Typhoon Family, which is expected to be a box-office sensation, will soon meet viewers.
On the 1st, at The Link Seoul, Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Guro-gu, Seoul, a production presentation was held for tvN's new Saturday-Sunday drama Typhoon Family. Director Lee Na-jung and actors Lee Jun-ho and Kim Min-ha attended the event.
tvN's new Saturday-Sunday drama Typhoon Family (directed by Lee Na-jung and Kim Dong-hwi, written by Jang Hyun, planned by Studio Dragon, produced by Imaginus·Studio PIC·TriStudio) depicts the hard-fought coming-of-age story of rookie company man Kang Tae-pung, who overnight became the president of a trading company in 1997 with no employees, no money and nothing left to sell.
On the day, director Lee Na-jung introduced the series, saying, "Typhoon Family is the story of the Typhoon Family members overcoming the 1997 IMF. Usually, stories focus on the dark sides of companies or countries or on nostalgic reminiscence, but Typhoon Family is a drama that cheerfully and warmly depicts whether ordinary people who lived through that era actually overcame it."
She continued, "It felt like our identity was to authentically verify 1997, so we researched by looking at photos of company people at the time and interviewing former company employees. We even went to museums to find props used back then. Our goal was to recreate the office as it was, while still giving it a warm feeling. In researching 1997 costumes, I felt styles were coming back. I thought some looks were similar, and surprisingly, today's airport fashion sometimes resembles Tae-pung's 1997 look. We paid special attention to faithfully recreating scenes from the IMF period by filming at locations where actual photos were taken, and we worked hard to recreate Rodeo, Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments and Euljiro," she said.
She also shared casting behind-the-scenes. The director said, "I think actor Lee Jun-ho has already reached the pinnacle of K-pop as a singer. As an actor, I also think he has sufficiently reached the pinnacle of K-drama. My modest but ambitious wish was to show all sides of an actor who stands at the top in both fields through Typhoon Family. Strangely, capturing his most shining moments, Tae-pung is clear, lovable, cute and cool, so we were very satisfied while editing and filming. For actor Kim Min-ha, on the first day of shooting and reading, the moment her face appeared on screen and she delivered lines, I felt she summoned the air and atmosphere of the era we wanted. I thought it was meaningful to create something most true to Korean drama with these great actors," she said.
Lee Jun-ho plays Kang Tae-pung, a rookie who suddenly becomes the novice president of a trading company. On why he chose the role, he recalled, "The big point was that it contains a warm yet realistic story. Soft, bright, hopeful and laugh-out-loud moments, but also bittersweet and sad elements in harmony. I thought it was a script with a variety of charms. That made me want to participate in this project."
He added, "Personally, as I launched a company, filmed Typhoon Family and had all my schedules overlap, I strangely felt I could focus more on and follow the character Kang Tae-pung. While watching episode 1, I felt many similarities between things that happened to me this year and Tae-pung, and I felt an inexplicable sense of unity. That made me feel attached."
He also spoke about efforts to authenticate the era. Lee Jun-ho said, "I wore clothes and put in a bridge haircut. I even said that if time allowed, I'd like to dye my hair, but during filming things got mixed up and we couldn't fully do that because of time constraints. We paid attention to hairstyles and costumes. The sets, art direction and props so well recreated the era that the space itself felt like 1997."
He said, "I thought appearing in this was a really big challenge for me. If the character I imagine, Kang Tae-pung, existed in society—or was my friend or older brother—if he had existed, that time might not have been so hard. I hoped he would be a character who received great energy. I really think he's a lovable character. He may seem simple, but the important drive and wit, and charm, seem to exist in Tae-pung. So I acted hard. While acting this time I wondered what it would have been like if I had lived my 20s like this. I, too, have lived fiercely, but if I had lived with Tae-pung's mindset, I wonder if I'd have had more energy," he said.
He also talked about his own memories of 1997. He said, "It felt like a time full of romance, warmth and affection. I didn't fully feel the social atmosphere firsthand, but my parents were both working when I was young. My father traveled for work and my mother did a lot of side jobs. In that situation, they tried to show affection, warmth and the power of unity to their children. They wanted to show that the future would be bright. That was a desperate time, but we have faced many things recently too, like COVID. Facing many walls, the power to overcome them might be the unity of the Korean people. I remember feeling that resilience from my parents. I wondered how to show that power in the work," he said.
He spoke about his chemistry with Kim Min-ha. Lee Jun-ho said, "Just looking at the characters, their personalities are opposites, so there is definite chemistry from that. When they stand in character and just look at each other, there's a subtle rhythm that was fun. Once we felt that fun, when ad-libs or filling in breaths were needed, we tried to do that. I think a lot of that fun is contained in the show. That's another attraction of our drama. When filming with Min-ha, even without much coordination, it was a give-and-take rhythm. I think that created anticipation," he said.
Kim Min-ha plays accounting ace Om Mi-seon, who doesn't know half measures. Kim Min-ha said, "When I first read the script I was drawn to its warmth. The more we filmed, the more beautiful it felt. There isn't a single character who doesn't shine. I thought those aspects were cool, and I had a strong desire to realize them well. I referenced speech and hairstyles. The script already included terms from that era, so I looked them up and continuously studied the culture and era. I also focused on personal details, imagining what I would have done or said if I were Miseon. Like actor Jun-ho said, the power of art direction and space was big, so I could naturally blend into it."
She continued, "Miseon has a lot of love, she can be eccentric, and in some ways she's tightly wound. She's bubbly yet calm and stubborn at times. We tried to capture many sides of her. From the 1970s to the 1990s, now we just need 30 more years. You'll see various period aspects layered onto my character. In scenes where Tae-pung and Miseon are together, I thought these characters react to highs and lows so much, and that look is beautiful. Being joyful when happy and sad when sad, a transparent and honest quality—that's the lovely aspect of youth. Having those qualities was attractive."
Asked about her memories of 1997, Kim Min-ha said, "Actually, I was 3 then, so I asked my parents and relatives. They commonly said, 'It was really hard then and a lot happened, but those were good times.' I found many key points there. Because there was darkness, there was a driving force to seek hope, and I kept thinking about what gives people the strength to get up after falling. I don't remember, but I'm building it with imagination," she said with a laugh.
She also spoke about her chemistry with Lee Jun-ho. She said, "He's really great. It's really fun. Every time we performed, Jun-ho always opened up and when unexpected things happened we accepted each other's ideas. We kept creating more interesting scenes. We became natural and relied on each other, discussed concerns together. As those things thickened, many unexpected scenes emerged, and I learned a lot and felt grateful," she said, creating a warm impression.
Finally, Lee Jun-ho said, "We had an early screening of episode 1, and being able to watch it a month in advance felt like such an honor that I watched it with tears in my eyes. There are many charms that different characters can show across many dimensions. Seeing what kind of lives these characters lead when they gather in one place—these are shining young people. Watching may make viewers think of the past and possibly offer a way to move into the future. I dare say it's a drama that suggests a path forward. I'm confident it will be a work you won't regret," he said. Kim Min-ha added, "It's gentle but also a tremendous whirlwind; many winds blow inside like a typhoon. Within that, many characters struggle and grow beautifully. I believe you'll have a moist, reflective time after watching. It's really fun. I hope you enjoy it," she urged viewers to watch.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Family follows Bon Appetit, Your Majesty and premieres on Oct. 11, Saturday at 9:20 p.m.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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