Calling all fans of political dramas like The Diplomat and The Night Agent: Hulu’s new K-drama Tempest is your next must-watch show. The genre-bending series follows Seo Mun-ju (Gianna Jun), South Korea’s former ambassador to the U.S., who resigned to support her husband’s presidential run. When he’s assassinated, she teams up with a mysterious mercenary (Gang Dong-won) to investigate a conspiracy involving the reunification of North and South Korea and the nuclear arms race between North Korea and the United States. (And, of course, since this is a K-drama, there’s some steamy tension between the diplomat and her new bodyguard.)
For this blockbuster thriller K-drama, Hulu recruited an all-star team, including writer Chung Seo-kyung (Decision to Leave), and co-directors Kim Hee-won (Queen of Tears) and Heo Myeonghaeng (The Roundup: Punishment). As for the actors, K-drama fans will tune in to find award-winning actors from the past three decades of Korean entertainment, as well as familiar faces from American TV. Below, read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Tempest.
Gianna Jun (a.k.a. Jun Ji-hyun) as Seo Mun-ju
(Image credit: Disney)
Seo Mun-ju is a South Korean diplomat who was formerly the country’s ambassador to the UN; now, she stands by her husband’s side as he runs for president. When her recurring assassination nightmare becomes prophetic, she’s thrown into the political spotlight and decides to run for president herself.
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Gianna Jun, Korean name Jun Ji-hyun, began her career as a model before making her acting debut in 1999. Since then, the 44-year-old has starred in iconic projects including the Korean romance movies Il Mare and My Sassy Girl, the romantic K-dramas My Love from the Star and Legend of the Blue Sea, and Netflix’s historical K-drama Kingdom. She has been married to her husband, private equity manager Choi Jun-hyuk, since 2012.
Gang Dong-won as Paik San-ho, a.k.a. Mark
(Image credit: Disney)
Paik San-ho, also known as Mark, is a Korean-American mercenary who offers to protect Mun-ju after her husband’s death. It turns out that the ex-soldier was sent to become Mun-ju’s bodyguard, hired by a mystery backer who knew that she was in danger.
Gang Dong-won, 44, is also a model-turned-actor who rose to fame with his breakout role in the 2004 film Temptation of Wolves. Since then, he has starred in blockbuster Korean movies including Duelist, Secret Reunion, The Priests, A Violent Prosecutor, Master, Peninsula, and Broker. Tempest is his first K-drama since 2004.
Park Hae-joon as Jang Jun-ik
(Image credit: Disney)
Assemblyman Jang Jun-ik is a chaebol politician and advocate against the reunification of North and South Korea. At the start of Tempest, he’s the presidential candidate for the New Republican Party, the opposition to the current president…and his wife Mun-ju. After his death, Mun-ju is left to unfurl her estranged husband’s secrets.
Earlier this year, Park Hae-joon played the older version of Gwan-sik in the acclaimed Netflix K-drama When Life Gives You Tangerines. After starting as a theater actor, the 48-year-old rose to fame with his supporting roles in the 2014 K-dramas Doctor Stranger and Misaeng: Incomplete Life. He has also starred in the shows My Beautiful Bride, My Mister, Arthdal Chronicles, The World of the Married, and The 8 Show.
Lee Mi-sook as Lim Ok-seon
(Image credit: Disney)
Jun-ik’s mother, Im Ok-seon, is the chairwoman of shipping company Aseom, and a political power broker aiming to make her son president. Ok-seon has never been a fan of Mun-ju; she disparages her daughter-in-law for coming from a poor family and choosing to pursue a career rather than a family. However, when Jun-ik dies and bequeaths his entire estate to Mun-ju, Ok-seon switches her political ambitions to her daughter-in-law.
Lee Mi-sook, 65, was one of the most famous actresses in 1980s Korean cinema, with acclaimed films including Mulberry and The Winter That Year Was Warm. In 1987, Lee retired from film after getting married, though she would still appear on TV. She rejoined the industry with 1998’s An Affair, and went on to star in other popular projects, including Untold Scandal, Cinderella’s Sister, Love Rain, Jealousy Incarnate, The Law Cafe, Perfect Marriage Revenge, and Queen of Tears.
Oh Jung-se as Jang Jun-sang
(Image credit: Disney)
After Jun-ik’s death, his brother Jun-sang makes the questionable (and suspicious) announcement that he plans to run for president in his place. When Mun-ju refuses to fund his run, the prosecutor becomes her enemy.
Jun-sang is played by Oh Jung-se, 48, a prolific actor who has starred in dozens of Korean movies and K-dramas. He’s best known for shows including Hot Stove League, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, The Good Detective, Jirisan, Revenant, Sweet Home, Mr. Plankton, When the Stars Gossip, and Good Boy.
