'Tempest' Writer Jeong Seo-kyung Responds to Controversial Lines in China, 'The Background of 'Tempest' is a Fictional World'

The production team of the Disney+ original series 〈Tempest〉 cited the two lead actors, Jun Ji-hyun and Kang Dong-won, as the biggest attractions of the work.

Writer Jeong Seo-kyung met with reporters at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd and said, "Jun Ji-hyun and Kang Dong-won are our drama's biggest pride," adding, "There has never been a case where we proceeded with casting first, but with Jun Ji-hyun being cast, I felt that the direction we would take was set."

Accompanying PD Kim Hee-won, Writer Jeong explained that Jun Ji-hyun was the starting point of the work. Before the script was completed, Jun Ji-hyun was cast first, and accordingly, the character of the female presidential candidate, Seo Mun-joo, was completed.

Writer Jeong explained the reason for the character setting, saying, "I thought that the burden that actress Jun Ji-hyun has as a star is similar to that of a presidential candidate."

〈Tempest〉 is a Disney+ original series that has generated excitement with the news that Jun Ji-hyun and Kang Dong-won will appear together for the first time. The story combines large-scale elements such as the unstable situation on the Korean Peninsula, nuclear submarines, presidential elections, and mercenary groups, creating an online video service (OTT) series like a blockbuster movie.

Kang Dong-won, who plays the counterpart to Jun Ji-hyun, takes on the role of Baek San-ho, a mercenary from North Korea, showcasing dazzling action. Writer Jeong said, "The role of San-ho has no lines but requires a strong presence, which is a challenging role for an actor," and added, "I was moved that he took on such a difficult role."

When the drama's poster was released, Jun Ji-hyun appeared at the forefront among the cast, while Kang Dong-won was listed as 'and Kang Dong-won' at the end, leading to various speculations, but the production team explained that it had no significant meaning. PD Kim stated, "The fact that it was listed as 'and Kang Dong-won' due to a small amount of screen time is a misunderstanding," adding, "The weight of the characters changes from episode to episode, and it's not a matter of which actor is ahead or behind."

In the work, presidential candidate Mun-joo and her bodyguard San-ho fall in love. Regarding viewers' reactions that the development of their romance is somewhat sudden, Writer Jeong expressed, "Writing a melodrama is very difficult," and said, "Some events can just be written as having happened, but I don't know how to write what happens in people's hearts. Also, shouldn't that happen in the viewers' hearts as well?"

Writer Jeong Seo-kyung has worked on the screenplays of many films by director Park Chan-wook, including 〈Sympathy for Lady Vengeance〉, 〈Thirst〉, 〈The Handmaiden〉, and 〈Decision to Leave〉. He added, "I am used to writing a two-hour story," and said, "Initially, I planned 〈Tempest〉 as an eight-part series, but I couldn't gauge its size." This means the series had a different rhythm than a movie.

PD Kim interpreted that the love blossoming between Mun-joo and San-ho is a story that can be fully understood. He explained, "Isn't there a spark (flame) when a war seems imminent?" and added, "The two actors were not at all flustered during the bed scene, and I saw it as a scene that naturally had to come for Mun-joo and San-ho."

There were rumors that the total production cost reached 70 billion won, but the production team denied this. Writer Jeong said, "At first, I was very happy to hear about the 70 billion won, but I was disappointed when I heard the reality," but added with a smile, "Disney generously supported us, allowing us to create joyfully."

As 〈Tempest〉 gains attention overseas, some viewers in China pointed out that certain lines were inappropriate. They claimed that a line where Mun-joo says, "Why does China prefer war?" portrays China as an aggressive country.

Writer Jeong clarified, "The background of 〈Tempest〉 is a fictional world," stating, "I tried to give fictional names to all countries, but it seemed too unrealistic, so I accidentally used names similar to real ones." PD Kim also mentioned, "The production team had previously stated that it is a fictional story and that there is no intention of criticism," and expressed regret that the actors were just faithfully acting according to the explanation and it turned out this way.

Regarding the open ending surrounding San-ho, the production team also expressed their position. Writer Jeong said, "I wanted Mun-joo to stand before various choices, including herself, the country, love, and career, and naturally thought, 'What if I kill San-ho?"

He continued, "After writing the ending, the staff on set said they were all very sad. The drama is a story that nurtures fantasy, but I wondered if it was right to kill a character that is loved, and thought, what if we also don't know whether we died or lived?" explaining the background of the open ending.

〈Tempest〉 has been released sequentially since the 10th of last month, with the final episode (9th) released on the 1st of this month.