Phone

Phone

Year: 2002

Runtime: 103 mins

Language: Korean

Director: Ahn Byeong-ki

ThrillerHorrorMysteryHorror

Shortly after acquiring a new mobile, a woman notices bizarre occurrences surrounding the device. As she digs deeper, she learns that every previous owner of her phone number met an untimely, mysterious death, leaving her to confront the chilling pattern behind the calls.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Phone yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Phone (2002)

Trace every key event in Phone (2002) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Ji-won's relocation after threatening calls

Ji-won, a journalist who exposed a pedophilia scandal, starts receiving threatening calls on her cell. To escape, she changes her number and moves into an empty house owned by her sister Ho-jung and Ho-jung's husband Chang-hoon. The move places her in a new residence that becomes the center of a chilling sequence of events.

Initial move Ho-jung and Chang-hoon's house
2

Young-ju answers anonymous call

Ho-jung's daughter Young-ju answers the anonymous call meant for Ji-won, screams, and then loses consciousness. The incident foreshadows danger linked to the new phone number and the haunting that follows Ji-won. It ties the supernatural threat to the family living in the same house.

Day 1 Ho-jung's house
3

Young-ju's disturbing behavior and the ghost

Days after the move, Young-ju exhibits an unsettling attraction to her father and jealousy toward her mother. Ji-won also begins hearing a long-haired ghost playing Moonlight Sonata on the piano. The eerie phenomena deepen the sense of menace and connect the haunting to Jin-hee's disappearance.

Days after move Ho-jung's house
4

Mystery of the phone number

Ji-won learns that the phone number originally belonged to a missing girl named Jin-hee, and that the two subsequent owners have died under mysterious circumstances. The spectral thread tied to the number intensifies the investigation and pushes Ji-won to dig deeper.

Investigation start Ji-won's location
5

Visits Jin-hee's mother and Sang-mi

She visits Jin-hee's mother and finds a diary and a photo of Jin-hee with her best friend Sang-mi. She then travels to Sang-mi, who is blind and deaf, and learns how Jin-hee's spirit haunted her. Sang-mi explains that she stabbed her own eyes and ears to silence the haunting.

Following discovery of the number Jin-hee's mother's home; Sang-mi's home
6

Jin-hee's love, Moonlight Sonata, and Chang-hoon's affair

Sang-mi explains Jin-hee's obsession with an older man who tried to impress her by playing Moonlight Sonata; they break up after she becomes pregnant. Ji-won explains to Young-ju's parents that Young-ju could be in danger, but Chang-hoon refuses to accept it.

Investigation phase Various locations
7

Ji-won's revelation about Young-ju

In a flashback, Ji-won reveals that Ho-jung was infertile, so Ji-won donated an egg for IVF to conceive Young-ju. Young-ju is therefore Ji-won's biological daughter, not Ho-jung's niece, which deepens the emotional stakes of the investigation.

Flashback to earlier years
8

Chang-hoon's affair exposed

Ji-won continues her investigation and learns Jin-hee's lover was Chang-hoon; he brought Jin-hee to the house but refused to leave his wife. Jin-hee grew attached and became pregnant; Chang-hoon ignored her calls.

Investigation phase House where Ji-won is staying
9

Threat to expose affair; Young-ju's possession

Ji-won confronts Chang-hoon and threatens to reveal the affair unless he cooperates. Young-ju, possessed by Jin-hee's ghost, goes to Ji-won's house, in Bangbae, jumps down the stairs, and is hospitalized.

Confrontation and incident Bangbae, Seoul
10

Discovery of Jin-hee's body

Ji-won searches the entire house and discovers Jin-hee's dead body hidden inside a wall. Chang-hoon arrives and sees everything, and the two attempt to flee but are knocked unconscious by Ho-jung.

Immediate aftermath Ji-won's house
11

Ho-jung's confession and murder scheme

Ho-jung confesses that she discovered the affair years ago and confronted Jin-hee; Jin-hee's insistence worsened matters and Ho-jung killed Jin-hee by pushing her down the stairs. She then hid Jin-hee's body inside the wall and plastered cement over it, while admitting jealousy of Ji-won and the motherhood she longs for.

After confrontation Ho-jung's home
12

Ho-jung's plan foiled; Jin-hee's spirit robs revenge

Ho-jung plans to burn the house with gasoline, but Jin-hee's spirit awakens and strangles Ho-jung to death, saving Ji-won. The supernatural revenge resolves the haunting and leaves Ji-won to carry on.

Climactic moment Ho-jung's house
13

Ending: the cursed phone sinks, still ringing

Ji-won drops the cursed phone into the ocean, hoping to end the curse. As the phone sinks, it rings, suggesting the threat may linger beyond the house.

Ending Ocean shore

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:23

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These films are united by their core theme of confronting an inescapable fate, which generates a unique and intense form of suspense. The shared emotional experience is one of claustrophobic dread and a race against a clock that seems to have already run out.

Unlock the Full Story of Phone

Don't stop at just watching — explore Phone in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Phone is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Phone Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Phone, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Phone Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Phone

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Phone. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Phone

More About Phone

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Phone: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Phone