Korea’s film industry has churned out some great films over the years to widespread critical acclaim. Now, they’ve taken a stroll into the zombie genre with “Train to Busan”.

The film is set to hit theaters in July but back in May when it was screened at the Cannes International Film Festival’s Midnight Screening it garnered a 10-minute standing ovation from the crowd.

The festival’s General Delegate Thierry Fremaux was quoted as saying it was the “best midnight screening in the Cannes festival’s history.”

https://youtu.be/AN0-W8h1y_s

Set in a high speed train headed for South Korea’s second largest city, Busan, a zombie virus quickly spreads throughout the cabin.

Variety gives it the thumbs up, writing: “Following a motley crew on a bumpy ride from Seoul to Busan to escape a zombie outbreak, writer-director Yeon Sang-ho’s action-horror railroad movie “Train to Busan” pulses with relentless locomotive momentum.”

The film’s director Yeon Sang-ho told a press conference in Seoul that it was a new direction for Korean cinema.

“It is a genre very familiar in the West but not so much in Korea. I wondered how it would turn out if I brought the zombie concept and made it in a Korean style,” said Yeon. “I thought the speed of the train added to the chaos and confusion would evoke a particular type of thrill in the audience.”

“In the beginning, I was a bit worried about how Koreans would look as zombies and perhaps that could prevent audiences from immersing in the film. But after seeing the zombies, it was even scary for the actors and in fact helped us act out real fear,” said Gong Yoo, who plays Seok-woo, a ‘coldhearted fund manager dad who tries to protect his daughter Su-an from the zombies.’ reports the Korea Times.

Debuts in Korean theaters July 20th.