MovieChat Forums > Busanhaeng (2016) Discussion > How it all started (the zombie virus)

How it all started (the zombie virus)

posted 8 years ago by nuramira12
17 replies | jump to latest

At the beginning of the movie, we can see an area being sanitised because there was a small leak at a nearby nuclear plant. After the scene in which a doe is accidentally run over, we'll see that it staggers to its feet and turns to reveal that it is infected.

So my theory about how it all started is that the doe is the first carrier of the virus. It got infected because it died in the leaked nuclear plant area. Just like in 'The Walking Dead' series, you'll get infected by the virus if you die, even if you are not bitten. Thus, if the truck guy didn't hit the doe, there wouldn't be any zombie situation (of course, if anyone else is not dying in the area).

This is just what i assume. I'm sure there are other theories as well :)
I love this movie!!!

[–] hennaliu22 8 years ago

Interesting theory!

[–] fastdontlie 8 years ago

Mr. Kim said to the protagonist that they are responsible for the outbreak but I cannot really understand why he said that.

"Let them Hate as long as they Fear"

[–] Giraffe_Monster 8 years ago

Because they worked with/for the company that had the power plants, which were responsible for the outbreak.

Fine, fine, I'll leave! But first I'm going to bother these peanuts! Hmm? Yes? Hmm? HMM?

[–] Sword_or_Pen 8 years ago

Because they needed a way to kill off the main character and have it be karmically okay.

[–] danixdefcon5 8 years ago

Mr. Kim said to the protagonist that they are responsible for the outbreak but I cannot really understand why he said that.

Kim says that one of the companies they saved from bankruptcy (through ethically questionable means) was Yeosung Bio... which was the one responsible for the current outbreak.

[–] johnlee1 8 years ago

Kim says that one of the companies they saved from bankruptcy (through ethically questionable means)

You got it right. The translated English subtitles are incomplete here and there.

The lead (father) and his subordinate, both asset managers, had been covertly engaged in illegal stock market manipulation prior to the events in the film, ending up saving a biotech corporation that would otherwise have been out of business. It was its plant where the leak and outbreak all started, which the main lead was told by his subordinate over that phone call.

[–] jdiz115 8 years ago

Holy *beep* thank you

[–] bizhop2 8 years ago

"So my theory about how it all started is that the doe is the first carrier of the virus. It got infected because it died in the leaked nuclear plant area. Just like in 'The Walking Dead' series, you'll get infected by the virus if you die, even if you are not bitten. Thus, if the truck guy didn't hit the doe, there wouldn't be any zombie situation (of course, if anyone else is not dying in the area). "

not so... In the walking dead, everyone is infected. Once they died, they turned. In this movie, you turned without dying. The jerk at the end turned before dying. There is a flaw though. If animals can also turn, then they are not safe anywhere.

[–] phantom_pixie 8 years ago

There is a flaw though. If animals can also turn, then they are not safe anywhere.

It's not a flaw. It's brilliant. It's to prove that even if you get away from the emediate danger, any little thing can still be the death of you. It's to prove hopelessness and that once the virus is out, it is allready to late. Your can run but you can't hide.

X ~We are the people our parents warned us about

[–] marlock 8 years ago

Yep ,thats what I belive too,otherwise pretty unecessary scene.. other scenarios could be that it leaked out into the water somehow, due to the mass outbreak in such a short time since all along the way to Busan people already became infected with the virus.

[–] mv5 8 years ago

Interesting theory, but I have a feeling many things got infected and the doe was just one of them. After all if it was only the doe it would have to go bite a human, and if zombiefication makes humans eat humans.. wouldnt it make deer get craving for other deer? Lol

[–] superharrybird 8 years ago

nope , everyone turn so fast that there wasnt any scene where anyone is eaten like in the walking dead. Once someone is infected ,they just move on.

[–] vilafire 8 years ago

But how do you explain the dead fish from the beginning?

[–] Unicorn_Blade 8 years ago

Zombie fish! :)

In the beginning there was nothing, and it exploded.

[–] sebaser 8 years ago

Isnt the first scene to show us negligence and cut corners the company had?
I dont think that is the particular moment the outbreak started, its just to show why it started,

[–] citysign-49798 8 years ago

When the protagonist, a fund manager, was talking on the phone with his collegue, he was told that it had all started in Yeosung Bio, a biotech company they helped through dishonest means to avoid bankruptcy.

[–] Unicorn_Blade 8 years ago

Interesting theory- don't think it was the same thing as TWD- in TWD everyone already contracted the virus and turned when they died. Here I think you physically need to be in touch with it- the deer was already exposed to whatever toxin was released by the leak, maybe by drinking poisoned water. People working in the company would be the first humans exposed to it, alongside guards later on desinfecting the vehicles.
We have not seen any of this really happen, so hard to tell how it started.

In the beginning there was nothing, and it exploded.