Killing Romance 2023

Comedy

Thriller

Box Office

$1.4M

Runtime

107 mins

Language

Korean

Directed by

Lee Won-suk

Made by

Rear Window

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Killing Romance Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Killing Romance (2023). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Hwang Yeo-re [Lee Ha-nee] is a widely recognized actress who rose to fame through a soda ad campaign and other gadget commercials. She starred in several successful films, though her final movie was panned, with fans criticizing her performance and ridiculing her signature catchphrase. Distressed by the reception, Yeo-re flees to the fictional tropical island Qualla, where she meets Jonathan Na [Lee Sun-kyun], a flashy real estate developer whose charm hides a controlling, status-driven nature. The couple marries and returns to Seoul, where Jonathan reveals himself to be obsessed with status and control. His quirks, such as pre-styled fake mustaches and his bold catchphrase, “It’s Goooood!”, grate on Yeo-re.

Depressed and withdrawn, Yeo-re has retired from acting. Yet some fans stay loyal, including Beom-woo [Gong Myeong], a neighbor described as an uninspired teenager and three-time failed test-taker, who, after a chance encounter with Yeo-re, volunteers to help plot her husband’s murder. They begin to communicate in secret, discarding several schemes—an allergy attack, a car crash, and a paper plane injury—before deciding to weaponize Jonathan’s ego against him.

Yeo-re brings her husband to a jjimjilbang and, with Beom-woo, challenges him to sweat himself to death. The sauna owner [Oh Jung-se] accompanies the plan. Although the gambit appears to succeed at first, Beom-woo isn’t able to go through with the murder and saves Jonathan at the last moment. Jonathan, grateful and unaware of Beom-woo’s true identity, befriends the teenager and invites him to dinner while Yeo-re is plotting a second murder attempt.

The second attempt fails, and Yeo-re says a tearful goodbye to Beom-woo as she plans to permanently relocate to Qualla with Jonathan, where his new theme is taking shape. Feeling guilty, Beom-woo goes to the island to rescue her, but his efforts are in vain. Yeo-re, even after jumping off a cliff to escape her husband, remains trapped on the island, along with the ostriches whose habitat has been destroyed by the construction of Jonathan’s theme park.

Back in Seoul, the couple returns to promote the park’s opening. Beom-woo recruits friends to crash the event, inspired by a desire to see Yeo-re free. When Jonathan’s security team seems to have the upper hand, a small group of Yeo-re’s loyal fans arrive, singing her theme song and turning the tide. As Jonathan makes a desperate lunge toward Yeo-re, a vengeful ostrich that followed him from the island swoops in and carries him away. Yeo-re makes a tentative return to acting, and her fans eagerly rally to her renewed career.

A post-credits scene shows Jonathan, sunburnt and dehydrated, calling hopelessly for his bodyguard as he floats in the middle of the ocean.

Killing Romance Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Killing Romance (2023) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Flee to Qualla after failed film

Distressed by the reception of her final movie, Yeo-rae escapes to the tropical island of Qualla to seek anonymity. There she encounters Jonathan Na, a charismatic real estate developer who seems to offer everything she has been missing. The escape marks the beginning of a new, complicated chapter in her life.

Qualla Island

Meets Jonathan Na, the perfect man

On Qualla, Yeo-rae meets Jonathan Na, a real estate developer who appears attentive and magical. They bond over her fame and his seemingly generous plans for her future. The chemistry quickly turns into a whirlwind romance.

Qualla Island

Marriage and return to Seoul

Yeo-rae and Jonathan marry and move back to Seoul, hoping to start anew away from the glare of the media. Yet the glossy facade soon reveals a different reality, as his controlling nature begins to surface. The couple's life shifts from escape to entrapment.

Seoul

Jonathan's ego and eccentricities

Jonathan proves status-obsessed and controlling, constantly foregrounding his ego. His quirks, like pre-styled fake mustaches and his catchphrase 'It's Goooood!', grate on Yeo-rae. The marriage strains as she retreats from her former fame.

