Death Name (2026) is a Korean folklore horror film set in the US. The story opens in Korea when something tragic happens to a woman. Fast forward to the present, a young Korean-American woman, Sophie, starts college. On the first day, Sophie meets other Koreans, but she feels she is different from them. However, Sophie takes a Korean history class, meets a Korean man, and is annoyed by her grandmother, who does not want Sophie to connect with her roots. All of these things make Sophie wish to learn about Korean heritage. This starts with knowing her Korean name. However, as soon as the Korean name is said, eerie things begin to happen to Sophie. At first, Sophie ignores everything, but soon the occurrences become life-or-death. As a result, Sophie learns the sad truth about her ancestors.
This article contains spoilers.
Death Name (2026) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
The film opens with a news story about the Korean War. During that time, Eisenhower visited Korea to show his support. The shot zooms out to show a woman hiding in a closet. A man in a suit and a top hat enters the house. Suddenly, another woman commits suicide in front of this man. The woman in the closet is shaking with fear and is also pregnant. We are in the future, in America, following a young Korean American girl named Sophie Park. It’s the first day of college, and some Koreans ask Sophie if she wants to be a part of the Koreans student group. However, Sophie dismisses them, saying she isn’t that type of Korean. After studying at a community college, Sophie has arrived in this new place, but she does not get the classes she wants because they are full. So, Sophie chooses Korean history as one of her subjects.
In the dorm, Sophie calls her mum, Kelly, to ask why she wasn’t taught Korean and about her Korean name. Additionally, Kelly says Sophie’s grandma did not want Sophie to have a Korean name. Upon hearing this conversation, Sophie’s grandmother starts yelling at Kelly. Now, Gabriel (Sophie’s dad) messages Sophie her Korean name- Park Joo-hyun. As soon as Sophie sees the name, water starts to drip from the ceiling. She hears loud bangs on the door, but when she opens it, there is no one. Suddenly, Sophie’s door opens, and it is her roommate Ari (another Korean girl who gets off on the wrong foot with Sophie). Later, Sophie finds the Korean group and joins them in class. That night, Sophie hangs out with Ari, Ari’s boyfriend Brian, and Kwan. At that moment, Sophie asks Kwan to translate her Korean name, and as soon as he says Joo-hyun, a current passes through him from the phone.
How do Jun and Sophie meet?
After two weeks, Sophie heads home to realise her grandmother has dementia. While having dinner, Sophie’s Korean name is brought up, which makes the grandmother angry. So, Sophie’s parents say, the grandmother thinks the family line is cursed because someone had committed suicide, and this means a weak bloodline in Korea. Later, Sophie tries to apologise to her grandmother, but it turns into another argument as Sophie wants to use her Korean name. So, Sophie’s grandma slaps Sophie. Angrily, Sophie leaves and heads back to college. At a bar, Sophie meets another Korean man, Jun. They take a romantic walk while getting to know each other. At the end of the night, they kiss and exchange contact numbers. The next night, Sophie confronts Ari, wanting to know why Ari does not like her. So, Ari says, unlike American Koreans, families like hers have had to struggle a lot. So, Sophie retorts, saying, ” It’s because of families like hers that the new Korean immigrants are having an easy time in America.
The next day, Sophie goes on a date with Jun, who reveals that he was madly in love before, but the girl betrayed him. To distract Jun, Sophie takes a picture with him. As they talk, Sophie asks Jun to teach him Korean. When Jun asks for Sophie’s Korean name, she says she will reveal it later. That night, the water continues to drip on Sophie as she talks to Kelly about Jun. Now, Kelly asks Sophie to bring Jun home. In the room, Sophie sees a weird shadow and gets scared. Thankfully, Ari and Brian enter the room. The next day, Sophie and Jun visit Sophie’s parents. There, Sophie is shocked to see how bad her grandmother’s health is. Suddenly, Sophie’s grandma starts saying, “Drip, drip, drip.” Now, Jun gives grandma a present, she sees it, thinks it’s pearls (the ones she and her mother were wearing in the first scene), and throws them away, asking Jun to get out of the house, calling him a cursed spirit and saying Sophie is not his to have. Outside, Jun insists Sophie say her Korean name. As soon as Sophie says it’s Joo-hyun, Jun kisses her, which leads them to Sophie’s dorm to have sex.
