Netflix’s Newest K-Drama Is The Perfect Watch For Fans Of All Us Are Dead

Mr. Plankton is very different from All of Us Are Dead, but Netflix’s newest K-drama is the perfect show for those missing the cast of the zombie series. Since almost three years have passed since the premiere of All of Us Are Dead, the best way to scratch the itch for more of that show is to watch other K-dramas starring at least one of its actors. While the cast of All of Us Are Dead includes a long of young actors who haven’t been in a lot of projects yet, plenty have already starred in other great K-dramas.
By the time All of Us Are Dead season 2 premiers, most of the main actors from the zombie K-drama will probably have starred in a least a couple of other shows. This puts into perspective how long All of Us Are Dead’s second season is taking. One of the All of Us Are Dead actors who have been shining the most since the horror K-drama came out in January 2022 is Lee Yoo-mi, who played the controversial Lee Na-yeon in season 1. After starring in Strong Girl Nam-soon, Lee Na-yeon has now led her own Netflix webseries, Mr. Plankton.
Lee Na-yeon Actress Lee Yoo-mi Steals The Show In Netflix’s Mr. Plankton
Lee Na-yeon Plays Jo Jae-mi in Mr. Plankton
Mr. Plankton was one of the most anticipated K-dramas of 2024, and it did not disappoint. Not only does it include a fantastic cast led by Lee Na-yeon, Woo Do-hwan, and On Jung-se, but all of the actors shine in their respective roles. Lee Na-yeon gives a particularly impressive performance as Jo Jae-mi, a woman in her late 20s who cannot catch a break. Jae-mi is a funny character, which is made obvious during her first scene on the show, but she is also a very tragic protagonist.
Mr. Plankton Cast Character Woo Do-hwan Hae Jo Lee Yoo-mi Jo Jae-mi Oh Jung-se Eo Heung Kim Hae-sook Bum Ho-ja
Lee Na-yeon is able to show both of these sides of the character, which is helped by the fact that Mr. Plankton is both a romantic K-drama and a dark comedy. The series deals with heavy themes, including Jae-mi’s dream of becoming a mother being crushed by an early menopause diagnosis and Hae Jo discovering a brain tumor. Lee Na-yeon had previously shined in supporting roles such as in Squid Game and All of Us Are Dead, but Mr. Plankton is a great reminder that she can nail leading roles.
Lee Yoo-mi’s Mr. Plankton Character Couldn’t Be More Different From Na-yeon
Jae-mi Will Get You Rooting For Her Right From The First Scene
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For those who discovered Lee Na-yeon in All of Us Are Dead and want to watch Mr. Plankton, it will be shocking how different Jae-mi is from Na-yeon. In All of Us Are Dead, Lee Yoo-mi plays a repulsive character who is willing to infect a colleague with the zombie virus on purpose just because she doesn’t like him. While Na-yeon was given sort of a redemption right before her death, her character remained one of the most hated villains in a K-drama. The actress even had to acknowledge how much hate her character was receiving.
If Lee Yoo-mi could make such an impact in All of Us Are Dead , it’s no surprise that she has done great as a lead actress.
In Mr. Plankton, Lee Yoo-mi plays a funny, charismatic character who is trying to make it through all the challenges life throws at her. Lee Yoo-mi’s Mr. Plankton character also puts into perspective how long it has been since All of Us Are Dead season 1 came out. In the zombie series, the actress was playing a high schooler. In Mr. Plankton, she is a 28-year-old woman who is about to get married. Still, if Lee Yoo-mi could make such an impact in All of Us Are Dead, it’s no surprise that she has done great as a lead actress.
Lee Yoo-mi’s Career Has Achieved New Heights Since All Of Us Are Dead
Lee Yoo-mi Has Since Become An Emmy-Winning Actress
While Lee Yoo-mi was already a promising actress before All of Us Are Dead, her career achieved new heights between 2021 and 2022. At the end of 2021, she played Ji-yeong, aka Player 240, in Squid Game – this role would give Lee Yoo-min an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in September 2022. Around that same time, she starred in Mental Coach Jegal. In 2023, Lee Yoo-min once again proved her leading actress chops in Strong Girl Nam-soon, a spinoff to the fan-favorite K-dramaStrong Girl Bong-soon.
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Considering that Gwi-nam killed Na-yeon in All of Us Are Dead season 1, it’s safe to say that Lee Yoo-mi will not return for the second season of the zombie K-drama. Still, it would have been nice if Na-yeon had survived a little bit longer. Giving such a hated character a redemption arc would have been risky, but it could have worked, especially given how great of an actress Lee Yoo-mi is. Regardless, Mr. Plankton is yet another example of an All of Us Are Dead actor shining in another project.