A pairing of Jun Ji-hyun and Gang Dong-won, two of the era's most glamorous stars, had fans buzzing just at the thought of seeing them share the screen.

Now, the two will star in Disney+'s new spy thriller “Tempest,” set to be released on Sept. 10.


The excitement wasn't one-sided.

“Above all, I chose this project because I really wanted the chance to work with Gang before it was too late,” Jun said with her trademark bubbly giggle at a press conference for the series at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Tuesday.

Even for producer Kim Hee-won, the excitement over the cast of the two was unlike any other.

"I was incredibly happy. Truly, as a producer, every day has been such a joy,” Kim said while recalling the filming. “I’ve always loved creating beautiful images, but with this project, I didn’t even have to try too hard, because the actors are so stunning on their own.

“Also, what mattered most to me was capturing an image that’s both strong and beautiful, and I was so glad to see how naturally that came through in this film.”

The nine-episode series follows the story of Mun-ju, portrayed by Jun, a former United Nations ambassador with an esteemed international reputation, who investigates an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate. By her side stands San-ho, played by Gang, a mysterious mercenary of unknown nationality tasked with protecting her. Together, they face an enormous truth that threatens the Korean Peninsula.

Jun and Gang are joined by actors Park Hae-joon, Kim Hae-sook, Yoo Chea-myung, Lee Mi-sook, Joo Jong-hyuk, Oh Jung-se, Lee Sang-hee and John Cho.

For Gang, “Tempest” marks his return to the small screen after 21 years since SBS’s "Magic" (2004). What led him to return to the small screen was Jun, the same reason as his partner.

“Strangely enough, I had never had the chance to cross paths with Jun before in a project,” he said. Both stars have been in the industry for over two decades.

Reflecting on returning to a series after years in film, Gang added that the experience wasn't too different.

“In the past, I had worked on films that would take about eight months to shoot, so shooting the series wasn’t particularly difficult for me,” he said. “The only difference, maybe, would be having to shoot a bit more in a single day. But in terms of preparing for the role or acting, there was no difference.”

While the series is packed with action, thriller and political intrigue — topics often seen as heavy — there is also romance between Jun and Gang.

Their characters are “mysteriously drawn to each other” despite coming from completely different backgrounds, according to Jun. She described the romantic connection as having a “good vibe,” using a Korean slang term, “neujo,” and being mature.

Gang agreed, noting a similar sense of maturity. “While monitoring our shot, we half-jokingly, half-seriously said that it seemed like they knew a thing or two just when looking at each other,” he added.

The show also features a high-profile crew. It is codirected by Kim Hee-won and Heo Myeong-haeng, who each directed hits such as “Vincenzo” (2021), “Queen of Tears” (2024) and “Badland Hunters” (2024), and written by Jung Seo-kyoung, the screenwriter behind “Decision to Leave” (2022) and “Little Women” (2022).

The series will be released over four weeks, and considering this, Kim Hee-won noted that each week will reveal a new “huge secret” serving as a cliff-hanger to keep viewers eagerly anticipating the next episodes.

While the star-studded cast and crew may appeal to the domestic market, the series is also positioned for a global audience. Regarding its platform, both the producers and actors showed confidence in resonating with international viewers, describing it as a captivating, large-scale spectacle.

“When I was younger, when I watched the news, especially world news or economic news, I used to feel like they had little to do with me and I’d naturally gravitate toward stories that felt closer to my own life,” Kim Hee-won said. “But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that those events eventually come around and affect me like a big wave.”

“This naturally led to a question about what we should pay attention to in the world around us, which is also reflected in the show. I think the film invites viewers — both in Korea and abroad — to reflect on these questions for themselves.”

Disney+'s "Tempest" will premiere its first three episodes on Sept. 10, with the remaining episodes released over the following three weeks, two each week.


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]