12.12: The Day
12.12: The Day
Park Hae-joon plays Noh Tae-geon, Jeon Du-gwang’s key associate. Jeon Du-gwang invites Lee Tae-shin, Gong Su-hyeok, and others to a dinner to keep them occupied, but does not show up. Lee Tae-shin personally leads troops and faces off against Jeon Du-gwang’s side in an armed standoff on Sejongno.
OVERALL TRUTH BASIS · Fact-based dramatization
A historical drama whose central framework is the actual events, principal figures, and troop movements of the December 12, 1979 military coup, while altering the names and personalities of real people and cinematically inventing or condensing some confrontations, dialogue, and actions.
December 12 Military Coup
A military coup in which the new military faction centered on the Hanahoe, including Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, illegally took Army Chief of Staff Jeong Seung-hwa into custody and mobilized troops to seize control of the military command.
FACT / FICTION
Verification 20
Fact / Fiction verification
20 recordsThe film <12.12: The Day> is a 141-minute Korean dramatic feature directed by Kim Seong-su that was released on November 22, 2023.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- —
- Verified record
- The KMDb film entry confirms the release date, running time, and director.
View 1 sources
- 서울의 봄 작품정보한국영상자료원 KMDb · Specialist database · Grade BOpen source →
The December 12 military coup, the film’s central event, actually took place on December 12–13, 1979.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- A new military faction led by Jeon Du-gwang stages a coup to take control of the military command.
- Verified record
- The National Institute of Korean History and Supreme Court rulings characterize the December 12 actions of the new military faction, including Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, as a military coup.
View 2 sources
- 10·26과 12·12 1979국사편찬위원회 우리역사넷 · Government source · Grade AOpen source →
- 대법원 1997.4.17. 선고 96도3376 전원합의체 판결대법원/국사편찬위원회 · Law or judgment · Grade AOpen source →
Army Chief of Staff Jeong Seung-hwa was taken into custody without the President’s prior approval.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- General Jeong Sang-ho is forcibly taken into custody before presidential approval has been granted.
- Verified record
- Official historical records state that Chun Doo-hwan’s faction arrested Jeong Seung-hwa and then sought retrospective approval from President Choi Kyu-hah.
View 2 sources
- 10·26과 12·12 1979국사편찬위원회 우리역사넷 · Government source · Grade AOpen source →
- 대법원 1997.4.17. 선고 96도3376 전원합의체 판결대법원/국사편찬위원회 · Law or judgment · Grade AOpen source →
President Choi Kyu-hah initially refused to approve Jeong Seung-hwa’s arrest and required the defense minister’s consent.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- The rebels demand the President’s approval to arrest the general, but he does not immediately grant it.
- Verified record
- Our History Net summarizes that Choi Kyu-hah refused approval, saying the defense minister’s consent was required.
View 1 sources
- 10·26과 12·12 1979국사편찬위원회 우리역사넷 · Government source · Grade AOpen source →
The Hanahoe faction, including Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, illegally mobilized military forces in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Jeon Du-gwang and Noh Tae-geon move airborne troops and frontline forces to Seoul.
- Verified record
- The Supreme Court ruling addressed the illegality of troop mobilization and the conspiracy and joint execution of the December 12 coup.
View 2 sources
- 10·26과 12·12 1979국사편찬위원회 우리역사넷 · Government source · Grade AOpen source →
- 대법원 1997.4.17. 선고 96도3376 전원합의체 판결대법원/국사편찬위원회 · Law or judgment · Grade AOpen source →
Jeon Du-gwang is a character modeled on Chun Doo-hwan.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Hwang Jung-min plays Jeon Du-gwang, the head of the Defense Security Command.
- Verified record
- Director Kim Seong-su explained that Jeon Du-gwang is a central character modeled on the real person Chun Doo-hwan, and that he deliberately changed the name.
View 2 sources
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 인물 이름을 바꾼 이유경향신문 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 어이없는 그날의 밤 이야기KBS 스타연예 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
Noh Tae-geon is a character modeled on Roh Tae-woo.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Park Hae-joon plays Noh Tae-geon, Jeon Du-gwang’s key associate.
