The Terror Live

Yoon Young-hwa is a former top news anchor who was demoted after a scandal and pulled from primetime TV. He is now a jaded host of a current affairs radio program and recently divorced, still chasing a comeback.

During his morning show, Yoon receives a peculiar phone call threatening to blow up Mapo Bridge. He initially treats it as a prank and tells the caller to go ahead, underestimating the danger.

Explosives detonate and the Mapo Bridge collapses, killing several people and trapping others. The disaster creates a live crisis that becomes a media opportunity for Yoon.

Realizing a potential comeback, Yoon decides not to alert the police and instead rigs a makeshift television studio inside his radio station to broadcast the crisis. He negotiates with his former boss, Cha Dae-eun, a ruthless producer intent on beating rivals.

Yoon negotiates with the terrorist to air their phone conversations live, giving the nation real-time access to the crisis. Cha Dae-eun pushes to maximize ratings and outpace rival stations.

The newsroom erupts in chaos as different factions fight for control—Yoon, Cha, the police, other broadcasters, and the Blue House all seek to manipulate coverage. The spectacle grows as information becomes a weapon for ratings and politics.

Yoon's ex-wife, a reporter, volunteers to report from the bridge site, offering a grounded alternative to the on-air spectacle. Her presence provides a counterpoint to the sensationalism unfolding in the studios.

The terrorist explains that families of the victims were not compensated and demands a public apology from the president. He frames the broadcast as a platform to force accountability.

With several people still on the bridge, the terrorist threatens a second explosion, keeping those trapped in peril and the nation glued to the broadcast. The clock ticks as the threat lingers.

The terrorist reveals to Yoon that a bomb has been placed in the anchor's earphone and will detonate if the president does not apologize. The threat heightens the stakes of the live coverage.

As events unfold, Yoon gradually realizes how little control he has over the crisis, even as his broadcast pushes on. The line between journalist and pawn in a larger game becomes increasingly blurred.

Cha Dae-eun pushes the coverage aggressively, seeking ratings and beating rival networks, often at the expense of ethical considerations. The pursuit of viewership overrides caution.

The Blue House and police become entangled in the crisis, exploiting the event for political leverage while trying to manage public reaction.They jockey for narrative control as authorities weigh their next move.

The ex-wife reporter stays at the site to provide frontline reportage, highlighting the tension between sober journalism and sensationalist broadcasting. Her presence keeps a human perspective amid the spectacle.

The film builds toward a tense climax as the threat persists and the nation awaits a resolution, leaving the outcome ambiguous while underscoring questions about media ethics and responsibility.