'The Whirlwind' Ending Explained: Who killed Park Dong-ho? Jeong Su-jin's arrest raises suspicion
Contains spoilers for 'The Whirlwind' Episode 12 on Netflix
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: All episodes of 'The Whirlwind' have officially dropped on Netflix. The series revolves around the intense conflict between the Prime Minister, who plans to assassinate the President to create a corruption-free country, and the Deputy Prime Minister, who tries to stop him and seize power.
Prime Minister Park Dong-ho (Sol Kyung-gu) teamed up with President Jang Il-jun (Kim Hong-pa) on a mission to create a nation they could all be proud of. However, as their journey unfolded, it became evident that President Jang Il-jun was not entirely committed to this noble cause. He took drastic measures to suppress any attempts to uncover the deep-seated corruption within Daejin Group, the nation's leading conglomerate.
The President's son and the Deputy Prime Minister, Jeong Su-jin (Kim Hee-ae), were deeply involved in the corruption and made every effort to protect themselves.
However, Prime Minister Dong-ho, disillusioned by the pervasive corruption and the President's complicity, decided to take drastic action. He believed that assassinating the President was the only way to eradicate the deep-rooted corruption.
The climax of 'The Whirlwind' paves the way for Dong-ho's vision of a corruption-free South Korea. There's a lot to uncover in 'The Whirlwind' Episode 12. So, let's jump in!
Park Dong-ho dies for his nation in 'The Whirlwind' Episode 12
When Jang Il-jun died, Dong-ho assumed the role of Acting President of the Republic of Korea. Later, he won the election and became president. However, his path to achieving a corruption-free country was fraught with challenges because Su-jin did everything possible to thwart his efforts.
In 'The Whirlwind' Episode 12, Dong-ho believed that only his death could bring about change. He confronted Su-jin on a hilltop, where she feared he had evidence linking her to President Jang Il-jun's murder. As she prepared to confess, she received a call from Lee Man-gil (Kang Sang-won) informing her that Dong-ho had no evidence against her.
Dong-ho ripped buttons off Su-jin's coat, seized her red handkerchief, and jumped off the cliff. His plan was to incriminate Su-jin for his death. The absence of buttons on her coat would imply a struggle and the handkerchief with her DNA would prove her guilt in his murder. Dong-ho took a perilous gamble with his life.
Ultimately, Dong-ho sacrificed his life for his country. Su-jin became the primary suspect in his murder, leading to her interrogation at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
As the episode progressed, Choi Yeon-sook (Kim Mi-sook), the Chief of Staff at the Blue House, went to meet Su-jin. Yeon-sook played a video recorded by Dong-ho before his death. Aware that Su-jin would face arrest, Dong-ho left her a message.
Dong-ho documented in his will the truth that Su-jin did not kill him. Yeon-sook was tasked to disclose it only if Su-jin chose to confess to all her crimes. She named every other corrupt politician and officeholder involved in the corruption and the Daejin Group funding scam.
Unfortunately, President Dong-ho did not live to witness the day when the criminals were finally apprehended. Although Su-jin implicated those involved in the scam, she denied direct involvement, which led to her release from both the scam-related charges and the murder accusations.
Jeong Su-jin finally gets arrested in a dramatic showdown in 'The Whirlwind' Episode 12
Su-jin believed she would become acting president after Dong-ho's death. However, Seo Jeong-yeon (Im Se-mi), Dong-ho's assistant, planted a hidden camera in her office to expose the truth to the public.
As the episode progressed, fake news began circulating, falsely alleging from Han Min-ho's (Lee Hae-young) diary that Man-gil was the one who murdered President Jang Il-jun after he was hospitalized.
Man-gil pleaded with her to publicly confess to murdering President Jang Il-jun. Little did Su-jin realize, the entire conversation was being streamed live to the public, capturing her unexpected confession of the crime. This revelation marked a dramatic turn, exposing Su-jin's involvement in the assassination of the president.
In the end, Su-jin was arrested for the murder of President Jang Il-jun. The conclusion of the show made it clear that Dong-ho would be remembered as the force of change he had always envisioned.
All episodes of 'The Whirlwind' are now streaming on Netflix