Summary
Designated Survivor: 60 Days Season 1, Episode 12, “Answer” is well-directed from start to finish, showing the new tasks at hand for Park Mu-jin on his anticipated return.
This recap of Designated Survivor: 60 Days Season 1, Episode 12, “Answer” contains significant spoilers. The Korean Netflix Series will be running weekly every Monday and Tuesday until season 1 ends. You can read the recap of the previous episode by clicking these words.
I think we are midway through the season, though I am not entirely sure how many episodes it is. Episode 12, “Answer” is an accomplished chapter from start to finish, building up Acting President Park’s (Jin-hee Ji) return with inch-perfect ease.
It begins with Ms. Jeon playing Park Mi-jun the tape, which indicates that Cha Yeong-jin was behind the bombing. He’s torn by this, and as a data man, he manages to find a way of bringing Na-gyeong into a secret team to investigate.
“Answer” continues Oh Yeon-seok’s short term reign as Acting President; he baffles his staff by holding a secret NSC meeting, and rumors spread quickly that he approves the expansion of a navy base. A place the previous President failed to implement due to protestors from the locals and environmentalists. Oh Yeon-seok continues to answer to the VIP, in the murky, mysterious suit-measuring shop.
Na-gyeong probes Cha Yeong-jin, playing back the tape that proves he revoked access to General Lee regarding the simulation of the General Assembly before the bombing. He expresses that he was a level 3 administrator, and he was ordered to make that phone call by Secretary Han at the time; however, even he will be innocent. Na-gyeon soon finds out that President Yang ordered for the file to be deleted for security reasons.
Episode 12 sees Assemblywoman Yun suspicious of Oh Yeon-seok’s power-hungry spree. She warns Cha Yeong-jin that he should be afraid of him. There’s an important moment when Cha enters Oh Yeon-seok’s office and realizes that Park Mu-jin never sits in the President’s chair, and then he says the current Acting President. This is purely a representation of respect for the highest position in the office; Park Mu-jin fears the job, while Oh Yeon-seok abuses it. Cha vows to ensure there will never be a person in charge like Oh Yeon-seok again.
Oh Yeon-seok’s aggressive stance on the Gasan Island works in Episode 12 by playing manipulative tactics. He hires a social media team to provoke fear and paranoia in the region, encouraging them to be at each other’s throat. There’s compensation involved as well.
With further digging, Na-gyeong reveals the expansion will irritate China, prevent the peace treaty and set up in a new Cold War system in the Korean Peninsula. The entire situation is more severe than realized.
Designated Survivor: 60 Days Season 1, Episode 12, “Answer” ends with an emotional thud to the heart. Due to the investigation of Chief Presidential Secretary Cha, he has planned his resignation. The media will pinpoint their suspicion regardless, and he does not want to hurt Park Mu-jin’s chances of winning the election. Acting President Park signs out of the hospital and holds his own press conference. He reveals he will not be accepting Cha’s resignation, stating that the media must give the people a fair chance with dignity with the information they distribute. In the background, Cha is welling up, and then Park announces one last statement:
“I will be running for President”.
Presidential Secretary Notes
- Park’s wife Choe Gang-yeong feared all episode that her husband would run for the presidency — her fears came true, and it may cause an issue in the family.
- Now that Cha Yeong-jin and ex-secretary Han is off the hook, who is the mole in the Blue House?
You can read the recap of the thirteenth episode by clicking these words.
