#Alive

When a brutal viral outbreak sweeps a city, gamer Oh Joon-woo locks his apartment door and cuts off contact, watching the outside world fall apart through his screens. Supplies run short, electricity and signals waver, and Joon-woo has to use creativity, online connections, and sheer stubbornness to survive inside a cramped high-rise. He witnesses neighbors vanish and dangers multiply outside the windows, while occasional digital contact offers slim chances of rescue. The story follows his daily grind to stay alive, cope with isolation, and figure out whether someone else is alive nearby. It keeps the perspective small while suggesting a country rapidly decaying into chaos outside.

Released in 2020, #Alive was directed by Cho Il and credits Matt Naylor as creator, starring Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye. The compact, cast-driven production relied on tight sets and digital effects to depict the urban outbreak, with sparse footage.

The film had a modest theatrical presence, but found a substantially larger audience through international streaming releases, which amplified its visibility and boosted the profiles of Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye beyond domestic box office returns.

#Alive connected with audiences who saw echoes of real-world social isolation, sparking commentary on dependence on smartphones and online ties. Its confined-apartment approach reinvigorated interest in single-location thrillers and helped highlight South Korea's ability to refresh zombie and survival subgenres for global viewers, and spawned active online fan discussions worldwide.

Critics and audiences generally praised its tense atmosphere and strong lead performances, reflected in a roughly 7.2/10 user rating, while some reviewers found plot beats familiar. The film focuses on isolation, technology's role in connection and survival, and often moral strain, and how ordinary people respond under collapsing social order.