Big Bet, formerly known as King of Savvy, is an original Disney+ Korean drama series directed by Nam Ki-hoon and Kang Yun-Seong (known for his previous work in The Outlaws) screenwriter. In addition to having a prominent director behind the series, it is already attracting immense attention for being recorded with such prominent actors as Choi Min Sik, Son Suk Ku, and Lee Dong Hwi.
All of them have literally captivated viewers with their unparalleled charisma on the character posters of the series. Here is all you need to know about the series’ captivating crime-driven plot.
Brief Intro and Plot Summary
The action and crime-driven plot of the series puts us right in the middle of the casino’s intense environment. Cha Moo-sik runs an established gambling bar and ranks high on the charts, and everyone in the Philippines is afraid of him. But running a casino without a large team of skilled managers and employees is impossible. Behind every prominent gambling establishment, Ignition gambling site, for example, works many workers to ensure a high-level service.
Back to the series, Cha has assembled a top-notch casino group to help him keep things running smoothly. However, things go wrong when he becomes involved in a murder case and makes the biggest wager with his life at stake. Equally important is that it aesthetically captures the same melancholic tones as The Irishman (regarding its impeccable never-aging technique). Here, Robert de Niro remained in character over decades. A stunning tribute to Scorsese at his peak.
Big Bet’s Major Strengths
Talented Cast
Big Bet’s greatest strength is undoubtedly its talented cast, which includes Cha Min Sik, who captivated audiences around the world with numerous projects, including Oldboy, I Saw the Devil, New World, and Roaring Currents, who starred in his first drama in 26 years.
Apart from the protagonist, we also see Son Suk Ku, who recently impressed in My Liberation Notes and previously starred in Squid Game, Nothing Serious, Extreme Job, and more. In addition, Lee Dong Hwi showed his acting skills through several projects, such as Reply 1988 and Extreme Job, to name just a few. Their uniformly superb performances help smooth over some of the show’s teething issues.
Protagonist’s Character
The series flashes its viewers back to Cha’s impoverished upbringing in a rural orphanage in the 1970s. It was the time when he first developed his hustler instincts because his father, a small-time gangster, was imprisoned.
Cha Moo-sik’s embodiment of determination and resilience flows the red line during the entire movie. With it unfolding, he remains unfazed despite being involved in different life adversities, public humiliation, and accusations of a serious crime. Being an adult, Moosik’s first rags-to-riches rise begins when he teams with old fellas from school and the orphanage to open a franchise of underground casino bars.
The Main Conflict of the Series
Cha Moo-sik endures a treacherous journey full of unexpected turns until he reaches the peak of the plot. It is when Son Suk Ku (aka Oh Seung Hoon), the first Korean from the Philippines, becomes embroiled in a casino-owner murder investigation. Along with this, ‘Big Boss’ Kang Daniel emerges and adds further excitement to the narrative of the story. With Cha’s connection to Daniel and their developing business relationship are likely to be explored in greater depth throughout their story.
Sadly, it does him little good in the long run because those hard-earned funds are soon gambled away. His former allies have even gone so far as to betray him to get lighter sentences for their crimes. Despite it all, this streetwise fighter has worked out how to pull himself out of seemingly impossible situations before.
Verdict
To sum everything up, we can see that Cha’s trials and tribulations take center stage in Big Bet. The unique flashbacks of their impoverished childhood and life in the orphanage structure allow viewers to tag along on his path to success in real time. Although we already know that he will inevitably be victorious, this quick-paced show doesn’t allow for much languishing.
We can’t ignore the fact that the influence of legendary auteur Martin Scorsese on Big Bet is unmistakable. The series portrays its wild criminal world with artful fourth-wall-smashing monologues, lengthy flashbacks to the protagonist’s formative years, and the pointed use of extended single-take shots. All these have to do with Goodfellas. As we have mentioned above, the narrative structure mirrors that of the casino.
All this makes the story easy to get engrossed in the narrative and the protagonist himself. While there are certain imperfections here and there, this is a compelling beginning to a production that could become truly remarkable when all the small pieces and details come together.
