While You Were Sleeping

While You Were Sleeping

Year: 2024

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: Korean

Director: Chang Youn-hyun

DramaMystery

After the tragic death of her husband in a car accident, a woman grappling with selective amnesia begins to retrace his final journey. As she uncovers details about his life, she confronts an unexpected truth and must deal with the emotional fallout of loss and a changed perception of her past.

Hopeful
Happy ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – While You Were Sleeping (2024)

Explore the full timeline and setting of While You Were Sleeping (2024). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Mid-1990s (1995)

The events unfold during the Christmas season and the New Year, in a contemporary mid-1990s Chicago setting. The story moves from Christmas Day through New Year’s Eve, with modern city life and hospital routines shaping the pace. The timeframe reflects a pre-digital romance where personal connections drive the plot.

Location

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago serves as the bustling urban backdrop for the story, centering on the Randolph/Wabash area, the CTA L trains, and the Callaghan family home. The city’s winter mood and holiday decorations set a warm tone for romance and miscommunication. Key locations include the Chicago Transit Authority station, a hospital, and cozy residences that anchor the family drama in a real urban environment.

🏙️ Urban setting 🎄 Christmas atmosphere 🏥 Hospital backdrop

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:53

Main Characters – While You Were Sleeping (2024)

Meet the key characters of While You Were Sleeping (2024), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Lucy Eleanor Moderatz (Lucy)

A compassionate CTA fare collector who secretly longs for love and companionship. Her impulsive kindness leads her to become involved with the Callaghan family, and she navigates loneliness by imagining a future with Peter, ultimately finding belonging through the people around her.

💖 Protagonist 🏙️ Chicago lover 🎭 Compassionate

Peter Callaghan

A warm, charming man whose amnesia after the accident sets the stage for Lucy’s secret. He forms deep connections with the Callaghan family and Lucy, even as he struggles to recognize them afterward.

💞 Romantic lead 🧭 Amnesia 🗝️ Family man

Jack Callaghan

Peter’s younger brother who seeks independence from the family business and develops a close bond with Lucy. He becomes a catalyst for Lucy’s ultimate decision about whom she loves.

💑 Love triangle 🏠 Family 🎯 Independent

Saul

Peter’s godfather, a wry, caring presence who protects Lucy’s secret and guides the family through emotional turbulence. He recognizes Lucy’s goodness and helps navigate the delicate balance of truth.

🤝 Mentor 👨‍👧‍👦 Family ally 🕊️ Wisdom

Ashley

Peter’s girlfriend whose engagement to Peter becomes a dramatic pivot. She represents the life Peter could have had, and her return to challenge the wedding adds tension and contrast to Lucy’s evolving feelings.

💔 Rival 🏹 Unresolved romance 🗣️ Confrontation

Elsie

Peter’s grandmother, whose heart condition anchors the stakes of the family’s choices. Her well-being motivates kindness and the desire to keep loved ones close.

👵 Elderly matriarch ❤️ Family health 🫶 Warmth

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:53

Major Themes – While You Were Sleeping (2024)

Explore the central themes of While You Were Sleeping (2024), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💖 Love and family

A holiday romance grows beyond a single attraction as Lucy bonds with the Callaghan family. The narrative explores how love can be both romantic and familial, expanding the sense of belonging. The magic of the season helps characters open up, forgive past misunderstandings, and choose honesty.

🌀 Identity and deception

Misunderstandings drive the plot: Lucy’s fake engagement to stay in the family’s good graces and Peter’s amnesia complicate truth and loyalty. The story weighs the ethics of keeping secrets for the sake of others and whether kindness requires withholding the truth. Ultimately, truth and trust re-make relationships.

🎄 Christmas and belonging

The Christmas setting emphasizes generosity, second chances, and the warmth of chosen family. Holiday rituals, gifts, and festive gatherings reveal character desires and vulnerabilities. The season acts as a catalyst for revelations and reconciliations, culminating in a hopeful future.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:53

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about Grief and Healing like While You Were Sleeping

Stories where uncovering secrets leads to emotional healing and new beginnings.If you enjoyed the emotional journey in While You Were Sleeping, explore these movies that also feature characters processing loss, uncovering life-changing secrets, and finding hope. These similar drama and mystery stories share a focus on personal growth, emotional fallout, and ultimately, a hopeful and happy resolution.

emotional fallouthealingsecretsnew beginningsheartwarminglonelyhopefulpersonal growth

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically begin with a significant loss or personal crisis that disrupts the protagonist's life. As they investigate or rediscover the past, they uncover deceptions or unknown truths that challenge their perception of reality. The plot revolves around emotionally processing this new information, leading to personal growth, reconciliation, and a hopeful new chapter.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here because they share a core emotional journey of moving from grief and confusion toward healing and hope. They blend medium emotional weight with a steady pace, focusing on character development and the unraveling of personal mysteries, all while maintaining an overall tone of warmth and optimism.

Found Family Movies like While You Were Sleeping

Films where unexpected connections provide warmth and support during difficult times.Fans of the warm family dynamic in While You Were Sleeping will enjoy these films that also feature a found family providing comfort and humor. These similar drama and romance stories focus on how unexpected connections help a protagonist heal from loss, featuring emotional weight balanced by heartfelt moments.

found familyfamily warmthheartwarmingsupportiveemotionalhopefulnew beginningshealing

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character entering a state of emotional vulnerability, often through loss or displacement. They are then drawn into a new social circle—sometimes through chance or misunderstanding—that offers unconditional support. This found family becomes a crucial source of strength, helping the protagonist overcome their challenges and rediscover joy and belonging.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together due to their shared emphasis on the 'found family' trope as a central source of emotional warmth and comic relief. They successfully balance heavier themes of loss or identity crisis with the lighthearted, supportive dynamics of a new community, creating a consistently hopeful and heartwarming vibe.

Unlock the Full Story of While You Were Sleeping

Don't stop at just watching — explore While You Were Sleeping 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 While You Were Sleeping is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

While You Were Sleeping Summary

Read a complete plot summary of While You Were Sleeping, 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.

While You Were Sleeping Summary

While You Were Sleeping Timeline

Track the full timeline of While You Were Sleeping with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

While You Were Sleeping Timeline

While You Were Sleeping Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of While You Were Sleeping that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

While You Were Sleeping Spoiler-Free Summary

More About While You Were Sleeping

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

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While You Were Sleeping (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

While You Were Sleeping (2024) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

While You Were Sleeping (2024) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow