Hellbound Recap: 12 Things You Need To Remember Before The Horror K-Drama's Season 2

Hellbound season 1 featured several concepts and events that audiences will need to remember before the second season of the Netflix original K-drama premieres. With the Hellbound season 1 cast led by Yooh Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, and Park Jung-min, the six-episode series became one of the most popular horror K-dramas on the streaming platform. Based on the webtoon of the same name and helmed by Train to Busan’s Yeon Sang-ho, the show chronicles a dystopian society where creatures appear and condemn people to Hell.

Despite the show being a hit with audiences, Netflix didn’t immediately renew Hellbound for a second season until several months after season 1 ended. Details about Hellbound‘s sophomore season are scarce, with the official trailer not revealing too much about what will happen in season 2. The Netflix original K-drama will be returning for its second season on October 25, 2024, with a notable change to its original cast.

12 Demons Executed People Who Were Hellbound

The Creatures Are Violent And Ruthless To Fulfill The Prophecy

In the first episode of Hellbound, audiences are introduced to giant, terrifying creatures from Hell. These creatures will later be known as demons, beasts who are sent to carry out God’s will. Before the demons drag someone to Hell, an angel of God has to appear to a person. The angel of God gives them a decree, which outlines their name, when they’ll die, and tells them they are hellbound. When the predetermined time comes, a trio of demons, who act as executioners, show up and fulfill the prophecy.

Initially, no one believes the demons or the decrees are real until the executions become public. The demons are violent and ruthless when fulfilling the prophecy. Their stone-like exterior helps them withstand any weapon used against them, making it impossible for humans to do any damage or kill them.

11 Jung Jin-soo Started The New Truth After Receiving The Decree

The First Person To Shed Light On Why The Demons Were Killing People

Jung Jin-soo is the first person who shed light on why the demons were killing people. Unbeknownst to his supporters, Jin-soo started the New Truth in Hellbound after he received the decree that told him he was hellbound. Jin-soo didn’t understand why he was going to Hell as he believed he was a good person, so he started New Truth as a way to make sense of his situation.

When more people began to believe he was telling the truth about the demons, Jin-soo’s organization grew and became more powerful. New Truth began to have public viewings of the demonstration in order for the world to be aware of God’s will. Jin-soo inspired cult-like loyalty, and members of New Truth viewed him as the person who God chose to help humans on their road to righteousness. The cult leader eventually died on the day of his execution, but his decree was kept secret.

10 The Demon Attacks Were Perceived As Divine Intervention

God Was Sending The Demons To Kill Sinners

When the demons started showing up and executing people, no one understood the reason behind the attacks. But thanks to Jung Jin-soo and New Truth, the executions began to be perceived as divine intervention. According to the New Truth doctrine, God was sending the demons to kill sinners so that people would know what his will was. If a person was a sinner, then the trio of demons from hell would show up to execute the condemned person.

When a person was executed by the demons, an investigation would be conducted to see if they were sinning. The idea was to make it seem like only bad people who were going against God’s will would go to Hell. Apparently, humans forgot the concept of sin and they saw no point in repenting and seeking redemption. So God found a way to show them what Hell was like in order for humans to be more righteous.

9 New Truth Became Extremely Powerful Under Chairman Kim Jeong-chil’s Leadership

He Ruled New Truth With Fear

Before Jin-soo became the leader of New Truth, he went to a pastor, Kim Jeong-chil, to confess that he had received the decree. The two made a deal that Jeong-chil would be the leader of New Truth following Jin-soo’s death in exchange for keeping his execution a secret. Unlike Jin-soo who inspired loyalty from his followers because he was beloved, Jeong-chil ruled New Truth with fear. The New Truth under Jeong-chil’s leadership was extremely powerful.

They controlled every aspect of society including the Arrowhead, and televised all executions the organization was aware of. They created a studio in their building where they would film the execution. It was against New Truth’s rules to keep a decree a secret. Instead of helping people be aware of God’s will, the public demonstrations ended up creating a stigma against the accused and their family members who were vilified for knowing someone who was hellbound.

8 Sodo Helped People Have Private Demonstrations

Something That Is Considered A Violation

Given the stigma that people who had gotten decrees were receiving from society, many wanted to keep their demonstrations private. Some even reached the extent of dying by suicide just so they can leave the world away from prying eyes. However, keeping a demonstration secret would be considered as breaking the New Truth’s law.

So an organization called Sodo found a way to help people who wanted to keep their demonstrations private so their family members wouldn’t be attacked by society or the New Truth. However, the New Truth ended up discovering what Sodo was up to.

They came up with a plan to take down Sodo and used the Arrowhead to kill several members of the organization. Their plan backfired, and the world found out the secrets the New Truth was hiding and the violent methods they used to remain in power.

7 Min Hye-jin Is Alive

She Survived The Attack By Arrowhead

Min Hye-jin initially appears in Hellbound season 1 when she is hired by Park Jeong-ja to help her receive money from the New Truth. When people found out that Hye-jin was helping a known sinner, the Arrowhead hunted her down, killed her mother, beat her to a pulp, and left her for dead.

Hye-jin doesn’t appear in Hellbound season 1 until the penultimate episode when it’s revealed that she survived the attack. Hye-jin had actually been living off the grid and started Sodo, the organization that was secretly fighting the New Truth and helping people disappear. Hye-jin was integral in letting the world know that the New Truth controlled the world through violence and intimidation.

In fact, she’s the one who wanted to disclose that the New Truth had no idea why the demons were killing people after she discovered that So-hyun’s baby had received the decree even though she was just a few days old.

