The Whirlwind, starring Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Hee-ae, and Im Se-mi, is a political drama about a confrontation between a morally upright Prime Minister and a corrupt President. Their mounting tension results in an assassination attempt on the President, causing instability and power struggles throughout the country.
Despite its fast-paced narrative, Netflix’s latest Korean drama, The Whirlwind, lacks depth and edge. The characters appear to be pushed to their ultimate goal of combating corruption, and the tale becomes so intricate even in the first few episodes that it’s easy to lose track.
Despite Korean actor Sol Kyung-gu’s anticipated debut in web series, this political drama falls short of expectations. His patriotic character strives to impress but falls victim to the convoluted plotline, which attempts to create a number of twists with its multi-layered timeline but ultimately plunges deep into doubt and faulty execution.
Set against the backdrop of corruption and filthy politics, this Korean drama follows the familiar storyline of a determined man who would fight against the odds for the sake of his country, even if it means blurring moral lines. Although there are certain twists and turns that keep you interested if you follow the story carefully, the creators make it difficult for viewers who miss out on minute details, as you may struggle to catch up due to the complicated planning and political rivalries.
From finding the main villain of shady politics until the conclusion of the corrupt system, there are numerous elements that might have been handled differently and may have worked better if it had a distinct perspective without the repetitious set-up and timeframe.
The writers most likely forgot to add a touch of curiosity or suspense as the series continues to slide into a lacklustre political war with no in-depth characters or dynamics.
Overall, The Whirlwind’s poor characters and narrative fail to elicit any emotional response. It only feels heavier with nearly one-hour episodes and several episodes, when the drama could have been wrapped up in half of the episodes rather than dragging the plot out.