Breaking grounds in a foreign setting, Big Bet ventures on a story packed with crime and corruption.
Initially seeming light, the story of a man with humble beginnings turns darker as he becomes a legend outside his country. Confronting uncomfortable truths from both countries featured, the series depicts a realistic picture of life inside gambling.
- Main Cast: Choi Min Sik | Son Suk Ku | Lee Dong Hwi
- Supporting Cast: Heo Sung Tae | Kim Hong Pa | Lee Hye Young
- Streaming Site: Disney+
- Thrill/Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- Kdramas of Similar Vibe: Insider | Defendant | Squid Game | Liar Game
Marcie Line watched Big Bet on Disney+
Episode Recaps: 01-03 | 04 & 05 | 06 | 07 | Final Episode + Big Bet Season 1 Review |
Big Bet Season 1 Final Episode Recap
“Different country, different system, right?”
Wanting to track down where Rose is, Moo-sik steals her friend’s phone. Sang-gu narrates how Philip and So-jung got shot in the middle of the street. He and Jung-pal assume how Ms. Ko could be capable of doing so after having her money stolen.
However, Moo-sik later meets with John who brings him the bag of money while keeping their whole transaction a secret from the big boss. Securing the bag and the account in Hong Kong, Moo-sik keeps it in his basement.
Missing the first anonymous tip about Kyung-young, Seung-hun and Mark successfully catch him after an intense chase. After being scolded by Mark, Seung-hun buys himself an untraceable gun.
Meanwhile, Deok-bae gets kidnapped by Moo-sik after not being able to pay him back. While calling for people to borrow money from, Deok-bae’s father, a Vietnam war veteran, alerts the embassy of the possibility of his kidnap.
Even after setting Deok-bae free, Moo-sik gets enraged hearing that Consul Jo allowed the police to shoot him on signs of resistance. At the launch of their branch in Caliz, Tae-seok acts out and beats Jung-pal, but Moo-sik puts him in his place. Furious with Moo-sik, Tae-seok comes to his house with a gun, and a gunshot can be heard outside after.
Big Bet Season 1 Series Quick Plot Recap
Entrapped and having been arrested for murder, Cha Moo-sik (Choi Min Sik) revisits his past in a flashback while sitting in front of the press. Coming from a poor background, Moo-sik works his way up, and becomes successful with his established English academy.
Like his father who was a gambler, he becomes drawn to running a casino bar in his country. However, after having met obstacles in running it, he flies to the Philippines and works for Mr. Min (Kim Hong Pa).
From collecting bonds and handling casinos, Moo-sik rises as a casino legend with the assistance of Jung-pal (Lee Dong Hwi). After several murders involving his fellow nationals, the Korean desk gets established with Oh Seung-hun (Son Suk Ku) being deployed to investigate it.
Big Bet Season 1 Series Highlights
Immersion in the World of Gambling
At the beginning of the series, viewers are presented with how a legend like Cha Moo-sik gets introduced to gambling. From being an innocent child who plays games to feed himself, Moo-sik rises up to the next level as he gets older in running casinos.
Both points of view of a gambler and a casino owner are shown, depicting how a person can get hooked on an unhealthy cycle, to the point of a life-threatening situation. Moreover, it also highlights the terrifying outcome when other agencies and organizations are involved in the operations of a casino legend.
Culture Fusion and Crime in a Foreign Setting
Given that the series was filmed in the Philippines, the characters in the story are set to portray how expatriates get through their day in another country. From different angles, a clear picture of life inside a foreign country is offered throughout the series.
On Cha Moo-sik’s part, who collected connections with prominent figures in the country, his life inside the country is far ahead compared to his fellow nationals.
Consistent with the climate and the existing system in the country, Seung-hun’s encounters in the agency he’s assigned hint at the struggles of the justice system for crimes committed by foreign nationals.
Big Bet Season 1 Series Musings
As a man who came from nothing and became an influential figure in another country, Cha Moo-sik’s character can be difficult to decode not until the season reached its finale. His character proved himself to be someone who’d be unhesitant to put down people who get on his wrong side.
Compared to most Korean content that has been produced, the atmosphere in this series is distinct. Given it was filmed outside Korea, the color grading and the appearance of scenes may come off as unfamiliar to people not coming from either of the countries, but consistent with the setting it intends to depict.
Substantially involving politics and government agencies in the story, the series expounds from time to time on the long-running flawed systems of both countries. In one way or another, characters in the series have their own situations involved with illegality.
Rather than being fully entertaining, Big Bet takes on a fresh topic, which encourages healthy discussions. It confronts uncomfortable truths about nationals in a foreign country and looks into the gambling world in depth.
While looking all generous and giving at first, Moo-sik turns out to be a frightening person even to those who are close to him. With the gunshot at the finale of the season, Moo-sik’s situation with Tae-seok raises curiosity. Moreover, the fruition of Seung-hun’s investigation is something to look forward to.
Watch all 8 Episodes of Big Bet on Disney+. Season 2 is scheduled to be released on Disney+ starting February 15.
Photos: Disney+
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