🇰🇷 Learn Korean Through K-Contents
Understand Korean. Enjoy K-Contents More.
Discover real Korean words, expressions, and culture through today's most popular Korean dramas, movies, K-pop, and entertainment.
Season 2 of Made in Korea begins in 1979.
To an international viewer, that may look like nothing more than a time jump.
But to many Korean viewers, 1979 immediately signals a political turning point.
It was the year President Park Chung-hee was assassinated.
It was the year South Korea entered a sudden power vacuum.
And it was the beginning of a chain of events that would soon reshape the country's political leadership.
So when Made in Korea places Baek Ki-tae inside the KCIA in 1979, the date is not just background scenery.
It is a warning.
Something is about to change.
Why Is 1979 Important in Made in Korea Season 2?
1979 is important because it was one of the most dramatic turning points in modern South Korean history.
President Park Chung-hee, who had ruled South Korea for 18 years, was assassinated on October 26, 1979.
His death created a sudden political vacuum.
Only weeks later, another major event followed:
December 12, 1979
when a group of military officers led by Chun Doo-hwan seized control of key military positions in what is commonly called the December 12 military rebellion.
So when Season 2 moves into 1979, it is entering a period when:
the old power structure was collapsing
and
a new one was beginning to emerge.
Park Chung-hee Had Ruled Since 1961
To understand why his death mattered so much, you first have to understand how long Park Chung-hee had been in power.
He came to power following a military coup in 1961.
Over the next 18 years, South Korea experienced:
rapid industrialization,
export-driven economic growth,
urbanization,
and major infrastructure development.
At the same time, political power became increasingly centralized.
By the 1970s, the Yushin system had strengthened presidential authority and restricted political opposition.
So Park Chung-hee was not simply:
one president among many.
He had become the central political figure of an entire era.
When he suddenly died, the question became:
Who controls Korea now?
That is the atmosphere Season 2 is stepping into.
October 26, 1979: The President Was Assassinated
On October 26, 1979, Park Chung-hee was shot and killed.
The man who killed him was not an outsider.
He was Kim Jae-gyu, the director of the KCIA.
That detail is especially important for viewers of Made in Korea.
Because now the KCIA is no longer just:
a powerful intelligence agency.
It becomes directly connected to one of the most shocking political events in modern Korean history.
This is why a drama set inside the KCIA in 1979 carries immediate tension.
The organization itself was standing at the center of a national crisis.
Why Did the KCIA Director Kill the President?
This is one of the most debated questions in modern Korean history.
Kim Jae-gyu later claimed that his actions were connected to opposition to Park Chung-hee's authoritarian rule and a desire to restore democracy.
But historians and commentators have long debated:
his motives,
personal conflict,
political frustration,
and the circumstances surrounding the assassination.
For a K-content viewer, the most important point is this:
The president of South Korea was assassinated by the head of his own intelligence agency.
That tells you how intense the conflict inside the country's power structure had become.
What Happened After Park Chung-hee Died?
Park's death did not immediately produce a stable democratic transition.
Instead, South Korea entered a period of uncertainty.
A civilian president, Choi Kyu-hah, took office.
Martial law remained in place.
The military still held enormous influence.
And inside the armed forces, different groups were competing for power.
That power struggle would soon produce another major event.
December 12, 1979: The Military Rebellion
On December 12, 1979, Major General Chun Doo-hwan and a group of officers moved against the existing military leadership.
They arrested senior commanders and took control of key military positions.
This event is commonly known in Korean as:
12·12 군사반란
Sibi-sibi gunsa bannan
Literally:
December 12 Military Rebellion
Break it down:
군사 (gunsa) = military
반란 (bannan) = rebellion
This event marked the rapid rise of Chun Doo-hwan and his military faction.
It was not yet the full consolidation of power that would follow in 1980.
But it was a decisive turning point.
Why 1979 Feels So Dangerous in the Drama
Now put all of that back into Made in Korea.
Season 2 places Baek Ki-tae in a position of power inside the KCIA.
But the institution around him is entering one of the most unstable moments in its history.
The political system that had protected powerful men for years is suddenly becoming uncertain.
That means every alliance matters.
Every promotion matters.
Every secret matters.
Every relationship with the military or prosecution matters.
So the tension is not simply:
“Will Ki-tae become more powerful?”
It is:
“What happens when the entire system around him begins to change?”
That is what makes 1979 such a strong setting for Season 2.
1979 Was the End of One Era, Not the Beginning of Democracy
This is another point international viewers can easily misunderstand.
Park Chung-hee's death did not immediately mean:
dictatorship ends → democracy begins.
History was much messier.
The end of Park's rule created an opening.
But military power remained strong.
And Chun Doo-hwan's faction moved quickly.
This period eventually led into the political events of 1980, including:
expanded martial law,
the suppression of democratic movements,
and the Gwangju Uprising.
So 1979 is best understood as:
the collapse of one authoritarian order
followed by
the struggle to determine what would replace it.
Why Korean Viewers Hear “1979” Differently
This is one of those cultural differences that subtitles cannot fully explain.
If a drama says:
1979
an international viewer sees:
a year.
A Korean viewer with basic modern-history knowledge may immediately think of:
10·26
Park Chung-hee assassination
KCIA
12·12
Chun Doo-hwan
and the political turmoil leading into 1980.
That is a huge amount of cultural information packed into four numbers.
This is exactly why understanding Korean history can make K-content feel much deeper.
What Does 10·26 Mean?
In Korea, major historical events are often shortened to dates.
10·26
means:
October 26
and refers to the assassination of President Park Chung-hee.
You may see it written as:
10.26 사건
or simply:
10·26
The Korean word:
사건 — sageon
means:
incident
or
case/event
So:
10·26 사건
means:
the October 26 Incident.
