Tempest (2025)

Was Promised Glory, This Show Was Anything But That

From the very first moment, I saw a woman who strong but also vulnerable in her own right!

“Tempest” runs on the coattails of an espionage controversy that seems thrilling but fizzles out in the end. Starring Jun Ji Hyun & Kang Dong Won in lead roles, the show weaves an intricate pattern of random assassination attempts as our female protagonist, Seo Mun Ju tries to accomplish the impossible, stepping into the footsteps of her late husband who was killed brutally. The investigation turns into presidential candidacy which ultimately leads to shocking revelations. The initial episodes keep you invested in a high drama spy espionage that is full of political intrigue. We keep wondering who the actual antagonists are, while watching the full-blown romance bloom between our main leads. From start to end, we are treated to high octane melodrama, and the show literally thrives on it!

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Mediocrity saved by the chemistry and star power

If u put two hottest and popular star in one project then it should blast like atom bomb. But did it blast like atom bomb? Big No. If u see the series then it can be feel that it is inspired by Mr and Mrs Smith and House of cards. If u see genre of this series it says thriller, mystery and romance but neither its thrilling nor mysterious except short romance. Yeah chemistry, acting, kiss scene were insane but story was too weak. It was very predictable. Within 10 mins u can guess what will happen and who is the main villain. Mediocre Korean version of mr and mrs smith with some changes. Yes kang dong won is insanely popular for action movies but he rarely appears in series, and we all know jun ji hyun is one of most versatile actress in korea, whether u see her romantic movie or action u can see that this lady so clever coz she knows how to choose script. But this time story was very flat and this series is saved by the star power of main lead. Direction, VFX, were good. So i can give 10/10 only because of chemistry, star power and acting. Obviously can they can be dubbed as Brangelina on the screen. I hope to see them in romantic series but i don't we will ever get to see kang dong won in romantic series. Anyway if u r fan of the star then u can watch it otherwise there is nothing to see.

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Open Ending Ruined It

The drama was gripping and powerful up to a certain point. It then devolved from a romantic political thriller to a personal family drama. Everything was turned into confusion when a minor character in the drama, who was just lurking in the background was suddenly thrown into the limelight The drama should have centred around Sanho and Munjo and their quest to find out who killed her husband, the governments involved with the existence of the submarine and the people behind it all. There were so many holes in the story. Why did Stella kill her son, turned him into a spy and blamed Munjo for killing him? It does not make sense if her purpose was to be hailed as the most powerful woman in the world. She already had the people and resources to go through with her plans without involving her family.

I was more invested on Munjo and Sanho rather than some uninteresting, banal character. The writer should have capitalized on the captivating couple and their explosive chemistry and gave us a great romance with an equally explosive happy ending. Instead, I was treated to a repeat scene of Sanho diffusing a bomb in the train to Sanho diffusing a bomb in the boat. For crying out loud, this was supposed to be a romance; I should have at least been treated to a happy ending like them honeymooning in the Gobi dessert.

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Feels Like Watching The Wrong Show

Let me summarize, this show is more like a western action show. The problem is, the reason I watch K-Dramas is because I'm sick of them. The plot is half-baked. Build up phase is really good, but the resolutions are all awful. Too much politics involvement and trivial things in the plot. Everyone is betraying everyone, but at the end of the day the resolution is morelike emotional and family matters. Yes, the main goals for the villian is to rule the world. Sounds more like Marvel or James Bond villains.

The good thing in this show is of course Jun Ji Hyun. Her return is quite remarkable, although it's far from spectacular. On the other hand, the casting on this show is very questionable. Lee Mi Sook is lack of expression. And for someone who acquaintances "multiple lady of the world leader", her English is pretty awful.

It annoys me a lot that they decided to make this as an action show and ignore the details. However, first thing first then. WHY DO THEY HAVE TO KISS IN CRUCIAL SITUATIONS? LIKE YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLEFIELD AND YOU CHOOSE TO... KISS??? Also about the "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Code", doesn't it mean the US is going to start a war? However after Mun Ju and San Ho hear the song, they are being ambushed, hiding and planning to strike back, yet nothing happens related to the war. The ambush at the port is beyond tolerable makjang limits. The special force doesn't seem so "special". It just takes one smoke grenades to turn all the personnel into a bus stop passenger's queue; they really have zero awareness and clueless like WTF. The final ambush is of course a makjang. How come Mun Ju easily find her mother's room and telephone when it's her first time in that boat? I feel like all the internal family problems just exist to shortcut the process to resolution. Kang Han Na knows that Ok Seon is Stella Young (she is the one who tells about the deposit box without name) and she kills Jun Ik, but instead she insists to take revenge on Mun Ju. Hwa Rim resents Mun Ju a lot, now her daughter-in-law turns into an evil person, where does she go? Also what happens to Jun Sang after the boat incident? More importantly, there isn't any clear backstory between Mun Ju and Jun Ik, how they end up together and why Jun Ik's family are against it initially.

