Typhoon Family (2025) 태풍상사
Directed by Lee Na-jeong, starring Lee Jun-ho as Kang Tae-poong and Kim Min-ha as Oh Mi-seon.
Watched 25 October - 30 November 2025 — 16 episodes (NETFLIX)
*About a week ago I finished this drama. I enjoyed its underdog story about a small trading company and its struggles to survive during the 1997 financial crisis. I watched it while it was being aired and was confident it would keep the quality but unfortunately it did lose some of its initial spark as it progressed. I primarily stayed for the romance and this was rewarding. I also like the feel-good vibe.
*Our OTP (Lee Jun-ho as Kang Tae-poong and Kim Min-ha as Oh Mi-seon) has great chemistry. The characters are just very likeable. I love the development of their sweet romance and love their first encounter on the platform and train. The show has great aesthetics and a beautiful colour palette; the pink flowers in the train scene, in particular, make the screen pop. Incidentally, that song about Strangers with Flowers on a Crowded Train is an absolute winner but apparently not on the recently released soundtrack. Boo! The show does have a great OST. Also love Did You See the Rainbow? sung by Lee Jun-ho himself.
*Kang Tae-poong has a good heart, and we immediately root for him and like him, also because he loves flowers and shines his dad's shoes. He truly looks out for the people he cares about.
*I love the ending of episode 3 where Tae-poong asks Mi-seon to become his trader.
*I like the episodes with the Busan lady (played by Kim Hye-eun) and Mr. Park Shoe (Jin Sun-kyu). I was on Tae-poong's side when he disapproved of Mi-seon's attitude in regards to helping Mr. Park. In episode 6, she says they are not a rescue organisation but a trading company. Tae-poong retorts he cannot turn a blind eye to someone who needs their help, and Mr. Park Shoe is in trouble. I loved him in that scene.
*Tae-poong performing Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You at the night club was a bit strange. I guess it was only inserted to show off Lee Jun-ho's singing skills.
*Fave side characters: Tae-poong's mum (Kim Ji-young as Jeong Jeong-mi) and Mi-seon's little brother (Kwon Eun-seong as Oh Beom). I like these characters on their own but together they are so sweet. I also love the bond between Tae-poong and his mother.
*Love the episode where Tae-poong and Mi-seon take Beom to the sea side.
*The episodes had a repetitive nature with the Typhoon Trading team failing again and again. It was a miracle in itself that they managed to stay on their feet. I was waiting in vain for one of their products to become truly successful, even a small victory would have been nice. It was probably more realistic this way, showing them struggling and meeting hardships along the way (in light of the historical financial crisis). But it was frustrating to root for characters who didn't seem to get a break, and it would have benefited the show if there would have been a clear and steady progress for the team (viewer's expectation!). Eventually Typhoon Trading comes out stronger and lives through the financial crisis. I'm glad their endeavours paid off and that they recognised the importance of working as a team.
*The show's ridiculous villain constantly interferes with Typhoon Trading's business. Mu Jin-sung as Pyo Hyeon-jun, director of a container shipping company, who is Tae-poong's rival, shows up everywhere and I got fed up with him, to be honest. He was just a useless piece of sh*t, without any qualifications. It was understandable that his father (Kim Sang-ho as Pyo Bak-ho, the CEO of the company) reminded him of his shortcomings and that he preferred Tae-poong over his own son. I did feel a tiny bit sorry for Hyeon-jun when he broke down and cried. In the end he was just a boy longing for his father's approval. (The fact that his character was such a brainless idiot made me already regret my temporary sympathy for him.)
*Initially I didn't find the team at Typhone Trading that lovable, except the leads of course, but they steadily grew on me.
*Though the show has its fair share of flaws, it was an entertaining watch. But I was disappointed that it didn't live up to that initial promise. The romance between Tae-poong and Mi-seon is definitely the highlight. Love how these two support each other. I will miss them.