If you've been scouring the internet for the all of us are dead script, you're definitely not alone in wanting to see how that chaotic masterpiece was put on paper. It's one thing to watch a bunch of high schoolers fight for their lives in a zombie-infested cafeteria, but reading the actual lines and stage directions gives you a whole different perspective on the horror. There's something special about seeing how a writer describes the "cracking" sounds of a transformation or the frantic energy of a hallway chase before it ever hits the screen.
When Netflix dropped All of Us Are Dead, it felt like a breath of fresh air for the zombie genre, even though we've seen plenty of undead stories before. A lot of that success comes down to the writing. The way the script balances teenage hormones and school drama with absolute, gut-wrenching carnage is pretty impressive. If you're a writer, a fan, or just someone curious about how K-dramas are built, diving into the screenplay is like getting a backstage pass to the apocalypse.
From Webtoon to Screenplay
The transition from the original webtoon, Now at Our School, to the final all of us are dead script was a massive undertaking. Chun Sung-il, the screenwriter, had the tough job of taking a beloved digital comic and making it work for a global TV audience. Webtoons have their own rhythm—they're often episodic and rely heavily on visual cliffhangers. Translating that into a 12-episode series means you have to flesh out the dialogue and make sure the pacing doesn't sag in the middle.
In the script, you can see where they decided to modernize things. The webtoon came out quite a while ago, so the show had to incorporate smartphones, YouTube culture, and how modern kids actually talk to each other. It's those small details in the writing—the slang, the bickering, the social hierarchies—that make the characters feel like real people you might have sat next to in math class. When the zombies finally show up, it hurts more because the script spent time making you care about who's dating who and who's failing their exams.
The Art of Writing Tension
One thing you'll notice if you ever study the all of us are dead script is how it handles silence and noise. In a zombie show, sound is everything. The script has to clearly dictate when a character is breathing too loudly or when a stray pencil rolling across the floor is enough to trigger a death sentence.
The "mutes" or the "hambies" (half-zombies) also added a layer of complexity to the writing. How do you describe a character who has the hunger of a monster but the mind of a human? The script has to give the actors very specific emotional beats to hit. For characters like Nam-ra or Gwi-nam, the dialogue isn't just about what they say; it's about the internal struggle written into the stage directions. You can see the push and pull of their humanity on the page, which is probably why those performances felt so layered.
Why the Dialogue Works
Let's be real: teenager dialogue can be cringy if it's not done right. But in this show, it feels lived-in. The all of us are dead script succeeds because it doesn't try too hard to be "cool." It captures that specific brand of high school desperation where even in the middle of a literal apocalypse, kids are still worried about their reputations or unrequited crushes.
The banter between Cheong-san and On-jo, for example, feels like a friendship that's existed for a decade. The script uses their history to ground the high-stakes action. When they're trapped on a rooftop, they aren't just talking about survival; they're talking about their feelings, which is exactly what teenagers do. It makes the horror feel more personal. Instead of just being a "zombie show," it becomes a "coming-of-age show that just happens to have zombies," and that's a huge distinction in the writing.
Crafting the School as a Character
The setting of Hyosan High is basically a character in itself, and the all of us are dead script treats it that way. Every classroom, the broadcasting room, the library, and even the gym store cupboard are used to create different types of tension.
Writing for a single location can be tricky because you risk the audience getting bored. However, the script keeps finding new ways to use the school's geography. Whether it's using fire hoses to climb out of windows or using a drone to scout the grounds, the writing is constantly inventive. It's a great lesson for any aspiring screenwriter on how to maximize a limited setting. You don't need a whole city to tell an epic story; sometimes, a single high school is more than enough to represent the end of the world.
The Emotional Weight of the Deaths
We need to talk about the "kill list." In any horror script, deciding who lives and who dies is a calculated move. The all of us are dead script is notoriously ruthless. It doesn't matter if a character is a fan favorite; if their death serves the story or heightens the stakes for the survivors, the script goes there.
What's interesting is how these deaths are written to linger. They aren't just "jump scare" deaths. They're often slow, agonizing, or involve a heavy dose of sacrifice. This is where the emotional core of the writing shines. By the time we get to the final episodes, the script has stripped these characters down to their barest selves. The loss of a friend isn't just a plot point; it's a burden the remaining characters have to carry, and the dialogue reflects that increasing exhaustion and grief.
How to Use the Script for Study
If you're a film student or a writer, looking at the all of us are dead script is a masterclass in ensemble writing. Managing a cast that large is a nightmare, yet the script manages to give almost everyone a distinct "thing." You know exactly who the bully is, who the coward is, and who the unexpected hero is within minutes of meeting them.
Try looking at how the action sequences are blocked out in the text. You'll see that it's not just "they fight the zombies." It's broken down into beats—action, reaction, consequence. That's how you keep an audience on the edge of their seats for twelve hours. You can learn a lot about "show, don't tell" by reading how the script handles the initial outbreak in the infirmary compared to the massive brawl in the cafeteria.
Looking Forward to Season 2
With a second season on the way, everyone is wondering what the next all of us are dead script will look like. Now that the school is well, mostly gone, the scope of the writing has to change. The writers are moving from a contained "trapped" story to something much larger, likely involving the "half-bies" and the military.
The beauty of the first season's script was its intimacy. Even as the world outside was falling apart, we stayed focused on these kids. I'm hoping the next script keeps that same heart, even if the budget and the scale get bigger. It's the human element—the friendships, the betrayals, and the awkward teenage love—that made the script so infectious (pun intended) in the first place.
Anyway, if you ever get your hands on a copy of the screenplay, take the time to read it slowly. Notice the rhythm of the scenes and how the tension is built brick by brick. It's a fascinating look at how a global phenomenon is built from the ground up, one line of dialogue at a time. Whether you're in it for the gore or the characters, there's no denying that the foundation of this show is some seriously solid writing.