Original subtitles

Don't worry. That will only be a few days.

Yeah, I know.

It's all right. I'll go talk to your brother-in-law.

Seongmin.

Your uncle here, he'll be staying with us for a little while.

I won't be staying here too long.

I think we'll get along just fine.

Seongmin.

Can you really read that?

Yes.

Can you read Russian and German too?

Yes.

Have a look at this one.

Anarchism

It's gonna open up a whole new world.

Jinchul!

- Jinchul! - It's all right.

- Don't worry about me. - No, Jinchul! No, wait!

He just reads. He's done nothing wrong!

He's not part of the independence movement!

He's done nothing wrong!

Stop!

Stop! No! Don't take him!

You reported him, didn't you?

Why would you bring a freedom fighter into our home?

How dare you? How could you do such a thing?

He's my little brother!

That idiot will be the death of this family!

He could die in there!

How could you do such a thing? How could you?

You should be thinking about our family!

My baby brother is going to die in there!

He's gonna die!

Uncle Samsik

Uncle Samsik

The Two Truths

Choi Minkyu made another ridiculous request.

What now?

I really think this is going too far.

All right, come on. Tell me, what is it?

The opposition is too far ahead in some districts.

Don't tell me… the ballot boxes?

Why did you come over here this late anyway?

Yeojin was arrested by the police.

Can you get her out?

Things will get complicated if I do.

- So you don't want to. - It's not that I don't want to.

Is she really a concern of yours right now?

Yes, I'm worried about her.

If we let her out, she'll continue to hold us back, you know that.

Fine, forget it. Don't do it if you don't want to.

I'm not saying I don't want to.

I'm just saying it will be a headache, that's all.

You're going to steal ballot boxes, really?

I'll get Choo Yeojin released.

Are you satisfied?

Explain to me. What kind of orders did Choo Intae

give Yoon Palbong?

What don't you understand?

None of that ever happened.

Choo Intae was the one behind

Choi Hanrim's conspiracy, isn't that right?

Sir, I don't know who that is.

I don't know Choi.

- What? - Yes, sir.

Miss, we're done here. You can leave.

What?

You're free to go.

Are you okay?

They just let me go.

Just like that?

Someone must have said something.

Who?

That Sineui Alliance tip…

you don't know who sent it in?

No.

Who would benefit from the Sineui story getting out?

I'm not sure.

It's either Kang Seongmin's rival

or someone who wants to be.

Kim San?

Yoon Palbong, Kim Kwangmin, Kim San.

Someone is behind them all.

The person who made my father a monster

is the one who got me out of there just now.

The same person who got my father killed, accused him of being a spy,

and now they've begun turning San into a monster.

You'll help me, right?

It's best we don't tell the boss.

The upcoming presidential election

has been set for March 15th,

the campaigns have now entered their final stretch.

Both parties have addressed crowds in urban and rural areas across the country.

All voters are listening closely to the candidate's fiery campaign speeches

and will soon decide which one is worthy of leading our great nation.

- Vote for change! - Vote for change!

- Vote for change! - Vote for change!

Thank you all!

Mr. Kim, over here.

- How have you been? - Fine, sir.

- And Ms. Minji? - Oh, we're both working in Statistics.

It's been hell.

The Reconstruction Bureau,

it's almost finalized.

The discussion shouldn't take much longer.

Not Home Affairs, the Reconstruction Bureau?

Yes, that's correct.

Please be in touch.

- Take care of yourself. - You too, sir.

Director Jeong is waiting.

I should be getting back to the office then.

Why is it so hard to get ahold of you?

I've been busy. You're doing well?

You know where General Choi Hanrim is, don't you?

No, I don't know where he is.

I'll believe you.

Mr. An Kichul wants to see you.

Listen, the ball's in your court.

See you when I see you.

Wow.

Do you really think we can pull this off?

Opposition party observers and reporters, they'll be everywhere.

Let's get more people.

No, we can only use people we really trust.

There's an alleyway on this side, here.

- It goes from there to there. - Okay.

Let's see.

