Recap Korean Drama "Big Mouth 2022" Episode 12 with Lee Jong Suk and Im Yoon Ah

Episode 12 of Big Mouth opens with the mayor standing by Hye-jin’s dead body. He reads the messages on her phone and then calls Gan Soo-chul and instructs him to get rid of both, Chang-ho and Mi-ho. Soo-chul instructs his guard to instigate a riot for the same.

As the prison lights go out, Mi-ho tries contacting Hye-jin. She gets a message from her saying they can meet tomorrow but doesn’t realise it was the mayor who sent it.

The riot at the prison grows out of hand with prisoners taking some guards hostage.

In the special ward, Noh Park, Chang-ho’s cell’s room leader, admits to being Big Mouse. He proves his knowledge of the tarot cards. When Chang-ho asks why he chose him, Park says that he didn’t. He wasn’t involved in Choi Do-ha’s schemes. But when Chang-ho got caught up in their web, someone asked Big Mouse to save him. In order to do so, he turned Chang-ho into Big Mouse.

Chang-ho then asks him why he wants Seo Jaeyoung’s paper. Park says it is because he wants to catch those who killed his daughter. Chang-ho tells him to leave him alone after he uncovers the truth behind the paper, but Park says Chang-ho will be in it till all those who are responsible pay for their crimes. Otherwise, he will die. Park says he needs someone to be in the same class as the culprits, he can’t attack them from the shadows. Chang-ho says he has another offer for him.

As Soo-chul and his guard discuss the situation, another guard listens at the door. He overhears Soo-chul instructing the guard to kill Mi-ho first.

Noh Park laughs at Chang-ho’s offer but then admits it is out of awe. He gets a phone call and tells Chang-ho that his wife is in danger.

Rushing to save her, Chang-ho calls Mi-ho and tells her to escape. But she finds the exits blocked and hides in the medical room.

Chang-ho tries to get to her. He is stopped by guards but Chairman Yang and his men come to his rescue. Noh Park and Yoon-gab arrive as well and show Chang-ho another route to the medical wing.

Rogue prisoners and Soochul’s guard enter the medical room and try to get to Mi-ho. She fights them off and is helped by the death row inmate she was treating, Prisoner 1503. When Soo-chul comes to finish the job himself, Chang-ho arrives in time to stop him. Yoon-gab then kills him.

At the charity auction, Prosecutor Choi learns about the Elder, Chairman Kang, and his powerful position. In another room, Chairman Kang asks Ji-hoon for an explanation behind Woojeong Daily’s exclusive on the drugs found in Joo-hee. He claims to have a big plan and Chairman Kang says he will keep an eye on him. Choi Do-ha promises Chairman Kang he will catch Big Mouse. Joo-hee then requests that she be allowed to take up Professor Seo’s old position as Commissioner of the audit committee. Chairman Kang happily agrees.

As armed guards surround the foursome in the medical room, Noh Park tells Chang-ho he accepts his offer. Chang-ho calls Ji-hoon and says he has a present for him. Ji-hoon, the mayor and Prosecutor Choi arrive at the prison. Chang-ho puts on handcuffs on Noh Park and they are allowed to come outside.

A flashback shows us the offer made by Chang-ho. He tells Park that he can’t forgive him and wants him to pay by his hand. If Park was caught and locked up by Chang-ho, Chang-ho would get the status he needs to take revenge on the other powerful people.

Back in the present, Chang-ho hands over Park to the police and Mi-ho gives Ji-hoon the blood samples from the model inmates. She says they used them as bait to catch Big Mouse.

Later, the prosecutor drops charges against Chang-ho and his case is declared a mistrial. He now has a fancy new lawyer’s office. He and his family discuss how Mi-ho kept the real blood samples and gave Ji-hoon fake ones. They also talk about Hye-jin, who is missing.

In a turn of events, Chang-ho declares he is going to represent Big Mouse. He gets Park to sign a representation agreement and tells him to admit all his crimes and then apply for bail. As he leaves, Chang-ho meets Choi Do-ha who warns him to back down.

Ji-hoon goes to meet Chairman Kang. Happy with Big Mouse’s arrest, he is about to hand over his share of Woojeong Daily to Ji-hoon when Joo-hee arrives and tells them to watch the news. They see a press conference where Chang-ho declares he is going to get to the truth about Professor Seo’s death.  A call from Do-ha lets them know that he is applying for Noh Park’s bail. Chairman Kang tears up the share transfer and tells Ji-hoon to finish the job properly.

Mi-ho meets Han Jae-ho and his behaviour makes her suspect he had something to do with Hye-jin’s disappearance.

Ji-hoon comes to Chang-ho’s new office. He offers him a place in the NR forum family if Chang-ho can return the stolen money. Chang-ho says if Chairman Kang wants him, he should invite him himself.

Meanwhile, Mi-ho follows the model inmates on their work release. When she reaches the location, tremors begin and the building begins to collapse on the inside. She helps the inmates, including Prisoner 1503.

Choi Do-ha and Chairman Kang talk about the collapse. The chairman admits that a friend of his, the head of the research department, had warned him about the risks of the NF9 project. He left the project when Chairman Kang refused to delay it. Nevertheless, Chairman Kang says he has no regrets. He and Do-ha talk about justice. Do-ha tells him to allow Noh Park’s bail and he’ll make sure justice is served.

Park is released on a bail of 3 billion won. Chang-ho drives him to a small unused restaurant that has Big Mouse’s symbol and realises Park used to be a chef. He asks Park who asked him to save Chang-ho. Park tells him to come the next day at 9 PM. Chang-ho heads back to the car but a sudden explosion occurs in the restaurant.

The Episode Review

The excitement continues! A prison riot, the real Big Mouse, and Chang-ho wearing snazzy purple suits — this episode gave us a lot to enjoy.

The Big Mouse reveal was a good one since Noh Park always felt like a character out of suspicion. While he does wear the Big Mouse persona well, we don’t quite get to see him in his larger-than-life element. It’s a further shame that the last scene indicates his death, one episode with the real Big Mouse felt like too short a time.

Of course, this is Big Mouse and there could be more twists in the tale. The show also now shifts focus from Big Mouse to the person who asked him to save Chang-ho – a refreshing new mystery to follow.

Chang-ho leaving the prison is also a welcome change since the prison setting had become a little repetitive. It’ll be fun to watch him fight from the outside, particularly now that he and Mi-ho can do it together.