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Twelve – The Gate of Hell is Open? AGAIN?!

Twelve” is a 2025 Korean drama series consisting of 8 episodes, categorized as a Fantasy, Supernatural, Action, and Asian folklore; and streaming on Disney+/Hulu. It is inspired by the Eastern zodiac’s twelve guardian animals.

  • Memorable Quote: “We sealed the gates of hell once. But evil never stays buried.”

SUMMARY: Twelve angels fight against evil spirits and succeed in locking them away in hell for forever! Forever? Are the angels sure they’re locked away forever? Well! At least, they had been put away for a very long time. But now they’re back!

There Are Only Eight (8) Angels Left

In “Twelve”, once upon a time, a long time ago, there were 12 zodiac angels who fought against evil spirits to protect the human race.

  1. Tae-san was Tiger, the leader of the angels
  2. Won-seung was Monkey
  3. Gang Ji was Dog
  4. Jwi Dol was Rat
  5. Mal Sook was Horse
  6. Mir was Dragon
  7. Doni was Pig
  8. Bang-Wool was Snake

There were four more angels – Ox, Rabbit, Goat, and Rooster – who died during the battle when they were sealing away the evil spirit long ago.

Ma-Rok is the only human among them, chosen by the higher power to be the manager of angels. He may be human, but he’s far from ordinary.

The eight (8) angels have lived among humans for thousands of years, although they had a very bad experience during the Joseon Era, and they’ve learned not to trust humans. Some humans are nice. But most of them jump to the wrong conclusion and can’t be reasoned with. Instead, they try to get rid of you because they don’t understand that your purpose is to protect them. They’re afraid the angels will use their powers against them. That’s not true, but silly humans believe what they want to believe. So! Tae-san feels that it’s OK to protect humans, but it’s best to steer clear of them.

Who Released O-Gwi? Never Mind. How Do We Lock Him Up Again?!

It’s been thousands of years, and the angels have grown accustomed to living among the humans. They have no worries because they won the battle and no longer have to wrestle with evil spirits. At least, that’s what they think. But guess what?

However, there are a few rotten spirits still roaming the earth, but they’ve become weak and don’t have much power. But they know WHO does have power. They would have released him a long time ago but they didn’t know WHERE he was. They found him. And of course, you know WHAT they did. They resurrected the evil spirit O-gwi.

Oh joy! Humans are about to be tormented by a resurrected evil spirit with black wings and red eyes, named O-gwi. He is very upset that while he was locked away, the humans were able to build such a wonderful place to live. O-gwi was supposed to be destroying earth and making life miserable for humans. Well! Now that he’s been set free, he’s just going to pick up where he left off.

Main Characters:

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

  • IMDb: 5.8 out of 10 stars
  • My Drama List: 6.7 of 10 stars

My personal rating is 7 out of 10 stars.

RE: “Twelve” – The K-drama series reimagined ancient mythology through a modern lens. It’s a celestial action series that fuses fantasy, folklore, and fierce battles for the survival of humankind. Good versus Evil … yeah yeah yeah. It was a bit too predictable. The bad angel always has black wings and red eyes. It’s too bad because as you can see the cast is not comprised of newbie actors.

 

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Twelve K-Drama Full Episode Release Schedule: Premiere Date, Cast, Plot, and Where to Watch

‘Twelve’ starring Ma Dong Seok hits lowest rating yet | allkpop

Ma Dong Seok and Park Hyung Sik’s drama ‘Twelve’ ratings plummet by its third episode after initial hype | allkpop

Why is the K-drama “Twelve” on Disney+ receiving such heavy criticism from fans? | Quora

Saddled with a Flop: A Fan’s Honest Review of Twelve | kdramathis on Instagram

TRAILER/TEASER:

CineMers. “The Official Trailer For The New Korean Series: Twelve.” YouTube, Video, 10 July 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w7drJ7z22A.

