TL;DR
All of Us Are Dead Season 2 wraps filming mid-February 2026, but likely won’t release until 2027. Not on Netflix’s 2026 schedule despite online rumors. Original cast returns plus Squid Game actors.
If you’ve been holding your breath for All of Us Are Dead to return, you might want to exhale. The cameras are still rolling on Season 2, and while filming is getting closer to the finish line, mid-February 2026 is the target, that doesn’t mean we’ll be dodging zombies on Netflix anytime soon.
The Korean zombie thriller took the streaming world by storm back in January 2022, racking up 55.5 million views in its first three months alone. That kind of explosive debut made it the second-most-watched Korean series on Netflix at the time, trailing only behind Squid Game. Not bad company to keep. But here’s the catch: it’s been nearly four years since that first season dropped, and fans are still waiting.
The Long, Frustrating Road to Season 2
Netflix announced the renewal in June 2022, which should’ve been cause for celebration. Instead, what followed was radio silence so deafening that fans started wondering if the show had been quietly shelved. The original plan called for filming to kick off in 2024, but delays pushed everything back to 2025. No official explanation was given, leaving the fandom to speculate about everything from scheduling conflicts to script rewrites.
What’s remarkable is that despite this extended drought, people haven’t stopped watching. Between January 2023 and June 2025 alone, the series picked up another 33.2 million views. That’s the kind of sustained interest most shows would kill for, zombie apocalypse or otherwise. It proves the series has serious staying power, even when there’s no new content to promote.
Where Things Stand Right Now
Filming finally got underway in July 2025, meaning the production has been grinding away for about six months now. The schedule calls for cameras to stop rolling by mid-February 2026, though some cast members have already wrapped their parts. Lomon, who plays Lee Su Hyeok, has already moved on to his next project, the K-drama Beauty in the Beast. Additional shooting is planned for January 17 and 18, 2026, at the Gangwon Provincial Government Building, suggesting they’re putting the finishing touches on specific sequences.
But here’s where expectations need a reality check. Online chatter has been buzzing about a December 2026 release date. Sounds great, right? The problem is there’s zero concrete evidence backing up that timeline. More tellingly, All of Us Are Dead is nowhere to be found on Netflix’s official 2026 K-drama release schedule. That’s not a guarantee it won’t surprise us with a late-year drop, but let’s be honest—it’s a pretty big red flag.
The Post-Production Reality
Even if filming wraps on schedule in February, there’s the entire post-production process to consider. This isn’t some low-budget indie film. We’re talking about a zombie series that requires extensive visual effects, sound design, and color grading. The first season’s quality didn’t happen overnight, and Netflix will want Season 2 to match or exceed those production values.
Realistically, you’re looking at several months minimum for post-production alone. Then factor in Netflix’s own scheduling priorities—they’re not going to dump a major Korean series into the market without strategic planning. A 2027 release suddenly starts looking a lot more probable than December 2026.
Who’s Coming Back (And Who’s New)
The core group of survivors is returning, which should please fans who’ve been invested in these characters since day one. Park Ji Hu returns as Nam On Jo, while Yoon Chan Young is back as Lee Cheong San. The full returning roster includes Cho Yi Hyun, Lomon, Lee Eun Saem, Ha Seung Ri, Lim Jae Hyeok, and Kim Bo Yun, reprising their roles as the ragtag group of students who made it through Season 1’s nightmare.
The new blood joining the cast brings some interesting credentials. Seo Ji Hoon from Prison Playbook is on board, along with not one but two actors from Squid Game—Nah Jae Won and Kim Si Eun. Lee Min Jae (Weak Hero Class 2) and Yoon Ga Yi (Family Matters) round out the fresh faces. That’s a solid mix of established talent and rising stars, suggesting the writers are expanding the universe rather than just rehashing the first season’s formula.
What the Delay Means for the Show
Here’s a question worth asking: does this extended gap between seasons actually hurt the show’s momentum? Conventional wisdom says yes. In the streaming era, striking while the iron’s hot typically yields better results. But All of Us Are Dead might be an exception to that rule.
Those 33.2 million views during the interim period suggest the series has transcended being just a fleeting trend. It’s become something fans return to, recommend to others, and genuinely care about seeing continued. That kind of organic, sustained engagement can’t be manufactured with marketing dollars.
Still, Netflix has to be mindful of not testing fans’ patience too much. Four years is already pushing it. Stretching it to five years (if we’re looking at a late 2027 release) risks losing casual viewers who’ve moved on to the next big thing. The hardcore fans will stick around, but Netflix needs more than hardcore fans to justify the production costs.
The Bigger Picture
The delays and uncertainty surrounding All of Us Are Dead Season 2 reflect broader challenges in the streaming industry. Productions have gotten more complex and expensive. Global productions face coordination challenges. And Netflix itself has become more selective about what it greenlights and how it schedules releases.
The fact that the series is still moving forward at all speaks to Netflix’s confidence in the property. They could’ve quietly killed it after the renewal announcement, blaming “creative differences” or some other vague corporate-speak. Instead, they’re investing time and resources into making sure Season 2 lives up to expectations.
Managing Expectations
So where does this leave fans? In a familiar position for anyone who follows K-dramas on Netflix: waiting. The good news is that filming is actually happening. The production isn’t vaporware or stuck in development hell. Real actors are on real sets, shooting real scenes that will eventually land on the platform.
The not-so-good news is that “eventually” probably means 2027 rather than late 2026. It’s frustrating, especially when online rumors get hopes up prematurely. But if the extra time translates to a season that matches the quality and intensity of the first, most fans will agree it was worth the wait.
After all, if we’ve survived this long without new episodes, a few more months won’t kill us. Unlike the characters on screen, we’ve got that luxury.
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