Pratik Handore
Netflix’s ‘Unlocked’ is a South Korean film directed by Kim Tae-joon. It is loosely based on author Akira Shiga’s 2017 Japanese novel ‘Sumaho O Otoshita Dake Na No Ni.’ The crime thriller film stars Chun Woo-hee, Im Si-wan, and Kim Hee-won in the lead roles and tackles the theme of modern cyber security. In the movie, notorious serial killer Jun-Yeong uses software called Peepers to stalk his targets. The software allows Jun-Yeong complete access to his target’s smartphone. If you are wondering whether Peepers in ‘Unlocked’ is a real-life tracking software, here is everything you need to know! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Is Peepers a Real Tracking Software?
In ‘Unlocked,’ protagonist Na-Mi loses her phone while returning home after a night of partying. The smartphone falls into the hands of Jun-Yeong, who uses the device to stalk Na-Mi. However, after Jun-Yeong fails to unlock the smartphone by cracking the password, he smashes the screen instead. Eventually, Jun-Yeong instructs Na-Mi to get the phone repaired at his repair shop. As a result, Jun-Yeong uses the opportunity to install software known as Peepers on Na-Mi’s smartphone. Later, Jun-Yeong installs the same software on Na-Mi’s father’s mobile. Peepers is a type of spyware that allows Jun-Yeong to access his target’s smartphone data.
Spywares are common in reality and are described as malicious software that can gather personal information about a person from a specific device. Hence, the software can be used for hacking. Peepers appears to be fairly standard spyware that can be bought on the internet for a few hundred dollars. The software resembles SMS Peeper, a spyware that allows the user to track text messages on a specific device. However, the film’s iteration of Peepers also has several other features that differentiate it from other real-life spyware. Therefore, it is safe to say that Peepers is fictional software. The name is likely a reference to spyware’s ability to give its user a peak into a specific person’s life.
How Does Peepers Work?
In the film, Peepers is depicted as spyware that needs to be installed on a person’s smartphone either physically or through a malware link. The software then allows the installer complete access to a device that Peepers is installed on. For starters, the app gives a complete first-person view of the victim’s smartphone to the installer. In the movie, we see Jun-Yeong using spyware and receiving a comprehensive visual of Na-Mi’s activities using her smartphone on his cloned mobile.
Similarly, the spyware also allows Jun-Yeong to track Na-Mi’s location, read her texts, and access her mobile’s camera, data files, and call logs. Moreover, Peepers also lets Jun-Yeong send texts and make phone calls from Na-Mi’s smartphone. Using these features, Jun-Yeong wreaks havoc on Na-Mi’s life and destroys her career. Jun-Yeong’s use of Peepers highlights users’ susceptibility to smartphones since the devices are vulnerable to spyware that can steal all their data. As a result, the film is a cautionary tale about protecting one’s personal information, especially the one stored on smartphones.
Read More: Netflix’s Unlocked Ending, Explained: Is Jung-Yeong Dead?
