The Two Truths

Uncle Samsik Episode 11 drops us in 1944 Busan where Uncle Jinchul visits Kang’s family. He’s impressed that Kang can read multiple languages and offers him a book on anarchism. At night, he watches his uncle lighting explosives and then as he’s arrested the next day. Listening to his parents argue, it’s Kang’s father who turned in his mother’s brother as a freedom fighter. Later, Kang discovers his mother hanging from the rafters.

Samsik promises to get Yeojin released but she’s already being questioned. Then magically she’s released without explanation. At the newspaper, Yeojin digs for answers, asking about the tip on the Sineui Alliance document and guessing someone is behind everything, including San’s actions.

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As election day is set, San campaigns for change. Privately, he confirms a soon-to-come Reconstruction Bureau to a former colleague. Rachel, who’s had a hard time reaching San, questions him about General Choi but San claims to know nothing.

As Samsik’s team plans to hijack ballot boxes, San overhears but Samsik claims he’s not doing it for Kang. Either way, San has nothing to lose – either the liberals win and introduce a parliamentary system or the Democrats win, establishing the National Reconstruction Bureau. Samsik asks again about General Choi but San says that Han-min is speaking to other officers on Choi’s behalf. And that Ahn Ki-chul wants to meet, making Samsik immediately suspect Rachel.

It’s March 15^th, 1960, Election Day and news reports speculate a close call. As they wait for voting to close, Han-min shares plans for the coop with San, suggesting they include General Jang using General Choi’s name to lure him. Han-min explains that it would allow them both to be the faces of the new era. Meanwhile, under interrogation, Han-min is surprised to hear that San blames him for setting up Choi.

In another conversation, Han-min tells San that General Choi is under their control and they, the most competent, could be the ones to take over South Korea. In addition, they have Albright on their side. San notes they have Samsik – but why do they need him, Han-min queries. However, in custody, Han-min swears he never said any of that. While investigator Soo-il wonders if it’s actually Han-min who contacted him back then, using Choi as a cover.

Meeting Choi together, San questions why they need the coup while conversely, Han-min says it’s now or never. Believing his location is compromised, Choi is transferred to the bunker and Han-min reports to Jang once it’s done. Han-min urges Choi – it’s now 12 hours to coup-time but Choi tells him to wait.

Under observation, Han-min claims it was all Samsik’s order, that San set him up from the beginning. And San said he’d join him depending on what he does next.

Jang, questioning Samsik, notes that San and Han-min had planned to betray them both from the start. Samsik believe San had always been against the coup but Jang claims he’s not so innocent and, as the brains, planned the coup himself. Jang offers to save Samsik. And planting a seed of doubt, he wonders who could have influenced Albright to tap Choi other than San.

Han-min narrates that Jang was given command of the National Defense Unit and he raised up two levels to Lieutenant Colonel and named Deputy Commander to Jang.

Jang imagines a meeting between San, Ahn Ki-chul and Rachel where they tap Choi and San betrays Samsik. But Samsik suggests facts like Ki-chul stealing their plan and Jang betraying them.

In his confessional, San claims he never wanted the coup. That Ki-chul and Rachel had Han-min bring in Choi because of the Petron Harvest threat to the Federation. In his version, Choi says he has Han-min gather a full team. San claims he tried to dissuade Choi from the coup, that instead they could reinstate him after reformation.

While Soo-chul tells Han-min that he’d heard of the coup thanks to his gathering of comrades. Han-min’s story is that Choi was first mentioned at the Military Club when the military reform declaration was revealed. The one written by Soo-chul. Then, San stated that Choi is best placed to lead a coup.

When San hears that Han-min outed him as backing the coup, San claims it was only an emotional response – that he’d only ever focused on the Reconstruction Bureau.

Samsik recalls having first heard of Choi and that Kang knew of him. Ki-chil had suggested that bribing the military might be possible, using Han-min. He notes visiting Yosub in the hospital and Ki-chul worrying about his father’s legacy. That Yosub made his son swear to avoid a coup. But that Ki-chul used Rachel to get to San, a method familiar to Samsik. But Jang believes San is the only one who could bring all those factions together. Why would Samsik protect him? Because San doesn’t use other people, he only focuses on his reconstruction dream.

Back in his investigation, San admits to meeting Ki-chul, proposing the coop and manipulating Choi. He claims he removed Choi because he couldn’t stand having him labeled a spy. As he shouts, Samsik is lead by.

A blindfolded Samsik is sure it’s San, calling out to him and scolding him for trusting Wooseok. San apologizes to his uncle for being stubborn. But Samik is just happy to hear his voice.

Episode Review

Round and round the truths we go, probably many more than two (and possibly fewer). As his investigator tells San that Han-min approached him too about the coup, you can feel the ‘oh shit’ going on behind his eyes. Later, in his interrogation, Han-min is surprised that San has named him as the one who set up Choi. Backs are up as both feel betrayed and push their own version of reality.

Meanwhile, questioned by Jang, it’s Samsik’s turn to wonder if he’d been played by his own creation, San. But he sticks to his instincts, that San doesn’t manipulate others – that’s more Samsik’s style. Nearly to the end, he stands by his impression of San. Does something change when he hears San shout about protecting Choi? He’s clearly got a jealous streak…

After an episode heavy with he-said-he-said, it’s clear that everything we’ve learned to date is dubious information. What started as a confessional, may have been manipulation from the start – even bending our ideas of what’s happening. Feeling that we’ve been Usual Suspect-ed yet? The question is who’s playing the Kevin Spacey role?

Who’s your favorite pawn in Uncle Samsik? At this point, it could be anyone. Let us know in the comments below. 

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