There's a tunnel right there.

If someone can stall them in front of it…

…you could get there in 20, if you really hurry.

Ah.

A tunnel! What do you know!

So the girl's got a knack for robbery then.

Can I trust someone like you in here with the safe?

Can I head home now?

Sure, you've earned your meal. Hmm?

- Go see a movie. - Uncle Samsik.

Hmm?

When did you get here?

I've been here for a while.

You're stealing the ballot boxes?

No, not at all.

I have something to tell you. Let's have a smoke.

We're making preparations just in case.

Don't go through with it.

The old and new factions are discussing the parliamentary lineup.

It's all empty promises.

I told you not to trust any of the things that they say.

Do you really think Sun Wooseok will keep his word?

They'll fight for bigger pieces of the pie until the party splits. You'll see.

Why do you think I suggested the parliamentary reform?

It's risk-free and gives us the advantage.

Huh?

Do you think we're doing this for Kang Seongmin?

Stealing ballot boxes is dangerous.

Don't do it.

It's fine as long as we're discreet.

Listen, you have nothing to lose here, Minister.

If the Liberals win, we introduce a parliamentary system.

And if the Democrats win, you get your National Reconstruction Bureau.

Is that why you came here?

I think General Choi Hanrim

is in contact with commanders of other units.

And you don't know where he is?

We said no secrets. I thought we were on the same page.

Hanmin is meeting the other officers

on General Choi's behalf.

- So they're really committed to the coup? - Rachael came to see me earlier.

She said An Kichul wanted to meet.

Rachael?

What should I do?

Should I take the meeting?

What does she want now, that little pufferfish?

March 15, 1960 Seoul, South Korea

March 15th.

Since this morning, there's been a steady stream of citizens casting their ballots.

In light of the recent espionage allegations against Mr. Choo Intae,

the election is expected to be a close call.

Many political commentators are predicting

that this election results will be decided by the inner city voters

who strongly support the Democratic Party.

Support for the Democratic Party is particularly high

in the 20 major districts around the capital.

Even after the allegations against Choo Intae,

these voters have not wavered in their support of the candidate.

By many estimates, the Liberal Party's immediate goal

is to diminish the Democratic Party's overwhelming lead in major cities.

Mister Kwangmin.

- I wanted to ask... - I'm sorry, I have nothing to say.

- My father, he... - I'm very sorry.

I'm really scared right now.

Please stay away.

You better not be caught this time around.

If it seems even a little dangerous,

leave the ballot boxes and get out of there.

If you're caught this time, I can't save you.

Okay.

By the way, who's this new guy?

It's his buddy, Jongchul introduced him.

Right. Yes, he's my brother.

- Right. - Oh.

You're related?

- Right. He's my older brother. - Yes, we can trust him.

All right, just be careful. Huh?

Here, pass them out.

There's a map. Take a good look at the locations.

Memorize these spots.

Democratic Party

Yeah, yeah.

You're getting accurate vote counts from each district, right?

- Yes, we are. - Yes, sir.

Okay. Feeling good, right?

You've checked all 20 locations,

- haven't you? - Yes.

You can do this?

Well, damn, I gotta.

Jeong Hanmin met with officers

on General Choi Hanrim's behalf, didn't he?

He came to see me too.

Chairman, there's a call for you.

Thank you.

This is Committee Chairman, Kim San.

San, are you busy?

I'm supposed to stay until results are in.

Can you come to the Banya Hotel?

Is it urgent?

Banya Hotel

San.

Did you vote yet?

What's going on?

What is this?

The plans to relocate troops.

We'll take control of Gyeongmudae,

Army HQ, broadcast stations, and key institutions.

If we block the streets, it will take half a day.

But we can't afford to have an indecisive commander

at this critical moment.

Hmm?

When the time comes, I'll decide.

Decide what?

Let's meet with Jang Doosik later.

You tell him it's on General Choi's orders.

I think that… we can convince Doosik.

Why the hesitation?

It will take half a day.

How will you handle the repercussions?

That's why we need General Choi Hanrim

- to be the face of the operation. - Hey.

