The plot centres on an attempt by a North Korean pirate (Jang Dong Gun), to make a nuclear attack on the Korean Peninsula, and efforts by a South Korean agent (Lee Jung Jae) to stop him.

The agent comes to sympathize with the pirate, who grew up penniless in China after witnessing as a child the massacre of his family after a failed attempt to seek asylum in the South.

Shot on locations in Thailand, Korea and Russia, Typhoon is South Korea highest budget film made at US$20 million.

Typhoon sets 5-day Box Office record for the year 2005 in Korea drawing in 1.8 million people.