The Whirlwind Ending Explained: The South Korean political thriller mystery series is directed by Kim Yong-wan and written by Park Kyung-soo. The show features a star-studded cast including Sol Kyung-gu as Park Dong-ho, Kim Hee-ae as Jung Su-jin, Kim Mi-sook as Choi Yeon-suk, Lee Hae-young as Han Min-ho, Kim Hong-pa as Jang Il-jun, Im Se-mi as Seo Jeong-yeon, Jeon Bae-soo as Lee Jang-seok, Cha Soon-bae as Lee Jung-gwon, Kim Young-min as Kang Sang-woon, Jang Gwang as Jo Sang-cheon, Kim Jong-goo as Park Chang-sik, and Park Geun-hyung as Chairman Kang, among others. The Netflix series comprises 12 episodes, each with a runtime of 45 to 50 minutes.
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The Whirlwind Plot
The Whirlwind centres on Prime Minister Park Dong-ho and his relentless pursuit to eradicate corruption in the Republic of Korea. Following the murder of his close friend, Assemblyman Seo Gi-tae, who was investigating the Blue House’s ties to the wealthy, Dong-ho takes it upon himself to continue Gi-tae’s work. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the President’s son and Deputy Prime Minister Jeong Su-jin are deeply involved in the corruption and are desperately trying to protect themselves.
Despite their attempts to frame Dong-ho for bribery, he remains resolute. He is determined to punish the corrupt president and all government officials involved in the scandal, who collude with the powerful family-owned conglomerate Daejin Group, and to reform the political landscape. Jeong Su-jin, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and a close ally of the president, confronts Park Dong-ho, leading to a fierce political strife.
The Whirlwind Ending Explained
The series begins with Prime Minister Park Dong-ho having only 24 hours before his impending arrest on false charges. Desperate, he confronts President Jang, demanding his resignation, but the President refuses. In a bid to expose corruption, Dong-ho attempts to assassinate Jang, believing that as acting president, he could reveal the truth. However, Deputy Prime Minister Su-jin blocks his efforts, fearing exposure of her own corrupt dealings involving her husband and Kang Sang-woon, Vice Chairman of Daejin Group.
Dong-ho gains the support of the Chief of Staff, Choi Yeon-sook, who, along with the First Lady, backs his plan. This leads to Su-jin’s dismissal. Realising President Jang can no longer protect her, Su-jin decides he must die to preserve her own power. She suffocates Jang, declaring the necessity for an immediate presidential election, hoping to garner sympathy and maintain control.
Su-jin had the people’s support, and Dong-ho knew he couldn’t achieve much as acting president without being elected by the citizens of South Korea. Determined to run for office, Dong-ho faced relentless opposition from Su-jin. He resorted to digging up dirt on his rivals and forging unexpected alliances, even persuading Su-jin to back him against right-wing politician Cho Sang-cheon. Ultimately, Dong-ho won the election. However, maintaining his presidency proved challenging. His vision of eradicating corruption seemed distant, but President Park remained committed to the promise he made to Seo Gi-tae, a friend who died after being framed for refusing corruption. Dong-ho admitted to the attempt on the president’s life but refused to surrender until his dream was fulfilled.
When Dong-ho became president, he appointed his friend Lee Jang-seok as head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. Dong-ho, Jang-seok, and their friend Gi-tae aimed to eliminate corruption. Dong-ho would use any means, while Jang-seok believed in justice. Jang-seok was devastated to learn Dong-ho had tried to murder President Jang and urged him to surrender. Dong-ho eventually confessed after gathering evidence against Su-jin, Sang-cheon, and Chairman Kang Sang-un, demanding accountability for those bribing judges. Prime Minister Su-jin and opposition leader Sang-cheon protested, demanding President Park’s arrest. During a press conference, Yeon-sook exposed judicial corruption, pleading for Park’s work to continue.
Did Park Dong-ho Manage to Create a Corruption-Free Nation?
Dong-ho’s dream was coming true as corrupt politicians were exposed. He met Su-jin and gave her a choice: admit her crimes or face more shame. Su-jin refused, especially after her husband’s suicide. To protect herself, Su-jin used Min-ho’s tablet to create fake evidence. She tricked prosecutor Jang-seok into thinking the tablet held important records. When Su-jin edited the notes to frame President Jang’s son, the media demanded Dong-ho’s arrest instead. This back-and-forth continues in the series, showing extreme political manipulation and raising the question of how a country can survive if its leaders are always fighting.
Prime Minister Su-jin convinced the Trade Union to support her. They declared a strike until President Park stepped down. She also gained sympathy from Jeong Jae-Mun, the President of the Korean Bar Association. Su-jin convinced many people that President Park was a dictator they needed to fight. She portrayed President Jung as a good man who cared about the country. She said Dong-ho, who killed Jung, deserved harsh punishment. Many ministers quit, demanding Dong-ho resign. Su-jin nearly stopped South Korea with protests. Dong-ho struggled. Su-jin spread lies and changed the story. Even Lee Jang-seok faced consequences for supporting Dong-ho. Police stayed away as protestors moved toward the Blue House to remove Dong-ho.
Dong-ho’s secretary, Seo Jeong-yeon, used to date Man-gil. She asked him to meet at an old warehouse. Jeong-yeon promised proof against the governor and mayor to gain Man-gil’s trust. But the envelope she gave him was empty, trapping him in the warehouse and taking his phone. Dong-ho threatened Su-jin through Man-gil’s phone and asked her to meet on a hilltop. Su-jin was sure that Dong-ho had evidence that she had killed President Jung. Just when she was about to give up, Man-gil called and told Su-jin that Dong-ho had an empty phone.
When Dong-ho found out that Su-jin knew the truth that the phone was empty, he had to act quickly. He tore off buttons from Su-jin’s coat, took her red handkerchief, and jumped off a cliff. His plan was to make it look like Su-jin had killed him. The missing buttons would show a fight, firing his security team would suggest he feared her, and her DNA on the handkerchief would prove she did it. Dong-ho took a big risk, thinking his death would be worth it if Su-jin got arrested.
Dong-ho took his own life, persistently claiming that he had entered death to cleanse the dirtiness. He intended to take all the corrupt persons with him, and when he jumped off the cliff, he succeeded in doing so. Thus, he was successful in making the country corruption-free, but at the cost of his own life.
What Happened to Jung Su-jin?
President Park was hospitalized but did not respond to treatment and passed away. He knew he might not survive but took the risk to expose corrupt politicians and businessmen. Su-jin, suspected in his murder, was interrogated at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office. The only witness, Yeon-sook, played a video by Dong-ho before his death, prompting Su-jin to confess to her crimes. Despite President Park’s death, Su-jin exposed others involved in the PE fund scam. Later, fake news implicated Man-gil in the murder. Su-jin, unaware of being live-streamed, confessed to suffocating President Jung. She was arrested, realizing she failed her ideals. Dong-ho’s legacy as a whirlwind of change endured.
When she was arrested, she found herself in the same prison cell she had been in 30 years ago. As she looked at the wall where she had once inscribed ‘democracy live long,’ she realised how much she had changed. Back then, she was arrested for speaking the truth and standing up for her country. Now, she saw that she had let herself down, having done all the wrong things.
The Whirlwind korean drama is now streaming on Netflix.
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Also Read: The Whirlwind Review: Sol Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae Shine in a Gripping Yet Pensive Political Drama