Newtopia Sets New Record on Coupang Play and Impresses Viewers
The Coupang Play original drama Newtopia, starring Park Jeong-min and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, has made an impressive start, lighting up the box office with its fresh blend of romance and zombie horror. The show has received praise for its unique storyline, and it even set a new platform record upon its release.
According to Coupang Play, Newtopia achieved the highest viewership ever for a Coupang Play series after its episodes 1 and 2 aired on the 7th. It surpassed the record set by the action series Family Plan, starring Bae Doona and Ryu Seung-beom, which had the best opening score at the end of last year. This milestone was reached just two months after Family Plan’s record.
The audience’s response has been overwhelmingly positive. Newtopia tells the story of military officer Jae-yoon (Park Jung-min) and his girlfriend Yeong-ju (Jisoo) as they navigate through a zombie-infested Seoul to reach each other. The show’s combination of zombie horror and a light-hearted romantic comedy has garnered praise for its innovative genre blending.
This favorable reception is reflected in the ratings. On Coupang Play’s platform, it has scored 4.1 out of 5 stars, with an even higher rating of 4.3 on the viewer’s score. On the integrated content ranking platform KINO LIGHTS, the drama earned a solid score of 85.71 out of 100, surpassing Family Plan’s first-week score of 83.
Despite being filmed in July of last year, Newtopia has drawn significant online attention for its storyline, which closely mirrors recent events and societal issues. Notably, the plot features a sudden zombie outbreak followed by a national emergency martial law declaration, leaving both civilians and soldiers in chaos.
Additionally, a plane crash scene in the drama, intended to depict the dramatic fallout of the zombie outbreak, has sparked some discomfort among viewers. This scene bears a striking resemblance to the tragic plane crash that occurred in December. Director Yoon Sung-hyun explained, “The scene was in the original script, and it’s a key moment that signals the start of the story. I thought it was important to stay faithful to the script in this instance.”
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