If you enjoy watching a good political drama full of secrets, intrigues, conspiracies and power games, then Netflix’s South Korean original series, The Whirlwind (돌풍), is for you. Produced by Studio Dragon and Pan Entertainment, the fiction consists of 12 episodes and features a formidable cast led by Kim Hee-ae, known for her hit role in the show Queenmaker, and veteran Seol Kyung-koo, who returns to television after more than two decades.
Since its premiere and for several consecutive weeks, The Whirlwind has ranked top on the list of Netflix’s top 10 most popular shows in South Korea. Likewise, it was positioned in the global list of the streamer’s 10 best non-English language series ; we can safely say that we are facing an intense and satisfying political program with enough rawness and drama to keep us hooked from beginning to end.
Plot of The Whirlwind
Directed by Kim Yong-wan and scripted by Park Kyung-soo, Netflix’s new political drama revolves around the dangerous rivalry between South Korean Prime Minister Park Dong-Ho (Sul Kyung-gu), and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Jung Soo-jin (Kim Hee-ae).
Park Dong-Ho is a man of deep-rooted convictions and intends to cause a political whirlwind after discovering the dark nature of the leaders around him. His one, drastic and dangerous goal is to take down the corrupt politicians in the Blue House, even if it means going after the country’s President Jang Il-joon (Kim Hong-pa), or becoming the new president himself.
The Whirlwind opens with a shock. The day before he is arrested on trumped-up charges, Park Dong-ho, South Korea’s prime minister, goes after President Jang Il-joon with the intention of assassinating him. With a carefully plotted plan, which includes a poisoned electronic cigarette, Park Dong-ho has decided to leave his morality behind and become the acting President, with the heavy mission of cleansing the Blue House of its corruptness and dishonesty.
It should be made clear that our protagonist, Park Dong-ho has always thought of surrendering to his country’s justice and revealing the whole truth, from his own crimes to President Jang Il-joon’s conspiratorial network. But first, the fearless Park Dong-ho has to consolidate his power in order to enjoy sufficient immunity to put an end to the growing corruption within the executive branch.
Almost immediately, however, he encounters formidable opposition from the egotistical and ambitious Vice Prime Minister Jung Soo-jin, who seeks to dismantle his authority and ascend to the presidency herself. Thus, Park Dong-ho begins a race against time to expose the delicate and nauseating truth of the fictitious incumbent government and temporarily maintain control.
The tense tussle between Park Dong-Ho and Jung Soo-jin unleashes a fierce political struggle, in which all involved cross unacceptable boundaries and indulge in stark monstrosities. The Whirlwind delves into the controversial and complex issue of good and evil, and attempts to reflect on the boundaries of truth and lies in the murky world of government and diplomacy.
In the midst of this intricate scenario, it becomes clear that the connivance between politicians of the same party, and the self-interested relationship of these leaders with certain powerful institutions, is one of the main causes of rampant corruption.
Whether in the political factions, the prosecution, the labor movement organizations, or the business conglomerates, The Whirlwind points out how connivance has corroded the main administrative and political structures of the Asian country. In this regard, the program reflects the enormous influence of business conglomerates, and the blatant complicity and collaboration of public servants. As you can probably already imagine, The Whirlwind is a web of shifting alliances, in which those with sufficient power push, shape and destroy with unrelenting greed.
On the origin of the story, celebrated screenwriter Park Kyung-su, responsible for award-winning crime series such as The Chaser (2012) and Punch (2014), has explained that he wrote The Whirlwind because of a very personal yearning to create “a hero on a white horse,” someone with enough devotion to bring justice in contemporary Korean society. Widely known for writing scripts about power, politics and authority, Park Kyung-su has given us fiction that reflects the deepest flaws of the political world.
The Netflix series concludes with a painfully obvious message: we never know what secrets and crimes lie behind some people’s quiet facades. Nor do we know what people will do to hold onto the good things they have. In a way, writer Park Kyung-su asks us to look in the mirror and ask: what is it that really sets us apart from the monsters we are trying to defeat?
The Whirlwind’s script takes a very interesting approach to two major themes: on the one hand, its open and thought-provoking critique of the political system and, on the other hand, its realistic portrayal of human nature.
A cast of veterans
This 12-episode, 40-minute series features a fantastic cast led by two veteran actors, Seol Kyung-koo and Kim Hee-ae. At first glance, you can sense that the incendiary chemistry between Seol Kyung-koo and Kim Hee-ae is the core of this political universe that immerses you and doesn’t let go.
There’s no doubt that acclaimed Korean film performer Sul Kyung-gu (Peppermint Candy, Oasis) is one of the big draws of The Whirlwind, and truth be told, he doesn’t disappoint at all.
His Park Dong-Ho is as imposing a presence as he is compelling, and that’s saying a lot. The way the prime minister stops at nothing to stand up for justice deeply draws the viewer into the narrative. Notably, this drama marks Sul Kyung-gu’s return to television after more than two decades.
Actress Kim Hee-ae (Queenmaker, The World of the Married, Secret Affair), plays the ambitious and power-hungry Jung Soo-jin. Kim Hee-ae keeps the viewer on edge, at times giving off an aura of supremacy and power, and at times having deeply human moments of hesitation and vulnerability. In many ways, Jung Soo-jin is the perfect nemesis for Park Dong-Ho.
The supporting cast of The Whirlwind responds to these two acting giants with equal strength on screen. In the end, they all, as an ensemble, contribute to elevating the script to even greater heights.
Our verdict
After the remarkable success of Hierarchy and The Atypical Family, Netflix is back to win over K-drama fans with its latest political thriller The Whirlwind.
As the title announces, the South Korean series is exactly that, a whirlwind of political battles that sweep everything in their path. The program is truly gripping as it raises important questions about power struggles, corruption, human nature, and moral ambiguity.
Above all, this is an intelligent and thoughtful drama, replete with sharp details. From Park Kyung-soo’s fierce script, to Kim Yong-wan’s meticulous direction, to the exceptional performances and high production values, the series more than delivers.
Every once in a while, one comes across a drama that simply commands respect for its quality, and The Whirlwind is certainly one of them.