Howling (2012) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Oh Gyeong-il did not commit suicide. The self-immolation was triggered by a timer hidden in his trouser belt that ignited the fire. He also had drugs in his system and a large dog bite on his thigh, but no fingerprints were found. Police determined it was a planned murder made to look like a suicide.

• oh gyeong-il
• arson
• timer
• suicide
• murder

Min Tae-shik, a retired police dog trainer, trained the wolf-dog named Jil-Po to kill specific targets. He lived with his drug-addicted daughter and was hired by a corrupt businessman working with a corrupt cop to carry out the killings.

• min tae-shik
• jil-po
• dog trainer
• wolf-dog
• trained killer

The 6th and final target was a minister. After the 5 henchmen connected to sexual exploitation of Jung-ah were killed, the minister was revealed as the final target. He attempted to escape by boat when he learned all his men were dead.

• minister
• sixth target
• jil-po
• kill list
• escape

A corrupt businessman hired Min Tae-shik to train the dog and arranged for the killings. He worked with a corrupt cop who helped orchestrate Oh Gyeong-il's murder by setting up a fake last will and staging the arson as suicide. The victims were connected to a sex ring that exploited Jung-ah.

• corrupt businessman
• conspiracy
• sex ring
• jung-ah
• victims

Jung-ah was a prostitute who had been exploited by 5 of the victims. She was found in a hospital and her clothing was used in the police ambush. The victims had all used her services, and the minister who orchestrated the exploitation was the final target of the revenge plot.

• jung-ah
• prostitute
• hospital
• victims
• exploitation

Sang-gil omitted filing reports on the case progress because he wanted to take all the credit himself and earn a promotion. His boss discovered this concealment just as the second victim was found, putting his career in jeopardy.

• sang-gil
• cover-up
• promotion
• reports
• police corruption

Eun-young was demoted to patrol police by their chief, likely as punishment for her unconventional investigative methods and going against protocol. Despite the demotion, she continued helping with the case and later assisted in rehabilitating Jung-ah.

• eun-young
• demoted
• patrol
• police chief
• punishment

The ambush using Jung-ah's cloth to lure Jil-Po failed. Eun-young then tracked Jil-Po to an old house where the minister was preparing to escape by boat. The plan misfired because the dog was drawn to the minister instead of the bait.

Foreshadowing: The decision to use Jung-ah's cloth reflected the police's understanding of the dog's training through its connection to her.

• ambush
• jil-po
• old house
• minister
• boat escape

During the final confrontation, Sang-gil shot and killed Jil-Po as the dog bit the minister. He later explained that his shot at the minister missed. This left the moral question unresolved - the minister survived despite being the mastermind behind the exploitation ring.

• sang-gil
• jil-po
• minister
• shoot
• missed

All 5 victims were connected to a sex ring that exploited Jung-amount. They had used her as a prostitute, and the minister who orchestrated this exploitation hired the businessman to arrange their deaths as revenge for ruining his daughter's life.

• victims
• sex ring
• connected
• exploitation
• revenge

During the raid on Min Tae-shik's home, he managed to escape. A wolf-dog subsequently killed a woman in the backstreets during his manhunt. Min remained at large until the final confrontation at the old house.

• min tae-shik
• escaped
• raid
• wolf-dog
• manhunt

The police froze the case after discovering the corruption involving a corrupt cop and businessman, plus the revelation of Kang Myung-ho's supposed suicide. This systemic rot threatened to derail justice, but Eun-young remained bothered by the unknown 6th man.

• case frozen
• corruption
• police department
• kang myung-ho