In the South Korean fantasy series Hellbound, a supernatural being that resembles an angel predicts when a person will pass away. Three demons or executors from hell show complete damnation on the day of prophesy and remove the person’s soul. A voluntary religious group called The New Truth interprets the damnation and refers to it as divine vengeance among this senseless mayhem. They instil terror in individuals in order to advance their cause of establishing a moral society. Jung Jinsu, its chairman and creator, asserts that these paranormal events are God’s method of punishing sinners. But even Chairman Jung has his secrets, just like all cult leaders do. What is he concealing?
Based on a webtoon of the same name, Yeon Sang-Hellbound, ho’s which he also directed, was written by Choi Kyu-sok. Six episodes make up Season 1 of the Netflix series.
Hellbound Plot Summary
On November 10, 2022, Joo Myeonghun, 36, was attacked by three demons who had materialised in a coffee shop close to Hapjeong Station. They mercilessly attacked the victim, took his soul, and then vanished.
Soon after the tragedy, police detectives Jin Kyeong-hoon and Eunpyo are given the task of looking into the religious cult known as The New Truth. The group’s founder and head, Jung Jinsu, has been outspoken about these divine repercussions since since the organisation was created in 2012. The group also has The Arrowhead, a hardline or extremist branch that doesn’t hesitate to use physical force to further its agenda.
When the patrol squad and detectives arrive at the crime scene, they find that the demons left no physical proof. Therefore, their source cannot be identified. The victim, Joo, was accused of many charges of fraud and abuse, Chairman Jung tells one of his supporters as Detective Jin comes across a small group of The New Truth volunteers. He claims that his damnation was intended to serve justice as a result. God chastised him because of his transgression.
Jin notices his adolescent daughter Heejung helping Jung after the party. Jin, who is enraged, tells her daughter to go. As Jung tells the two investigators about his past and impoverished upbringing, they accompany him on public transportation.
Before departing, Jung explains to Jin that he is merely a representative of God who spreads the message of God’s desire for people to live more moral lives. People are terrified of this punishment and refrain from committing sin as a result. Jin disagrees and asserts that if these punishments constitute divine vengeance, God must genuinely believe that people lack agency over their own lives. The antagonism between these two important characters is established in this moment, and the Hellbound series develops it further.
Warning: Major Spoilers
Why did Chairman Jung create The New Truth?
Chairman Jung summoned Detective Jin to the wreckage of his Catholic orphanage, Yulhye Angels Haven, at the conclusion of Hellbound Episode 3. He told Jin that he had received a premonition from the same place 20 years prior. He was informed by the angel that he would pass away 20 years later at 10:30 PM.
Jung claimed that although he had never sinned before to the prophecy since he only wanted God to bring his mother back, God nonetheless foretold that he would go to hell. The huge insight showed that these decisions were random and didn’t just affect sinners.
Jung spent his formative years looking for a justifiable explanation for this peculiar event, but he came up empty-handed. Since the day he received the decree, he has been in constant suffering, which has only made him more righteous. Jung desired for all to experience the same terror. He established The New Truth and propagandised. But as the people saw these damnations, the genuine popularity began to grow. They began to take Jung’s statements seriously and felt his fear. According to Jung, the fear of God would finally deliver people from their sins and increase righteousness in the world.
But his ideas didn’t last long. Pastor Kim Jeongchil quickly took over the group after he passed away. He insulted the families of individuals who got a decree and held open demonstrations of the damnations to terrorise the populace. With his tyrannical ideas, he transformed The New Truth into a radical society.
What happened to Detective Jin?
Drug addict Kim Changsik murdered Detective Jin’s wife. Thought to have committed the murder while under the influence of durg, the court nevertheless freed Kim after six years. Chairman Jung exploited the incident to convince Heejung, Jin’s daughter, to put Kim to death. He portrayed it as damnation, much to the incident that took place next to Hapjeong Station.
To take advantage of Detective Jin, Chairman Jung set up Heejung. He offered him two choices. Pastor Kim Jeongchil would have revealed Heejung’s transgression if Jin had made the decision to tell everyone the truth—that these damnations had nothing to do with sins committed by people. Jin would have had to take his own daughter into custody in that scenario.
Jin, however, put aside his self-righteousness and kept Chairman Jung’s demonstration a secret from the public in order to protect his daughter.
What happened to Min Hyejin?
Lawyer Min declared war on The New Truth and its extremist organisation, Arrowhead. However, pastor Kim Jeongchil attempted to murder her at the conclusion of Hellbound Episode 3. Thankfully, she was protected by police sirens and escaped the assault.
