I, the Executioner (2024) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Haechi targets criminals who escaped legal punishment and executes them using the same method their victims suffered. This creates a pattern where each killing mirrors the original crime, for example, the art professor who drove a student to suicide was executed in a way that reflected her suffering. This approach allows Haechi to present himself as a vigilante delivering poetic justice, which is why Editor Justice's videos portraying him as a hero gain massive public support.

Foreshadowing: The opening viral video establishes this eye-for-an-eye pattern immediately, showing the professor's execution mirrors the student's suicide.

• haechi
• killing pattern
• vigilante
• justice
• serial killer
• revenge

Park Sun-woo is the rookie officer assigned to Seo Do-cheol's team, but he is secretly Haechi, the serial killer the police have been hunting. He joined the force specifically to gain inside knowledge of police operations and identify protected targets like Jeon Seok-woo. His calm demeanor and meticulous work at the safe house initially impress the team, masking his true identity as the killer they pursuit.

Foreshadowing: Sun-woo's unusual politeness and competence at the safe house, combined with his insistence on securing the location himself, hints at ulterior motives.

• park sun-woo
• haechi
• identity
• undercover
• police mole

Forensic analysis reveals that Jeon Seok-woo was killed using a leg-based choking technique. Seo Do-cheol then remembers seeing Sun-woo use the exact same move during the confrontation with Min Kang-hoon on the rooftop. This physical evidence, combined with Sun-woo's martial arts skills and access to police protected locations, confirms that Haechi has been embedded within the investigation team the entire time.

Foreshadowing: During the rooftop fight, Sun-woo's extreme jiu-jitsu hold on Kang-hoon mirrors the forensic evidence found on Jeon's body.

• forensic evidence
• leg choke
• sun-woo
• proof
• investigation

Jeon Seok-woo escapes from the safe house while under police protection. While the summary doesn't explicitly show Sun-woo facilitating the escape, the timing and Sun-woo's position as the guard responsible for securing the location strongly suggest he helped orchestrate it. As a target of Haechi, Jeon's escape ensured he could be killed outside the protected environment where Sun-woo had limited access.

Foreshadowing: Sun-woo's meticulous security measures at the safe house give him the opportunity to manipulate the protection protocols.

• jeon seok-woo
• escape
• safe house
• protection
• killed

Sun-woo kidnaps Editor Justice to set a trap for Detective Seo Do-cheol. Using the YouTuber's location, he creates a scenario where Seo must choose between saving his own son or rescuing another innocent woman. This confrontation represents Sun-woo's attempt to eliminate the detective who got closest to exposing his identity while also creating maximum psychological impact.

Foreshadowing: Editor Justice's extensive coverage of Haechi and his public persona make him a natural target for someone seeking to manipulate the narrative.

• editor justice
• kidnap
• trap
• seo do-cheol
• sun-woo

Editor Justice is a popular YouTuber who covers Haechi's killings and dubs the serial killer with that name. His videos present Haechi as a vigilante exposing flaws in the legal system, which generates public support for the killer. He also stages content, including hiring an actor to portray Haechi during a live stream event at Namsan. His coverage inadvertently helps shape public perception of the murders as justified revenge rather than criminal acts.

Foreshadowing: The Namsan staged event where Sun-woo assaults the actor reveals Editor Justice's willingness to manufacture dramatic content around the case.

• editor justice
• youtube
• haechi
• vigilante
• media
• public opinion

After defeating Sun-woo in their final confrontation, Seo Do-cheol revives him using CPR rather than letting him die. Seo insists that Sun-woo must face justice for his crimes, not escape through death. This decision reflects Seo's commitment to the legal system despite Haechi's perceived justification, he wants the killer to answer for his actions in court, not become another victim of extrajudicial killing.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Seo's dedication to proper police work contrasts with the public's support for vigilante justice.

• seo do-cheol
• sun-woo
• revive
• justice
• court
• consequences

The post-credits scene reveals that Sun-woo has escaped while being transported to prison, indicating he orchestrated another plan from within custody. This ending leaves the story unresolved and suggests Sun-woo may continue his vigilante activities or seek revenge against those who stopped him. The escape undermines any sense of closure from the main narrative's conclusion.

Foreshadowing: Sun-woo's demonstrated intelligence and ability to manipulate situations throughout the film make his escape plausible despite being under heavy guard.

• sun-woo
• escape
• prison
• post-credits
• sequel
• resolution

Min Kang-hoon emerges as a suspect during the investigation, a traumatized former soldier who kills a biker gang with his car. During the rooftop confrontation, he fights brutally against police before being nearly killed by Sun-woo using an extreme jiu-jitsu hold. His military background and violent capabilities initially make him a plausible candidate for Haechi, serving as a red herring that shifts suspicion away from Sun-woo.

Foreshadowing: Kang-hoon's introduction creates another viable suspect just as the investigation begins closing in on the real killer.

• min kang-hoon
• soldier
• suspect
• rooftop fight
• red herring

A staged confrontation on a live stream at Namsan goes disastrously wrong when Sun-woo assaults a man he believes to be Haechi. The target turns out to be an actor hired by Editor Justice for content, not the actual killer. This incident marks a turning point where internal suspicion toward Sun-woo intensifies, as his violent overreaction and mistaken identity suggest he has a personal connection to the case that goes beyond professional duty.

Foreshadowing: Sun-woo's aggressive action at the event reveals emotional instability that doesn't match a typical police officer's response.

• namsan
• live stream
• sun-woo
• editor justice
• mistake
• confrontation