Why & How They Happened

Warning: Spoilers for Hellbound season 2

One of the biggest mysteries in Netflix’s original K-drama, Hellbound, is why and how the resurrections happened. After a successful first season, Hellbound season 2 returned with a new cast and even more mysteries. Following a three-year-long wait, the show is back to continue Yeon Sang-ho’s story about angels, demons, and the impact that these supernatural beings have on the world.

Like the first season of the series, Hellbound season 2 had a significant time jump that showed how much things had changed in the world after Toughie’s demonstration. At the end of Hellbound season 1, Park Jeong-ja was resurrected, which prompted questions about whether other characters who had gone to Hell would also be brought back to life. While the sophomore season solved some of the mysteries from its first season, Hellbound season 2 ended with several unanswered questions.

How & Why People Are Resurrected In Hellbound Season 2

The Reason Why People Were Resurrected Wasn’t Explained In Hellbound Season 2

After a person is executed by the monsters in Hellbound, only a pile of bones and ash remain when they are sent to Hell. Jeong-ja’s resurrection showed that the ashes and bones are turned into flesh when the executed person returns to life, similar to how a Phoenix is reborn in mythology. While it’s clear how a person returns to life, the reason behind why they are resurrected isn’t explained.

The resurrections, like the demonstrations, seem random. There’s no proof in Hellbound season 2 as to why these particular characters were resurrected and others weren’t. It’s possible that these characters were deemed worthy of returning, or that their resurrection would serve some sort of greater purpose. Either way, since Jins-su became an executioner, it might mean that the path to becoming the creatures of Hell starts with the demonstration, then the resurrection, and finally the transformation.

Every Character Who Has Been Resurrected In Hellbound

Only Three People Were Known To Have Been Resurrected In Hellbound

In Hellbound season 1, Park Jeong-ja, the first publicly known sinner, received the decree that declared she was hellbound and was subjected to the demonstration. After spending eight years in Hell, Jeong-ja was mysteriously resurrected in the finale of Hellbound season 1. A few days after being born, Song So-hyun’s baby was visited by an angel who told her the exact day and time she would be hellbound. Song-hyun and her husband, Young-jae, sacrificed themselves in order to save their child. Unfortunately, Toughie died, but she was resurrected immediately after.

When Jeong Jin-su was still a child, he received a prophecy that told him he would die 20 years later. He couldn’t make sense of the declaration, so he started a religious organization called the New Truth that preached the doctrine that those who received the decree were sinners to help him cope with his fate. On the preordained day, three hulking monsters came for him and took him to Hell. The former chairman of the New Truth was resurrected four years after Jeong-ja came back to life.

What Happens To People After They Return From Hell In Hellbound

Every Character Who Returned From Hell Had A Different Experience

Following her resurrection, the New Truth took Jeong-ja so she could explain what Hell was like. They planned to use her to start a new doctrine, since the public no longer believed that only sinners were bound for Hell after witnessing what happened to Toughie. However, Jeong-ja was incoherent and confused. Although Kim Jeong-chil thought Jeong-ja’s words were nonsense, it turned out she was able to see how someone would die. The Resurrected One could also see when the world would be ending. So, after Hye-jin rescued her from the clutches of the New Truth, she spent her remaining days with her family.

When Jin-su returned from Hell, he lost his sense of self and had no idea who he was. Everytime he looked in the mirror, he would see visions of the monsters that executed him. In order to make sense of his new reality, Jin-su went in search of Jeong-ja since she was the only person he knew who had also been resurrected. But when he found her, it was revealed that the two had different experiences in Hell. While Jin-su clearly had a terrible time in Hell, Jeong-ja remembered that she was a mother even when she was being tortured.

After confronting Jeong-ja and realizing they weren’t experiencing the same thing, Jin-su transformed into an executor and went back to Hell. The other person who was resurrected, Toughie, spent her early years being locked up and observed by Sodo. But unlike Jeong-ja and Jin-su, Toughie didn’t seem to have any special abilities and was just a normal child. Toughie might have been normal because she didn’t stay in Hell as long as Jeong-ja and Jin-su did. The reason behind why these characters had different experiences after returning from Hell isn’t explained at the end of Hellbound season 2, but could be delved into later.