Seoul

Retirement and loyal fans

Depressed by acting and displaced by Jonathan's regime, Yeo-rae retires from acting. Despite her withdrawal, a loyal fan base remains, singing a theme song they wrote for her. The chasm between her public image and private life widens.

Seoul

Beom-woo enters the plot

Beom-woo, the unmotivated next-door neighbor and three-time failed test-taker, begins secretly communicating with Yeo-rae. He agrees to help plot her husband's murder, fed up with his domineering behavior. The plan is born from a mix of rebellion and misguided loyalty.

Seoul

The plan evolves: ego as the weapon

Several schemes are discarded—an allergy attack, a car crash, and a paper-plane injury—before they settle on exploiting Jonathan's enormous ego. The plan is to use his own vanity against him. They settle on a risky confrontation that could end in his death.

Seoul

Sauna murder attempt

Yeo-rae brings Jonathan to a jjimjilbang, and with Beom-woo, tries to force him to sweat himself to death. The plan requires the will of three to work, and the test of endurance for a man of ego.

Seoul (jjimjilbang)

Beom-woo breaks from the plan and saves Jonathan

The murder attempt nearly succeeds, but Beom-woo cannot go through with it and stops the plan at the last moment. Jonathan is unaware of Beom-woo's true identity and remains grateful for the 'help' he received. The near-tragedy seeds a fragile, complicated friendship.

Seoul (jjimjilbang)

Dinner and second murder attempt

Grateful, Jonathan invites Beom-woo to dinner, fostering a fragile friendship. Meanwhile Yeo-rae plans a second murder idea (the allergy attack) and performs it, but the attempt fails. She tearfully says goodbye to Beom-woo as she plans to relocate to Qualla with Jonathan.

Seoul

Escape fails; island relocation planned

Beom-woo, guilt-ridden, travels to the island to rescue Yeo-rae but fails. Yeo-rae jumps off a cliff to escape, leaving herself stranded on Qualla Island with the ostriches as their habitat is destroyed by Jonathan's theme park.

Qualla Island

Return to Seoul for the park opening

The couple returns to Seoul to promote the park's opening, hoping to crown the new era of the theme. Beom-woo recruits friends to crash the event in a bid to free Yeo-rae.

Seoul

Fans intervene; ostrich interrupts

A group of Yeo-rae's loyal fans arrive, singing her theme song and turning the tide against Jonathan's guards. A vengeful ostrich, which followed Jonathan from the island, swoops in and carries him off. Yeo-rae considers her return to acting as fans cheer.

Seoul

Post-credits: Jonathan's fate at sea

In a post-credits moment, Jonathan, sunburned and dehydrated, drifts in the ocean calling for his bodyguard. The island ordeal ends with him alone at sea.

Open Ocean

Killing Romance Characters

Explore all characters from Killing Romance (2023). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Hwang Yeo-re (Lee Ha-nee)

A popular actress whose last film was panned, leading to a retreat from acting. She relocates to Qualla seeking anonymity and a fresh start, but remains emotionally entangled with the pressures of fame. Her longing for freedom clashes with an increasingly controlling marriage and public memory of her career.

🎭 Actress 💔 Disillusioned star 🗺️ Island exile

Jonathan Na (Lee Sun-kyun)

A real estate developer whose wealth hides a fragile ego and a penchant for control. He dresses his status with pre-styled mustaches and a gleefully hollow catchphrase, manipulating those around him. His relationship with Yeo-re fuses charm with coercion as he moves from island retreat to Seoul life.

🏗️ Power broker 🧠 Manipulative 💬 Charismatic

Kim Beom-woo (Gong Myeong)

Beom-woo is an uninspired teenager and three-time failed test-taker who becomes a crucial ally to Yeo-re. He is kind-hearted and ambitious to help, offering a grounded perspective amid the film’s surreal schemes. His actions drive pivotal moments, including attempts to thwart or assist the couple’s dangerous plans.

