Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Fall from the Force
Wu Young-min resigns from the police after a tragic hostage incident. He takes a security position at his uncle's Dreampia mall during its reconstruction phase.
Key Events
-
Hostage Crisis Tragedy — Young-min accidentally causes his partner's death during a hostage situation.
Location: Police Operation Site
-
Resignation from Police — Overcome by guilt, Young-min quits the police force.
Location: Police Station
-
Employment at Dreampia — Young-min becomes head security for his uncle's mall.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Mall Rebuilding Phase — Mall undergoes reconstruction after a five-year-old fire.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Scheduled Reopening — Management prepares for the mall's imminent reopening.
Location: Dreampia Mall
Shadows in the Reopening
Gruesome, unconventional deaths plague the mall employees just before the scheduled reopening. Police dismiss the incidents as suicides, but Young-min grows deeply suspicious.
Key Events
-
Scheduled Reopening — Management prepares for the mall's imminent reopening.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
First Gruesome Murder — An employee dies in an unconventional, gruesome manner.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Police Suicide Ruling — Police officially rule the death as suicide.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Second Unconventional Death — Another employee meets a bizarre, gruesome end.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Young-min's Suspicion — Young-min doubts the police explanation and begins independent investigation.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Investigation Launch — Young-min actively searches for clues among the victims.
Location: Dreampia Mall
Fractured Investigation
Young-min launches an independent probe while clashing with his former acquaintance Ha Hyun-su, who leads the official case. Past grievances and a shared tragedy hinder any cooperation.
Key Events
-
Investigation Launch — Young-min actively searches for clues among the victims.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Hyun-su's Appointment — Hyun-su is assigned to lead the official murder investigation.
Location: Police Station
-
Confrontation with Hyun-su — Young-min seeks cooperation but Hyun-su refuses due to past blame.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Past Blame Revealed — Hyun-su holds Young-min responsible for their friend's death.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Parallel Investigation — Both men pursue clues independently without sharing information.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Discovery of Strange Clues — Young-min finds evidence pointing to unnatural phenomena.
Location: Dreampia Mall
Reflections of the Other
Clues reveal increasingly unnatural phenomena tied to mirrors and doppelgangers. The investigation culminates in a terrifying confrontation with the mall's dark dualistic truth.
Key Events
-
Discovery of Strange Clues — Young-min finds evidence pointing to unnatural phenomena.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Escalating Unnatural Truths — Clues become increasingly bizarre and defy logical explanation.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Mirror Reflections Appear — Visual motifs of mirrors and reflections dominate the investigation.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Doppelganger Theory Emerges — The investigation points toward dualism and doppelgangers.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Climactic Confrontation — Both investigators face the terrifying reality of the mall's curse.
Location: Dreampia Mall
-
Truth Unveiled — The truth about the murders and reflections is fully uncovered.
Location: Dreampia Mall
Woo Yeong-min retired from the police force after trying to save his partner and causing his death. After a series of mysterious deaths in the shopping mall in which his uncle has allowed him to work as a security guard prior to its reopening, he must face both his own fear of mirrors and the mystery surrounding the fire that closed down the mall.
