Gianna Jun and Gang Dongwon Lead ‘Tempest,’ Disney+ Hotstar’s Boldest Korean Original Yet
Friday, August 22, 2025
Carol Choi opened the event with remarks highlighting Disney+ Hotstar’s momentum in the region:
“Our recent originals have premiered at the top of the charts in Korea and across APAC, and we have high hopes that Tempest will continue this positive momentum. I’m excited about Tempest for a few reasons - it’s centered on a gripping storyline, combined with a world-class international cast and top production team, all coming together to deliver exceptional storytelling. It is a cross-genre series blending espionage, romance and action, and like many of our global hits, it has specificity in the story but ultimately, touches on universal themes of power and ambition, truth and trust.”
Tempest follows Seo Munju (played by Gianna Jun) , a skilled former diplomat, as she tries to uncover the truth behind an attempt on a presidential candidate’s life. Protected by Paik Sanho (played by Gang Dongwon), a mercenary with a suspicious history and a hidden backer, Munju repeatedly finds herself under attack as she uncovers an international conspiracy stretching all the way to the White House.
Writer Chung Seokyung shared insights into the story’s development:
“I wanted to tell a story universal enough for as many people to feel it could be their own. It all started when Director Kim Heewon said she wanted to depict a romance led by a powerful woman. From there, one question led to another, and the story gradually took shape.”
She added, “I hope Tempest is received as a well-balanced Korean story within a global context. I want it to resonate with audiences in Korea and around the world — not only as a grand narrative, but also as something personal.” Chung expressed hopes for a powerful and emotionally grounded story that blends genre-driven intrigue with universal appeal.
Director Kim Heewon emphasized the importance of authenticity: “The drama follows a cyclical structure in which action continuously unfolds within the narrative, and new story developments emerge organically from that action. Throughout the creative process, we stayed focused on maintaining the story’s realism. We wanted viewers to feel this was a story that could plausibly unfold in real life.
On the wide range of action sequences performed by Sanho, Director Heo Myeonghaeng added, “What mattered most was achieving both realism and style. Sanho’s action scenes are rooted in the techniques he has developed for survival through countless missions. We aim to capture movements of someone who has mastered it all, which we hope will raise anticipation for an action-forward spy romance that offers both spectacle and narrative depth.”
The production team also expressed strong confidence in the series’ execution. With production design by Kim Byunghan (Nine Puzzles, Narco-Saints, Ashfall) and visual effects led by Hong Jungho (Along with the Gods, Parasite, Alienoid), Tempest is expected to elevate both the emotional impact and narrative scale of the storyline, showcasing new possibilities for Korean drama.
Production designer Kim Byunghan described the process of translating the epic scale of the story into visual form, and conceptualizing a design that delivers both realism and cinematic beauty. At the event, he said, “The dynamic nature of the production made the filming process both refreshing and deeply rewarding. With approximately 200 distinct locations across 13 countries, this series marks the most ambitious design project of my career.”
VFX supervisor Hong Jungho spoke about the extraordinary effort that went into grounding the series’ visual effects with a heightened sense of realism. He said, “Looking at the previous work of writer Chung Seokyung and director Kim Heewon, I was impressed by their incredible attention to detail and had long hoped to collaborate with them. For Tempest, I approached the project by first establishing the tone, mood, and seasonal atmosphere — elements that shaped the foundation of our visual direction.”
Finally, when addressing how global audiences are eagerly awaiting Tempest, Director Kim Heewon shared “Tempest is a work that blends multiple genre elements. With the evolving relationship between Munju and Sanho, defined by tension, longing, and rediscovery, I hope audiences will be able to follow the melodramatic narrative with their hearts from beginning to end.”
With a standout international cast, top creative team, and an unpredictable storyline of significant scale, Tempest is being recognized as one of the most anticipated global projects of 2025. The series will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar with three episodes on Wednesday, September 10, followed by two episodes a week until the two-part finale on October 1.
Tempest is the latest Korean original set to debut on Disney+ Hotstar. Fans of unmissable storytelling can enjoy other gripping series on Disney+ Hotstar including the year’s most watched Disney+ Hotstar Korean drama Nine Puzzles, as well as A Shop For Killers, Hyper Knife, Moving and a curated range of other premium talent-driven scripted Korean dramas.
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