Lee Junho Chooses People Over Money in Thrilling Episode of 'Typhoon Family'

Lee Junho's character chooses people over money in a gripping episode of 'Typhoon Family,' heating up the drama on the small screen.

The fifth episode of tvN's weekend drama 'Typhoon Family' (directed by Lee Na-jung, Kim Dong-hwi, written by Jang Hyun) aired on the 25th, achieving a nationwide household rating of 7.1%, peaking at 7.9%, and a metropolitan area household rating of 6.6%, peaking at 7.7%, securing the top spot across all channels, including terrestrial, during its time slot. (Based on Nielsen Korea's cable, IPTV, and satellite integrated paid platform data)

After spending a night at Typhoon Trading due to their house being auctioned off, Kang Tae-pung (played by Lee Junho) and his mother Jung Jung-mi (played by Kim Ji-young) were discovered by Oh Mi-sun (played by Kim Min-ha) the next morning. With nowhere else to go, Mi-sun took them to her home. Though it was modest and cold compared to an apartment in Apgujeong, it was filled with the warmth of family. Despite her complaints, Mi-sun's mature younger sister Oh Mi-ho (played by Kwon Han-sol), their grandmother (played by Kim Young-ok) who loves her family despite her fading memory, the playful youngest sibling Oh Beom (played by Kwon Eun-sung), and their dog Mija, all provided a comforting space for the two to catch their breath and lean on each other.

Meanwhile, Kang Tae-pung and Oh Mi-sun advanced their efforts to secure an advance payment for their safety shoes and find sales channels. They brainstormed where these shoes might be needed and planned to visit construction sites and other locations. Kang Tae-pung's face lit up with energy as he practiced business manners with Mi-sun, such as exchanging business cards and shaking hands. Together, they ran towards 'Our Heaven,' the subtitle of the episode.

However, their heaven was short-lived. When Kang Tae-pung went to Busan to collect the goods, he found an empty factory with no shoes in sight. The trusted Shoebak CEO Park Yoon-chul (played by Jin Sun-kyu) was found beaten and trembling with fear. It was revealed that Shoebak was on the brink of bankruptcy, and Yoon-chul, who had borrowed from loan sharks, couldn't repay his debts, losing both Kang Tae-pung's advance payment and the Shoebak inventory.

Kang Tae-pung's mother, Jung Jung-mi, helped him regain his composure. Seeing her son slumped in the alley, she remembered her late husband, who left without a word of encouragement, and resolved to protect her son. She embraced Kang Tae-pung, saying, "You won't go hungry. If it's tough, you can lean on me." Kang Tae-pung, who had been pretending to be okay, confessed his fear of losing both the goods and money and finally shed tears in his mother's arms. Their mutual support moved viewers deeply.

Kang Tae-pung rose again. After confirming through Busan's Hongshin Trading CEO Jung Cha-ran (played by Kim Hye-eun) that the loan shark involved with Park Yoon-chul was the notorious Ryu Hee-kyu (played by Lee Jae-kyun), who offered to return Kang Tae-pung's 500 pairs of shoes for 5 million won, Kang Tae-pung struggled to find a way to raise the money. Just then, Oh Mi-sun combined her savings with the money she received from CEO Kang Jin-young (played by Sung Dong-il) to gather the 5 million won.

Kang Tae-pung returned to Busan to retrieve the safety shoes. Despite Jung Cha-ran's warning to "just pay and take the goods without saying a word," Kang Tae-pung withdrew the 5 million won. He witnessed Park Yoon-chul lying on the blood-soaked factory floor, barely alive, and couldn't bring himself to give the hard-earned money from his father and Oh Mi-sun to such inhumane people. His father had left him a note saying, "The important thing is people. They are more fragrant than flowers and more valuable than money." Following this teaching, Kang Tae-pung chose 'the person' Park Yoon-chul.

Kang Tae-pung boldly proposed to Ryu Hee-kyu, "I'll sell 7,000 safety shoes and give you 100 million won. Take the 100 million and stay away forever," even adding a physical waiver to the deal. At that moment, rival Pyo Hyun-jun (played by Moo Jin-sung), who had come to purchase safety shoes under the orders of his father, Pyo Bak-ho (played by Kim Sang-ho), found the situation intriguing and willingly transferred his 6,500 pairs. Despite the intimidating situation, Kang Tae-pung didn't flinch. Instead, he boldly stamped the contract with his entire palm, creating a powerful ending.

As Ryu Hee-kyu asked for his name, Kang Tae-pung replied, "No need to know my name, just call me Typhoon Trading's salesman," leaving viewers eager to see if his audacity and spirit will lead to the sale of 7,000 safety shoes and the rescue of Yoon-chul. Episode 6 of 'Typhoon Family' airs on Sunday, the 26th, at 9:10 PM on tvN.

Reporter: Lim Chae-ryeong, Ten Asia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr