This review may contain spoilers
A very well done, substantial, self-critical, thought-provoking Korean-style political drama.
In “The Whirlwind,” the old masters of Korean film and television use their strong aura to demonstrate what it means to truly want to represent transparency and democracy in South Korea 2024. Even after several decades of 'real' democracy, the political apparatus still feels like a vice in the hands of a few in a backroom and every idiosyncratic move inevitably leads to pain. Here we see the top-class veterans Sol Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae and a few more in a Netflix production that has substance and intensity and decisively highlights a major dilemma within the South Korean political scene. A great script with characters who are not just black or white, but full of shades of gray.2024, as I said. Unfortunately, the struggle to act politically honestly, or to curb corruption and illegal influence by the Jaebeol conglomerates, obviously still is a Sisyphean mission... But there is this longing in the country – a desire that politics will at some point be done by responsible, accountable citizens and not manipulated by this 1 percent of the Jaebeol elite, using the system for their own benefit. ((On the other hand, as a mass, that is all too easily manipulated by misleading information the (in theory powerful) people ultimately doesn´t impress as a source of hope... Sobering. Unfortunately.)) Obviously it is difficult to change the sluggish but powerful apparatus. However, the more scandalous conditions and dynamics are clearly communicated through the media, the more the shiny elite may become disenchanted (as in "The Whirlwind"). And perhaps - the more this happens - at some point the general public will no longer be so easily swayed and deceived. Perhaps, slowly but surely, the number of those, who dare to oppose the whims of the so-called elite, no matter the cost, is against all odds growing. And maybe more and more will follow over time. This is, where “The Whirlwind” is coming from...
In 2024, South Korean politics is no longer just a male affair. Nevertheless, the world of decision-makers is still a world of cliques, and if one person is not willing, then force will be chosen. The pattern seems to be the same forever.
And yet. In this KDrama we are dealing with a protagonist, who doesn't care about all the headwinds. He isn´t impressed. He doesn't want to be bought and is resisting temptation. He might become a role model, yet he is driven by his own interest. He cares about the cause, the idea, his political values, and he risks everything for it. The end - the good, honest one - justifies the means. And suddenly an upstanding citizen also attracts others, too. He embodies a longing, stands for a hope that is truly shared by many - even those who have learned to function well within the corrupt apparatus. Where there is a will, there may be a path, but it can be rocky, swampy and, in some places, hopeless. Once again a brave David has faced off against a complacent Goliath. And if he's not careful, even our ambitious David may imperceptibly stray from the right path on his way to an honest goal. Because in fact, not every means justifies its noble end... When it comes to a world of responsible citizens who are equal before the law, then it is at the same time and first and foremost about accountability and about taking (lawful) responsibility for one's own actions. In all consequence. This equally applies to everyone, too. Uncompromising. Without exception...
So, overall I consider “The Whirlwind” a very well done, substantial, self-critical, thought-provoking Korean-style political drama.
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A perfect drama
I was always looking forward this drama and I was scared I might not like it but now it’s my favorite. So much unexpected and shocking plot twists, especially the end… They just never stopped and never failed to shock me. Even if you don’t like politics they manage to keep you glued to your seat with the storyline. The acting of the whole cast, especially Sul Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae was beyond outstanding, not to mention the writing. This is the type of drama, and netflix original we needed already! Even the ending, which I usually hate in dramas was written well and finished the story perfectly. It broke my heart to pieces and I respect both the actors and the writer for managing to make me feel a whirlwind of emotions, for both characters.Side note, this had such a pretty cinematography and visuals it was so nice to look at!
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1"I'll take you along to hell"
The Whirlwind was a high stakes political drama that pitted two formidable players against each other. Lies, corruption, bribery, murder, there was nothing off the table in this deadly game for power. In the end, the winner would be the one who was willing to place all their chips on the table in a daring bet, risking everything.“Just when you think you have it under control, you find that you don’t.”
When there is an assassination attempt on the President, Prime Minister Park Dong Ho becomes the acting president. Only problem is, he’s being investigated for bribery. Dong Ho plans to use the office to rid the government of corruption and exonerate his friend who was also framed for bribery and died. Deputy Prime Minister Jung Soo Jin is determined to bring down Dong Ho due to his investigations into the Daejin Group and its control of various judges, prosecutors, and politicians such as herself. The two play a relentless game of cat and mouse always trying to stay one step of the other, never worrying about getting their hands dirty…or bloody.
“At your age, courage can be dangerous”
Just like a twister churning up everything in its path, Dong Ho and Soo Jin were willing to destroy anything and anyone in their way. Dong Ho’s powerful mesocyclone was fueled by his burning desire for justice. Soo Jin’s corrupt cloud of energy came from the need for power and influence. Dong Ho found that in order to achieve his goals, he would have to borrow the playbook of his enemies all while trying to not become what he hated. Soo Jin and the comatose president both started out fighting the dictatorship in the past but had transformed into the very things they’d fought. Political alliances changed rapidly and both manipulated the media. No one was safe with a crooked prosecutorial system and judges for hire.
