It was on June 28, 2024 that the first episode of the Netflix K-Drama entitled “The Whirlwind” was broadcast, starring Sol Kyung-gu in the role of South Korean Prime Minister Park Dong-ho and Kim Hee-ae in that of Vice Prime Minister Jeong Su-jin.
Bringing together excellent actors such as Kim Hong-pa, Im Se-mi, Kim Misook and Lee Hae-young, the story revolves around Park Dong-ho and Jeong Su-jin who face each other in this political war. The limited series immediately immerses viewers in a relaxed atmosphere and opens with the failed assassination attempt on South Korean President Jang Il-joon (Kim Hong-pa) by his loyal Prime Minister, Park Dong-ho (Sol Kyung -gu), who becomes the interim president since Jang Il-joon fell into a coma.
You should know that “The Whirlwind” is not about good versus evil or a hero who triumphs by killing his enemies, but about politics and the limits that a person can impose on themselves to achieve their goals. Among these men, Park Dong-ho led the massacre at the Blue House to kill all the corrupt ministers, especially Jeong Su-jin, the corrupt vice-premier who caused the death of MP Seo Gi-tae. It’s also worth noting that this is one of those Korean series that is worth watching but didn’t get the credit it deserved.
The Whirlwind is like Hollywood’s “House of Cards,” but better
Running for 12 episodes, “The Whirlwind” begins with Park Dong-ho’s announcement of his intention to wage a full-scale political war against the political establishment in order to expose all dishonest officials in and around the House Blue of the President with the aim of bringing to justice those responsible for the Private Investment Fund scam and among them are the South Korean chaebols as well as the President of the Republic of Korea, Jang Il-joon, and the vice-president Prime Minister Jeong Su-jin. It must be said that the outcome of each episode is a real suspense with multiple twists and turns every 10 minutes.
Subsequently, Vice Prime Minister Jeong Su-jin ends up assassinating President Jang Il-joon in his hospital bed in order to save her skin and become head of the country. Regardless, the star of “The Whirlwind” remains Park Dong-ho, played by Sol Kyung-gu, an anti-hero who risks his life twice to eradicate corruption from the Korean Liberal Party and build a Korea of the South fairer and more equitable at the cost of deception, intimidation and defeat against corrupt politicians and immoral chaebols, and even murder.
This is how Park Dong-ho resigned as interim president and prime minister of the Korean Liberal Party, to run in the presidential election, which he ultimately won despite a popularity rating of 5 %, compared to 71% for Jeong Su-jin. Director Kim Yong-wan has well transcribed the inner rage of Park Dong-ho who, after losing his long-time friend, prosecutor and deputy Seo Gi-tae, becomes a real predator out for blood. As part of his investigation into the Private Equity Fund embezzlement, which involved former President Jang Il-joon’s son and Jeong Su-jin’s husband, Seo Gi-tae was framed for accepting bribes – wine from Jeong Su-jin. Neither Park Dong-ho nor Jeong Su-jin spares no effort to engage in mutual attacks.
Among the greatest qualities of Korean films and series is their ability to depict human horror under a veneer of grace and beauty. The natural behavior of people to make mistakes and turn against each other when faced with difficulties, as well as the willingness of one person to deliberately harm another to serve their own interests, are frequently highlighted in Korean dramas and films such as “The Worst of Evil”, “Kill Boksoon”, “Exhuma”, “Parasite”, and “Pachinko”.
This is also what “The Whirlwind” recalls, where Cho Sang-cheon, another presidential candidate, has his father, his half-brother and other members of his family murdered to win the election. Likewise, it is extremely disturbing to see Jeong Su-jin not attempt to stop her husband Han Min-ho (Lee Hae-young) from ending his life so that she can then blame him.
The ending of “The Whirlwind” sees Park Dong-ho sacrifice his life to reveal to the country the true face of Jeong Su-jin, who unknowingly confesses to assassinating former President Jang Il-joon live on national television. This is how President Park Dong-ho gets his due respect and recognition and is given a national burial as President of the Republic of Korea.
Despite some scenes that are too theatrical to be considered realistic, we can consider that this is a creative license on the part of the director, but the fact remains that the actors played their roles impeccably. Indeed, director Kim Yong-wan has assembled an enviable cast composed of Sol Kyung-yu, known for Kill Boksoon, Im Se-mi from The Worst of Evil and Wonderful World, Kim Hae-ae from The World of the Married, and Lee Hae-young of Bloodhounds. It is obvious that the result of such a project can only be phenomenal.
It’s true that “The Whirlwind” is far from being the classic story of good versus evil, but it manages to keep viewers in suspense with its twists and turns, although it could have been more successful. By the way, all 12 episodes of “The Whirlwind” are available on Netflix for worldwide streaming.
What is your opinion on this K-drama?