This is a very useful cultural pattern to recognize.
Korean history and news often refer to major events by date.
What Does 12·12 Mean?
The same pattern appears again.
12·12
means:
December 12
and refers to the military rebellion led by Chun Doo-hwan's faction.
It is commonly called:
12·12 군사반란
December 12 Military Rebellion
So if you see:
10·26 → 12·12
you are looking at the compressed timeline of an extraordinary few weeks:
October 26
President assassinated
↓
December 12
Military rebellion
That is the political world surrounding Made in Korea Season 2.
KCIA and the Power Vacuum
This also explains why our previous article about the KCIA matters.
The KCIA had been one of the most powerful institutions in Park Chung-hee's Korea.
But after Park's assassination—carried out by the KCIA director himself—the agency's position became much more uncertain.
Its authority, reputation, and political role were all affected.
At the same time, military figures were moving rapidly to increase their own power.
So when Made in Korea puts a fictional KCIA deputy director into 1979, the historical tension is almost built into the position itself.
👉 What Was the KCIA? Why It Had So Much Power in Made in Korea
Why Prosecutors and Intelligence Officials Matter Here
Season 2's conflict also becomes easier to understand when you remember the institutions involved.
The drama isn't just about two individual men.
It places its fictional conflict inside a world shaped by:
KCIA
prosecutors
military power
government
business
and political ambition.
The institutions may compete.
Individuals may form alliances.
And the entire power structure may change underneath them.
That's why Made in Korea feels less like a simple crime drama once you understand the history.
1979 → 1980: The Story Isn't Over
1979 matters partly because of what happened next.
In 1980, Chun Doo-hwan's military faction expanded its power.
Political unrest intensified.
And in May 1980, the Gwangju Uprising became one of the most significant and painful events in modern Korean democratic history.
We're not going to turn this article into a complete history of 1980.
But it is important to understand that:
1979 was the doorway.
What came through that doorway would shape South Korea for years.
Real History vs Drama
As with the first two parts of this series, keep one distinction clear.
Made in Korea is historical fiction.
Real
Park Chung-hee ruled South Korea
KCIA existed
Park was assassinated in 1979
KCIA director Kim Jae-gyu killed him
December 12 military rebellion happened
Chun Doo-hwan rose rapidly in power
Fiction
Baek Ki-tae
Jang Geon-young
their personal conflict
their specific actions
many supporting characters and storylines
The drama uses real history as pressure around fictional characters.
That is what makes it compelling.
A Korean Word to Notice: 권력
Here's one Korean word that fits this entire mini-series:
권력 — gwollyeok
power
Not physical strength.
Political or institutional power.
You may hear:
권력을 잡다
= to seize power
권력을 가지다
= to have power
권력자
= a powerful person / power holder
That word is everywhere in the world of Made in Korea.
And 1979 is fundamentally a story about:
who has power
who loses it
and
who takes it next.
Quick Korean Culture Tip 🇰🇷
The next time Made in Korea shows the year 1979, don't treat it as decoration.
Think:
10·26
↓
power vacuum
↓
12·12
↓
a new political order approaching
That one timeline will make the entire season easier to understand.
FAQ
Why is 1979 important in Made in Korea Season 2?
1979 was a major turning point in South Korean history. President Park Chung-hee was assassinated on October 26, and a military rebellion took place on December 12, creating a dramatic struggle for political and military power.
Who killed Park Chung-hee?
Park Chung-hee was killed by Kim Jae-gyu, the director of the KCIA, on October 26, 1979.
What was 10·26 in Korea?
10·26 refers to October 26, 1979, when President Park Chung-hee was assassinated.
What was 12·12 in Korea?
12·12 refers to the December 12, 1979 military rebellion led by Chun Doo-hwan and other officers who seized control of key military positions.
Did democracy begin immediately after Park Chung-hee died?
No. His death created a political opening, but military power remained strong, and Chun Doo-hwan's faction quickly expanded its influence.
Was Chun Doo-hwan president in 1979?
No. He was a military officer whose power increased dramatically after the December 12 rebellion. He later became president.
Is Made in Korea Season 2 based on these real events?
The drama is historical fiction. It uses real political conditions and historical events around 1979 while telling its story through fictional characters.
What does 권력 mean in Korean?
권력 (gwollyeok) means political or institutional power.
Recommended Resource
For readers who want to understand the wider society behind this period, the same academic resource we've used throughout this mini-series remains useful:
Cultures of Yusin: South Korea in the 1970s
Edited by Youngju Ryu, the book explores South Korea during the Yushin period through politics, culture, media, urban life, consumption, and state power.
It is an academic book rather than a casual drama guide, but it is a strong fit for readers who want to understand the world that produced the crisis of 1979.
[View Cultures of Yusin: South Korea in the 1970s on Amazon →]
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Now the Date Means Something
Before this series, you might have watched Made in Korea and seen:
1979
as nothing more than a date.
Now you know what sits behind it.
10·26
KCIA
Park Chung-hee's death
power vacuum
12·12
Chun Doo-hwan's rise
That means Season 2 isn't simply moving forward in time.
It is moving into one of the most unstable political moments in modern Korean history.
And once you know that, every power struggle in the drama carries more weight.
Made in Korea History Series
Part 1 — Is Made in Korea Based on a True Story? The Real 1970s Korean History Behind the Drama
Part 2 — What Was the KCIA? Why It Had So Much Power in Made in Korea
Part 3 — Why Is 1979 So Important in Made in Korea Season 2? ← You are here
Keep listening.
Keep discovering the history behind the K-contents you already love.
Understand Korean. Enjoy K-Contents More.
0 Comments