It’s very rare for a K-Drama that tops Netflix charts, especially one with a cast familiar to viewers, to face criticism. However, the popular weekend drama Typhoon Family, starring Lee Jun Ho, Kim Min Ha, and Kim Min Seok, which once dominated ratings, is now receiving unexpected backlash online.
Although it continues to rank high in its time slot, recent discussions on Korean community forums show that many viewers are starting to lose interest, calling the show “boring” and “frustrating.”
Netflix’s Typhoon Family faces scathing reviews
The new K-drama, Typhoon Family, revolves around the life of a wealthy heir, Tae Poong, during South Korea’s 1997 financial crisis. Tae Poong, a pampered rich kid, must suddenly grow up to save his late father’s business amid bankruptcies and unemployment.
Despite high ratings, fans say the story has become repetitive. This isn’t the first time the K-Drama industry has used the IMF crisis as a backdrop, many hit shows like Twenty-Five Twenty-One, Reply 1997, and My Mister have already set a benchmark for this genre. For Typhoon Family, many viewers feel frustrated. According to them, subplots drag on without clear conclusions, there is no romantic connection, the pacing feels slow, and the writing doesn’t match the strong performances or high production quality.
Typhoon Family is such a great drama, both actors are so talented, the only thing that is missing is the chemistry between the lead 🤷♀️ the lead actor has zero chemistry that I prefer them to stay as a business partners.
— PerfectlyImperfect (@JustMyThoughtme) November 8, 2025
I don’t feel the romantic connection am sorry. pic.twitter.com/bGPMz8jV7m
Fans took to TheQoo, a popular Korean forum, to criticise the storyline. “It’s so dull. Nothing happened again today,” a viewer commented about the recent episode. “It looks like it should be fun, but it’s boring,” another wrote. “The plot feels the same every time… even the ‘satisfying’ moments aren’t that satisfying,” a third added. “I heard the actor only read up to Episode 4 of the script before joining, and everything after that went downhill.” “I dropped it last week. This writer shouldn’t be doing 16-episode dramas.” Viewers are now starting to wonder how long the show can maintain its top ratings if such criticism continues to grow.
Typhoon Family tops Netflix chart
Even with the backlash, Typhoon Family continues to get impressive ratings. According to Nielsen Korea, its viewership in Seoul and nationwide has even reached a new peak with the latest episode.
On Netflix, the show has been sitting in the Top 10 non-English web series chart for consecutive weeks. Currently, Typhoon Family is at number eight on the list, with 1.6 million views this week. The show has also made it to the Top 10 in 10 countries this week. Meanwhile, another K-Drama, Genie, Make a Wish: Season 1, has remained in the Top 10 for five weeks, earning 1.4 million views this week and appearing in the Top 10 in 15 countries.
Speaking to Forbes, director Lee Na Jeong said she wanted the drama to show both the emotional and financial struggles of that period while highlighting the courage and warmth of people who lived through it. “Even setting aside the financial crisis,” Lee said, “I wanted to make a warm drama that makes people cry and laugh, while reflecting on how society today lives under too much pressure.”
Lee Na Jeong has a long history of directing diverse dramas, from Fight For My Way and Snowy Road to Mine and See You In My 19th Life. She chooses projects based on scripts that move her emotionally.
For Typhoon Family, she wanted a period drama with rich set designs and historical accuracy. She also wanted to create a story that helps the audience feel emotions, laugh, and gain courage through the characters’ journey. “I changed myself first. Filming this drama made me laugh, cry, and gain courage. The power to feel positive emotions and to change one’s life by watching a drama—I wanted to create that together with the audience. Furthermore, as a director, I had a creative desire to challenge myself with a period drama, wanting to express the spirit of that era through rich set design and historical verification,” Lee told Forbes.
