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12.12: The Day
Movie

12.12: The Day

2023 • Action, Drama, History

Woke Score
1.4
out of 10

Plot

Following the assassination of President Park in 1979, various military factions wrestle for control during a violent coup in this tense South Korean period action drama.

Overall Series Review

The film focuses exclusively on the historical military power struggle following the 1979 assassination of President Park. The central conflict is a high-stakes, hyper-masculine showdown between two opposing factions of generals: one driven by unbridled ambition for political power, the other committed to upholding military protocol and the rule of law. Characters are judged solely on their morality, loyalty, and competence as soldiers and political actors, entirely detached from modern intersectional concerns. The narrative is a straightforward political-historical drama set in a male-dominated military and government environment, resulting in a near-total absence of the five 'woke' categories.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The conflict is based entirely on a clash of character merit, political ambition, and adherence to military protocol, not immutable characteristics. The film features an all-Korean cast depicting historical figures in South Korea, and there is no discussion or foregrounding of race or ethnicity as a factor in the moral alignment of any character.

Oikophobia2/10

The movie criticizes a specific group of corrupt, power-hungry military officers who betray their oath and hijack the nation, not the foundational South Korean culture or civilization itself. The protagonist and his allies actively attempt to defend the institutions of the Republic of Korea and the rule of law from the coup, embodying a defense of the nation's integrity, not self-hatred. The critique is directed at authoritarian political corruption, which is a universal theme.

Feminism2/10

The setting is the South Korean military in 1979, making the cast almost exclusively male. The narrative is a hyper-masculine political-military action-thriller focused on generals maneuvering troops. Women are not featured in positions of power, nor are there any 'Girl Boss' or 'Mary Sue' characters. The film does not include anti-natalist or anti-family messaging and simply reflects the historical, patriarchal environment of the military coup.

LGBTQ+1/10

The film is a political and military historical drama. Sexual identity, alternative sexualities, and gender ideology are entirely irrelevant to the plot and are not present in the narrative in any capacity. The focus remains on the power struggle between military generals.

Anti-Theism1/10

The core conflict is political and military, driven by power and law. Religion is absent as a central theme. There is no depiction of faith or traditional religion, especially Christianity, as a root of evil, nor are religious characters portrayed as bigots. The morality displayed is one of duty and loyalty versus treachery and ambition, implying a higher moral law of public service and principle.