Lee Jun-ho, who became the face of youth in 1997, became a box office cheat for Typhoon Corporation
Oct 13, 2025
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In the first and second episodes of tvN's Saturday-Sunday drama 『Taepung Corporation" (directed by Lee Na-jung and Kim Dong-hwi, scripted by Jang Hyun, planned studio Dragon, and production by Imagineers, Studio PIC, and Tree Studio), Kang Tae-pung (Lee Joon-ho), a free-spirited youth, was reborn as a 'real employee" of Typhoon Corporation to protect his father Kang Jin-young's company amid an era of collapse in an instant. The dramatic transformation of the spectacular Apgujeong Nalari, which enjoyed freedom and romance in the abundance of the parents' generation, being thrown into the stormy season of the IMF, the realistic description of those who lost their jobs in a moment, and the survival of ordinary people trying to survive in it were combined to allow viewers to fall into the era at once.
The actors' passionate performance, which depicted the era as smoothly as the water flowed, was also outstanding. In particular, Lee Joon-ho delicately portrayed Kang Tae-pung, who transforms from a symbol of youth to a symbol of responsibility and growth in 1997, proving the power of 'Trust and Treasure'. In the scene where he dominated the stage with the 'Abstreet Boys' and gave a smile with his freewheeling and pleasant youth, while pouring out the tears he endured upon discovering his late father's 'Bankbook Letter', he touched the hearts of viewers by desperately capturing the love and sorry between the father and the son. Kim Min-ha also decomposed 'K-first daughter' into Oh Mi-seon, completing the sample of '90s office worker' with realistic acting that firmly lives even in a difficult reality. The unique expression of emotions and delicate eye acting that uses the whole face add to the unshakable pulpit even in the crisis, and it was praised that he firmly set the central axis of the play with Lee Joon-ho.
Mise-en-scène, who completely restored 1997, naturally took viewers back to that era. Hwang Kyu-young's opening with a song 'I'm No Problem' that seems to give courage to someone who's having a hard day, from now-unseen beeps, CTR monitors, floppy disks, CT phones to dating shows from those days. The realistic description of the times stimulated the nostalgia of viewers who passed the 1990s as if they had opened a time capsule.
The 1997 sentiment and `Taepung spirit' conveyed by `Taepung Corporation' stemmed from the warmth that blossomed among people. The small but sincere heart drew sympathy from generations to generations. The man who handed over the newspaper he had read on the subway, the typhoon who gave up his seat to his grandmother even with his tired body, Cha Seon-taek (Kim Jae-hwa) who carefully chose the ripe persimmon he liked after the death of his boss, the employees of Typhoon Corporation who threw their whole body to protect their wealth, and his friend Wang Nam-mo (Kim Min-seok), and Jin-young who wrote four letters each to convey his whole heart to his son every month. The small scenes gathered to complete the warmth of the times when it was hard but people endured it. The sadness and pain of the hard times could have led to a narrative that only took out tears, but 'Taepung Corporation' paid attention to ordinary people who "survived, not fighting against sadness". Bringing out the moist emotions of those days, the viewers felt the air and warmth again" was the reason for the response.
With the first week of broadcasting alone and reservation for the birth of a life drama with laughter, tears, memories, and warmth, the expectation of what typhoon-like stories will unfold in the future will be broadcast on tvN every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 p.m.
soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
