Korea, 2022 – The cast of Big Bet, a highly anticipated South Korean series, gathered together on 14th December 2022 to greet both local and international media outlets. Directed by Kang Yoon Sung, Big Bet brings together a star-studded cast namely Son Sukku, Lee Dongwhi, Heo Sungtae, Kim Jooryoung, Son Eunseo, Ryu Hyunkyung, and veteran actor Choi Minsik, who is returning to the small screen after 25 years.
Big Bet, a new original series airing on Disney +, follows the story of Cha Moosik (acted by Choi Minsik) who was an ordinary person that became a legend in the Philippines but was subsequently embroiled in a murder case where he was pushed to the edge of his life and forced to make one last bet. It was revealed at this press conference that Big Bet will have a total of 2 seasons with 8 episodes each. 3 episodes will be released on December 21, with 1 episode released weekly and season 2 will be released in 2023.
Without spoiling the series, each actor provided us with a teaser description of their character and the series. Choi Minsik described Cha Moosik as an ordinary person with overwhelming desire who ended up in the casino scene where he experienced a lot of ups and downs. Son Sukku plays Oh Seunghoon who is a very ordinary police officer dispatched to the Philippines and learned how to grow and survive in a challenging environment. Lee Donghwi shared that his character Jungpal is Moonsik’s right-hand man who encounters numerous situations that requires him to make numerous decisions and choices. He also added that he put extra effort into his appearance such as his mustache to appear neater and more mature.
Heo Sungtae provided a very succinct description of his character, sharing that he is a sensitive, crazy, simple, and yet complex gangster who has a close but conflicted relationship with Cha Moosik. Kim Jooryoung plays Jin Younghee, a Korean BBQ restaurant owner in the Philippines who lived there for a long time. She appears to play an important role who creates a ‘spark’ that led to a ‘fire’ that gets out of control. Son Eunseo plays Kim Sojung, whom the actor described as someone who pursues money and profit and in the midst, triggers suspicion and eventually betrayal. Finally, Ryu Hyunkyung plays Kang Minjung who is a team leader of the National Tax Service and places huge pressure on Cha Moosik in the series.
Choi Minsik’s return to the small screen after 25 years had made headlines in numerous news articles. He shared that he really missed working on a series, which was challenging but also an opportunity where he could express more with the longer time given. The said actor faced several challenges while preparing and filming this series – filming in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, testing positive in March earlier this year, and suffering from the side effects post covid infection. The change in weather from winter to summer also made it more difficult to adapt.
Based on the narration and sharing from the cast, it appears that they have great chemistry and good rapport with one another, with them providing each other with support and advice during the filming process. Choi Minsik shared that he had a strange sense of familiarity working with Son Sukku and that everyone on the cast was professional and helpful.
Director Kang Yunsung revealed that one of the biggest achievements in Big bet was the de-aging technology used to create a younger Cha Moosik and the audience can look forward to seeing this technology once it starts airing.
Wrapping it up, Director Kang Yunsung described the series as one that everyone in the world would appreciate as it revolves around real life and Son Sukku added that this series will be very different from other series. Big Bet will be premiering on Disney+ on December 21, so do not miss it!
Photos and stills credit to Disney+
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