Yeon Sang-ho's 2016 film Train to Busan was a worldwide hit, captivating audiences with its horrifying zombies and tight action. Train to Busan Presents: Penninsula, picks up 4 years in the future and follows ex-soldier Jung-Seok as he tries to recover $20 million from a truck stuck deep within the zombie-infested territory.
The film is full of action and hordes of undead, as well as a number of details that some viewers may have missed the first time they watched the film. Fans of the franchise will certainly want to see if they were keen enough to notice these easy-to-miss elements.
Jung-Seok Is An Officer In The Korean Marines
At the start of the film, Jung-Seok is seen driving towards a ferry with his sister and her family. He is dressed in military fatigues, so it's obvious that he is a soldier of some kind.
Later, a fellow Korean soldier addresses him as captain, revealing that he is an officer. However, perceptive viewers would have been able to deduce that Jung-Seok is a member of the marine corps based upon his uniform and knowledge of the marine base where he and his family go to evacuate.
The Mobster Boss Is Played By Geoffrey Guiliana, A Biographer Of The Beatles
Upon losing his sister and nephew, Jung-Seok spends the next four years as a refugee in Hong Kong. His life suddenly changes when he is hired by a mobster to return to Korea to retrieve $20 million from an abandoned truck.
Music fans may have recognized the actor who plays the mob boss who hires Jung-Seok as author Geoffrey Guiliana, a biographer of the Beatles. While he now works mostly as an actor, Guiliana has written a number of biographies of famous rockstars including John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
South Korea Is Referred To In The Movie As The Penninsula
The zombie plague in Train to Busan spreads so quickly that the entire country is overrun in only one day. While North Korea manages to avoid being overwhelmed by hordes of zombies, South Korea is not so lucky.
Those lucky few who manage to escape are no longer referred to as Koreans, as their country no longer exists. Instead, they are called refugees, while South Korea is referred to as the "Penninsula," particularly by those who are hostile to the refugees.
The Destruction Of The Incheon Bridge Symbolizes The Breakdown Of The Country
During the scene where Jung-Seok and Chul-min sail into Incheon Port, they both look up to see a bridge that has fallen into ruin. The bridge in question is the Incheon Bridge, South Korea's longest spanning cable-stayed bridge.
Such a sight may not mean much to international fans, but it would certainly stick out to Korean viewers. The bridge is a symbol of Korean ingenuity and progress, so the image of it destroyed symbolizes the collapse of civilization in the country.
Joon's Truck Is Covered In Cute Drawings
Upon finding the truck full of money, Jung-seok and his fellow thieves are attacked by Unit 631 and hordes of zombies. For a moment, Jung-seok appears as if he is about to be overwhelmed by the undead, but he is suddenly saved by the slick-driving Joon and her little sister, Yu-jin.
Before Jung-seok enters their car, the audience is able to catch a brief glance at the outside of the vehicle. Attentive fans may have noticed several drawings on the door of the truck, likely made by Yu-jin, which lends the scene a disturbingly sweet quality, something that would only be possible in Korean horror.
The Truck Full Of Money Is An SSG Grocery Truck
At first, it's not clear why Unit 631 attacks Jung-seok and the others. The former soldiers could not have possibly known what was inside the truck, yet they are ecstatic at having taken it.
Once the soldiers return to their base, it becomes clear that they thought the truck was full of food, hence their excitement. However, in-the-know viewers could've pieced that together from the SSG logo on the side of the truck, which indicates it's from one of Korea's largest luxury food stores.
The Number Drawn On Chul-Min Is The Same As Former MLB Pitcher Chan Ho Park
The soldiers of Unit 631 play a sick game where they force people to survive in an arena filled with zombies. Before Chul-min is forced to go into the arena, the soldiers paint the number 61 on him to facilitating betting on who will survive the game.
Baseball fans likely noticed that the soldiers gave Chul-min his number in honor of Chan Ho Park, a Korean baseball player. To this day, he holds the most career wins for any Asian-born player in MLB history.
Chul-Min Survives In The Arena For 2 Minutes
When Chul-min is forced into the arena with the other "wild dogs," he is uncertain how the game is played. However, once the arena is flooded with zombies, it quickly becomes apparent that he must survive for as long as possible.
Viewers with sharp eyes may have noticed the LED sign above the arena with the number 120 lit up inside its border. A moment's thought reveals that Chul-min and the other participants must survive in the arena for 2 minutes before the arena doors open, which is a horrifying prospect and also incredibly impressive.
The Chase Scene Draws Influences From Mad Max: Fury Road
Most forms of media drawn influence from others, and Train to Busan Presents: Penninsula is no exception. According to the director, Yeon Sang-ho, he drew influence from a number of sources including the films of George Romero and The Walking Dead.
In addition to these horror movie influences, some movie buffs may also have noticed Yeon Sang-ho's nod to the Mad Max franchise. The chase scene at the end of the movie is like something right out of Fury Road, complete with crazed killers and cars flying all over the place.
Major Jane Actor Bella Rahim Is Actually From Malaysia
Throughout the film, Elder Kim tries to contact someone named Major Jane on his radio. Most of the members of his own family think he is wasting his time, but they humor him regardless. Therefore, it comes as a great surprise to them all when Major Jane turns out to be a UN peacekeeper who comes to their rescue.
Some attentive viewers may have noticed the patch on Major Jane's arm indicating that she is from Malaysia. This is especially fitting given that Bella Rahim, the actor who plays Jane, is a well-known stage actor from Malaysia.