Tempest (TV series)


Tempest is a South Korean spy romance television series written by Jeong Seo-kyeong and directed by Kim Hee-won. The series stars an ensemble cast led by Jun Ji-hyun and Gang Dong-won along with John Cho, Lee Mi-sook, Park Hae-joon, Kim Hae-sook, Yoo Jae-myung, Oh Jung-se, Lee Sang-hee, Joo Jong-hyuk, and Won Ji-an. It aired on Disney+ from September 10, to October 1, 2025.

Synopsis

The series revolves around a skilled diplomat Mun-ju who served as the UN ambassador, and an international special agent of mysterious nationality San-ho. The two embark on a mission to uncover the truth about a deadly attack that could threaten the stability of the Korean Peninsula.

Cast and characters

Main

Supporting

Seo Mun-ju's family

Seo Mun-ju's presidential campaign

Chae Kyung-sin's government

People around Jang Jun-ik

Others

Special appearances

Production

Development

Vice president of Imaginus announced several upcoming projects of Imaginus, including Polaris, which will be co-produced by Imaginus's label, Showrunner and Studio AA. Prior to that, in March 2023, it was reported that director Kim Hee-won and writer Jeong Seo-kyeong, who previously collaborated on Little Woman, joined forces again for a drama with working title Polaris. The drama is a spy melodrama exploring the journey of spies who have lost their identities and must find themselves. Later it was reported that Heo Myung-haeng, the director of The Roundup: Punishment and Badland Hunters, joined as co-director. Seoul Action School and Skydance was also credited as co-producer. Jung Jae-il and Dalpalan serve as the series' music director.
Some Korean newspapers reported that the series cost between 50 and 70 billion won, but after the final episode aired, the director and writer denied the rumor.

Casting

Jun Ji-hyun has been offered the female lead role opposite Gang Dong-won. In August 2024, it was announced that John Cho, Christopher Gorham, Alicia Hannah-Kim. Jacob Bertrand were added to the cast. Other actors included Spencer Garrett, Brooke Smith, Tom Lenk, Michael Gaston, Joel de la Fuente and Romy Rosemont. In January 2025, it was reported that Kim Hae-sook, Lee Mi-sook, Yoo Jae-myung, Park Hae-joon and Joo Jong-hyuk were cast.

Filming

Imaginus announced that Polaris had entered the preparation stage on March 28, 2024. The first meeting took place on the 25th. Imaginus further stated that filming for Polaris is planned to commence in April, with the possibility of shooting in international locations being taken into account.

Release

It was released on Disney+ internationally and Hulu and Hulu on Disney Plus in the U.S. The first three episodes released on September 10, 2025. The remaining episodes were released, with two episodes each week, for a total of 9 episodes.

Reception

Critical response

Mike Hale from The New York Times mentioned the addition of American actors was "an improvement over the expats normally hired to play English-language roles in Asian films and series." Regarding soap opera aspect of Korean dramas, he stated, "the confusions of the plot and the tinniness of the dialogue are more noticeable than usual." However, Hale remarked that the stars were attractive, combat was well choreographed, and the story gained propulsion by the third episode. Screen Rant said, "Despite some complaints about its depiction of international affairs, the film's overall popularity remains solid, considering its critical acclaim and streaming success."

Controversy

Although Tempest is officially unavailable in China, it sparked backlash among Chinese internet users, fueled by decontextualized clips circulated on social media. In the series, Jun's character asks, "Why does China prefer war?" which many took to be a portrayal of China as belligerent. The depiction of the Chinese city of Dalian was criticized as presenting it as dilapidated and outdated, with scenes purportedly set there filmed instead in Hong Kong's shanty area. Another point of contention involved a red carpet with yellow five-pointed stars set in the White House Cabinet Room. Some viewers interpreted this as a symbolic trampling of China's national flag, although the carpet was an accurate reproduction of the Cabinet Room carpet. Jun was further ridiculed for her accented recitation of Li Bai’s poem Bring in the Wine in Mandarin. Following the controversy, Louis Vuitton, La Mer and Piaget removed Jun’s advertisements from their social media accounts in or beyond China. Jun's agency stated the actress's brand campaigns were "unrelated" to Tempest and had ended before the show's release. The series also received backlash in Iraq over its portrayal of the country as an "uncivilized terrorist state" and "the most dangerous place in the world," as well as in Vietnam over its claim that South Korean soldiers were Vietnam War heroes.
In response to these controversies, TV drama critic and Professor Yoon Seok-jin of the Korean Language and Literature Department at Chungnam National University commented, "Dramas released on global OTT platforms like Disney+ are aimed at viewers around the world, so the description or expression of a specific country needs to be somewhat cautious. However, it is a natural context that various countries and past cases are mentioned in the process of dealing with the situation of the Korean Peninsula and the complex international relations of Northeast Asia. Even if a problem is raised, it is necessary to evaluate it in the overall narrative of the work. Since Seo Mun-ju is set as a former ambassador to the United Nations and a presidential candidate, and the stories of the great powers surrounding the Korean Peninsula are included, the comments on the international situation can come out in the situation of the characters in the play, so it is excessive to evaluate it only with fragmentary lines."