Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Kingdom: Ashin of the North’ On Netflix, A Thrilling Special Episode Of The Korean Drama

K-Dramas provide some of the most interesting content Netflix has to offer; series like Mine, Stranger, Mr. Sunshine, and a slew of others have all proven themselves incredibly bingeable. Kingdom, one of the streamer’s most popular dramas out of South Korea, is a standout, and if you’ve been hungry for more of the story, your wait is over: Kingdom: Ashin of the North is now available to stream, and it sheds light on a mysterious character from the end of Season 2. 

KINGDOM: ASHIN OF THE NORTH: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Kingdom: Ashin of the North kicks things off decades before the start of the Kingdom series, introducing us to a young Ashin (Kim Shi-a), who lives in a border village with her father and ailing mother. Ashin and her village have been shunned as second-class citizens by their own people due to their living on Joseon land for so long, and with the country tense due to the Japanese invasion in the south, their little village is the perfect breeding ground for a violent conflict. While Ashin looks for a mysterious blue “resurrection” flower to save her mother, her family is slaughtered – and so begins Ashin’s journey of grief and revenge.

As Ashin (played by Jun Ji-hyun as an adult) grows up, she also becomes a fierce warrior, mastering the art of archery and letting vengeance boil in her blood as the years go on. She works hard to get in with who she believes are the right people, and plans her revenge slowly and carefully, a thirst for blood pumping through her veins. While all this conflict continues, we also get a glimpse of the origin of the zombie outbreak that has dominated much of Kingdom, and the role Ashin played in it all.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Kingdom: Ashin of the North actually gives off some Game of Thrones vibes in its scale and relentlessness, and it might bring to mind some zombie favorites like The Walking Dead on occasion.

Performance Worth Watching: Kim Shi-a turns in a truly gutting performance as young Ashin, a bold, confident girl who has her life ripped away from her in the blink of an eye. It’s not often you see actors this young able to convey the kind of loss and trauma Ashin experiences very well, but she does it beautifully, morphing from innocent child into untrusting, angry young woman in a matter of moments. Her big, sad sobs are enough to make you cry yourself; Kim Shi-a is just that astounding.

Memorable Dialogue: A lot of Kingdom: Ashin of the North relies on its thrilling action, but an early warning to a young Ashin by her father really got me: “Soldiers are more dangerous than monsters.”

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take: Massive in scale and unflinching in its storytelling, Ashin of the North is something of a marvel. It’s not often you see a television series serve up a special episode so cinematic in nature, but Ashin of the North feels like a film in its own right, able to entertain regardless of its connection to Kingdom – it’s just that compelling. Clocking in at just around 93 minutes, it wastes no time introducing us to the action, sending chills down the spine as a deer innocently sparks the gruesome zombie outbreak that will soon sweep the nation.

Ashin of the North is equal parts revenge tale, zombie thriller, and war epic, and it does all of those things just as well as the next. Ashin makes for a fascinating antihero herself, given what might feel like a familiar origin story that evolves into something far from anything we’re used to. You might turn away from some of her actions in disgust, but I’d argue that’s what makes her such an interesting protagonist; none of it is very pretty. It’s rarer than it should be to see women at the center of these kinds of stories, too, which adds a whole other refreshing layer to the episode.

Kingdom: Ashin of the North works because it’s solid, enthralling entertainment for those who are going in blind, and a total treat for fans of the series. The episode also opens up a ton of possibilities for the future of the series and other spin-offs involving any number of the characters from this world. If the future of the Kingdom series is half as good as Ashin of the North, let’s hope they keep ’em coming.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Whether you’ve seen the Kingdom series or not, Kingdom: Ashin of the North offers a genuinely gripping, epic viewing experience that will delight action lovers and zombie enthusiasts alike.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream Kingdom: Ashin of the North