At a press conference held Tuesday morning at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in the city’s Jongno District, the pair was joined by co-stars Lee Mi-sook, Park Hae-joon, Kim Hae-sook, Yoo Jae-myung, Oh Jung-se, Lee Sang-hee and Joo Jong-hyuk, along with directors Kim Hee-won and Heo Myung-haeng, to preview the series written by Jeong Seo-kyung.
"Tempest" follows Mun-ju (Jun), a UN ambassador with international clout, as she hunts the forces behind an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate. She’s protected by San-ho (Gang), a shadowy operative with no clear allegiance, as the two uncover a sprawling conspiracy threatening the Korean Peninsula. It also marks the first time the two A-listers are tackling a romance together―cue the curiosity.
“Mun-ju and San-ho live in completely different worlds, but they’re drawn to something they can’t quite name,” Jun said. “The more they learn about each other, the more they reflect on themselves―and that dynamic keeps evolving in really fun ways as the story unfolds. If you focus on that, you’ll enjoy it.”
As for their “adult” romance, Jun laughed that when she and Gang watched playback on set, they asked each other, “Have we ever acted this much like grown-ups?” On screen, she added, it felt natural―“it just felt right,” she said, using a bit of trending slang to describe the vibe.
Gang agreed, saying meeting at this stage of their careers made the difference. “We joked that if we’d teamed up when we were younger, it would’ve felt totally different,” he said. “Now it’s like two people who know a thing or two about life looking at each other. There’s a depth we might not have had before.”
"Tempest" unites powerhouse talent: writer Jeong Seo-kyung ("Decision to Leave," "Little Women"), director Kim Hee-won ("Queen of Tears," "Vincenzo") and director Heo Myung-haeng ("The Roundup: Punishment," "Badland Hunters"). The Disney+ original promises high-caliber casting, top-tier production and a twisty, big-scale story.
"Tempest" premieres Sept. 10 with three episodes, followed by two episodes weekly starting Sept. 17, for a total of nine episodes.
Photo: Baik Seung-Chul
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)