‘All of Us Are Dead’ Lee Eun-saem Got a Nickname From Fans for Her Foul-Mouthed Character
The cast of Netflix‘s All of Us Are Dead is receiving love and praise from fans. The Korean drama stars rising young actors who play the role of high school teenagers amid a zombie outbreak at school. Actor Lee Eun-saem played the supporting role of Park Mi-jin in All of Us Are Dead. Her character is a bit of a delinquent, has a bad attitude, and is prone to using swear words. Mi-jin’s constant use of foul language earned the actor a nickname from K-drama fans.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers from All of Us Are Dead.]
Lee Eun-saem’s ‘All of Us Are Dead’ character swears whenever possible
While the K-drama is centered on rabid zombies, there is an impeccable realism with its teenage characters. The teen characters have unique quirks beyond childhood crushes, first kisses, and unbreakable friendships. There is no masking that teenagers use swear words when among friends. The character Mi-jin takes it to a new level.
Fans first meet her in the girl’s bathroom, smoking a cigarette. Fans see firsthand that she is more prone to violence. Her favorite Korean swear word translates to the popular “sh*t” or “f*ck.” Other characters use the word, but Mi-jin uses it more often to the point the actor got a nickname.
According to The Korea Herald, All of Us Are Dead fans nicknamed Lee “Ms. Shibal.” The Korean word “shibal” is tricky. It is commonly used as a swear word by Koreans. But the word can be trouble for foreigners learning the language. The Korean word for 18 is pronounced: “ship-pal.” Mispronouncing the number can lead Koreans to believe the curse word is being used instead.
Lee Eun-saem was worried about her character’s swearing in ‘All of Us Are Dead’
The K-drama is rated for more mature audiences. Its storyline includes violence, gore, sexual misconduct, and bullying. Despite the themes in All of Us Are Dead, Lee was worried about Mi-jin’s foul language.
“Watching some parts of the series before the official release, I was concerned that the viewers might feel a little uncomfortable after hearing so many swear words from me,” explained the actor. Lee never expected All of Us Are Dead fans to like her character so much and give her a nickname.
When practicing her lines and character, she was hesitant to do it in front of her family. Lee likely felt using swear words in front of her grandmother and parents was disrespectful.
“I never practiced acting in front of my family, but I asked for tips and advice from my father and grandmother after showing some of my character’s lines. Mi-jin is a strong, tough character. I did not wish to ruin any of her characteristics by using clumsy insults,” Lee explained. Fans came to love Mi-jin’s spunky attitude.
What happens to Mi-jin in ‘All of Us Are Dead’?
The lovable and foul-mouthed Mi-jin thankfully has a good ending in the K-drama. She manages to escape to a girl’s bathroom after the outbreak. While smoking, she learns there are two other students, Yoo Jun-seong (Yang Han-yeol) and Ha-lim. Hearing Ha-lim says she does not feel OK, Mi-jin realizes she is turning and uses a broken mop to kill her.
She and Jun-seong hide in the bathroom for some time until Jang Ha-ri (Ha Seung-ri) and another archery student join them. They form their own group to survive. They make a plan to find Ha-ri’s brother and the others to get to safety.
The characters find shelter in the gym but Jun-seong is badly wounded. Having become friends with Mi-jin, he sacrifices himself to keep them safe. The characters find the main crew of Cheong-san and the others. While trapped in an equipment room, they use the equipment to make a cage to escape.
After some emotional deaths, Mu-jin survives with the remaining characters and gets to the safety facility. She is also present when they learn Nam-ra is alive.
