Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the Netflix series All of Us Are Dead.
As the brave characters navigate the dangerous zombie-filled streets of Hyosan in Netflix’s All of Us Are Dead, they find themselves forming meaningful relationships with their companions against all odds.
The best partnerships in the series are often highlighted in heartwarming and even tear-jerking moments in the show. They often involve courageous characters who will do whatever they can to help each other live another day and reach safety. As fans eagerly wait to see what the survivors do in a potential second season, it’s the perfect time to look back at the most memorable relationships from the series so far.
Assemblywoman Park Eun-hee & Nam So-ju
Although their relationship got off to a bumpy start, Assemblywoman Park and So-ju soon understand that they have more in common than they initially realized. The Assemblywoman reminds So-ju of their job to take care of the public first, while So-ju ensures that she and the rest of her team make it out of Hyosan alive.
Although they don’t become extremely close to each other, they develop mutual respect throughout the course of the show. The Assemblywoman even helps So-ju leave the camp and stands her ground when questioned about his escape.
Song Jae-ik & Jeon Ho-chul
A large part of why Jae-ik and Ho-chul’s partnership is so amusing to watch is because one of them is fearless, and the other is cowardly. Audiences can’t be blamed for being in disbelief (like Jae-ik is) at Ho-chul’s suggestion to leave the kid and the baby behind because they’re liabilities.
It’s satisfying when the storyline eventually leads to Ho-chul’s redemption through his own act of bravery with the bus. It thankfully works out for the wacky duo, who fans will hopefully see more of in season 2.
Jang Ha-ri & Park Mi-jin
When two of the bravest characters in All of Us Are Dead pair up, fans get a badass duo who can fight zombies with ease. Aside from Mi-jin’s impressive courage and Ha-ri’s incredible skills, their often funny interactions make them even more charming and endearing.
Fans probably find themselves rooting for the two as they grow closer together after each horrific experience. There’s a touching moment in the gym when Ha-ri calls Mi-jin her friend, as everything they have been to up to that point has strengthened their relationship in a unique way.
Nam On-jo & Nam So-ju
There’s nothing quite like a moving father and daughter relationship, especially since So-ju obviously cares deeply for On-jo. It pains him to have to put his duty above his daughter’s safety, and fans watch as he struggles with this choice and immediately risks his life to find On-jo when he’s able to.
That said, On-jo’s smart decisions about survival are often based on her father’s advice – from how to build a makeshift toilet to the importance of staying put until help arrives. Even without him there, it’s clear that he has taught his daughter important skills for precisely those situations. It’s disappointing that viewers see little of their interactions together, especially since their tear-jerking reunion is cut short in the worst way possible.
Han Gyeong-su & Lee Cheong-san
Audiences likely didn’t pay much attention to Cheong-san and Gyeong-su’s friendship until the shocking event in the broadcasting room. When Gyeong-su begins to unexpectedly turn, no one else is as devastated as his best friend, Cheong-san.
Flashbacks of their best times together highlight how special their bond is, as it seems like one of those friendships that last long after high school. Gyeong-su is to Cheong-san as I-sak was to On-jo, so it’s easy to understand why Gyeong-su’s death was particularly tragic.
Nam On-jo & Yoon I-sak
I-sak may not have a lot of screen time compared to the main characters, but she still manages to have one of the most heartbreaking deaths in All of Us Are Dead. It’s frustrating that her untimely demise comes just as she’s comforting On-jo about Su-hyeok’s disappearance, as it underscores how no one is safe during an outbreak.
Some fans may have shed a tear or two during the detailed flashback that depicts On-jo and I-sak’s fun experiences together. Their fun moments are a jarring contrast to the unforgiving reality the best friends must face. Just when fans think it couldn’t get any worse, On-jo is unable to let go of I-sak, now a zombie hanging out of their classroom’s window.
Lee Cheong-san & Lee Ji-hyun
Cheong-san and his mom obviously have a love-hate relationship that’s typical during the teenage years. Cheong-san misunderstands Ji-hyun’s intentions and Ji-hyun is just as confused by Cheong-san’s childish reactions.
In the video Cheong-san records with the other students, it’s revealed that he does love his mom and wants nothing more than to be able to eat her fried chicken again. Their harrowing reunion is almost too painful to watch, as Cheong-san uncontrollably cries when he sees Ji-hyun has turned in her attempt to rescue him from Hyosan High.
Nam On-jo & Lee Su-hyeok
It’s a little bit awkward to think back at how On-jo rejected Cheong-san for Su-yeok, while Su-yeok rejected On-jo for Nam-ra. These choices arguably worked out in the end, though, as Nam-ra needed Su-hyeok’s reassurance to stick around, and On-jo became good friends with Su-hyeok in the end.
Their friendship develops into an unbreakable and unique bond that could only be shared by those who have had to endure zombies, deaths, Nam-ra’s disappearance, and more together. There’s also still potential that the two of them will rethink the nature of their relationship in the future, which has many fans excited.
Choi Nam-ra & Lee Su-hyeok
Whether fans agree with their pairing or not, it’s undeniable that there’s chemistry between Nam-ra and Su-hyeok. They’re among the students with the best fighting ability in All of Us Are Dead, so together, they make for a pretty badass duo.
It’s also touching how Su-hyeok defends Nam-ra against the rest of the group when they try to kick her out. Nam-ra, of course, effortlessly repays this kindness by protecting Su-hyeok when Gwi-nam almost kills him in the staircase scene. There’s no telling if they can still get back together now that Nam-ra is a halfbie – viewers will have to wait and see in season 2.
Nam On-jo & Lee Cheong-san
Cheong-san and On-jo have that classic adorable K-drama relationship that fans know and love. Before the outbreak, there was a lighthearted will-they-won’t-they dynamic that transformed after the zombies took over Hyosan.
On-jo shows her concern and compassion for Cheong-san in subtle ways, as she pretends to be annoyed when she’s actually just scared for him. Cheong-san, on the other hand, may stay quiet at first about his love for her, but he shows that he cares through his bold actions. It’s not surprising, but still heartbreaking, that Cheong-san sacrifices himself in the end to ensure her safety – some viewers likely hope that wasn’t the last they saw of the likable character.