The Whirlwind Review: Netflix’s New K-drama is a Riveting Rollercoaster Ride

Where do I even start with The Whirlwind?

The Whirlwind belongs to that rare category of series that are pretty much flawless. My grandmother used to say that you should never try to discuss politics — and I understand where she’s coming from. Politics is a sensitive subject, and even fictional portrayals and discussions related to it may be problematic. The Whirlwind, however, is a political drama that explores the topic with both elegance and strength as it exposes the ugliness of human nature, the dangers of power, and the delicate nature of politics with an airtight script, incredible performances, and excellent cinematography.

This review is spoiler-free. Enjoy! But if you’re in a rush, you can also pin our summary at the bottom!

What Is The Whirlwind About?

Directed by Kim Yong-wan (KBS2’s If You Wish Upon Me) and written by Park Hyung-soo (the “Power Trilogy”: SBS’s The Chaser, Empire of Gold, and Punch), The Whirlwind is a Netflix original drama that tells the story of South Korean Prime Minister Park Dong-ho (Sul Kyung-gu), who is determined to fight against corruption, and Deputy Prime Minister Jeong Su-jin (Kim Hee-ae), who is willing to do anything to seize power. A day before being arrested on false charges, Dong-ho tries to assassinate President Jang Il-jun (Kim Hong-pa), an incident that starts a game of cat and mouse as Su-jin and Dong-ho battle to achieve their goals.

The Whirlwind grabs you by the hand (sometimes even by the collar) and takes you on this rollercoaster ride, full of ups and downs, twists and turns, moments of sadness and pure catharsis. There are only 12 episodes, so there’s no time to waste — every single minute matters in this quick-paced quest towards justice. Each episode spans between 35 and 50 minutes, and some of them go by so fast you will wonder if you missed something. It’s intriguing, maddening, and absolutely impossible to stop watching.

The Two Themes Behind The Whirlwind

The beauty of this script lies in its approach towards two themes: its subtle but thought-provoking criticism of the political system and its realistic portrayal of human nature. The Whirlwind isn’t about the Korean political system. It’s about politics, full stop. Because, in the end, politics is politics, regardless of where you are.

The Whirlwind is about a political system defined by greed and self-indulgence, in which one is willing to sacrifice an entire country to save oneself. It shows how theatrical and manipulative politics can be, and you may find yourself wondering about the number of times that these kinds of crises have actually happened in real life and whether the motive you remember for them was really the true one after all.

The Relationship Between the Government and the Conglomerates

The series points the finger at the companies — in Korea’s case, the huge conglomerates — that push and pull, shape and destroy the government for their own benefit. The Whirlwind illustrates how they are, in fact, “dictators” behind our feeble idea of democracy. Behind the facade that they are the ones saving the economy, these conglomerates can do anything in their quest for more money. They can dodge laws and bend rules at will, taking advantage of people’s avarice and hunger for more power to remain untouched in their positions of power.

The Portrayal of Human Nature

Human nature here is anything but the romantic ideals of other dramas. In The Whirlwind, most characters are “grey”, that is, people who are neither completely good nor completely evil. They are well-intentioned individuals who have sinned. Some of them recognise their sins and the inevitable consequences of their actions. Some others continue to pile sin after sin, too blinded by greed to recognise their mistakes. The former ones are willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good, while the latter turn into complete monsters by the end of the show.

Perfect Characterisation in The Whirlwind: A Show About Being Human

That’s why characterisation in The Whirlwind is superb: all characters have different shades. Their virtues and flaws, their successes and failures, their determination and vacillation give shape to their actions and tangible reason to their behaviour.

The characters feel very real. They falter but keep trudging forward. Their behaviour is both unreasonable and steadfast. They have been hurt themselves and still hurt others. You might even find yourself rooting for a character you were sure you hated a minute ago. They are, after all, only human. And that’s who we all are: we are lacking beings who, despite our good intentions, make mistakes and have the terrible tendency to put ourselves first.

Dong-Ho

Slowly, I fell in love with Dong-ho and the two incredible women who work beside him: Chief of Staff Choi Yeon-suk (Kim Mi-sook) and his secretary Seo Jeong-yeon (Im Se-mi). Dong-ho’s determination in the face of the obstacles, the endless corruption, and the enormous power he was going against is something that deserves praise and applause. His unshakable belief in his ideals is inspiring and eye-opening: could I ever defend my own ideals so adamantly? Would I be willing to sacrifice everything in the same way?

He also embodies a sense of nationalism that is rare nowadays. His love towards the country is beyond belief: Dong-ho trusts the potential that Korea has, and he knows that it could do much more if only politicians stopped working just towards their own personal goals.

Yeon-suk and Jeong-yeon are equally as intelligent and determined as Dong-ho, and it’s their collective effort that secures their victories. It’s their unwavering support and boldness that allow Dong-ho to carve the path he wants. The three of them create a bond based on trust, camaraderie, and generosity that depicts the best of our human nature, creating a huge contrast to Su-jin’s ability to corrupt even her closest relationships to fit her goals.

Su-jin

Su-jin is an amazing character herself. She’s also brilliant, unbelievably resolute, and true to her own principles. If that sounds just like Dong-ho, this is by design: Su-jin and Dong-ho are indeed two sides of the same coin. Yet, while Dong-ho wants to repent for his sins, Su-jin wants to sweep hers under the carpet. Her transformation from a hard-working, tenacious flag-bearer for democracy to a selfish, unethical, power-hungry politician is, at the same time, heartbreaking and outraging.