You want the general to take the fall?

We're prepared for this.

You and I

can start a new era.

Is that what San told you?

Yes.

Just now.

Well done, Hanmin.

Well done.

General Choi Hanrim is under our control.

What do you mean?

General Choi isn't making any moves.

The field officers from each unit are also staying put.

Yeah, so?

We could… do this all on our own.

We could take over South Korea.

God, you're a lunatic. Let's go.

I never said any of those things.

Is any politician more talented than you are?

And is there a general out there more competent than me?

Competence alone doesn't make the world go round.

It's not possible.

It is if we have General Choi on our side.

Yeah, he may be General Choi,

but what can we do with someone who is currently being investigated?

Well, we have Albright too.

General Choi is also popular with the Americans.

You're not making any sense.

Cheongwoo wants special laws regarding industrial complexes.

And you want the Reconstruction Bureau, don't you?

I'm saying we can get all that at once.

Hanmin.

Let's just stick to Uncle Samsik's plan.

Why is he so special?

Why should we do whatever he says?

"Take advantage of General Choi and stage a coup d'état"?

Yeah.

And you went along with it?

I told him it was a preposterous plan.

You used General Choi's name to get all the officers together.

Aren't you the one who called me?

Welcome.

Thank you, sir.

55th Howitzer Regiment, Captain Lee Sooil.

55th Howitzer Regiment, Captain Lee Sooil?

Okay, come in.

That's right.

That's when we first met.

General, please, I think we should wait a little longer.

You can achieve what you want without going through with the coup.

If you continue to stall, you'll lose your chance.

General.

What's the matter?

Your location's been compromised.

You're in danger here.

I'll escort you to the bunker.

General Choi's at the bunker, I just took him over there.

Has he made a decision?

Yes.

- Where is General Choi? - The General's inside. Please follow me.

Victory.

I did plan the troops' relocation,

but the overall plan was all Samsik's idea.

The 55th Howitzers, the 3rd Marines,

and 12th Airborne Brigade will move into the capital region.

The Capital Defense can block roads around the Han River,

if they do, our mission will be a success.

In 12 hours, it will be done.

By which point, our troops will have already been deployed.

They should… stand by for now.

Don't you see what happened?

Kim San set everything up from the very beginning.

Who would think to exploit General Choi like that?

He's the only one.

Fuck! This is why we need to turn the world upside down.

Hanmin.

Don't talk about it, make it happen.

Yeah, then what?

Will you join me?

That depends on what you do.

From the beginning, those bastards…

were always planning to betray us.

From the beginning.

They'd always planned to use General Choi.

That's quite the story you got. You should have been a writer, huh?

Jeong Hanmin is a real motivated man,

but I can't see him acting by himself.

Who's the brains behind this?

Kim San was always against the coup.

I believe anybody can change their mind.

Kim San is the one who planned this coup d'état.

Kim San, his greed got the better of him.

That man is not innocent.

I'm telling you right now, I can save you.

Samsik…

everything I'm saying is true.

General Jang Doosik was appointed Commander of Capital Defense.

Lieutenant Colonel Jeong Hanmin, Capital Defense Unit.

They decided to promote me two ranks, to Lieutenant Colonel.

- Do your best. - Commander, thank you.

I was named Deputy Commander of Capital Defense.

We've been rewarded for our efforts.

Jeong Hanmin and myself.

Who is the person who didn't stand to gain anything?

It's Kim San, isn't it?

Who do you think went to the Albright Foundation

and suggested General Choi?

Hello, thank you for meeting us.

I'm Rachael Jeong of the Albright Foundation.

Oh, nice to meet you.

- Is General Choi here? - Yes, he's waiting for you upstairs.

Shall we?

Whose idea do you think it was to use Choi Hanrim?

Rachael.

Samsik can't know about you…

about you meeting General Doosik today.

He trusts me, I have to tell him.

It's the only way.

Albright…

Who benefits from having Choi Hanrim dragged into it?

You can choose me,

and the Albright Foundation is yours.