Watch this if you are searching for actions, and to see that you can kiss under tense situations.

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Kim Hee Won + Jung Seo + Jun Ji Hyun + Kang Don Won = WOW!

This drama delivered what it promised. The main director delivered. The screenwriter delivered. The actors delivered. It is a must-watch if you like fast-paced political thrillers. Plus, there is a very healthy helping of romance. The drama felt like a movie. In fact, Both the main director, Kim Hee Won (Vincenzo, Little Women, QoT, Soundtrack 1 and Soundtrack 2) and the screenwriter Jung Seo Kyung (Little Women, Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden) said in a recent interview that “We created this series as if we were making a long movie.”

Tempest reminded me a bit of their work together on the drama Little Women, with all the intricate plot points, easter eggs, puzzles, secrets, lies, and conspiracies. Little Women ended with everything explained, all the t’s crossed and all the i’s dotted. So did Tempest.

That said, Tempest did leave you with one huge question re Kang Don Won’s character Paik Sanho. But I like the question and my answers to it. I concur with what another MDLer said: “I don't mind the open ending, and I don't need a second season. It honestly suited this drama.”

Re the healthy helping of romance, Jun Ji Hyun and Kang Don Won reinvented the searing slow burn. Their shared looks were on fire. And I loved that there was obvious, actual sex.

And more than anything else, this drama taught me to pay serious attention to the director(s) and screenwriter(s). The past work of directors and screenwriters provides a key variable in the algebraic equation (composed of many variables) that is represented in the question “Should I watch this drama or not?”

P.S. Seo Munju for President!

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AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL

I can't believe Chinese KDrama fans have been complaining about 1 line in the series. The whole series, which Thank God is only 9 episodes, sucks. Maybe Jun Ji Hyun & Kang Dong Won should have been less concerned with billing & screentime, & more interested in the quality of the script & depth of the characters. This comes across like a Young Adult novel where our protagonists are out to save the world - but without likeable characters or plausible behaviour. Jun Ji Hyun, in as much as she has been one of my favourite actresses, is simply miscast in the role. She just looks rather dumb on screen most of the time. The times when the ML & FL chose to have heart-to-heart conversations is not to be believed. Huge plot holes. And the only thing the baddy turned out to NOT be was God. Kang Dong Won is obviously a brilliant actor, but in the storyline, this brilliant survivalist seems to miss the most obvious details. The only thing to be grateful about in this production is that we aren't subject to the characters dining in American sandwich & pizza franchises. Fortunately, it is highly unlikely there will be a Season 2, as there reportedly was considerable tension between the 2 stars on the set. Also poor editing & continuity. Reportedly Kang Dong Won's Agency invested financially in the production.

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Interesting :)

This drama is very western concept in some ways bc it addresses "rare" "special" pepple, a high level diplomat who becomes a President of a country (FL) and Paik San Ho, a man with a very shady and for-most-part-unknown past....

Paik San Ho was a professional assassin, he was a cold blooded killer, and he still kills people like moskitoes, to the very end of the drama. YES.
Yeah he was a strong silent type and he fell in love with FL. And she too.

But in this drama, we saw Paik transform into someone in love - not only to the woman, but to the PRINCIPLES of peace and unity that the woman stands for. And he vows to help her accomplish that, and puts his skills and his life on line to help her accomplish that.
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In this drama, paid assassin and bodyguard Paik was used as a vehicle to bring peace to the world. He turned out to be a hero who saved the world from nuclear holocaust. And that is an interesting message...

The ending? You have to decide. The ending looks like an open door to possible season 2. Maybe... and also looks like an advertisement for Catholic church. The entire drama is...

This drama has cat and mouse game that is really really really intricate, if you are going to watch it, you have to pay attention to every detail, the twists, the games, the betrayals are out of left field, all the time.

The drama is very western as it feels like whiplash, they are always in life danger and everything is so hyper, your adrenaline will be severely tested...

So there is some character growth but it happens in midst of chaos... This drama is CHAOS

The real fun part is commentary on the state of the world and the politics. It looks very very real LOL Not that I know for sure but we all suspect LOL

The ending is of course a very artificial happy ending. In real life, FL and ML would have been dead by ep 2 or 3, the latest.

PS - So this drama is 100% different than Ms and Mr Smith american movie, those two were assassins and stayed assassins... for the sole purpose of lining their own pockets.

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For over a year now, I've been struggling to get involved enough to watch a drama until the end. But this is what I needed. Great actors, music, chemistry between main characters, emotions, secrets and plot twists... The way this drama was shot made it even more suspenseful. The colours created a dark atmosphere for the events depicted in the drama. While watching, I felt a whole range of emotions, from unimaginable sadness to joy and warmth in my heart. Throughout the entire drama, you could feel the tension between the characters caused by the possibility of war.

I don't mind the open ending, and I don't need a second season. It honestly suited this drama. The gate was opened before the explosion, so I believe San Ho survived and will return to Mun Ju after the election. He wouldn't have left her, but at the same time, going to prison doesn't fit his character.

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