- Verified record
- Director Kim Seong-su explained that he altered the names of real people and changed Roh Tae-woo’s name to Noh Tae-geon.
View 1 sources
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 인물 이름을 바꾼 이유경향신문 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
Lee Tae-shin is modeled chiefly on Capital Defense Command chief Jang Tae-wan, but is not a direct portrayal of the real Jang Tae-wan.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Jung Woo-sung plays Lee Tae-shin, a principled and restrained commander of the Capital Defense Command.
- Verified record
- Yonhap News identifies Jang Tae-wan as the model for Lee Tae-shin. According to an interview with Jung Woo-sung, the director wanted to make Lee Tae-shin “the most fictional character.”
View 2 sources
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
- 서울의 봄 이태신 캐릭터 인터뷰정우성 인터뷰(다음/언론 보도) · Cast interview · Grade BOpen source →
Gong Soo-hyeok, Oh Jin-ho, and Kim Jun-yeop are modeled respectively on Jeong Byeong-ju, Kim Oh-rang, and Kim Jin-gi.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- —
- Verified record
- Yonhap News confirmed the correspondences between the film’s three characters and the people who held the relevant positions during the actual December 12 events.
View 1 sources
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
The invitation of Jang Tae-wan, Jeong Byeong-ju, and Kim Jin-gi to a dinner in Yeonhui-dong on December 12 is based on an actual event.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Jeon Du-gwang invites Lee Tae-shin, Gong Soo-hyeok, and others to dinner to keep them occupied, then fails to show up.
- Verified record
- Yonhap News reports that Chun Doo-hwan invited Jang Tae-wan, Jeong Byeong-ju, Kim Jin-gi, and others to dinner in Yeonhui-dong, and that they returned to their units after hearing reports of gunfire at the chief of staff’s official residence.
View 1 sources
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
The measure to control the Han River bridges in an attempt to impede rebel troop movements was based on an actual order from Jang Tae-wan.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- The forces suppressing the coup set up barricades on the Han River bridges to stop the rebels from moving.
- Verified record
- Citing Jang Tae-wan’s memoir, Yonhap News confirms that he ordered the Han River bridges controlled to make up for his forces’ numerical disadvantage.
View 1 sources
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
The large-scale confrontation between rebel and coup-suppressing forces on Sejong-daero in the film did not actually take place.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Lee Tae-shin personally leads troops into an armed standoff with Jeon Du-gwang’s faction on Sejong-daero.
- Verified record
- The real Jang Tae-wan did not leave the command center, and the scene of the two sides directly confronting each other on Sejong-daero is confirmed to be a cinematic invention.
View 2 sources
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
- 서울의 봄 제작기 ②씨네21 · Production material · Grade BOpen source →
The climax in which Lee Tae-shin alone crosses the barricade and approaches Jeon Du-gwang directly is a cinematic invention.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Stripped of his position, Lee Tae-shin crosses the barricade alone toward the rebels.
- Verified record
- The filmmakers explained that the barricade and barbed wire in this sequence were designed for dramatic effect, and that the real Jang Tae-wan did not deploy outside the command center.
View 2 sources
- 서울의 봄 제작기 ②씨네21 · Production material · Grade BOpen source →
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
Special Warfare Command chief Jeong Byeong-ju tried to deploy the 9th Airborne Brigade to suppress the coup, but it was ordered to turn back; later, he was wounded while being arrested by troops from the 3rd Airborne Brigade.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Gong Soo-hyeok tries to oppose the rebels but is subdued by forces under his own command.
- Verified record
- Yonhap News confirms Jeong Byeong-ju’s attempt to deploy the 9th Airborne Brigade and the 3rd Airborne Brigade’s arrest operation.
View 1 sources
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
Major Kim Oh-rang died after resisting troops from the 3rd Airborne Brigade, who had been deployed to arrest Jeong Byeong-ju.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Oh Jin-ho protects Gong Soo-hyeok and engages in a firefight with rebel troops.
- Verified record
- Yonhap News reports that Kim Oh-rang died after resisting troops from the 3rd Airborne Brigade with a pistol.
