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Midnight Sun (2025) movie poster

Timeline

Midnight Sun (2025) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2025 · 109 mins · Korean
Directed by
Cho Young-jun
Starring
Jin Kyung, Kim Sang-ho, Jung Woong-in, Jung Ji-so, Cha Hak-yeon, Kwon Han-sol

A teenage girl with a rare sun allergy lives a secluded life, carefully avoiding daylight. When she ventures out one evening to play her guitar, she encounters a boy who captures her attention. As they begin a romance, she struggles to conceal her condition, fearing it will damage their budding relationship and create complications. The challenges of keeping her secret threaten to strain their connection.

Drama Music Cast, crew & box office
On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (13)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

13 events in order · contains spoilers

Midnight Sun Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Midnight Sun (2025) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Enlistment of Jack Walsh

    Bail bondsman Eddie Moscone hires bounty hunter Jack Walsh to find and return accountant Jonathan Mardukas, who has jumped bail after embezzling $15 million from mob boss Jimmy Serrano. The job is set to be completed within five days, with Moscone assuring Walsh that it’s an easy task, a 'midnight run.' Walsh demands a $100,000 fee for his services.

  2. Introduction of FBI Agent Mosely

    FBI Special Agent Alonzo Mosely approaches Walsh, revealing that Mardukas could serve as a witness against Serrano. Mosely warns Walsh to stay away from Mardukas, indicating the sensitive nature of the case and the official interest in Mardukas’s safety. Walsh disregards this warning, choosing his own approach.

  3. Walsh's Deception at the Airport

    Walsh impersonates an FBI agent using Mosely’s ID, which he secretly takes without permission. He calls Moscone from the airport, unaware that his lines are being tapped and that Serrano’s men are surveilling him. This deception helps Walsh evade immediate danger and continue his pursuit.

  4. Capture of Mardukas in New York

    Walsh successfully locates and captures Mardukas in New York City. He then contacts Moscone, still unaware that his conversation is being monitored by the FBI and that Serrano’s henchmen are close behind, aiming to retrieve Mardukas. This marks the start of their risky cross-country journey.

    Where
    New York City

  5. Revelation of Mardukas' Claustrophobia

    Mardukas confesses his fear of flying, which Walsh initially dismisses until they board a plane. Mardukas fake panic forces the pair to travel by alternative means, complicating their escape plan. This reveals Mardukas’s vulnerability and adds tension to their journey.

  6. Dorfler's Interception in Pittsburgh

    Rival bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler locates Walsh and Mardukas in Pittsburgh and attempts to take Mardukas by force. Walsh anticipates Dorfler’s move and escapes with Mardukas, escalating the competition between the bounty hunters. Dorfler's intervention threatens their progress.

    Where
    Pittsburgh

  7. Cross-Country Escape and Hardships

    Without access to funds after discovering Dorfler canceled his credit card, Walsh resorts to stealing cars, taking buses, and hitchhiking across the country from Ohio to Texas. These struggles highlight the difficulty of their journey and Walsh’s resourcefulness.

    Where
    Ohio and Texas

  8. Walsh's Past in Chicago

    While alone with Mardukas, Walsh reveals his former role as an undercover police officer in Chicago and the corruption he faced. He confesses his resignation from the force to avoid prison or working for the drug dealer, Serrano, which ties his past to Mardukas’ current predicament.

  9. Serrano's Men Capture Mardukas

    In Sedona, Dorfler steals Mardukas from Walsh, and Serrano’s henchmen track them down. Walsh learns that Dorfler's actions have compromised their location, leading to a confrontation that puts Mardukas directly in Serrano’s reach.

    Where
    Sedona

  10. The Deal with Serrano

    Walsh manipulates Serrano into believing he has incriminating disks that could convict him, offering an exchange for Mardukas’s safety. He strikes a deal to deliver Serrano to the FBI, attempting to save Mardukas from harm.

  11. The Climax at the Deal

    Walsh, wearing a wire, meets Serrano under FBI surveillance. Dorfler interrupts the exchange, inadvertently disabling Walsh’s wire. Serrano then seizes the disks, but the FBI quickly surrounds and arrests Serrano and his men, ending their criminal enterprise.

  12. Arrival in Los Angeles and Mardukas’s Release

    Walsh and Mardukas arrive in Los Angeles, where Walsh chooses to let Mardukas go rather than send him back to prison, fearing for his life. Walsh gives Mardukas a watch as a symbol of letting go of his past love and life.

