A Captivating Tempest That Never Reached Full Force
With Jun Ji Hyun and Kang Dong-won leading, my expectations were through the roof. And to be fair, the first episode did an excellent job setting the stage; a strong, badass female lead with immense potential, and a loyal protector bound to fall for her. It had everything to become a jaw-dropping series filled with plot twists and emotional depth.
Unfortunately, Tempest never quite takes the leap. It feels like the show couldn’t decide what it wanted to be; political thriller, action drama, or romance and kept circling between them without a clear focus. Despite having an exceptional cast and a huge budget, it ended up wasting a lot of that potential.
The ending also felt more like fan service than a true conclusion, which left me disappointed. For a drama that could’ve easily been one of the best of 2025, it ended up being just… average.
That said, the acting was undeniably great, the chemistry between Jun Ji Hyun and Kang Dong-won was sizzling, and the action scenes were well executed. There were moments when the story really clicked. I just wish there had been more of them.
In the end, Tempest is a visually stunning drama carried by its leads, but one that never quite lives up to the storm it promised.
Unfortunately, Tempest never quite takes the leap. It feels like the show couldn’t decide what it wanted to be; political thriller, action drama, or romance and kept circling between them without a clear focus. Despite having an exceptional cast and a huge budget, it ended up wasting a lot of that potential.
The ending also felt more like fan service than a true conclusion, which left me disappointed. For a drama that could’ve easily been one of the best of 2025, it ended up being just… average.
That said, the acting was undeniably great, the chemistry between Jun Ji Hyun and Kang Dong-won was sizzling, and the action scenes were well executed. There were moments when the story really clicked. I just wish there had been more of them.
In the end, Tempest is a visually stunning drama carried by its leads, but one that never quite lives up to the storm it promised.
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