Welcome, sir. I'm An Kichul.

I've heard a lot about you. I'm Kim San.

- Nice to finally meet you. - Yes, nice to meet you.

Please sit.

Résumé: Choi Hanrim

Is parliamentary reform possible?

Personally, I don't think it is.

I don't care if it's a parliamentary system

or a presidential one.

All that I really want is to make South Korea a wealthy nation.

I share your thoughts on the matter.

Then do you think General Choi Hanrim is a worthwhile investment for us?

Take Cheongwoo's capital,

the Albright Foundation's network,

and add to that General Choi's leadership and reputation,

why wouldn't he be good for us?

What about Uncle Samsik's plans?

Who would take a dirt road

when you could just take the freeway?

Sounds good.

Really?

How interesting.

Who benefits from having Choi Hanrim dragged into it?

All right, so An Kichul stole our plans in the end.

And Jang Doosik betrayed us all.

What more is there to say?

Even then…

I never agreed with the coup d'état.

Ah, you're here.

Are you startled?

Why…

What are you doing here, General?

I brought him here.

I asked him to.

Petron Harvest is going to send

a secondary investigation team to the Philippines.

So we've run out of time.

There's a chance that everything we've been working toward will disappear.

That's why we've come to a kind of agreement on this issue.

Lieutenant Colonel Jeong has already enlisted

the commanders of key units.

55th Howitzer Regiment, 3rd Marine Regiment,

and 12th Airborne Brigade.

55th Howitzer Regiment, 3rd Marine Regiment,

12th Airborne Brigade.

You've been busy going around

abusing General Choi's name.

It was thanks to you

that I heard about the coup.

Thank you.

Jeong Hanmin.

I was against the coup d'état until the very end.

If the Democratic Party won the election...

Would they still win after Samsik stole the ballots?

The Democratic Party was set to win the election!

Why would I stage a coup d'état?

It's time for you and your generation to lead our country.

And I'm willing to be a stepping stone.

You're someone I can trust.

- Kim San, I really need your help. - General.

The Democratic Party will win this election no matter what.

And then you'll be reinstated.

We'll establish the Reconstruction Bureau.

There's no need for us to stage a coup d'état.

You shouldn't stand by

and let them deceive you.

Jeong Hanmin told a different story.

General Choi was first…

brought up at the US Army club.

The day the military reform declaration was issued.

The declaration I wrote.

Yes.

We first discussed him that day.

- Hey. - Hey, Harrison.

Did you hear?

It's a mess out there.

What's the matter?

Oh, the younger officers issued a declaration.

About what?

See for yourself.

"We condemn all factions, corruption,

and political activities within the military.

We will discipline all military personnel involved in fraudulent elections.

We will enforce punishments on generals involved in corruption.

We demand new reform within the military."

Did you see this?

- No, show me. - Here.

Do you know who Choi Hanrim is?

He's the general of the First Infantry.

I hear the military are planning a coup with him as their leader.

What will you do if General Choi stages a coup?

What can I do, huh?

What? You wouldn't join him?

- What? - There's no one like him in South Korea.

Whether he stages a coup or doesn't…

he's going to do what's right.

Kim San said that General Choi was unrivaled in Korea

and that we should join the coup with him

Is that really what Hanmin said?

Yes.

That was just an emotional response.

I've never tried to seize power or steal anyone else's position.

My only goal was to establish the National Reconstruction Bureau.

The military looks set to appoint

a new First Operations Commander.

A new commander?

General Choi Hanrim is highly regarded within the military.

He's also very close with the US Army Commander.

- Choi Hanrim? - First Infantry Commander Choi Hanrim.

I've heard of him too.

We need to keep an eye on him. All of us do.

We can bribe the National Assembly…

not the military.

So you think it's difficult, but not impossible?

That day, An Kichul was already planning on staging a coup

with Choi Hanrim at the helm.

And we didn't have the slightest inkling.

He just fell asleep.

He was in critical condition last night.

I see. He's going to pull through.

Do you think I'll do well?

Huh?

What… Ah, of course.