Min Hyejin and Professor Gong Hyeongjun founded their own company, Sodo, four years later (named after her original law firm). The covert group offered assistance to anyone who obtained a decree. The New Truth’s deacons began threatening the families of people who received a decree while pastor Kim Jeongchil was in charge. The Sodo Firm shielded the victims from discovery in order to preserve their anonymity. They held that there was no connection between these paranormal occurrences and sins, yet the New Truth followed the falsehood mindlessly.
Min Hyejin sought to expose the New Truth’s dictatorship and put an end to it. When a baby named Toughie received a decree, she was finally given the chance.
How did Min Hyejin plan to expose The New Truth?
It was predicted that Sohyun Song’s child would pass away in three days. Min Hyejin asserted that original sin and redemption were not concepts in The New Truth beliefs. Simply put, The New Truth adherents held that because people choose to sin, these decrees took place. But what sin could a baby possibly commit?
Min Hyejin made the decision to capture the infant’s protest after it was given a directive in order to reveal The New Truth.
Did Toughie Survive? What happened to Producer Bae and Sohyun Song?
Producer Bae Youngjae, the baby’s father, his wife Sohyun Song, and Min sought refuge at Lee Dongwook’s residence. He was a former Arrowhead member who used to record videos while wearing a skull mask to spread their extreme ideas. Lee, who believed that he had never committed a sin and that this decree could apply to anyone, left the organisation the day after receiving a decree since he felt that anyone could receive one.
Five minutes after the infant was born, Lee was predicted to pass away. Lee was informed by Pastor Kim that God had erred in foretelling the death of a newborn child and was attempting to right the wrong by murdering Lee. Lee, in his crazed state, attacked Min, Producer Bae, and Sohyun after convincing himself that he was carrying out God’s plan.
As soon as the demons emerged in the apartment, Sohyun fled and began pursuing Toughie. Producer Bae soon joined the mother in her haste to defend her child. While the neighbours captured the parents’ loving and protective gesture toward the infant, Bae and Sohyun encircled the child. Bae and Sohyun were burned to death by the demons, but Toughie was spared because of his parents’ sacrifice. However, Min Hyejin stepped in and stopped Lee Dongwook from killing Toughie. Lee was murdered by the demons before he could harm the infant.
To seize the child and arrest Min, the members of the New Truth and Arrowhead arrived outside the building. Deacon Yuji’s path was blocked by the neighbours, who also assisted Min in escaping with the Toughie. Yuji was charged for deceiving the people in the name of God, according to an elderly man. The audience demonstrated their doubt for the New Truth, and Yuji became aggressive. He assaulted the elderly man, which led to his arrest for battery.
Who was the Taxi Driver who helped Min?
At the conclusion of Hellbound Season 1, Min Hyejin and Toughie were shown riding in a taxi. The driver talked about his views on human autonomy. He asserted that since humans inhabit this earth, they should be able to resolve their differences independently of divine intervention.
Detective Jin, coincidentally, shared the same viewpoint. Three times in the series, the dialogue was emphasised, especially to highlight the story’s subject. Although the taxi driver’s face wasn’t clearly shown in the last sequence, Detective Jin might have been there.
Perhaps Detective Jin quit his position following Chairman Jung’s protest. He was unable to apprehend his daughter after she had murdered someone. Perhaps he decided to become a taxi driver because his conscience forbade him from being a police officer. The ideal reunion with Min Hyejin would be shown if this taxi driver was Detective Jin.
Hellbound Ending, Explained Will there be a Season 2?
Toughie lived because the demons didn’t steal the life they were after. Instead, they murdered Producer Bae and Sohyun Song, his parents. The process of divine vengeance was damaged by these beings if the laws of heaven and hell are unchangeable. They made a mistake, and a woman came back to life. Episode 3’s Park Jungja, who was consigned to hell, was resurrected.
There could be a variety of explanations for her resurrection. Her resurrection, in my opinion, was Min’s atoning deed. Professor Gong revealed to Bae that Min held herself accountable for Park’s in-public protest. Thus, uncovering the New Truth became her goal.
Only humans are able to save humanity if Jin’s theory of human autonomy is accurate. Being a human could halt or reverse these paranormal occurrences. Min’s decision to save the infant and the parents’ sacrifice led to Park Jungja’s resurrection, if saving one life equals rescuing all of humanity. These are only ideas, though, and it’s likely that Season 2 of Hellbound will provide more information about the beginnings of these demons and Park Jungja’s resurrection.
Yeon Sang-ho is the creator of the supernatural drama series Hellbound. Netflix offers a streaming version.