Who is Jun?
The next morning, Sophie leaves Jun a message and heads to class. Professor Lee discusses the East Asian Library on campus, which houses family genealogy materials. Unfortunately, repairs are going on, so Sophie can’t access the library. That night, Sophie has a nightmare and wakes up with a startle. When Sophie puts her foot down, she gets hurt by a glass shard. Still, Sophie gets ready to meet her Korean friends at Karaoke. After getting drunk, Sophie asks Kwan if he would make a girl wait two days before replying. So, Kwan informs Sophie that she is being ghosted. The others suspect whether Jun is real. So, Sophie shows the picture she took with Jun on their date. In the picture, Jun’s face is smudged. As the trio sings, Sophie sees a video on the TV featuring herself as the girl who meets a boy in a suit with a top hat. When the man lifts his face, the lower part of his mouth is wounded and is falling off. Afraid, Sophie throws an alcohol bottle, which hits Kwan. Afraid, Sophie runs out of the bar.
Outside, Kelly calls Sophie asking her to check on her grandma, since Sophie’s parents are at a trade show and grandma isn’t answering calls. When Sophie goes to her dorm, Grandma is waiting for her. At home, grandma shows a picture of her mother on the night she died. There is an apparition. The story goes that Grandma’s ancestors were Jun’s bride. However, the woman betrayed Jun by having an affair. Because of this, Jun killed himself and became a Gwishin (ghost) that wanted revenge. The revenge is to find the women of this family and drive them to commit suicide to become companions in the afterlife. To save the grandma, her mom sacrificed herself, hoping that would stop the curse. However, Jun promised to come for the grandma and Kelly as well. So the grandma figured that if they moved countries and lived under new names, the curse would be erased. Because Sophie said her Korean name out loud, the curse is back. The only way to help Jun move on is to find out his real name.
Death Name (2026) Movie Ending Explained:
Unfortunately, in all the family’s records, the name is scratched out. Now, the grandma promises to protect Sophie even if it’s the last thing she does. Giving grandma food, Sophie heads out to buy some pills. When Sophie gets home, the grandma is on the floor. In the hospital, the doctors say the grandma does not have a lot of time left. Just then, Jun arrives, asking Sophie to sacrifice herself. So, Sophie makes a deal with Jun: after 48 hours, once Kelly and Gabriel are in town, Sophie will sacrifice herself. Now, Sophie heads to the university. There, Sophie asks Professor Lee to help. Unfortunately, Jun’s real name is scratched everywhere. So, Sophie breaks into the library and rummages through the boxes. Outside, Ari sees Sophie and confronts her. In a panic, Sophie says she needs to find her family history because her life depends on it. Eventually, the girls find a list of names.
They let go of their differences. Now, Ari almost entirely says Sophie’s Korean name, but Sophie stops her. Sadly, the lights flicker, so the girls run. Close to the exit, a crawly ghost starts running towards them, so Ari starts reading the names. When Ari says Chae Gang-il, the ghost disappears. In the hospital, Jun is waiting with a rope and poison, letting Sophie pick her choice of weapon. When Sophie says Chae Gang-il, Jun pretends it affects him, but it does not. Now, Jun gives a knife to Sophie, just as she is about to cut her throat, the grandma wakes up and comes in front of the knife. Before dying, the grandma says her name is Yi Ji-won, and she is sparing Sophie from this curse. A while later, a funeral is held for the grandma. Sophie takes a minute alone to see her photo with Jun. As Sophie does this, she touches her belly. A child opens its eyes and takes a breath.
Towards the end, it seemed like the curse was lifted for Sophie’s family, but we now know Sophie is pregnant with Jun’s baby. This means the curse continues. Can Jun, a ghost, impregnate a mortal human? Maybe we need to put logic aside for this one. For the curse to continue, is it the same process as it was for Sophie? Unless the Korean name is used, will Gang-il not appear? However, abortion is also an option for Sophie to get rid of the curse. We also don’t know why Kelly is unaware of the truth behind the curse. As much as it is a horror story, it also explores what it means to be an immigrant and the difficulties one faces. Sophie and Ari are in America for different reasons, but both their families go through their share of troubles. Drawing on cultural roots, the story takes a folkloric angle to move the story forward.
