Author Cheon Seon-ran and the good side of the zombie apocalypse

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Author Cheon Seon-ran and the good side of the zombie apocalypse

Published: 28 Oct. 2025, 19:00

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Author Cheon Seon-ran [KWEN HYEK-JAE]

What if the end of the world wasn’t a tragedy, but a chance to begin again? In Cheon Seon-ran’s new collection of linked short stories, the zombie apocalypse doesn’t just end life as we know it — it reveals what else life could be.

These scenes are depicted in Cheon’s new short story collection, “Where No One Comes,” which will be published on Oct. 27. Though the time and place change across the book’s three parts, they all share the same universe — Earth has collapsed following a zombie virus outbreak.

The cover of Cheon Seon-ran's new short story collection, “Where No One Comes″ [HUBBLE]

In the first story, set in the year 2109 and aboard a spaceship bound for “Ersa,” a fictional planet 320 light years from Earth, the protagonist Ok-ju wakes from hibernation. A voice, belonging to her colleague Meilin, says, “Ok-ju, the world’s over.” The Earth they left behind has perished due to a massive infection.

The second story is set back on Earth, five years after the zombie outbreak, where a few survivors remain. One of them, protagonist Je-bi meets Eun-mi and her daughter Noh-yun, who has a developmental disability. Eun-mi tells her daughter, “You don’t have to stop singing. The world’s ended, so nothing has meaning any more.”

In the third story, in a much later future, Earth is inhabited only by zombies, animals and plants. Just before undergoing assisted suicide, “I,” in first person, am left in a coma after my doctor becomes infected. After waking up much later, I listen to a recording left behind by my now-zombified wife: “The world’s ended. Completely destroyed.”

“When I create a universe, it always feels like a missed opportunity to show only one life. A single world can contain so many different lives — that’s what draws me to writing linked stories,” Cheon told the JoongAng Ilbo in an interview on Oct. 21, explaining why she gravitates toward interconnected storylines.

Cheon began her literary career in 2019 with “A Broken Bridge,” published on the online platform BritG, run by publishing house Minumsa's affiliate Golden Bough. That same year, she won the grand prize at the Korea Science Literature Award for her novel “A Thousand Blues,” which was published in print in 2020.

As of this October, “A Thousand Blues” has sold 200,000 copies over 48 printings. Set in a near future where humanoid robots are common, it has become Cheon’s best-known work. It was adapted for both stage and musical theater last year, and in May, Warner Bros. Pictures announced a film adaptation is in the works.

Cheon has released a new story, long or short, nearly every year since her debut. But “Where No One Comes” holds special meaning for her. It was conceptualized six years ago and contracted with publisher Hubble before she even won the Korea Science Literature Award. She has often cited “zombie apocalypse” as one of her favorite genres in essays and interviews.

Author Cheon Seon-ran [KWEN HYEK-JAE]

After writing the third part “Do You Know Us” of “Where No One Comes,” which centers on a queer couple, Cheon went back and revised the first and second parts significantly.

“Once I started writing the third story, I had this thought — the end of the world feels dark and heavy, but is it really miserable for everyone? For some people, the collapse of existing systems could be liberating. That’s where the third story came from, and it helped me finish the others too,” she said.

The characters in “Where No One Comes” are people often excluded or marginalized by mainstream systems. Part one centers on individuals who have experienced domestic violence and form an alternative family. Part two follows disabled and nondisabled people caring for one another in the rubble left behind by the outbreak. While embracing the allure of the zombie genre, Cheon explores relationships that become more visible — and more meaningful — after institutional collapse. The characters share, in one way or another, a wide-reaching definition of love.

Cheon revealed more about her creative mind and her stories. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Author Cheon Seon-ran [KWEN HYEK-JAE]

Q. How does it feel to have completed this long-awaited novel?

A. When I was serializing my debut novel ‘A Broken Bridge,’ I actually published the first and second parts of ‘Where No One Comes’ as short stories. That’s when someone from Hubble’s marketing team reached out to me. Later on, I happened to win the Korea Science Literature Award for ‘A Thousand Blues.’ I think I kept delaying ‘Where No One Comes’ because I really wanted to finish it properly.

Characters in your book often say ‘the world’s ended.’ What do they mean by that?

There’s kind of an unspoken ‘finally’ in front of that line. Like, ‘Wake up — the world’s ended. It’s the world you always wanted.’ It’s not meant to be heavy or tragic.

Was anything different about writing this book compared to your earlier works?

After ‘A Thousand Blues,’ I started wondering what kinds of things I should write as an author — what kind of messages I wanted to send. But when I wrote ‘The Moss Forest’ [2023] and ‘Mouer’ [2024], I told myself to just write what I love. With ‘Where No One Comes,’ I felt even more liberated. I used to write novels as a way to understand the world. Now, I feel like I’m inviting people into my world instead.

Author Cheon Seon-ran [KWEN HYEK-JAE]

What do you find compelling about the zombie genre?

Zombies are a dystopia that only humans can feel. The idea that a dead person can come back to find you — that’s terrifying and sad, but also deeply loving. I mean, how badly must you want to see someone for them to rise from the dead? That’s powerful.

Any zombie stories you especially liked?

The 2007 movie ‘I Am Legend,’ which is based on Richard Matheson’s novel. I liked how it really captured the loneliness of being the last human left.

Do you have any goals or plans as a novelist?

Just to keep writing, without burning out. ‘Where No One Comes’ will probably be my last release this year. But I think readers can expect another zombie story from me soon.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI HYE-RI [[email protected]]