Kim Hae-sook as President Chae Gyeong-sin
(Image credit: Disney)
Chae Gyeong-sin, the current president of South Korea and a humble but determined politician, is played by Kim Hae-sook. The 69-year-old actress has appeared in nearly 100 series and over three dozen movies, according to MyDramaList. She should be very familiar to fans of Netflix K-dramas; she has previously starred in Hospital Playlist, Start-Up, Tomorrow, Under the Queen’s Umbrella, Strong Girl Namsoon, My Demon, Gyeongseong Creature, and Mr. Plankton.
John Cho as Anderson Miller
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Anderson Miller is the U.S. deputy secretary of state, who gets wrapped up in the international conspiracy behind Jun-ik’s murder.
Tempest is John Cho’s first-ever appearance in a K-drama. The 53-year-old Korean-American actor has made history as the first Asian-American actor to lead a mainstream, contemporary Hollywood thriller (2018’s Searching) and to play a romantic lead in a network rom-com series (ABC’s Selfie). His best-known works include the American Pie films, the Harold and Kumar films, the 2010s Star Trek reboot trilogy, and the 2017 drama Columbus.
Lee Sang-hee as Yeo Mi-ji
(Image credit: Disney)
Yeo Mi-ji, Mun-ju’s chief of staff, follows her from the U.S. to South Korea to remain by her side. The former ambassador’s right-hand woman is also her closest confidant and steadfast friend.
Lee Sang-hee, 41, began her career in nursing before she discovered her love of acting in her late 20s. She rose to fame in 2014 with the film End of Winter and won a Baeksang Arts Award for Best New Actress two years later, for her performance in Our Love Story. She won a second Baeksang last year for the Netflix Korean movie My Name is Loh Kiwan. On the K-drama front, she has appeared in Mr. Sunshine, Life, One Spring Night, All of Us Are Dead, Daily Dose of Sunshine, and Mercy for None.
Joo Jong-hyuk as Park Chang-hee
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Park Chang-hee, Jun-ik’s head of security, who joins Mun-ju’s campaign, is played by Joo Jong-hyuk. Since his acting debut in 2018, the 34-year-old has appeared in K-dramas including D.P., The Veil, Yumi’s Cells, Frankly Speaking, Unmasked, and his best-known work Extraordinary Attorney Woo. In addition to Tempest, he’s also currently starring in the Prime Video K-drama Confidence Queen.
Yoo Jae-myung as Yoo Un-hak
(Image credit: Disney)
Yoo Un-hak is the director of Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS). He’s played by Yoo Jae-myung, 52, a prolific film and TV actor known for starring in popular K-dramas like Reply 1988, Hwarang, Strong Woman Do Bong-soon, Stranger, Life, Confession, Itaewon Class, Song of the Bandits, and Uncle Samsik. Last year, he won a Baeksang for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film Land of Happiness.
Won Ji-an as Kang Han-na
Kang Han-na, a mysterious woman who knew Jun-ik before his death, is played by Won Ji-an, 25. The rising actress is best known for playing Se-mi (Player 380) in seasons 2 and 3 of Squid Game. Since her acting debut in the Netflix drama D.P., she has also starred in Hope or Dope, If You Wish Upon Me, Heartbeat, and A Year-End Medley. She has also signed on to star in the upcoming Disney+/Hulu K-dramas Made in Korea and Pleasant Outcast.
Christopher Gorham as Ethan
(Image credit: Disney)
Ethan, a mercenary, is played by Christopher Gorham, 51. The longtime television actor’s best-known roles include Harrison John on The WB’s Popular, Henry Grubstick in ABC’s Ugly Betty, Auggie Anderson on USA Network’s Covert Affairs, and Trevor Elliot on Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer.
Spencer Garrett as U.S. President Hauser
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U.S. President Hauser is portrayed by Spencer Garrett, a 61-year-old actor whose mother Kathleen Nolan was a former president of the Screen Actors Guild. In addition to appearing in movies like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Bombshell, he is best known for shows like Insecure, The Legend of Korra, Survivor’s Remorse, The Magicians, For All Mankind, Bosch, and Winning Time. Most recently, he played Wally Glick on Netflix’s miniseries The Residence.
Alicia Hannah-Kim
(Image credit: Disney)
Also appearing in the series is Korean-Australian actress Alicia Hannah-Kim (above, right), who served as a producer and helped recruit Western actors for the K-drama. The 38-year-old is best known for playing sensei Kim Da-eun in Cobra Kai, and she has appeared in General Hospital, Alone Together, Hawaii Five-0, and Minx. (Fun fact: Kim’s husband Sebastian Roché and her Cobra Kai co-star Jacob Bertrand also appear in Tempest.)