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Avatar of DramasOverKimchi
DramasOverKimchi

Well-Known Member

1,156 messages 42 likes

“Twelve” is a 2025 Korean drama series consisting of 8 episodes, categorized as a Fantasy, Supernatural, Action, and Asian folklore; and streaming on Disney+/Hulu. It is inspired by the Eastern zodiac’s twelve guardian animals. Memorable Quote: “We sealed the gates of hell once. But evil never stays buried.” SUMMARY: Twelve angels fight against evil spirits and succeed in locking them away in hell for forever! Forever? Are the angels sure they’re locked away forever? Well! At least, they had been put away for a very long time. But now they’re back!
Read original article here:

“Wait, so you’re telling me this is the new drama of the year? Twelve guardian animals and a gate to hell? I’m intrigued but also a little skeptical. Are we really ready for another ‘angels vs. evil spirits’ showdown? Sounds like a wild ride! But like, do the angels have good outfits at least? Because if I’m watching this, I need some eye candy alongside the supernatural action. 😂”

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Avatar of RedStateGal76
RedStateGal76

Here's looking at you, kid.

90 messages 8 likes

Watching Twelve was a bit frustrating for me. The visuals and production are high quality, and the actors are excellent, but the story is too simple. It is easy to guess what will happen next, and I feel the series does not challenge the audience. I am especially disappointed because I enjoy Korean folklore. The zodiac theme is creative, but it is not used fully. I hope the remaining episodes give more surprises and emotional depth. Otherwise, it might end as a show that is entertaining but forgettable.

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Avatar of ZSQSally30623
ZSQSally30623

Well-Known Member

400 messages 344 likes

I am enjoying Twelve mainly for Ma-Rok and Mirr. They bring humor and warmth to the story. The interaction between humans and angels is interesting. I like that the series shows how angels have lived through history and learned from humans. The fight scenes are good, but I think the story could improve if it explored more of the past lives of the angels. The plot is predictable, and O-Gwi’s black wings and red eyes are a cliché. Still, the characters make it watchable.

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Avatar of Norelle
Norelle

Member

132 messages 7 likes

I think Twelve has potential, but it does not use it fully. The angels’ distrust of humans is a good idea, and it makes the story more interesting. I like that the series shows that angels have experienced bad treatment from humans over centuries. This could lead to strong drama and moral questions. Unfortunately, the show focuses mostly on fights and action. O-Gwi’s return is exciting, but the story is predictable. If the writers focus on the relationship between angels and humans, the series could become much better.

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Avatar of Bramble
Bramble

5 Unsuspecting Causes of Windshield Damage and How

301 messages 10 likes

The angels’ personalities are distinct, and the interactions between them are interesting. Tae-San’s cautious approach to humans makes sense, considering their long history. I also liked the visual effects; O-Gwi looks menacing with his black wings and red eyes. My main criticism is the pacing. Some episodes felt slow, while others rushed major plot points. If the series had balanced the story better, it could have had a higher rating.

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Avatar of Carrotlina
Carrotlina

Member

413 messages 3 likes

The series has strong performances, especially Ma Dong-Seok, and the fight scenes are entertaining. The problem is that the plot is predictable, and the characters, besides the main ones, do not have enough depth. I also noticed some inconsistencies in pacing, where dramatic moments felt short while trivial scenes felt long. Overall, I would say it is enjoyable for a short fantasy series but not one I would rewatch.

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Avatar of Ube Donut
Ube Donut

Active Member

607 messages 27 likes

I really liked the idea behind Twelve. The concept of angels based on the zodiac is creative, and it shows promise for deep world-building. The tension between humans and angels adds a realistic touch because humans often fear what they cannot control. However, the story does feel rushed, and the villain is very standard. Some episodes are visually beautiful and have excellent choreography, but the series does not fully explore the ethical questions it raises. For me, it is good but not exceptional.

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Avatar of Sofa Potato
Sofa Potato

Active Member

391 messages 35 likes

Twelve left me a bit disappointed. I had high expectations because of the cast and the mythology concept. Ma Dong-Seok delivers as always, but the storyline is too predictable. The animation and special effects for the evil spirit O-Gwi are fine, but nothing stood out to me. The series could have focused more on character interactions and moral choices rather than only fighting sequences. Still, if you like fast-paced fantasy with action, it might be entertaining for a weekend watch.

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Avatar of Creed Chen
Creed Chen

cruel, helpful and optimistic.

111 messages 5 likes

Twelve is visually stunning, especially in the fight sequences. Ma Dong-Seok’s presence makes the show worth watching, and Park Hyung-Sik’s O-Gwi is suitably menacing. My problem is that the story feels rushed. With only 8 episodes, the series tries to include too many battles and backstory elements without fully exploring them. I wanted more insight into how angels adapt to human life and less focus on the repetitive “evil returns” plot. Still, if you are a fan of fantasy K-dramas, it is worth checking out.

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