View 1 sources
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
Defense Minister Roh Jae-hyun left the command center and went into hiding during the December 12 gunfire, and returned to the situation late.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- Defense Minister Oh Guk-sang flees the gunfire to several locations and fails to direct the suppression effectively.
- Verified record
- Official historical records and Yonhap News reports confirm Roh Jae-hyun’s flight and his later involvement in the approval process.
View 2 sources
- 10·26과 12·12 1979국사편찬위원회 우리역사넷 · Government source · Grade AOpen source →
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
The film’s compression of the central coup sequence into about 9 hours is a cinematic structure based on the actual timeline of events.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- The film presents the period from 8 p.m. until 5:10 a.m. the following day as an intense 9 hours.
- Verified record
- Director Kim Seong-su explained that he framed the core of the film around the period from 8 p.m., when gunshots rang out as the chief of staff was taken into custody, until 5:10 a.m. the next day, after the President’s approval.
View 1 sources
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 욕망과 신념이 자아낸 사건씨네21 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
Rather than reproducing December 12 exactly like a documentary, the director changed the names of real people and allowed invention in order to dramatize the characters’ decisions and desires that were not recorded.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- —
- Verified record
- Director Kim Seong-su explained in an interview why he changed the names of real people and his intention to use invention.
View 2 sources
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 인물 이름을 바꾼 이유경향신문 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 욕망과 신념이 자아낸 사건씨네21 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
Director Kim Seong-su himself experienced an armored vehicle and gunfire firsthand in Hannam-dong on December 12, 1979.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- —
- Verified record
- The director has said in several interviews that he lived in Hannam-dong at the time and remembers following an armored vehicle and hearing gunshots.
View 2 sources
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 욕망과 신념이 자아낸 사건씨네21 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 인물 이름을 바꾼 이유경향신문 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
The Supreme Court ruling recognized the December 12 events as a rebellion under the Military Criminal Act, and the convictions of those involved, including Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, became final.
On screen · Verified record
- On screen
- —
- Verified record
- The Supreme Court en banc ruling of 1997.4.17 recognized the crime of military rebellion, including the illegal arrest of Jeong Seung-hwa and illegal troop mobilization.
View 1 sources
- 대법원 1997.4.17. 선고 96도3376 전원합의체 판결대법원/국사편찬위원회 · Law or judgment · Grade AOpen source →
CHARACTER ↔ PERSON
Characters and real people
공수혁
Based On Real PersonBased on a real personJeong Byeong-ju →
김준엽
Based On Real PersonBased on a real personKim Jin-gi →
노태건
Based On Real PersonBased on a real personRoh Tae-woo →
오국상
Based On Real PersonBased on a real personRoh Jae-hyun →
오진호
Based On Real PersonBased on a real personKim Oh-rang →
이태신
Fictionalized real personBased on a real personJang Tae-wan →
전두광
Based On Real PersonBased on a real personChun Doo-hwan →
정상호
Based On Real PersonBased on a real personJung Seung-hwa →
최한규
Based On Real PersonBased on a real personChoi Kyu-hah →
Sources used
- 서울의 봄 작품정보한국영상자료원 KMDb · Specialist database · Grade BOpen source →
- 10·26과 12·12 1979국사편찬위원회 우리역사넷 · Government source · Grade AOpen source →
- 대법원 1997.4.17. 선고 96도3376 전원합의체 판결대법원/국사편찬위원회 · Law or judgment · Grade AOpen source →
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 인물 이름을 바꾼 이유경향신문 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 어이없는 그날의 밤 이야기KBS 스타연예 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →
- 반란군에 맞선 군인과 가족의 고통…서울의 봄 뒷이야기들연합뉴스 · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
- 서울의 봄 이태신 캐릭터 인터뷰정우성 인터뷰(다음/언론 보도) · Cast interview · Grade BOpen source →
- 서울의 봄 제작기 ②씨네21 · Production material · Grade BOpen source →
- 김성수 감독 인터뷰 - 욕망과 신념이 자아낸 사건씨네21 · Creator interview · Grade BOpen source →