You might say that Su-jin is the “villain” of this tale, but that wouldn’t be correct. Life is too complex to have people labelled as heroes and villains. Both Dong-ho and Su-jin have their moments of goodness and evil. While there are some awfully bad people without any redeeming features in this story, most of the cast is made up of people like us: both the heroes and villains of our own tales.

One Black-and-White Character

I believe there’s only one character that is fully and completely good: Jeon Bae-soo’s Lee Jang-seok, a prosecutor and long-time friend of Dong-ho who wholeheartedly believes that the truth always comes to light and that justice should always be found through the proper, lawful methods. His “pure” character is admired and protected by Dong-ho, who decides to get his own hands dirty to allow his friend to bring justice through righteous alternatives.

The Devil’s In The Details

There’s such attention to detail in this show, both visually and from the script itself. The entire story is supported and enhanced by analogies and symbols. First, Dong-ho’s tale is constantly compared to Jesus Christ’s, creating a clear parallel between politics and religion — two very dangerous and influential aspects of our lives. Would a 21st-century Christ be someone like Dong-ho?

Then, the dialogue sounds almost poetic at times, using metaphors and examples that give an extra visual layer to this script. It all starts with the title, after all: to become a “whirlwind” is the dream that fuels the entire story.

The Incredible Role of Food in The Whirlwind (yes, food)

I believe the most creative element of this very well-told political drama is food. Food is a vital part of Korean culture: eating is not just about nourishing your body. It’s also about mental well-being, socialising, and creating connections between friends, co-workers, and, most importantly, generations. Food is tied to heritage, and the act of eating as part of the collective fabric is also full of social rules that Koreans respect almost instinctively. Every K-drama fan has seen how pouring drinks, especially for those who are above you in the social hierarchy, is a matter of respect and tradition. Or if an elder offers you a drink, you should never refuse it. Or how the oldest person always eats first, and the others have to match their speed.

In The Whirlwind, eating and drinking are acts of rebellion. There are several instances throughout these 12 episodes in which Dong-ho disrespects these rules to reinforce and stand up for his own values, a clear visual indication of his stance towards the ancient, morally dubious attitudes that his elders and seniors have cultivated and that he seeks to destroy. Not only him, but several other characters subvert meals to show their intentions. Drinking clean water, pouring tea, eating “stinky” dishes: all of these seemingly frivolous actions carry huge weight within the universe of The Whirlwind.

Camerawork, Art Direction, and Performances in The Whirlwind

The strength of this script is beautifully illustrated by stunning cinematography, compositional choices, and art direction. Add to that a fantastic score and sensational cast, and you have one of this year’s best K-dramas.

Art Direction

The colours highlight the divergence between characters: in the past, Dong-ho and Su-jin are seen wearing similar colours, while in the present, they are constantly seen in contrasting tones. The set design is also lavish: the Blue House is an excellent piece of scenography.

Cinematography

There are several shots of hands, through which we can see the characters’ despair, rage, and conviction. Reflections are also strategically shown throughout, emphasising that what you see may not be the whole truth. Most importantly, reflections work very well in The Whirlwind to demonstrate that despite their different end goals, Su-jin and Dong-ho are more similar than they realise. Beautiful wide shots reinforce the loneliness of their positions, the internal battles that rage behind their interpersonal conflicts, and establish visual connections (or disconnections) between so many characters. On the other hand, close-ups are indispensable here to show the duality and the infinite facets of human nature.

Performance

Close-ups also show the incredible work that this cast has put into this show. Performances here are pitch-perfect. This is Sul Kyung-gu’s first television project in almost 30 years — and how glad I am he decided to say yes to this project! His delivery is full of conviction and passion, and he embodies a character that is tragically heroic and subversively good.

Kim Hee-ae exudes an aura of power and courage, and yet, has her moments of vulnerability and hesitation. The chemistry between Hee-ae and Kyung-gu creates a spark that contributes to the creation of this universe that immerses you and doesn’t let you go. The supporting cast responds to these two giants with the same strength and confidence: Kim Mi-sook, Im Se-mi, Jeon Bae-soo, Kang Sang-won (who plays Su-jin’s secretary, Man-gil), and Kim Young-min (who plays the awful VP of the Daejin Group) all deserve praise for their precise performances.

And Kim Dong-wook’s epic score (out on Spotify) is the cherry on top.

Why Should You Watch The Whirlwind?

The Whirlwind is a study of how the past can rule the present, the subversion of power, and, above all, the intricacy of human nature. A mix of electrifying narrative, intense performances, and detailed visual storytelling makes this show one of the most gripping, addictive shows released this year.

Last week, The Whirlwind was the most-watched show in South Korea and reached fourth place in Netflix’s Global Top 10 (TV Non-English). I hope more and more people get to watch this perfect example of a television serial. If you let it, I’m sure Dong-ho and Su-jin’s tale will inspire you to be bolder and more persistent and encourage you to reflect on your own failings.

You can watch The Whirlwind on:

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Have you watched The Whirlwind? What did you think about it? Leave your ideas in the comments! And if you have and you’re obsessed with it like I am, why don’t you give this fantastic interview a watch? (English subtitles are available ><)