“Only a greater lie beats a lie”
While The Whirlwind was intriguing it could also be exhausting. There was no room to catch a breath from the oppressive atmosphere. The whirlwind of plot twists turned and flipped in every episode. The characters’ emotions and relationships had little nuance. Everyone was taciturn and calculating with little to offer to those closest to them, even their children. Park Kyung Soo’s script never slowed down even when bouncing over enormous plot holes. Kim Hee Ae played the duplicitous Soo Jin well with one exception. I don’t know if she kept her mouth open to make it look as if she was feral and always baring her teeth or has a breathing problem but I found it distracting when she was onscreen. Sul Kyung Gu was given little emotional depth to explore and often wore the same expression from scene to scene. Kim Mi Sook as Dong Ho's Chief of Staff was the MVP for me as the person who knew who, how, and when to attack. Numerous veteran actors played unscrupulous politicians on both sides of the aisle.
“There’s only one cross”
An old saying goes, “A lie travels halfway around the world before the truth puts on its shoes. By the time the truth catches up, it’s too late.” Dong Ho quoted a variation of this and sadly it is all too true. Once a lie becomes embedded, especially a lie people want to hear, truth becomes overshadowed. Many of the things that occurred in this drama have correlations in real life around the world. A powerful corrupt leader manipulating his followers to overturn the government, manipulation of and by the media, judges taking bribes, and powerful corporations buying support for the changes they want enacted, happen all the time. In this drama, one man was willing to sacrifice everything to wipe the slate clean like a whirlwind. But how long before new players move into the void to once again purchase favors? How long before those longing for power and influence sell themselves to the highest bidder at the cost of justice? Despite its flaws, The Whirlwind was an infuriatingly compelling drama.
15 September 2024
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A Political Masterpiece
One of the best dramas of the year! If you're unsure about watching it, just go ahead and watch at least two episodes—you won't be disappointed. This drama was incredibly well done, with acting, pacing, and scheming by the actors all on point.If you have even a slight interest in politics, it's a feast for you. Don't miss it! The references to the Bible are just analogies, nothing more (and I'm saying this as a non-Christian). Some people are overreacting to these references, but the characters aren't trying to convert anyone. They are simply drawing comparisons to explain political scenarios.This is one of the best dramas about today's world and modern politics.
My rating: 9.5/10
P.S. The ending was perfect (though I won't say it's happy, sad, or neutral, as none of those options apply here).
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Such a good drama
I had been waiting for this drama ever since it was announced and when I finally watched it today, I can tell you it did not disappoint. It was so good that as soon as I came home from work, I watched it beginning to end all in one sitting. Thanks to its relatively short watch time, it does not bore you, it instead leaves you yearning for more. The cast and their acting is phenomenal in this drama. When you watch this drama, it makes you feel split on whether a particular person is actually rotten or not. My only discrepancy was that I wished it has been longer and made the sufferings even more fleshed out. But that's just my nitpick, the ending is satisfying as hell. Such a well crafted drama, and it looks so good as well. Beautiful just beautiful.Was this review helpful to you?
Acting battle between Sul Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae
"The Whirlwind" is a gripping political thriller that masterfully intertwines complex characters and relentless plot twists. It follows the intense power struggle between Prime Minister Park Dong-ho and Deputy Prime Minister Jeong Su-jin, each maneuvering through corruption, manipulation, and vendettas.The series excels in character development, portraying grey figures whose motivations blur the lines between good and evil. The pacing keeps viewers on edge, with each episode delivering new surprises and strategic battles. The show's strength lies in its ability to maintain suspense while exploring themes of ambition, morality, and the consequences of power.
With a dramatic and satisfying conclusion, "The Whirlwind" leaves a lasting impression.
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Finally a TV series with main character that does what is in everyone's mind
In the past we've had so many Korean and Chinese dramas where the main character is always outsmarted, lie to, betrayed, tortured, and they are unable to fight back with dirty tactics. The reason being the main character is supposed to be morally rights and uncorrupted and sticks to principles.I'm happy to see a drama that finally lets us all experience satisfaction of fighting criminals the way they're meant to be fought, no holds barred.
This is such a refreshing approach and I love the story and mind games and strategies. This show is not for the village idiots who want the heroes to win because they have a heart of gold and stick to their principles and Good Triumph over Evil.
No. This is about you get what you are willing to fight for. The game of power don't give a crap about feelings, pity, principles, friendships. It is about gaining and leveraging advantages. Luck. And fight fight fight. Nothing comes free
It was non stop...
Great series.
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Watched the first 10 episodes in one sitting kind of good.
I’m usually fickle with the dramas I watch, just because I'm tired of the rom-com fatigue, but boy, I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I watched the first 10 episodes in one sitting and finished the rest in two days. It’s just so hard to stop because every episode is quite like crack. Cliffhanger after cliffhanger, it left me wanting more (especially since I was meant to stop with episode 5). At some point, I wondered, ‘Why the title “Whirlwind”?’ and the answer came in the next episode.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
PLOT AFTER TWIST ! Y’ALL DON’T SLEEP ON THIS !