6 The New Truth Tried To Stop Song So-hyun’s Baby’s Demonstration From Being Shown To The World

The Organization Had No Way Of Explaining Why A Baby Would Be Considered A Sinner

The New Truth was based on the idea that only sinners received decrees that marked them for Hell. According to the New Truth’s doctrine, people who received the decree deserved to die as penance for their sins. So when So-hyun went to them and revealed that her baby had received the decree, they had to ensure that no one else would find out because it would mean everything they said was a lie.

When Kim Jeong-chil discovered that So-hyun’s baby was marked for Hell, he did everything to stop the public from getting ahold of that information. The organization had no way of explaining why a baby who was a few days old had sinned because they didn’t have the concept of inherited sin in their doctrine. So-hyun’s baby’s demonstration would not only make them liars, but the New Truth would lose the power they had. They planned to have a private demonstration and kill the baby’s parents, but all three of them escaped.

5 The Arrowhead Streamer Received The Decree

He Revealed It Minutes Before His Death

The Arrowhead Streamer was one of the New Truth’s loudest and biggest supporters. The Streamer began to hate the religious organization after they washed their hands off the Arrowheads despite initially using them to do their dirty work. The Arrowhead Streamer isn’t a huge part of the show until the last episode. Min Hye-jin and Bae Young-jae go to him for help. When Min-Hye Jin and Young-jae ask the Arrowhead Streamer to help them broadcast So-hyun’s baby’s demonstration, he contacts the New Truth and reveals that he knows their location.

The Arrowhead Streamer also revealed to the leaders of the New Truth that he received the decree and that he would be dying five minutes after So-hyun’s baby’s demonstration. The New Truth leaders convince him that he is the Messiah who was chosen to rectify God’s mistake. So when So-hyun’s baby survives at the end of Hellbound season 1, the Arrowhead Streamer tries to kill her but he is stopped when the executioners from Hell come for him.

4 The Reason Behind The Demon Attacks Wasn’t Revealed

Everything Changed After The Baby Received The Decree

It was initially believed that demons were attacking people because they were sent to Earth to carry out God’s will and teach sinners the right way to live. But the fact that So-hyun’s baby received the decree showed that there was no reason behind the executions. This meant that every person who received the decree was randomly chosen.

Although there are several theories about Hellbound season 1, the demon attacks remain a mystery. The demons have another reason for murdering people that can’t be explained by divine intervention. Further, one of the people who received the death decree was resurrected. This raises the question of whether the people who were executed really died or were sent to an unknown dimension. It’s a good thing that the mystery behind the demon attacks wasn’t revealed because it gives audiences something to look forward to in Hellbound season 2.

3 Bae Young-jae And So-hyun Died

They Made A Sacrifice So That Their Baby Could Live

Bae Young-jae is a journalist who is introduced to Hellbound season 1 in the last three episodes of the show. Unlike most people, Young-jae doesn’t believe what the New Truth has been telling people about divine intervention. His life is turned upside down when his newborn baby receives the death decree. Although Young-jae doesn’t know how he will save his child, he is certain that asking the New Truth for help is a terrible idea.

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Eventually, the day of his daughter’s execution arrives. The married couple doesn’t know how they can spare their child’s life, so they sacrifice themselves for her to live. After they die, Min Hye-jin takes their baby and the two go to a place where they’ll be safe from Chairman Kim Jeong-chil and the rest of the members of New Truth.

2 Song So-hyun’s Baby Received The Decree And Survived

The Only Known Person To Escape The Demons’ Execution

In Hellbound season 1, So-hyun’s baby was the only child that received the decree. When the baby was sentenced to death, So-hyun began to fear it, thinking it was evil for being hellbound despite just being born. So-hyun eventually overcame that fear and tried to find a way to help her baby. She turned to the New Truth for help, but the leaders of the organization had no intention of letting her or the baby live.

Throughout Hellbound season 1, no one had received the decree and survived. So-hyun’s baby was the only known person to escape the demons’ execution, thus calling into question what the purpose of the death decree was if it was possible to live despite being sentenced to death. It’s not revealed why the baby survived after receiving the death decree in Hellbound season 1.

1 Park Jeong-ja Was Resurrected

In The Season Finale, Her Charred Remains Turned Into Flesh Again

Park Jeong-ja was one of the first people whose demonstration was televised by the New Truth. While celebrating her son’s birthday, the angel of God appeared to her and told her when she would be dying. Jeong-ja was raising her two young children alone, so she was worried about who would take care of them after she died. When her decree became public knowledge, the New Truth approached her and asked if she would be willing to have her demonstration filmed in exchange for money.

Jeong-ja agreed and sought the help of a lawyer to assist her with the transaction. When the day of her death arrived, Jeong-ja was executed by the demons and the place of her death became a sacred site. In the season finale of Hellbound season 1, Jeong-ja’s charred remains became flesh and she was resurrected. Jeong-ja’s resurrection raises questions about what is really going on, which hopefully will be answered in Hellbound season 2.

Netflix’s Hellbound is a Korean Drama and Dark Fantasy series that is directed by Yeon Sang-ho and based on his graphic novel, The Hellbound Volume 1. The series takes place in a modern fantastical version of Korea in which strange creatures pick and choose individuals to send to Hell.

Cast

Yoo Ah-in , Kim Hyun-joo , Park Jeong-min , Won Jin-ah , Yang Ik-Joon , Kim Do-yoon , Kim Shin-rock , Ryu Kyung-soo

Release Date

November 19, 2021

Seasons

1