1987: When the Day Comes 2017

Park Jong-chul dies during interrogation

Park Jong-chul, a student activist, dies under interrogation during the oppressive military regime. The room is tense as officials push for a cause and the official report claims a heart attack. Witnesses later allege foul play in the handling of the arrest.

Cremation plot to hide the truth

Commissioner Park Cheo-won orchestrates efforts to cover up the death. Park's men pressure Prosecutor Choi to approve cremation and conceal the true cause. Choi resists, refusing to be part of the scheme.

Autopsy happens despite attempts to block

The autopsy is performed with Park's oversight and Jong-chul's uncle present. The results show death by asphyxiation, not a heart attack, contradicting the official narrative. The uncle publicly asserts foul play outside the hospital.

Autopsy findings reach journalist

Yoon Sang-sam, a reporter, obtains the autopsy findings and begins digging into the story. He works against a national prohibition on reporting the death. The information he uncovers hints at a broader cover-up.

Public outcry and blame assignment

Public outrage erupts as authorities scramble to assign accountability. Park declares two detectives should bear the blame, and promises Jo Han-kyung a reduced sentence for involuntary manslaughter. The promise can't be kept, fueling tensions with colleagues during prison visits.

Jo Han-kyung faces the consequences

Detective Jo Han-kyung finds himself cornered as fellow officers challenge his loyalty. He confronts the harsh reality of being used as a scapegoat. The strain grows as information from the investigation begins to surface.

Guard Han Byung-yong senses opportunity

Prison guard Han Byung-yong reveals he has ties to high-ranking activists. He urges the warden to disclose the visitation records that could expose the cover-up. His actions threaten to destabilize the regime's control over information.

Yeon-hee's campus life amid protests

Yeon-hee, Han's niece, is drawn into the activist network after a violent clash between protesters and police. She is saved by a fellow student and begins attending campus meetings, though she remains hesitant to join the movement. The campus becomes a stage for the uprising's voices.

Warden agrees to disclose records after threats

The warden agrees to release visitation records after witnessing Commissioner Park threaten Detective Jo and beat his supporters. Yeon-hee refuses to deliver the records, and Han tries to arrange delivery himself.

Han is abducted and tortured

Before he can pass the records, Park's men locate Han's contact and abduct him. He is tortured in the same interrogation room where Jong-chul was killed. Park reveals harsh details of his own North Korean childhood and violent family history.

Records reach the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice

Yeon-hee, distressed by her uncle's arrest, eventually delivers the information to Han's contact. The records reach the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice, who publicly state that Jong-chul was killed during interrogation, with Park overseeing and covering up.

A flashback reveals Jong-chul's death

A flashback shows Detective Jo taunting Jong-chul, implying that if he dies in that room, no one will care. The scene exposes the truth about Park's direct involvement and the government's complicity in the cover-up.

President Chun approves arrest and blame

Park discovers that President Chun has personally approved arresting Jong-chul and pinning the death entirely on him. The revelation ties the case to the highest level of government.

Han is released and returns to family

Han is eventually released from prison and reunites with his family. The experience leaves him scarred but free to continue his life amid the ongoing struggle for truth.