In "What’s After the Movie", the story is set in the ghostly town of Arkham, Massachusetts, back in 1765, where residents are increasingly suspicious of the mysterious phenomena surrounding a large, imposing structure known as the palace that overlooks the town. The villagers strongly believe that the palace's owner, Joseph Curwen, is a warlock responsible for strange and unsettling occurrences.
The plot unfolds as a young girl, under some trance-like influence, wanders up to the palace, where she is led by Curwen and his enigmatic mistress, Hester, into the dark confines of the dungeon. There, she becomes part of a bizarre ritual involving a strange, unseen creature that rises from a covered pit—a ritual that hints at dark magic and forbidden summoning. The townspeople, witnessing the girl wandering away seemingly unharmed but apparantly bewitched, storm the palace in fury, determined to confront Curwen.
In a tense and violent scene, they drag Curwen out to a nearby tree, intending to burn him alive. Interestingly, the townsfolk choose to spare Hester, the mistress, due to a prior engagement with the mob leader, Ezra Weeden. Before his death, Curwen places a curse upon Arkham and its future generations, vowing to return from the grave to exact his revenge.
A century later, in 1875, the story shifts to Charles Dexter Ward, played by Kim Young-kwang, and his wife Anne, who arrive in Arkham after inheriting the cursed palace. Their arrival is met with hostility from the locals, who harbor deep-seated fears and resentments, and they are disturbed by the sight of many distorted and deformed inhabitants of the town. Charles, who bears a striking resemblance to a portrait of Curwen, begins to feel an uncanny familiarity with the ancient palace, especially as he becomes increasingly obsessed with the portrait. His demeanor and personality fluctuate, hinting at an ominous influence over him.
As the couple explores their new surroundings, they befriend Dr. Marinus Willet, portrayed by Shin Seul-ki, who enlightens them about Curwen’s dark history. The doctor explains that Curwen was involved with black magic and possessed a notorious artifact, the Necronomicon, a mystical book believed to hold terrible secrets. This book, according to Willet, was used by Curwen to summon ancient extraterrestrial beings—Cthulhu and Yog-Sothoth—with the twisted goal of creating a race of superhumans by mating with mortal women. This unnatural experiment is said to have caused the deformities among Arkham's people.
The deeper Charles delves into the town's history, the more he appears to lose control, seemingly possessed or influenced by a dark force connected to Curwen's lingering evil. He stubbornly refuses to leave Arkham, despite Willet's warnings, and begins to exhibit signs of becoming a vessel for Curwen himself.
The story intensifies as Curwen, through the possessed Charles, reconnects with two other warlocks—Simon and Jabez—who are also linked to descendants of the original curse. Together, they plot to resurrect Hester and continue their dark experiments. The possession escalates as Curwen seeks to exact revenge on the descendants of those who opposed him centuries earlier—killing Ezra Weeden's descendant, Edgar, by unleashing a monstrous offspring from a locked room, and attacking others with fire—including Micah Smith’s descendant, Peter.
The climax comes when Curwen, now fully in control, attempts to commit an unimaginable act by trying to assault Anne. Meanwhile, the townspeople, discovering Peter’s charred remains and witnessing the chaos, storm the palace once again. In a desperate effort to save her, Dr. Willet and Anne find a secret entrance into the dark dungeons below the palace. They come face-to-face with Curwen, Simon, Jabez, and the resurrected Hester. During this confrontation, Anne is offered as a mate to the grotesque creature in the pit, which further emphasizes the film’s themes of evil and obsession.
Amid the chaos, the townspeople start destroying the portrait of Curwen, which is the source of his power over Charles. This act breaks his hold temporarily, allowing Charles to free Anne. Overwhelmed by the darkness surrounding him, Charles urges Dr. Willet to save Anne and to get her away from the collapsing palace. In a harrowing sequence, Curwen’s associates manage to escape, leaving Dr. Willet behind, trapped inside. Despite their escape from the flames, it becomes clear that Joseph Curwen’s evil has not been entirely defeated—he still lingers within Charles, hinting that the dark influence may never truly be gone.
Throughout the story, themes of forbidden knowledge, dark magic, and the consequences of hubris are woven into a tale of supernatural horror and revenge that spans over a century, culminating in a chilling reminder of the evil lurking beneath the surface of human curiosity and ambition.
