Netflix film 'Unlocked' stokes realistic fear of smartphone hacking

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Feb. 15 (Yonhap) -- The upcoming Netflix movie "Unlocked" is a chilling thriller that could arouse people's common fears by showing the worst situation that could happen after losing a smartphone.

The film follows Na-mi (Chun Woo-hee), whose life is turned upside down after Jun-yeong (Yim Si-wan) picks up her lost cellphone and uses it to track her every move.

Inspired by a Japanese novel titled "In Another World with My Smartphone," director Kim Tae-joon reconstructs the original plot line and features Jun-yeong as a serial killer who targets Na-mi as his next prey using personal information stored in her smartphone.

Chun said she was drawn to the tightly knitted script with twists and unexpected turns.

"I thought (the film) could provoke realistic fear because anybody can relate to the situation," Chun said in a press conference to promote the film Wednesday. "As my character has become the target (of a crime), I tried to act like a person who really experiences such a situation."

Chun said she wanted to portray Na-mi as an ordinary office worker in her 30s who likes to share her daily life on social media and spends a lot of time with her smartphone, messaging, working, shopping, banking and doing other activities.

In the film, the character is growingly isolated at work and eventually faces a life-or-death situation after her smartphone gets in the wrong hands.

"I hope the audience can watch the movie thinking it could also happen to them," Chun said.

Yim said he interpreted his character as an emotionless villain who intends to destroy another person's life for fun.

"I thought it would be scarier if (Jung-yeong) messes with (Na-mi), knowing her mind, personal information and everything. I tried to thoroughly exclude serious emotions (from the character)," Yim said.

The actor said he didn't intend to take the villain role for the second time in a row following his terrorist role in the 2022 disaster blockbuster "Emergency Declaration," but the two movies were released one after another by chance.

"You would think I often appear as a villain, but I'm not even a little bit like (the character)," he added.

"Unlocked" (I Just Dropped My Smartphone in Korean) will be released on Netflix on Friday.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)