Death Name – Movie Review | Tubi (3/5)

DEATH NAME on Tubi is a new horror movie based on Korean folklore but set in the US. A very efficient plot with a family curse at the heart of it all, and a well-executed story rooted in heritage and the need to fit in. Definitely a solid production and worth checking out. Also, it has a K-pop star in a key role. Read our full Death Name movie review here!

DEATH NAME is a new Tubi horror movie, and it’s one of those that you’ll want to check out. With its supernatural plot, solid cast, and impressive production quality, this is a supernatural horror movie that should please most genre fans on a Friday night. Even the runtime of just over 80 minutes (not counting commercial breaks, though) makes it worth your time.

Admittedly, no, it’s not going on our Best Tubi Horror Movies list, but it’s still worth checking out. However, with all the truly bad and plot-lacking horror movies out there, Death Name has quite a lot going for it. Plus, you can watch it for free on Tubi, so what do you have to lose by giving it a shot?!

Continue reading our Death Name movie review below. Find it on Tubi now.

American, but also Korean

With Death Name (not to be confused with dead name, which is something very different), we follow the Korean American college student, Sophie Park (Amy Keum). She recently transferred to a new college, and the Korean students are eager to include her, but she doesn’t feel she truly belongs. Her family never speaks Korean, nor did they teach her.

Of course, this doesn’t keep the other Korean-American students from including her, and soon, she wants to learn more about her own heritage. She manages to discover long-hidden secrets that her grandmother has tried to keep from her. To keep the family safe.

Before long, she has reawakened a deadly family curse. Now, to fight back, Sophie absolutely must know the true and full story of her family. Going back to before they ever left Korea and immigrated to the U.S.

A cast that should attract interest

As much as I adore South Korean genre productions, and have for decades now, I am not really into K-pop. That’s why I never realize when a K-pop star is involved with any South Korean genre movie until I read up on it. For Death Name, the familiar face will be that of Kevin Woo. He plays the role of enigmatic romantic interest, Jun, who meets Sophie at her new college.

Kevin Woo was a former member of the Korean boy band U-KISS, and he can also be heard singing on the Netflix hit Kpop Demon Hunters. He was the singing voice of Mystery Saga, which means nothing to me as I still haven’t watched K-pop Demon Hunters, but I am admittedly intrigued.

Anyway, the true star of Death Name is Amy Keum (The Kill Room, Evil) as Sophie Park, and she works perfectly for me. Not least in scenes with Sophie’s lovely grandmother, who is portrayed by Vana Kim (Peel). Also, in key roles, you’ll see Alice Bang, Andy Han, Joseph Lim Kim (9-1-1), Michelle Sun, Eliza Shin (Dead to Me), Caleb Y Moon, April Valentine, Jas Wang, and Desirée Mee Jung (Monsters).

Watch Death Name on Tubi now

The director of the 2026 Tubi horror movie Death Name is Réi Talas, who is getting his feature film debut with this horror movie. Previously, he directed the Oscar-qualified 2025 short film Shutter Bird. The screenplay comes from Regina Kim, who previously wrote several episodes of the sci-fi series The Last Client.

I personally enjoyed that this Korean-based plot was used to show why some immigrants want to leave their heritage behind, while others find comfort in it. Some run from their past, while others still have fond memories. With this supernatural plot, there is something sinister at play, of course, but for others, leaving everything behind can feel like the only way to integrate.

The cast of Death Name is fairly small, but I enjoyed the actors, who managed to create depth with their characters despite a very short runtime – and even limited screentime for many. To me, this alone is a sign that the writing, directing, and casting have come together to create a very efficient whole.

Death Name is out on Tubi on January 9, 2026.

Details

Director: Réi Talas
Writer: Regina Kim
Stars: Amy Keum, Kevin Woo, Vana Kim, Alice Bang, Andy Han, Joseph Lim Kim, Caleb Y Moon, Michelle Sun, Desirée Mee Jung, April Valentine, Jas Wang

📺 Watch trailer