horror story: the last thing caught on CCTV at my Incheon apartment

I wasn't going to post this but I can't stop thinking about it.

I'm 32. I was living alone in this old studio apartment in Juan-dong, Incheon. Signed the lease fast because it was cheap. The building had basically no soundproofing but it was weirdly quiet. The building manager barely showed his face. I was lonely a lot but I just figured that was city life, whatever.

Late October 2024. I came home from work like normal, grabbed a triangle kimbap and a beer from the convenience store downstairs. In the elevator there was a little notice posted on the wall.

"Multiple theft incidents reported recently. Please lock your doors when leaving. 2 additional CCTV cameras have been installed."

I felt off that night. Like someone had been following me. Every time I walked down the hall I got this cold feeling crawling up my back. I brushed it off. Incheon's a complicated city, this kind of anxious energy felt normal enough.

A few days later the building manager knocked on my door.

"Have you gone out at all in the early morning hours recently?"

"No, I come straight home after work and stay in."

His face went dark.

"There's... some strange footage on the CCTV. 5th floor hallway. Would you come look at it with me?"

I followed him to the management room. He turned on this old beat-up monitor. The screen showed a hallway I recognized immediately.

Right in front of my door.

October 28th. 2:47 AM.

Someone walked slowly from the end of the hallway. A man in a black hoodie. Face wasn't visible. His walk was weird, this unnatural waddling gait. But that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was after he stopped in front of my door.

He didn't ring the bell. Didn't knock.

He just. stood there. with his head tilted sideways at exactly 90 degrees. staring at the door.

For 3 minutes and 40 seconds.

Then the footage just cuts to static.

The manager looked at me with this anxious expression.

"After this night, the guy in room 503 stopped responding to anyone. Two days now."

Room 503 was the room right next to mine.

I went back to my apartment with my heart pounding. That night, around 2:40 AM, I got this feeling like someone was standing outside my door. I could see a faint shadow under the crack at the bottom of the door.

My heart was going INSANE. I grabbed my phone to dial 112.

And then the doorbell rang.

dingdong.

I froze.

A low voice from outside.

"Can you open up. I'm your neighbor. It's urgent."

The voice sounded normal enough. But also somehow mechanical. Like slightly off in a way I can't explain.

I killed every light in the apartment and held my breath. About 10 minutes later the shadow disappeared. The dread didn't.

Next day police came and forced open room 503. They found Mr. Choi's body inside. No signs of foul play, they said. No evidence of anyone breaking in.

But his face was turned completely toward the door.

And the CCTV inside his room showed footage from 2:47 AM. someone standing in front of his door.

I packed up and moved to a different neighborhood after that. But sometimes late at night I still think I see a faint shadow outside my door.

And yesterday I opened my mailbox at the new place.

There was a note.

"I'll come back at 2:47."

...

yeah I'm not sleeping.