🎒 Student 🧭 Loyal helper 💡 Quiet resilience

Beom-woo's Sister (Lee Seo-yi)

Beom-woo’s sister appears as part of the Beom-woo world, providing familial context in the neighborhood. While not a central driver of the plot, she represents the ordinary life intersecting with extraordinary fame and schemes.

👧 Family member 🗣️ Supporting character 🧭 Connected

Beom-woo's Father (Kim Beom-woo's Father) (Kim Sang-Wook)

Beom-woo’s father figure in the story, a traditional presence within the family dynamic. He offers a grounding counterpoint to the teenager’s ambitions and the whirlwind of fame surrounding Yeo-re and Jonathan.

👨 Family elder 🗣️ Traditional view 🧭 Stabilizing

Killing Romance Settings

Learn where and when Killing Romance (2023) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

Contemporary

The story unfolds in the present day, reflecting current celebrity culture and media obsession. Characters navigate modern pressures, from public adoration to private power struggles. The plot’s rhythm—accusations, schemes, and dramatic reveals—tracks the habits and tensions of a contemporary world focused on image and control.

Location

Qualla, Seoul

The action pivots between the fictional tropical island of Qualla and the bustling city of Seoul. Qualla functions as a luxurious retreat that amplifies the star’s past fame and personal escape, while Seoul anchors the story in contemporary celebrity culture and social dynamics. The island’s future is threatened by development for a new theme park, highlighting the tension between spectacle and nature. Key scenes occur in a jjimjilbang sauna, emphasizing the film’s moods and interpersonal heat.

🏝️ Island setting 🏙️ Urban life 🗺️ Fictional locale

Killing Romance Themes

Discover the main themes in Killing Romance (2023). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🎭

Celebrity Culture

The film scrutinizes how fame shapes identity and public perception. Yeo-rae’s arc from beloved star to a largely forgotten figure exposes the volatility of stardom. Fans’ devotion and the genre’s meta-commentary reveal the pull and danger of manufactured narratives in entertainment.

🧭

Power & Control

Jonathan Na embodies a controlling, status-driven dynamic that distorts love into possession. The couple’s interactions are driven by ego, manipulation, and a willingness to cross lines for security and status. The attempted murders and strategic moves are rooted in a desire to command outcomes and preserve appearances.

🌿

Nature vs Development

Qualla’s ostrich habitat and the island’s ecosystem become casualties of aggressive development. The movie frames environmental concerns within a satire of luxury and spectacle, showing how progress often tramples on the vulnerable. The clash between preserving nature and building a theme park drives much of the plot’s tension and tragedy.

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Killing Romance Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Killing Romance (2023). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the glossy yet unforgiving world of South Korean show business, a once‑loved star finds herself adrift after a career‑defining stumble. Hwang Yeo‑rae, whose smile once lit screen‑filled ad campaigns and blockbuster premieres, now wrestles with a stifling marriage that feels more like a cage than a partnership. The glitter of her past haunts the present, and the silence of her retired life amplifies a yearning to reclaim a spotlight that seems both familiar and impossibly distant.

Across the hallway, an unlikely confidant appears in the form of a devoted fan who has turned his admiration into an obsessive dedication. Kim Beom‑woo, a shy, academically struggling teenager, lives next door and clings to the echo of Yeo‑rae’s former catchphrases, keeping her memory alive through a modest fan club that sings her theme song. Their chance encounter sparks a secret bond, as the actress sees in him a daring, if naïve, ally who might help her navigate the labyrinth of marital control and professional exile. Together they concoct a plan that promises a glimpse of freedom, each feeding the other’s desperate hope while the city hums around them with indifferent routine.

The film balances a darkly comic tone with moments of poignant melancholy, painting Seoul as a stage where personal dramas unfold beneath neon lights and relentless media scrutiny. Whispers of rebellion mix with the absurdity of everyday life, creating an atmosphere that oscillates between sly satire and earnest confession. As Yeo‑rae and Beom‑woo tread the thin line between longing and folly, the audience is left to wonder how far two strangers will go to rewrite a story that has long been written for them by others.

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