Tempest opened like a triple axel landed clean, three episodes dropped in one sweep that pulled viewers into its storm of conspiracies and fractured loyalties.
The Disney-backed Korean-American thriller has already shown itself to be more than a political drama, weaving espionage with psychological unease and a cast powerful enough to carry its global scale. With that foundation, episodes 4 and 5 are ready to spin the story into its next turn.
Release date and time
Episodes 4 and 5 of Tempest will premiere on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. The new pair goes live at 5 p.m. KST in South Korea on Disney+. In the United States, the double release will arrive on Hulu during the early morning hours of the same day. This synchronized rollout keeps tension alive across continents, ensuring the storm breaks almost simultaneously worldwide.
After its triple premiere, Tempest now follows a rhythm of two episodes per week, with nine episodes confirmed. This second week continues that cadence, and the twin release of episodes 4 and 5 keeps momentum unbroken.

Streaming details
In South Korea, the series is available on Disney+. Internationally, it streams on Hulu in the United States and on Disney+ Star in select regions. The distribution plan mirrors the show’s ambition: a thriller meant to resonate across borders, delivered where its impact can echo loudest.

The story so far
The opening trio of episodes introduced Seo Mun-ju (Jun Ji-hyun), a former diplomat whose life shatters when her husband, presidential candidate Jang Jun-ik (Park Hae-joon), is assassinated. His death rips through the political landscape and forces Mun-ju into the center of a conspiracy where every move could decide the fate of the peninsula.
Her path collides with Baek San-ho (Gang Dong-won), a mercenary whose composure in the face of disaster becomes legendary in the train sequence that already defines the series’ style.
Their connection pulses between alliance and suspicion, a dangerous tether neither can ignore. By episode 3 of Tempest, the circle widens: Anderson Miller (John Cho), an American envoy, steps into the frame, signaling that the crisis is not confined to the peninsula but rippling outward.
What to expect from episodes 4 and 5
If the premiere of Tempest landed its triple axel, episodes 4 and 5 look to maintain that spin with sharper edges. Episodes 4 and 5 will drive Mun-ju further into the conspiracy that already surrounds her, each move sharpening the risks and exposing new layers of betrayal. San-ho’s presence remains both anchor and threat, his every decision carrying the weight of betrayal or salvation.
The international dimension promises to intensify. Diplomats, covert operatives, and backroom deals converge, expanding the storm into corridors of power far beyond Seoul.
Tempest has already proven it can balance psychological tension with explosive action, and this double release is poised to heighten both, setting the stage for revelations that could shake every alliance.
Episode count and release schedule
The season runs for nine episodes. After the September 10 triple premiere, episodes now arrive in pairs each week, with the finale scheduled for early October. This structure ensures that momentum never falters. Thus, each release feels less like television and more like chapters of a long-form thriller unspooling in real time.
Curiosity bonus
- Tempest was produced on an estimated budget of ₩70 billion, ranking among Disney’s most expensive Korean projects to date.
- The Korean title of Tempest is 북극성 (Bukgeukseong), which translates to Polaris or North Star. It adds another layer of symbolism, suggesting guidance through darkness and a fixed point in the middle of chaos, a fitting echo for a series built on direction, betrayal, and survival.
- Screenwriter Jung Seo-kyeong and director Kim Hee-won reunite here after acclaimed prior collaborations, from Jung’s work on The Handmaiden to Kim’s direction of Vincenzo, blending dense political intrigue with stylized visual storytelling.
- Several pivotal scenes were filmed on location in Seoul’s financial district and luxury hotels, grounding the espionage plot in recognizable urban spaces that heighten the series’ realism.
Closing thoughts on Tempest
Tempest skates across politics, family, and fear with precision, layering its moves like a performance designed for the world’s stage. Episodes 4 and 5 are more than the continuation of a weekly schedule; they are the next leap, a double spin meant to sustain the force of that triple axel beginning.
With its espionage, family fractures, and global stakes converging, the storm is only gathering strength.