Disney+’s original series "Tempest" is drawing explosive buzz right out of the gate.
The thriller follows Moon-ju (Jun Ji-hyun), a globally respected U.N. ambassador who starts hunting the masterminds behind an assassination attempt on presidential candidate Jun-ik (Park Hae-joon). By her side―whether she likes it or not―is San-ho (Gang Dong-won), a shadowy black-ops agent with no clear allegiance. Episodes 1-3 dropped Sept. 10.
Across its first three episodes, "Tempest" locks viewers in with a twisty hunt for the truth, magnetic character entanglements, and a pace that never lets up.
After Jun-ik’s shooting shocks the world, Moon-ju searches for the mysterious man who saved her at the scene―San-ho. Meanwhile, prosecutor Jun-sang (Oh Jung-se), long consumed by envy toward his older brother, tails Moon-ju and turns the screws by kidnapping her aide Mi-ji (Lee Sang-hee) as he angles to enter the race himself. But when Moon-ju discovers a cryptic clue Jun-ik left behind, she flips the board: deciding to run for president herself, she joins forces with Ok-seon (Lee Mi-sook), the chair of Aseom Shipping who once kingmade Jun-ik. “I want to climb those last few steps,” she tells Ok-seon―sending the race into upheaval overnight.
Dubbed a modern-day Joan of Arc, Moon-ju rockets to frontrunner status under Ok-seon’s meticulous playbook―only to face lethal threats from unknown forces. San-ho barrels back into her orbit to pull her out of harm’s way, and their charged eye contact in the nick of time lit up viewers’ screens.
San-ho’s bone-clean fight choreography―neutralizing enemies in seconds and coolly navigating crises―brings the spectacle. Safely reaching her announcement venue with his help, Moon-ju delivers a measured, steel-spined speech that lands with real emotion, signaling a heroine who won’t flinch no matter the headwinds.
As danger closes in, San-ho urges Moon-ju to hire him as her personal protector. Salvation or trap- She takes the gamble, kicking off a partnership to unearth a conspiracy that could shake the Korean peninsula. “In an emergency, you do exactly what I say. In that moment, I’m the boss,” he warns―teasing the high-stakes ride ahead.
Viewers who powered through Episodes 1-3 raved: “The direction is insane, the dialogue is elegant, and the relentless pacing comes with great action,” “Every frame is stunning―I was so absorbed by the tight plotting I lost track of time,” “Dazzling visuals and breathless set pieces―the way writer Chung Seo-kyung folds romance, action, and espionage together is masterful,” “The immersion is unreal; the whole cast is phenomenal,” “The leads’ chemistry is off the charts―the finale makes it impossible not to hit Next Episode.”
Disney+ will premiere Episodes 4-5 of "Tempest" on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
[Photo= Disney+]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)