What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedKingdom
Kim Eun-hee · Series · 2019
If you loved Kingdom, start with Train to Busan (Yeon Sang-ho, 2016) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Kingdom across media.
You crave the way Kingdom balances high-stakes political corruption with the visceral, terrifying reality of a society collapsing under pressure.
Books on the same thread
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins · Book · 2008
Shares a thread with Kingdom: political thriller.
Much like Kingdom, this story explores how systemic class inequality and authoritarian cruelty force ordinary people into a desperate fight for survival against a lethal, manufactured threat.
Blindness
José Saramago · Book · 1999
Shares a thread with Kingdom: Survival.
If the societal breakdown in Kingdom gripped you, this novel offers a similarly harrowing look at how quickly humanity descends into chaos when a mysterious plague strikes.
The King in Yellow
Robert William Chambers · Book · 1902
Explores: Insanity, Decay, Forbidden Knowledge.
These tales of existential dread and forbidden knowledge echo the dark atmosphere of Kingdom, capturing that same sense of ancient, unstoppable forces dismantling a fragile human world.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, Vol. 1
Koyoharu Gotouge · Book
Explores: revenge, sibling bond, tragic loss.
You will recognize the relentless momentum of Kingdom here, where a protagonist must navigate a dangerous, supernatural world to avenge his family and protect his remaining kin.
Films on the same thread
Train to Busan
Yeon Sang-ho · Film · 2016
Shares 2 threads with Kingdom: Social Class, Zombie Horror.
This film mirrors the frantic survival horror of Kingdom, focusing on how government incompetence and social class dynamics exacerbate the danger during a sudden, violent viral outbreak.
Parasite
Bong Joon Ho · Film · 2019
Explores: Class Warfare, Social Commentary, Deception.
While lacking zombies, this film captures the same sharp critique of class warfare and deceit that underpins the royal conspiracy and social suffering found throughout Kingdom.
Exhuma
Jang Jae-hyun · Film · 2024
Explores: Ancestral Curse, Grave Robbing, Shamanism.
This supernatural thriller shares the dark, historical roots of Kingdom, focusing on how ancient family secrets and long-buried curses manifest as a terrifying threat to the living.
The Handmaiden
Film · 2016
Shares a thread with Kingdom: Period Drama.
This period drama replicates the intense power dynamics and layers of deception seen in Kingdom, proving that the most dangerous enemies are often those hiding within one's home.
Podcasts on the same thread
K's DRAMA
Podcast
Explores: Korean culture, Television analysis, Entertainment industry.
If your obsession with Kingdom extends to the craft of Korean storytelling, this podcast provides the deep cultural analysis and industry context you need to understand the show.
Lore
Aaron Mahnke · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Dark History, Supernatural, Mysterious Events.
Like Kingdom, this podcast excels at uncovering the dark, mysterious history behind tragic narratives, proving that the reality of the past is often as frightening as fiction.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Kingdom based on a specific time period in history?
Kingdom is set during the medieval Joseon dynasty in Korea. The series uses this historical backdrop to frame a fictional narrative involving a crown prince who must navigate a conspiracy and a mysterious plague while the country suffers from famine and political corruption.
What is the primary threat facing the crown prince in Kingdom?
The crown prince in Kingdom faces two primary threats. He must uncover a political conspiracy involving the king's death while simultaneously fighting a strange plague that turns the population into flesh-hungry, undead creatures that are immune to death.
Does Kingdom feature zombies as the main antagonists?
Yes, Kingdom features a plague that renders the infected immune to death and hungry for flesh. These undead creatures serve as a central threat to the crown prince as he travels across the Joseon dynasty to save his people from the spreading infection.
How does the crown prince's journey begin in Kingdom?
The journey of the crown prince in Kingdom begins after a mysterious rumor regarding the death of the king spreads throughout the land. He sets out to investigate the truth behind the king's condition and the subsequent rise of a deadly plague.