Lee Junho Captures 1997 Nostalgia in Powerful Premiere of tvN Drama ‘Typhoon Family’
Oct 12, 2025
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tvN's Saturday-Sunday drama 『Taepung Corporation〠(directed by Lee Na-jung and Kim Dong-hwi), which aired on the 11th, attracted viewers by combining all elements such as scenery, emotion, music, and fashion from that time, creating perfect nostalgia for the times. From the opening that implemented the subtitle font of the TV program at the time, the background of the production team's careful arrangement, such as beeping number messages, tapes, and Citi phones that only burst next to public phones, naturally fell into those days.
The stormy acting skills of the two young actors who led the play were the first contributors to the favorable reviews. Lee Joon-ho transformed into a '90s youth Kang Tae-pung, enjoying freedom, perfectly capturing the temperature of the times with colorful and detailed performances ranging from eyes and speech to even singing and dancing. Above all, it was sucked into a huge whirlpool called the IMF and increased its concentration with a flexible acting variation that crossed conflicting emotional lines.
The opening, which began with the sensational song 'I have no problem', awakened the air of 1997 by illuminating the day of the Euljiro small and medium-sized company Typhoon Sangsa. About 10 employees who have been holding each other's hands for 26 years at the center of `Asian Dragon, Miracle on the Han River' from President Kang Jin-young (Sung Dong-il) to Accounting Oh Mi-sun (Kim Min-ha), Sales Department Manager Goma-jin (Lee Chang-hoon), Deputy General Affairs Minister Cha Seon-taek (Kim Jae-hwa), Management Department Director Koo Ja-kwan (Kim Song-il), and Logistics Department Assistant Manager Delivery (Lee Sang-jin) depicted office workers on the eve of the IMF symbolically by saying, `The reward of work is not for me, but for the company, the neighbor, and the country.
On the other hand, Kang Tae-pung (Lee Joon-ho), the president's son, was an immature youth who enjoyed freedom in the abundance of his parents' generation. As a member of the 'Abstreet Boys' that dominated Apgujeong, he caused a typhoon with his handsome appearance and excellent dance skills whenever he opened a nightclub. Pippi messages directed at him, such as "584486 (I love you to death)" and "17171771 (I love you)", were a measure of his popularity. Eventually, he was taken to the police station on this day as he got into a dispute with his jealous rival, Expression Jun (Mujinseong).
Jin-young, who was cold to his son who was not getting a job and only had an accident, refused to agree, saying that if he committed a crime, he should be punished. Typhoon confronted his father, who scolded him without even asking why he fought, with a greater rebellion. On the day when my father's hand fell for the first time, only wounds and misunderstandings toward each other remained. As such, although the father-son relationship was creaky, there was certainly an indescribable affection between them. Typhoon, who has a dream of flowers, took care of the first domestic rose grafted directly from the greenhouse every night, and wanted to show it to his father and be recognized someday. Above all, I carefully cleaned my father's shoes every day and placed them neatly on the porch. Jin-young carefully wiped off such shoes with a handkerchief when they got dirt on them. Even though they were not good at expressing themselves, the warmth of the rich who cared deeply for each other continued silently.
But the world has already foreshadowed a disturbing rift. Yoon Sung (Yang Byung-yeol), a member of the 'Abstreet Boys', ran away at night because his house went bankrupt, and the air began to twist strangely as news of a series of bankruptcies came in, regardless of medium-sized companies and large companies. Even Typhoon Corporation couldn't avoid it. Employees took a breather for a while due to a large order from Daebang Textile, but as the logical analysis of Miseon, there was a risk of exchanging financial interest and company margins behind it. However, the president's position always requires a final decision. After much consideration, Jinyoung eventually signed the contract, which led to the butterfly effect of a funding crisis. After suffering from responsibility and pressure, he finally collapsed by holding his heart.
The typhoon kept his father's bed day and night. However, they were not together at the critical moment. While Yoon-sung, who fled, was away after receiving an urgent call from his friend who said he had been caught by Hyun-jun, an irreversible farewell came to the hospital room. When the typhoon returned to the hospital, it was his father covered in white cloth. The typhoon's eyes, frozen and hardened in the face of incredible reality, resonated with complex emotions mixed with shock and regret. At that time, on hospital TV, the government applied for a bailout from the International Monetary Organization (IMF). There was a painful breaking news that actually recognized the state default." Thus, the turbulent era of the IMF struck, and the life of the typhoon entered a new phase at once. Indeed, it was the beginning of the storm season.
The ratings for the first episode averaged 5.9% of households nationwide, up to 7.1%, 5.7% of households in the metropolitan area, and up to 7.1%, ranking first in all channels including terrestrial TVN Saturday dramas in 2025 as well as the first broadcast ratings. The 2049 target audience rating also topped all channels at the same time with a national average of 1.8 percent and a maximum of 2.4 percent. (Based on paid platforms integrating cable, IPTV, and satellite / provided by Nielsen Korea)
soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
