The final 3 episodes of Uncle Samsik are a series of sad events that get more painful by the minute. The show that follows the story of a man determined to create a better Korea for the future generation at one of the most difficult times in Korean history is both a lesson in history and a fictional story to bring to life the horrifying events that occurred in 1959. Known as the April Revolution, students and labor groups took to the streets all over the country after the body of a young boy was found on the coast of Masan, shot for protesting rigged elections. This triggered a series of events on the peninsula, leaving the nation in flames. While the show fictionalizes these events, it feels like you’re stepping back into that world and living through those terrifying moments with the characters of the series. With all that said, let’s quickly dive into the final three episodes of Uncle Samsik.
Spoiler Alert
What Happens to Kang Seongmin?
The 14th episode of the series is titled “Our Kang Seongmin.” Somehow, the “our” is missed in the translated title; however, I think it’s quite an important detail. We know that Samsik has been by Seongmin’s side since he was a little child, and even if they have different opinions, Samsik would never do anything to harm the man. At the beginning of episode 14, we see Seongmin and San have an argument regarding which of them treats Samsik like a slave. San believes Seongmin to be a monster born into a family who sold his country, but what he doesn’t know is everything that Samsik saw in the boy. While Samsik plans on leaving Seongmin in order to help San because their beliefs align better, he calls Seongmin “Our Seongmin,” an endearing term, but one that reveals that he plans on protecting him till the end. I suppose it’s San’s jealousy that leaves him feeling let down by these words.
In the meantime, work for the coup is in full swing, and we see Captain Lee and Hanmin have a conversation, showing their eagerness to stage the coup. While some of the troops move without the general’s command, news breaks out about the electoral protests in Seoul. The scene is quite terrifying because the whole country is on the streets and the government is willing to shoot down civilians. Many people were shot to death in the peaceful protests. San even moves the Democratic Party to join the protests, but the devastation he sees is unbelievably. All this while Kichul and Rachael simply make their future plans. In the meantime, Samsik only observes the situation and is dumbstruck. He finds Taemin, and Taemin tells him he has no choice. This is when Samsik realizes Seongmin’s life is in danger.
What’s ironic is that Seongmin has admitted everything to the UN and plans on leaving the party, or at least getting them in trouble. He steps out of the office, arguing with Choi Min-Kyu, and is shocked to see someone sending a speeding cart towards them. It’s obviously a bomb, and Seongmin is quick enough to escape it, but Min-Kyu isn’t as lucky. On the other hand, Han Soo tries to steal the Sineu Alliance papers from the Banya Hotel, which is also filled with tear gas. However, Han Soo’s killed by a man who finds him trying to steal the papers. We later learn that Samsik was trying to steal the papers to save Seongmin yet again. On the other hand, Seongmin runs towards Samsik’s shop. He even kills one of the men trying to follow him with a rock, showing how he’s been prepared his whole life. When Samsik finds him, he tells him not to worry about anything and that he will take care of everything. Ultimately, though, Taemin finds the two men, and Samsik tries to protest, getting shot in the chest, while Seongmin tries to make a run for it. Taemin shoots Kangmin and gets shot himself by General Hanrim’s people. Both of them end up dead, facing each other, almost in a poetic manner. The end of the Sineui Alliance.
Who betrayed Samsik?
In episode 15, we see Samsik return to his shop after recovering from his gunshot wound. He feels terribly guilty for Seongmin’s death because he did tell him to believe in him. On the other hand, a new government is formed, and a plan for a civilian national defense ministry is underway. Of course, they want to cut all budgets, so there’s no chance for a reconstruction bureau. On the other hand, Samsik has a word with Kichul, and Kichul warns him not to go against him. While everything is in turmoil and the government is trying to fix the new corruption law, San and Samsik meet up for a quiet moment. I suppose San is angry with Samsik because, at the end of the day, everything he planned didn’t work out, and Seongmin ended up dead. What if San were next? But this poignant conversation between them is somewhat like a final goodbye because we know that things get truly messed up after this. Samsik tells San that he’s like a rice cake, haphazard on the outside but melting in the mouth. Samsik’s worked tirelessly all his life, but he claims they never reached their potential in Korea.
The new Punishment of Corruption Act proves helpful to the Cheongwoo Federation as well as the Democratic Party. At the end of the day, they were simply trying to save face. The announcement of the Act is going to be on the 16th of May, and San requests that Rachael help him speak to the PM regarding future economic plans. Samsik relays the plans for the coup to General Jang Doosik. We know that this is when everything really went wrong for Samsik.
What Happens to Samsik?
The plan is put into motion on May 16th, with a man delivering Cheongwoo’s illegal funding list to Yeojin. On the other hand, Dooshik is meant to talk to the general of the 15th Division, but he sends the bartender to Chungmujang to bring more alcohol. This is a sign for someone to be sent to kill the general and stop all of Samsik’s plans because a separate section of the military is going to be staging the coup. This group works for Kichul. When Samsik learns of the general’s death, he tries to find San to save him from any danger, but San’s already made his way out of the hotel to check if their plans are in order. It turns out the “Revolutionary Army” has taken over. San still makes it to the room where the PM waits for him to try and keep things going; however, they’re interrupted by the military stating that a coup is in motion. When General Hanrim is called out, thinking it’s his own division waiting to do his bidding, San tries to stop him, but Rachael doesn’t let him. We have known that Rachael’s been by Kichul’s side this whole time.
We’re finally brought back to the early moments of the series, where Samsik, San, and Hanmin are arrested for the planned coup. General Hanrim is sent to his death by his own left-hand man, Captain Lee. I suppose if he had survived, he could’ve used the Americans to stop Kichul’s coup. Doosik tells Samsik that he’d hope to save him instead of San, but alas, Kichul wants to keep San alive. It is easy to manipulate the young guy into doing his work.
At the end of Uncle Samsik, when the man’s been taken to be shot, he gets to meet San for a brief moment. In this moment, they apologize to each other for ruining each other’s plans and potential. Samsik tells San that he lied about knowing the taste of pizza; it was a dream for him all his life. San bursts into tears, realizing his love and respect for the older man. Samsik was always kindhearted, even if his ways were quite violent. I suppose he never actually did anything violent; he just got people to do it, but even so. Samsik is killed for trying to stage a coup, and San is set free thanks to Kichul.
8 years on, San makes a speech about a new expressway between Seoul and Busan. I suppose he finally got his Reconstruction Bureau. He is supported by Albright and Cheongwoo, or, rather, one could say, possibly controlled by them. Yeojin is still a journalist, and she asks San about the costs of the expressway and how they will address them. He says the plan is to use the tolls. In the end, San is left thinking about Samsik, who said that he was like the revolving and rotating of the Earth, always there but never felt. I suppose finally, when things are coming into play, all San can think about is how Samsik is missing it all—the Korea they dreamt of together.