    Where
    Los Angeles

  13. Farewell and Reflection

    Mardukas gifts Walsh a money belt, emphasizing it’s a gift and not a payoff, and departs abruptly. Walsh, unable to reach his ex-wife, begins walking home, symbolizing his resignation and hope for new beginnings.

Last updated: April 24, 2026 at 12:37

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Timeline questions answered

Midnight Sun Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Midnight Sun (2025): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Jack Walsh let Jonathan Mardukas go free at the end instead of returning him to the bondsman?

Walsh releases Mardukas because he fears sending him back to Los Angeles would put his life in danger from Serrano's remaining associates. After the FBI arrests Serrano, Walsh chooses mercy over the $100,000 bounty, viewing it as a personal victory rather than a financial one. This act symbolizes Walsh letting go of his past betrayals and choosing integrity over profit.

  • jack walsh
  • jonathan mardukas
  • release
  • ending
  • bounty
Q2

Why is Jonathan Mardukas marked for death by mob boss Jimmy Serrano?

Mardukas stole $15 million from Serrano, the ruthless Chicago mob boss, but instead of fleeing with the money, he donated it all to charity. This act of defiance enraged Serrano, who labeled him a marked man and posted bail to have him returned so he could be punished.

  • jimmy serrano
  • jonathan mardukas
  • marked man
  • money
  • charity
Q3

How does Marvin Dorfler cancel Jack Walsh's credit card during the chase?

Dorfler, a rival bounty hunter also hired to capture Mardukas, uses his connections to cancel Walsh's credit card once he tracks them to Pittsburgh. This forces Walsh to resort to stealing cars, taking buses, and hitchhiking across Ohio and Texas to continue the journey without financial resources.

  • marvin dorfler
  • jack walsh
  • credit card
  • canceled
  • money
Q4

Why does Jack Walsh tell Jonathan Mardukas about his past as an undercover cop?

During their cross-country journey, Walsh opens up about his past to explain why he's willing to risk everything for Mardukas. He reveals he once worked as an undercover cop in Chicago trying to expose drug dealer Serrano, but corrupt officers framed him by planting heroin in his home, forcing his resignation. This backstory connects Walsh's personal vendetta to the current situation.

  • jack walsh
  • undercover cop
  • past
  • chicago
  • serrano
  • corruption
Q5

Why does Jonathan Mardukas fake a panic attack during the flight?

Mardukas reveals he's claustrophobic and afraid of flying. When they board a plane, he fakes a panic attack to force Walsh to find alternative transportation. This delays their journey and forces them to travel by more dangerous means, complicating their escape from Serrano's men.

  • mardukas
  • panic attack
  • plane
  • flying
  • claustrophobia
Q6

What deal does Jack Walsh make with mob boss Jimmy Serrano in Sedona?

When Serrano's men capture Mardukas in Sedona, Walsh fabricates a story about possessing computer disks with incriminating evidence against Serrano. He offers to exchange these fake disks for Mardukas's safety, convincing Serrano to agree. This clever ploy allows Walsh to orchestrate a meeting where the FBI can arrest the mob boss.

  • serrano
  • deal
  • disks
  • fake
  • fbi
  • sedona
Q7

Why does Marvin Dorfler interrupt the exchange between Walsh and Serrano?

Dorfler's true intention is to deliver Mardukas directly to Serrano for the $1 million bounty offered by the mob. When he interrupts the FBI-arranged meeting, he inadvertently reveals Mardukas's location and disables Walsh's wire, causing chaos. This forces the FBI to move in earlier than planned to prevent Serrano from escaping.

  • dorfler
  • interrupt
  • fbi
  • serrano
  • exchange
Q8

Why does FBI Special Agent Alonzo Mosely want Jonathan Mardukas?

Mosely wants Mardukas to cooperate as a key witness against mob boss Jimmy Serrano. The FBI has been building a case against Serrano and needs Mardukas's testimony to secure a conviction. Mosely orders Walsh to stay away from Mardukas to protect the witness and the investigation.

  • alonzo mosely
  • fbi
  • mardukas
  • witness
  • serrano
Q9

Why does Jonathan Mardukas give Jack Walsh $300,000 at the end?

