Death Name (2026) — A Tubi TV Original Movie

5 Comments | 2026 K-dramas, Asian American Actors, films, Horror, K-dramas, Korean drama, Korean folklore, Korean-American actors, Movies, supernatural, Thriller, Tubi TV, Tubi TV Original | By cmoneyspinner | January 17, 2026 | 3 minutes of reading

“Death Name” is a 2026 Tubi TV original movie, categorized as Supernatural, Horror, and Thriller.

Memorable Quote: “Why can’t I say my name in Korean?”

SUMMARY: A young Korean-American woman wants to know more about her heritage and accidentally reawakens a deadly family curse. Her grandmother tried to warn her.

♦ Who Said You Have a Korean Name?

In “Death Name”, Sophie Park is a Korean American college student who has always felt caught between two worlds. Deeply connected to her modern American life, yet unsettled by the cultural gap with her heritage. Sophie’s journey begins when she transfers to a larger university known for its vibrant Asian Student Association. Intrigued by classes on Korean history, she starts reevaluating what it means to embrace her roots. For starters, Sophie decides to reclaim her Korean name, “Joo Hyun”.

When Sophie mentions she wants to begin using her Korean name, her grandma became extremely agitated and angry. “Who said you have a Korean name?” she shouts.

Grandma is suffering from dementia and starting to forget a lot of things. But there are some things she hasn’t forgotten. Not yet. She wants to make sure her daughter and her granddaughter both avoid “all things Korean”. Especially, their names.

Why? Because grandma KNOWS that finding your roots is BAD! Very, very BAD!

♦ Why Grandma Gladly Came to America

Sophie’s grandmother was heavily pregnant, carrying Sophie’s mother. The day her own mother died, she was hiding in a closet. But she saw everything that happened, and it is a frightening memory. They say Sophie’s great-grandmother committed suicide. But did she? Grandma won’t talk about it.

Is Grandma losing her mind? Is she fearful of old wives‘ tales, scary legends, and folklore that aren’t real? If so, why did unsettling events begin to unfold shortly after Sophie revealed her Korean name? Unsettling how? Oh, uuumm … flickering shadows, whispers, strange marks on her skin, eerie figures appearing in reflections and dreams that are disturbingly vivid. It’s just eerie coincidences. Right?

If not coincidences, then how can these events be explained? Sophie’s grandmother KNOWS. It’s the Death Name curse, linked to Sophie’s family’s ancestral record. Certain names once spoken aloud without proper reverence or ritual could invite vengeance from ancient spirits.

Uh oh. Sophie had spoken her name out loud. Sophie uncovers pieces of her family’s Chokbo (genealogy book) and ritual artifacts that point to a horrifying legacy. On the plus side, the book also points toward a path that could end the curse. All Sophie has to do is survive a mysterious man cloaked in shadows long enough to break the curse.

Main Characters:

Amy Keum, a Korean-American, plays the lead role of Sophie Park / Joo Hyun

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

IMDb: 4.4 out of 10 stars

My personal rating is the same as 6.5 out of 10 stars.

The IMDb rating is a tad bit brutal! It wasn’t that bad! Although if Tubi TV were my company and a decision were made to invest in “original content”, I might up my game a little bit. At least get a 7.5 rating.

Technically, the movie “Death Name” is not a Korean movie or film. But I tagged it under Korean drama because it stars Korean-American or Asian-American actors. Much like the spy thriller series “Butterfly”, which is streaming on Amazon Prime.

Also, if you’re into K-dramas with that eerie, curse-driven, folkloric itch, add “Death Name” to this list: Exhuma; Revenant; The Guest; Possessed; Island; Black; and Svaha: The Sixth Finger.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Death Name | Metacritic

Tubi’s ‘Death Name’ Embraces Korean Culture and Folklore [Review] | Bloody Disgusting!

An Original Tubi Title Worth Knowing: ‘Death Name’ Review | Tales from the Paulside

Death Name (2026) Review: When Cultural Distance Becomes the Horror. | Horror Movie Blog

TRAILER/TEASER:

Tubi. “Death Name.” YouTube, 6 Jan. 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88AGf3FwvPs.

♦

5 replies

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Here's looking at you, kid.

92 messages 8 likes

#1 Jan 24, 2026

This movie is okay but nothing special. The idea of a death name curse sounds cool on paper, but the execution feels rushed. Sophie just says her name and boom, shadows everywhere. Too quick. Grandma’s dementia angle could have been deeper instead of just yelling. Effects are basic Tubi level, you can tell the budget. Still, I finished it without fast-forwarding much. If you’re bored and want something supernatural with Korean elements, it passes the time. Don’t expect Exhuma level though.

Member

560 messages 18 likes

#2 Jan 24, 2026

Man this film tries hard with the Korean folklore but falls flat for me. The curse feels generic, like they took a shaman spirit idea and slapped “name taboo” on it. Sophie’s journey to embrace her roots is predictable from minute one. Grandma’s warnings get repetitive fast. The shadowy man looks cool in the trailer but underwhelming in the movie. Jumps are cheap, atmosphere is there sometimes. I like that it’s trying to mix culture and horror, but it needed tighter script and better scares. 5/10 at best. Skip unless you’re a completionist for Asian-American horror.

dorothygarcia31

New Member

84 messages 3 likes

#3 Jan 24, 2026

Death Name is surprisingly decent for Tubi. The name curse concept is fresh, and the family tension with grandma feels authentic. Those whisper scenes and marks on skin are creepy without overdoing CGI. Not scary enough to lose sleep, but solid entertainment

Serving Lewks

81 messages 4 likes

#4 Jan 24, 2026

Watched it because of the Korean heritage angle and I’m glad I did. Sophie reclaiming Joo Hyun then everything going wrong is a strong hook. The ancestral record reveal and the ritual to break the curse kept me interested till the end. Grandma’s dementia makes her warnings hit harder, like she’s the only one who remembers the real danger. Production is low budget but they use shadows and sound well. Some dialogue is stiff, but overall it’s a good folk horror attempt. Reminds me of Revenant a little. I’d recommend it to anyone into curse stories.

What does the Fox say?

1,830 messages 37 likes

#5 Jan 25, 2026

This movie is okay but nothing special. The idea of a death name curse sounds cool on paper, but the execution feels rushed. Sophie just says her name and boom, shadows everywhere. Too quick. Grandma’s dementia angle could have been deeper instead of just yelling. Effects are basic Tubi level, you can tell the budget. Still, I finished it without fast-forwarding much. If you’re bored and want something supernatural with Korean elements, it passes the time. Don’t expect Exhuma level though.

Yeah. Nothing special. Like I say, if Tubi is going to invest in originals, they should up their game and probably hire better scriptwriters. LOL.

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