I was already tuned even before its release because it’s been months since the last series Netflix released that wasn’t romance (except the disappointment that was hierarchy) and I’m so glad this series kept its promises.It was a pure political dramas, as I like them, full of plotwsists, no ´black or white ´ characters. Each of them had their bad sides when it comes to politics.
The episodes went by so fast I didn’t even realize. The cast and the acting were on fire. I already knew many of the actors in the cast since they are like ´veterans ´ in the industry but they didn’t fail to impress me once again by their performance! The intro and the OSTs were on point !
Even if I hated dong ho (he was being too pretentious to me, killing the president for his own sake and utopian aspirations when he eventually quickly fell into the same thing he was reproaching to him). Also he kept repeating the same thing ´I wanna change the world ´ which gave me shonen vibes but he was being too repetitive it quickly became annoying af !
Even if I didn’t love this character for this side of him he was a political genius if I’m being fr and it made the show entertaining ! His friendship with jang seok was so wholesome, they went through thick and thin together and he was the one always putting him back on the right way !
The ´old ´ secretary and the young assistant were also good characters.
The FL is so powerful and written truthfully to women of power and I love the writers for that.
The end is so delightful because we realize even if he committed suicide, he actually left having a plan. He ended up looking like the ´good ´ one, the president that was accused for nothing.
Also rip Han min ho, he was there for short but he was nonetheless a good character. May he rest in peace ! ?
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The best modern political kdrama ever made
The whole production value is just too mindblowing, the depth of the storyline is incredibly insane and the level of scale is unimaginable, it's leaving you speechless over and over again literally after every plot twist. This will go down as the best modern political kdrama ever made in history and it's soaring past others by a very huge leap, almost monumental for any kdrama scene. The screenplay has extremely precise execution of political strategies and intelligence battles, every single threat design is carefully handled based on logical consideration that fits seamlessly into multiple environmental factors and connections, like a perfect art of war. Acting performances are needless to say, they're best in class and definitely the strongest hold of this drama, it's like watching real politicians strive against each other in reality, a total reflection of modern politics in today's world.Was this review helpful to you?
So many twists it becomes a whirlwind
I knew it was going to be dramatic when I saw the trailer, but it was more intense than I thought. You really can't predict what's going to happen in the fight between the main leads. It's twist after twist and people keep changing sides, so it's not over until it's over. I can see why it's called "whirlwind." The drama keeps you on your toes in every episode. In addition, the cast did a great job of acting. Highly recommend watching this!Was this review helpful to you?
The Whirlwind - When the truth doesn't win over a lie, a bigger lie wins!
If you intend to binge all 12 episodes at once, I think we should stop a bit, because 4 episodes per movie is enough for one day. The film takes place at a very fast pace; The moves, political tricks, and calculations of the two forces will make you temporarily turn off the screen and take a sip of water and breathe to continue returning to the movie.The Whirlwind builds on a familiar premise in films pursuing typical political themes: depicting the disastrous struggle in the corridors of power in Korea - a place covered by the shadow of corruption. There, the trio of Prime Minister Park Dong Ho, Deputy Prime Minister Jeong Su Jin and President Jang Il Jun were each other's reliable allies in the progressive political camp. However, when Su Jin and Il Jun became entangled in corruption scandals one after another, Dong Ho realized that the ideal of a fair society was gradually crumbling and tried to make a radical change by cutting off his roots. Bureaucratic roots in government are none other than the existence of the President. It is worth mentioning that the methods of enforcing justice and protecting themselves of all three are very cruel, cunning and sometimes morally ambiguous, blurring the lines between good and evil, justice and injustice. labour.
With anti-heroes and villains as the center, The Whirlwind shows the dark side of politics, where there will always be the presence of wolves in sheep's clothing and monsters in hero's clothing. The use of a group of characters who have figuratively become “monsters” due to their beliefs and basic human desires turns the film into a battle in which evil clashes with evil and lust. Confronting desire helps The Whirlwind escape the familiar characteristic of the conflict between good and evil.
Summary:
Advantage:
A movie with a solid script full of unexpected details that keeps viewers in suspense until the final episode.
The film's cinematic quality is evident from the poster, with artfully arranged images and close-up shots that deeply capture the emotions of the characters. Iconic political contexts such as the Blue House, the National Assembly or the National Funeral... are presented solemnly and majestically, enhancing the vivid quality of the film.
An excellent performance by Korean actors and actresses.
Defect:
As time goes on, viewers feel like the same situation is being repeated over and over again, even though the content is clearly different. The struggle taking place between Dong Ho and Su Jin is still the central theme, occasionally bringing surprises but in a few details, but the audience can still guess what happens next. Compared to the whole, although it gradually weakened in the following episodes, the movie still had a spectacular undoing in the final episode.
And the character assistant to Su Jin, who is famous as an assistant to the deputy prime minister, but why did he get scammed 3 times in a row? I was also tricked by the same trick, a bit confusing.
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