To be honest, I'm a little scared.

Scared that I'll ruin everything my father has achieved.

Well, I'll assist you where I can.

His influence over the Federation has been too great.

Once we reform the system, that'll be over.

Is parliamentary reform possible?

Yes.

Don't do…

anything dangerous.

We need… parliamentary reform first.

Start with that.

Father, I don't think parliamentary reform is possible.

Reform…

parliament…

and get Kang Seongmin…

and Samsik.

Get them…

Father.

I'll take care of it.

Don't you try…

to stage…

a coup.

Swear to me.

Mr. An has… he's passed away.

I'm sorry, my condolences.

Thank you.

God, I can't believe it.

This is just…

That kid, An Kichul…

He used Rachael as bait to seduce our friend, Kim San.

- How are you? - I'm well. How are you though?

Not bad.

Well, it seems like everywhere we go,

- you seem to be the talk of the town. - Yes, I know. I feel uneasy.

I'll see you around then.

Luring Kim San to Room 806 at the Banya Hotel

was all part of Kichul's plan.

Actually, Mr. Kim.

Why don't the two of us have dinner tonight?

Mr. Kim.

You are well acquainted with General Choi, correct?

Yes, I am.

General Choi is in Room 806.

- Here? - Right now.

Kichul used the Albright Foundation

to drag Kim San into the mess.

It's a method I've often used, so I know it well.

Good evening, sir.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for having me.

Capital Defense Unit, General Min Soochul.

My name is Kim San.

General Choi Hanrim was my idea.

What?

I'm the one that chose you too.

I think South Korea lacks the capacity to become a democracy right now.

That's why we need an incredible leader.

That's the dream I've had since I came to Korea.

To make a great leader for us.

Samsik can't know about you…

about you meeting General Doosik today.

Let me deal with that.

And then, Kichul tempted Kim San

with that pufferfish of a broad.

- Full of poison… - Why is it so hard to get ahold of you?

- I've been busy. - …and swishing her pretty tail.

You know where General Choi Hanrim is, don't you?

No, I don't know where he is.

I'll believe you.

Rachael came to see me earlier.

She said An Kichul wanted to meet.

Rachael?

What should I do?

Should I take the meeting?

What does she want now, that little pufferfish?

Kim San told me everything.

Who would An Kichul even know in the military to plan a coup with?

Just think about it.

The military, politicians, Albright.

They all have one thing in common.

Kim San.

- He's the only one it could be. - Well done.

South Korea…

isn't capable of becoming a democracy. You know that.

We didn't know it at the time.

Kim San is sticking right by his side.

Yeah, of course he is. That's why we're here tonight.

Kim San planned the whole thing.

Don't you get it?

How did it go?

I found a place we can keep the general safe.

Kim San. What are you doing down here?

I'm here to escort you from here, sir. Follow me.

Shall we?

- Sure. - Yes.

Why are you so protective of him?

I think it's time to head back.

Don't you think it was San who took advantage of Hanmin?

I can tell just by looking at him.

The Minister doesn't use other people.

Not like I do.

Our dear Minister is a pure soul.

His dreams are all he thinks about.

So don't you think he would go after his dreams

no matter the cost?

Everything went wrong.

Did you meet An Kichul on February 12, 1960?

Yes, I believe so.

Who proposed the coup d'état once again?

That was me, sir.

Who had the initial plan to manipulate General Choi Hanrim?

That was all my idea.

Exactly!

Did you remove General Choi in order to stage a coup?

Yes, because I couldn't stand seeing him called a spy!

So you've been here all along?

Minister.

Minister, that's you, isn't it?

I thought I'd never see you again.

I'm being investigated.

My God, why did you have to be so stubborn?

I told you not to trust anything Wooseok said.

But you were blinded by your dream of the Reconstruction Bureau

and you ignored me entirely, didn't you?

No, no, no!

I was right, wasn't I?

Minister?

Let's get this over with. Go have a drink.

Minister, I was right, wasn't I?

Yes.

I'm sorry for being so stubborn, Uncle.

It's so great to hear your voice.