AO EXCLUSIVE: Meet the stellar cast of “Tempest” and feel the chemistry between Gang Dong Won and Gianna Jun!

We have a new adrenaline-fueled spy thriller series to look forward to on Disney+ this month!

Tempest tells the story of a skilled former diplomat and a former UN ambassador named Seo Mun Ju who tries to uncover the truth behind an attempt on a presidential candidate’s life. She discovers that the candidate was accused of being a North Korean spy, and as she digs into his past, she will find out shocking state secrets and more. Protected by Paik San Ho, an international special agent, Mun Ju constantly finds herself under attack as she discovers an international conspiracy that threatens the future stability of the Korean peninsula.

To dive deeper into the most anticipated series, an exclusive press conference was held last September 2, and star-studded cast members from the drama are present at the event, namely, Gianna Jun, Gang Dong Won, Park Hae Joon, Lee Mi Sook, Oh Jung Se, Kim Hae Sook, Joo Jong Hyuk, Lee Sang Hee, and Yoo Jae Myung. Directors Kim Hee Won and Heo Myeong Haeng attended the said event.

The Brilliant Directors

When asked about how they mashed up their styles of directing in this series, director Heo Myeong Haeng said that he is a big fan of director Kim Hee Won so he trusted her style of directing and tried his best to be a supporter of her. “Whenever she needed something or had something on her mind, I talked with her to make sure that she had the best outcome.”

According to director Kim, this is their third time working together, and director Heo already knows her weaknesses and strengths so well, and since he works with various films, he pinpoints exactly what’s needed whenever there’s an issue. “We shared everything while we were working.”

The Stellar Cast Members

Gianna Jun as Seo Mun Ju

Gianna Jun is back after 4 years to play the role of Seo Mun Ju, a former diplomat in the series. Gianna said that Director Kim Hee Won, writer Jung Seo Kyoung, and Gang Dong Won were the reasons why she wanted to take this role.

She said her character Mun Ju didn’t have a lot of action scenes; it’s a role that relies more on San Ho, so emotionally, there’s a whirlwind of events and diverse situations where they had the chance to convey their charms through those scenes.

Gang Dong Won as Paik San Ho

After 21 years, Gang Dong Won is back in a series, and he plays the role of Paik San Ho, a mysterious mercenary who consistently appears at just the right time, and he is committed to protecting Mun Ju. When asked about Dong Won’s action scenes, director Heo said that Dong Won has a perfect shape, so even if he does the same gesture, there’s more coolness and aura in every move.

Moreover, director Kim said that Dong Won was the one who helped her cast John Cho, who plays the role of Anderson Miller, the U.S. assistant secretary of state, since Dong Won is good with English.

Lee Mi Sook as Im Ok Seon

Lee Mi Sook plays the role of Im Ok Seon, the mother of Junik and Jung Sang. She works in the shadows to keep her family’s business thriving despite the ongoing turmoil. She mentioned that she was hesitant to accept the role at first, but managed to pull it off thanks to the guidance of the directors.

Park Hae Joon as Jang Junik

A presidential candidate with a colorful past. Things come to a head when an assassin makes an attempt on Junik’s life. He said that while preparing for this project, he saw a lot of various videos and thought a lot about what kind of charm there is in captivating the viewer’s heart, and it was very helpful for him.

Oh Jung Se as Jang Jun Sang

He is an accomplished prosecutor and the brother of Junik. Jun Sang tries to live up to his brother’s name, making questionable decisions along the way. He mentioned that he had a great chemistry with everyone on set.

Kim Hae Sook as Chae Kyung Shin

A strong, charismatic leader, President Chae is determined to keep her country safe, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Kim Hae Sook shared that when she first got the offer, she was very excited and felt a little bit of fear because she wanted to pull this character off, and when she was reading the script, she realized that writer Jung Seo Kyoung did an amazing job creating a wonderful president.

Yoo Jae Myung as Yoo Woon Hak

Yoo Woon Hak is the director of National Intelligence and the character who escalates the tension in the show. Jae Myung said that when he read the script, a whole new world unfolded in front of him. He experienced being completely drawn into the scale, the spectacle, and the world of language filled with love, “It’s everything, it’s like a full package!” he said.

Lee Sang Hee as Yeo Miji

Lee Sang Hee portrays the role of Yeo Miji, who is a loyal aide to Mun Ju and has an unwavering trust and respect for her, and against all odds, she is ready to follow her wherever she goes. Sang Hee shared that she hand-copied the Korean Constitution in preparation for her role and wanted to have a concrete understanding of it.

Joo Jong Hyuk as Park Chang Hee

Park Chang Hee is the dependable head of security for Mun Ju. He said that in preparation for his role, he met the actual presidential security team leader and learned about his demeanor and his constant vigilance.

Gianna Jun and Gang Dong Won’s Chemistry

It’s Gianna and Dong Won’s first collaboration, and when asked what it was like to work together for the first time, Gianna responded, “I am a longtime fan of Dong Won, and he is the big reason why I took up this role.” She said she really likes the appearance of Dong Won, and while filming, she got to know him more as a person and became an even bigger fan of him.

Dong Won said, “As we were filming on set, I was so immersed in all the charm and appeal of Gianna, and on set, she was having so much which also made me happy, and I was like, wow! This is a really cool person throughout the entire production.”

According to director Kim, she is so happy seeing them together. They both have beautiful visuals, so they didn’t have to try too hard. They are both tall that the ceilings looked very low, even on set, so they had to adjust the ceilings a bit because when they stood together, the sets looked like small houses.

Message from the Cast Members

To wrap up the event, Joo Jong Hyuk took the floor first and said that Tempest is about different people with different desires, and there is a whirlwind of events. “When you follow the emotional evolution of characters, you will enjoy it so, please see you on Disney+,” he said.

Lee Sang Hee said that they had a lot of fun filming, so she hopes that the viewers enjoy it. Jung Se mentioned that this is the show that he wants to watch himself, “I’m sure that the show is going to be beyond and above my expectations and imagination. So, I hope you give us a lot of support.”

“Writer Jung Seo Kyoung did a great job making sure that everything is written so perfectly, and we have very bold directing styles of amazing directors, and we have these astonishing cast members, so I’m sure you’ll like it,” Jae Myung points out.

Hae Joon expressed his excitement watching the show. Hae Sook said that the show is very spectacular, and the viewers will be satisfied with what they see. Dong Won and Gianna hope that everyone will stay tuned and enjoy the show because they poured all their hearts and souls into the series.

Lee Mi Sook is the last cast to deliver a parting message. She said it’s different from other Korean shows and the viewers will love it. “We have different characters having different drives and desires, and all of them come together to create wonderful drama. Stay tuned and tell your friends to watch it too, I’m sure you’ll love it.”

Directors Kim and Heo hope that the viewers will stay tuned and enjoy the show.

Tempest will be released on September 10 exclusively on Disney+ with the first three episodes, followed by two episodes per week until the two-part finale on October 1.

Photos courtesy of Disney+ Philippines