film contains background references to the events of Train to Busan, but none of the original characters return.
- A wall graffiti in one scene reads “Remember Busan”, a nod to the original film.
- Yeon Sang-ho confirmed that the timeline aligns with Seoul Station → Train to Busan → Peninsula.
Trivia
- It premiered at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival, though the event was virtual due to the pandemic.
- The budget was around $16 million, making it one of the most expensive Korean films at the time.
- It grossed over $40 million worldwide, performing well despite COVID-19 restrictions.
- Gang Dong-won is a major Korean star but this was his first global release role.
Why Watch?
If you loved Train to Busan but want something bigger, louder, and action-driven, Peninsula delivers a mix of blockbuster spectacle and survival drama. While it lacks the emotional intimacy of the first film, it compensates with high-octane chases, inventive zombie sequences, and themes of redemption and family.
Director’s Other Movies
- Train to Busan (2016)
- Seoul Station (2016)
- Psychokinesis (2018)
- The King of Pigs (2011)
- The Fake (2013)