Howling

Mapo District, Seoul. Detective Jo Sang-gil is assigned to the Oh Gyeong-il arson case and faces pressure to secure a promotion. He reluctantly teams with rookie detective Cha Eun-young, a recent transfer from motorcycle patrol duty, setting up a tense dynamic. The pairing kicks off a chase that tests experience against ambition.

The fatal act is not a simple suicide; the victim’s self-immolation was triggered by a timer hidden in his trousers. He also carried drugs and a large dog bite, but no fingerprints could identify him. The investigators conclude it is a planned murder rather than a random act, reigniting the case's urgency.

Sang-gil traces the victim’s visits to a sex club, uncovering a link to the city's underbelly. He berates Eun-young for an amateurish misstep during a confrontation, exposing his impatience and hunger for credit. The clash foreshadows a rocky collaboration as they pursue justice together.

Sang-gil hides progress reports to hog all credit, hoping promotion will follow. His behavior triggers concern at the police station and threatens the integrity of the investigation. The boss discovers the concealment just as a second body is found, increasing the stakes for both detectives.

Nam Sang-hun is found dead, bitten by a large dog, suggesting a connection to the arson case. The dog-centered pattern widens the investigation and hints at an organized scheme behind the killings. The team starts piecing together how a trained animal is involved.

Police raid the home of Min Tae-shik, a retired police dog trainer living with his drug-addicted daughter. Min escapes during the raid, and a wolf-dog later kills a woman in the backstreets, intensifying the manhunt. The dog remains a central mystery linking the victims.

Eun-young questions dog trainers and investigates those missing or dead, identifying Kang Myung-ho as a person of interest who supposedly committed suicide. She continues the investigation on her own, driven by a stubborn resolve to uncover the truth. The dynamic with Sang-gil continues to complicate the case.

From Tae-shik’s house, Eun-young learns that his dog Jil-Po was trained to kill six targets, including a police officer named Bae. She also discovers Jung-ah’s hospital stay and her past as a prostitute tied to several victims, deepening the web of connections. The revelations suggest a coordinated conspiracy spanning personal and official spheres.

A corrupt cop collaborates with Min in a plan to kill Oh Gyeong-il and stage a suicide with a forged last will. The police freeze the case after these shocks, and Eun-young remains bothered by a sixth, unseen target. The systemic rot threatens to derail justice.

With new leverage, Sang-gil and Eun-young coax Young-jin to reveal the minister as the sixth and final target. The case shifts from a serial-dog narrative to a political crime, raising the stakes for everyone involved. The hunt becomes personal for the minister and the officers alike.

The minister attempts to escape by boat, forcing a closing-quarters pursuit by the police. In a setback for the team, Eun-young is demoted to patrol duty by the chief, yet she remains determined to see the case through. The resilience of Eun-young contrasts with the punitive side of the system.

An ambush using Jung-ah’s cloth misfires; Eun-young tracks Jil-Po to an old house where the minister intends to escape. Sang-gil shoots and kills Jil-Po as he bites the minister, but he later admits that his shot at the minister missed. The minister survives, leaving the moral questions of the case largely unresolved.

The case closes with Sang-gil receiving official recognition for solving the complex investigation. Eun-young remains committed to justice and helps rehabilitate Jung-ah, signaling a cautious but hopeful future for the partnership. The film ends on a note of vindication and renewed purpose for those affected.