Mardukas gives Walsh a money belt containing $300,000 as a gift, not a payoff. He insists it's a token of gratitude because Walsh had already set him free without expecting anything in return. This gesture represents Mardukas's appreciation for Walsh's moral decision to release him.

  • mardukas
  • 300000
  • gift
  • money
  • farewell
Q10

Why does Jack Walsh steal FBI Agent Mosely's ID at the airport?

Walsh takes Mosely's ID to impersonate an FBI agent, using it to gain advantages during his mission. This deception helps him navigate past obstacles and continue his pursuit of Mardukas without official interference. The stolen ID becomes a key tool in his cross-country chase.

  • walsh
  • mosely
  • id
  • steal
  • impersonate
  • fbi
Q11

What happens to mob boss Jimmy Serrano in the climax?

Walsh lures Serrano into a meeting under the pretense of trading fake incriminating disks. Wearing a wire, Walsh coordinates with the FBI, who surround the location and arrest Serrano and his entire gang. This ends Serrano's criminal empire and frees Mardukas from the threat of retaliation.

  • serrano
  • arrested
  • fbi
  • climax
  • disks
Q12

Why does Eddie Moscone call this bounty hunting job a 'midnight run'?

Moscone describes the job as a simple 'midnight run' to capture Mardukas and return him within five days, implying it should be an easy, straightforward task. The term refers to a quick, overnight capture mission, though the job turns out to be far more complicated than Moscone initially suggests.

  • midnight run
  • eddie moscone
  • job
  • bounty

Movie threads

More Movies Like Midnight Sun, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Midnight Sun tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Thrilling chase movies like Midnight Sun

Desperate characters forge unlikely bonds while being relentlessly pursued. If you enjoyed the relentless pace and high stakes of Midnight Sun, explore more movies like it. This thread features similar fast-paced thrillers and crime dramas about fugitives on the run, forging bonds under pressure, and dangerous cross-country quests for justice or survival.

  • thrilling
  • fast-paced
  • dangerous
  • desperate
  • redemptive
  • unlikely partnership
  • Tone: tense, thrilling
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories follow a linear but intense progression of escape and pursuit. The plot is driven by a series of close calls, narrow escapes, and shifting alliances, pushing characters to their limits and forcing them to confront their pasts or redefine their loyalties.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared atmosphere of constant urgency and danger. They feature a similar mix of high intensity, fast pacing, and a tense tone, often culminating in a morally complex or bittersweet resolution that emphasizes personal growth over a clean victory.

Fled movie poster

Fled

1996
The Fugitive movie poster

The Fugitive

1993
Face of a Fugitive movie poster

Face of a Fugitive

1959
Honest Thief movie poster

Honest Thief

2020
Fugitive in the Sky movie poster

Fugitive in the Sky

1936
Nowhere to Run movie poster

Nowhere to Run

1993
The Getaway movie poster

The Getaway

1994
Getaway movie poster

Getaway

2013

Redemption arc thrillers like Midnight Sun

Jaded professionals find their conscience through a dangerous mission. For viewers who liked the character journey in Midnight Sun, this collection highlights movies with similar redemption arcs. Discover stories about antiheroes, bounty hunters, and corrupt figures who find a path to integrity through a dangerous quest and an unlikely connection.

  • redemptive
  • corruption
  • reluctant hero
  • moral conflict
  • hardened protagonist
  • quest for justice
  • Tone: tense, redemptive
  • Pacing: fast, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern begins with a self-serving protagonist taking on a job for money. As the mission unfolds and they are paired with an innocent or morally upright counterpart, their hardened exterior cracks. The central conflict becomes an internal struggle between their old ways and a newfound sense of duty, leading to a costly but principled choice.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films through a specific character arc: the redemption of a flawed professional. They share a tone that balances tense action with character-driven drama, a moderate complexity involving past sins, and an ending that is bittersweet, focusing on moral victory over material success.

Undisputed III: Redemption movie poster

Undisputed III: Redemption

2010
The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos movie poster

The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos

2019
Midnight Sun movie poster

Midnight Sun

2006
The Replacement Killers movie poster

The Replacement Killers

1998
The Hunter's Prayer movie poster

The Hunter's Prayer

2017
Bounty Killer movie poster

Bounty Killer

2013
Midnight Sun movie poster

Midnight Sun

2025
Red movie poster

Red

2008

Every angle

Midnight Sun (2025) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Midnight Sun in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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