Even amid the bitter cold of the 1997 IMF crisis, the days when young people laughed and cried come alive again through tvN "Typhoon Family."
tvN weekend 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 and Tris Studio) contains the people, lives and warmth of 1997. It deeply captures the faces and sensibilities of ordinary people who lived through the IMF period, stirring viewers' nostalgia. Objects, customs and landscapes unique to that time seep into each scene, reviving forgotten emotions and the era's temperature, which has earned praise from viewers. In addition, in just the second week of airing it entered Netflix's global top 10 TV (non-English) weekly ranking at No. 5, captivating global viewers as well. (Netflix Tudoom, Oct. 13–Oct. 19 basis)
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The characters in "Typhoon Family" summon the people of 1997 just as they were. To achieve this, Lee Jun-ho, who plays Kang Typhoon, searched archival footage himself and purchased costumes out of his own pocket to revive the era's "hip" style and sensitivity. He recreated items such as leather jackets reflecting the trends of the time, denim-on-denim fashion, work boots and earrings, and he even had garments he couldn't find made himself. The bridge hair using a hairpiece was a 1997 kick. In that way he put on the air of the 1990s himself.
Kim Min chose an argyle knit as Omiseon's signature. With a neat yet warm color palette, it completed the "life dedicated to work and family" look. Rather than flashy makeup, a plain face and tidy hairstyle express Miseon's daily life, showing she chose to do her duties faithfully instead of dressing up. Kim Min said, "Miseon is more someone who doesn't focus on dressing up but only knows work and family. So I wanted her bare face to feel warmer."
Their efforts align with the overall atmosphere of "Typhoon Family." Manager Go Ma-jin's ties from that era, Deputy Section Chief Cha Seon-taek's seagull eyebrows and lip contour makeup, Director Gu Myung-gwan's bed-time glasses and arm sleeves, Assistant Manager Baesongjung's "The stars are in my heart" Kang-min hair—these restored the people who strode 1990s streets and the appearance of Euljiro office workers. Moreover, the Seoul dialect used by participants in dating programs of the time was rendered so authentically that even the texture of the language evoked generational sympathy. Writer Jang Hyun said, "We put a lot of effort into authenticating the office in 'Typhoon Family.' Props vary slightly according to the characters' personalities, so it will be fun to look at those parts together."
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"Typhoon Family" goes beyond using the era merely as a backdrop and painstakingly recreates 1990s lifestyles and sensibilities. Tape used to remove lint instead of a roller, briquettes in winter stoves, driving with paper maps instead of navigation, quince-basket air fresheners as 90s K-air fresheners, passbook letters containing a father's heart, the aluminum lunchbox Miseon brought on a hospital visit—these conveyed the "texture of life" of people of that time. Playing knucklebones, knitting for leisure, the familiar clocks that every home had, learning about foreign countries from the book Faraway Countries and Neighboring Countries, and old-fashioned whipped cream birthday cakes served on birthdays also resonated.
Viewers were surprised by details revealed in the Busan episode. The sole of the safety shoe that Typhoon unearthed bore the phrase "the highest quality." That was not a mere prop but a symbol that embodied Busan's history and craftsmanship as the industry's center, once called the "city of shoes" from the 1970s to the 1990s, and it was cited as "the finest detail." Thanks to such vivid restorations of everyday life, viewers have responded that "each scene in the drama feels like a time capsule."
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Writer Jang Hyun said he wanted to show the warm affection between people and love through "Typhoon Family." In this way, the work delivers a deep resonance as a story of ordinary people who protect one another even amid typhoon-like crises. The Typhoon Family members who united to protect Typhoon's father's wealth, friend Nammo (Kim Min-seok), the employees who, exhausted after finishing warehouse repairs overnight, still celebrated Typhoon's birthday, Miseon who comforted someone after a hard birthday with a gift of roses, the young Typhoon who vowed to protect his father's 26 years and was admired by the white knight (Jo Sang-gu) who accepted losses to handle the fabric, and Typhoon's genuine act of giving his wallet and watch and everything he had to a friend whose house collapsed and fled in the night—these were all the warmth of people that helped endure that era.
The production team said, "This week too, Typhoon Family brings together the people, lives and warmth of 1997," and added, "Please look forward to what nostalgic items and daily customs will take you on a time machine next."
"Typhoon Family" airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 p.m. on tvN.<
[photo] tvN
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