Twelve episodes 1-2 recap: Who are the 12 zodiac angels? How did Park Hyung-sik's O-gwi get sealed in the Hell Gate?

Disney+ premiered the first two episodes of Twelve on August 23 and 24, 2025. The K-drama opens with a tale rooted in zodiac myth. Long ago, twelve guardian angels fought dark spirits that endangered humanity. Their sacrifice sealed the creatures inside the Hell Gate, restoring peace to the world. Among the enemies is O-gwi, a villainous crow (played by Park Hyung-sik).

That balance shatters when the seal weakens. Evil returns, bringing destruction once more. In the series, the 12 zodiac angels are led by Tae-san (Ma Dong-seok), the tiger spirit. Seo In-guk plays Won-seung, the monkey-angel; Lee Joo-bin portrays Mir, the dragon-angel with sealed powers; and Go Kyu-pil becomes Don-yi, the pig-angel.

Kang Mi-na stars as Gang-ji, the loyal dog-angel, while Sung Yoo-bin appears as Jwi-dol, the rat-angel. Ahn Ji-hye plays Mal-sook, the horse-angel, and Regina Lei portrays Bang-wool, the snake-angel. Veteran actor Sung Dong-il plays Ma-rok, a key human chosen by the gods to guide the angels. The Ox, Goat, and Rabbit angels (played by Na In-woo, Han Ye-ji, and Bae Yoo-ram, respectively) have yet to appear.

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Twelve episode 1 recap

The episode begins with Tae-san, the leader of the Twelve and CEO of Angel Capital Group, a company that lends exclusively to gangsters and ex-convicts. He visits Jo Yang-su in prison over unpaid debts, but Yang-su refuses to hand over his assets. Tae-san warns him, then instructs Jwi-dol to pay Yang-su’s bail.

Tae-sun in Twelve (Image via X/@KBS_drama)

At the office, Mal-sook, Won-seung, and Kang-ji follow another lead given by Jwi-dol. Elsewhere, Detective Ma-rok borrows money from Tae-san and buys clothes for Mir, Tae-san’s former lover, who now works at a museum teaching children about the twelve. Mir rejects the gift, upset that Ma-rok used Tae-san’s money.

Meanwhile, Bang-wool and Do-ni work at an oriental clinic. That night, Yang-su celebrates his release with his gang and girlfriend. When Tae-san calls to say he’s coming, Yang-su orders his men to kill him, but Tae-san easily defeats them. Terrified, Yang-su apologizes and pays his debt.

Across town, Mal-sook, Won-seung, and Kang-ji raid a gambling den. When the boss flees, Do-ni helps them fight the gang and collect the money. Afterward, Tae-san visits Geum-soon, a woman he has known since childhood, after saving her family from debt collectors.

Now running a Tteokbokki stand like her late mother, she encourages Tae-san, reminding him that many humans are still grateful despite his pain and losses. Their talk is interrupted by Man-book, who scolds Tae-san for speaking informally to Geum-soon. Recognizing Tae-san, Man-book is shocked that he hasn’t aged and hugs him.

At the police station, Ma-rok eats while watching news of newly discovered Paleolithic relics. Scientists preparing them for study notice unusual energy spikes with no spectral readings. Elsewhere, a priest named Samin performs a ritual by cutting his own hand and succeeds in awakening a demon sealed in the rock. A red-eyed man (Park Hyung-sik) with massive wings emerges, ending episode one of Twelve.

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Twelve episode 2 recap

The second episode of Twelve opens with Tae-sun drinking alone, lost in memories of his past. In a flashback, thugs raid a village, and he steps in. When the situation escalates, Mir intervenes and uses her powers to take down two of them.

Her display shocks the villagers, leaving them whispering about her true identity. That night, the people Tae-sun protected visited his place, bringing food, drinks, and expensive liquor as thanks. However, after drinking, Tae-sun and the angels collapse. He later wakes to find Mir tied up, accused of being a demon by the villagers.

Mir in Twelve (Image via X/@KBS_drama)

They set fire around her, but Tae-sun rushes in and rescues her, forcing the villagers to scatter. He later warns the angels that from this point on, they must never involve themselves with humans again. Meanwhile, O-gwi finally emerges into the human world. He recalls the priest who performed the ritual that released him and revealed the angels were still alive.

Memories of his eternal imprisonment in Hell return, trapped between life and death after he defied God and brought destruction to the world. Later, the angels (except Tae-sun and Mir) spend the night enjoying themselves, drinking and laughing. At the same time, Mir sits alone in a bar, haunted by visions of O-gwi.

Snapping back to reality, she notices a glass of wine in front of her. Moments later, two men approach and try to lure her away, but she swiftly takes them down. Elsewhere, O-gwi questions Samin about what he had been doing during his absence. Samin admits that after Haetae’s death and the sealing of the Hellmouth, his powers are stripped, leaving him helpless.

O-gwi in Twelve (Image via X/@KBS_drama)

Samin tells O-gwi he can still sense Haetae’s energy. He explains that after Haetae’s defeat, three soul stones remained. If O-gwi channels their power into the Dragon Soul, Haetae’s strength can be revived.

Meanwhile, Tae-sun is seen confronting another thug and collecting money. Later, he gets into his car and searches for his medication, only to find it missing. Worried, he visits the doctor to get the treatment. Back on O-gwi’s side, the priest (angered after O-gwi rejects his proposal to join forces) begins plotting against him.

At the same time, the angels sense the rise of evil through their glowing lockets. Mir is the last to receive the signal, as she is at her office and misses her manager’s urgent calls. Soon after, demons appear and pursue her. Just as danger closes in, the other angels arrive and engage in a fierce battle. Episode two of the fantasy series concludes with Tae-sun returning home and noticing his locket glowing brightly.

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Twelve is available for streaming on U+ Mobile TV in South Korea and on Disney+ in selected regions.