'Tempest' puts female politicians at the center
Seo Mun-ju (Jun Ji-hyun) delivers a speech in a scene from Disney+ spy thriller “Tempest.” Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
The most anticipated Disney+ series of the year, “Tempest,” starring A-list actors Jun Ji-hyun and Gang Dong-won, unveiled its first three episodes Wednesday.
The drama begins with a striking monologue from former U.N. ambassador Seo Mun-ju (Jun), saying “I had a dream. In the dream, I was a man.” As her husband, a charismatic young presidential frontrunner, delivers an impassioned speech, Mun-ju lingers in the background before gradually emerging into focus from the sidelines.
“Tempest” is more than a spy thriller. While Mun-ju’s journey and her alliance with stateless mercenary San-ho (Gang) form the show’s core, the abundance of tireless, idealistic women command attention at every turn.
Lee Mi-sook takes the role of cunning power broker Im Ok-sun in the Disney+ spy thriller "Tempest." Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
The series begins as Mun-ju resigns from her diplomatic post and returns to Korea to support her husband’s presidential run, only to face tragedy when an extremist from an anti-unification group assassinates him. Determined to uncover the truth behind his death and pursue the peace he dreamed of, Mun-ju decides to run for president herself.
In one scene where she escapes a bomb-rigged train with San-ho’s help, stepping into a rally thronged with supporters, she proclaims: “Some people say I cannot be president because I’m a woman and a diplomat, without a traditional political background. Some say I shouldn’t even run with my late husband’s party.
“Others say I’m unfit to lead because I spent much of my life outside Korea. Yet all of you believe I can bring change, work toward peaceful reunification and be a president for the weak, the forgotten and the unheard.”
Her heartfelt declaration electrifies the crowd and marks her bold entry into the political fray.
Where most Korean dramas traditionally cast men as presidents, kingmakers or rising political stars in ways that mirror real-life politics, “Tempest” takes a different approach. It entrusts these roles to women, reflecting a shifting political climate.
Among them is Mun-ju’s formidable mother-in-law, Im Ok-sun (Lee Mi-sook), a cunning power broker who treats even her own children as pawns in a political chess game.
Kim Hae-sook plays Korea's sitting president, Chae Kyung-sin, in the Disney+ spy thriller "Tempest." Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
After failing to make her son Korea’s president, Ok-sun shifts her ambitions to Mun-ju. Her machinations embody the drama’s vision of female kingmakers and behind-the-scenes strategists, coercing party leaders and skillfully removing political threats that could endanger Mun-ju’s run.
Ok-sun coaches her on how to take advantage of her image, saying, “The public sees you as Joan of Arc — the woman who stood unarmed before a gun to protect her husband. You need to keep them seeing you that way and make them shed tears for you.”
The drama also breaks from tradition by making the incumbent president a woman, Chae Kyung-sin (Kim Hae-sook). Chae exudes warmth and humility but also steely determination — the archetype of the career politician. She warns Mun-ju that ultimate authority resides in global corridors well beyond Seoul’s reach.
Rounding out the woman-centered cast is Lee Sang-hee as Yeo Mi-ji, Mun-ju’s chief of staff, trusted confidante and steadfast companion since her days abroad — a true friend ready to follow Mun-ju into any peril.
With its refreshing female cast of power brokers, idealists and strategists, “Tempest” reimagines Korea’s political scene for a new era, offering a bold new vision of leadership.