How Gambling Is Portrayed in Korean Dramas and Films

Korean dramas and films are popular with international audiences and have earned a global following thanks to their rich storytelling, emotional depth and immersive world-building. They address some of the most notable topics and issues relating to gambling in the wider context of gripping narratives.

The mind turns to the romantic melodramas and gritty crime thrillers that have made South Korean cinema a proven powerhouse in the global entertainment industry. They explore diverse themes, including gambling, which has quietly carved out a powerful niche, becoming a recurring motif that blends tension, desperation, risk, loss and ambition.

It could be the backroom poker scene in a neon-lit club or psychological mind games in high-stakes showdowns, but gambling scenes in Korean media often go far beyond the roll of a dice. They reflect societal pressures, personal challenges and addiction, economic disparity and individual downfalls in ways that feel both exhilarating and deeply understandable. In fact, some of the most intense and memorable gambling scenes in international cinema are found in Korean titles, many reputable, related games of which have been selected by AskGamblers as must-play features for fans of casino culture and cinematic suspense.

Gambling in Korean films and dramas isn't just used as a narrative device, it often acts as a mirror reflecting the country's complex relationship with money, class and risk taking. Korea has strict laws regarding gambling, including physical, in-person games and online.

Korean citizens are mostly prohibited from gambling within the country, with only one legal casino open to locals, and that unique dynamic often bleeds into storytelling, where gambling isn't just about thrills, but instead tied to illegality, underground operations and moral ambiguity. Korean gambling characters are often depicted as in trouble with vast amounts of debt, caught out by scams, or morally questionable and manipulating others in gambling-related activities.

Let's take a look at genres, lessons and some examples of Korean media that showcase gambling in the aforementioned ways.

"Tazza: The High Rollers" (2006)

This iconic film is a very well-known one in the genre. Based on a popular manhwa (Korean comic), Tazza tells the story of a man who loses everything in a gambling scam, then trains under a legendary gambler to seek revenge and reclaim his dignity - as well his winnings.

It dives deep into a game called hwatu, a Korean card game that is played like poker with elements of bluffing and risk-taking. What makes Tazza such a great example in this field is its blend of style, moral grey zones and a protagonist torn between ambition and ethics. It manages to successfully humanize the gambler, even while showing the dark underworld he's pulled into.

K-Drama and Western comparisons

Drama series and films produced by South Korean companies have also notably capitalized on the mystique of gambling, albeit often with more emotional layering as this is what is needed to draw in an audience that becomes invested in the characters and setting. The international reach of Korean streaming dramas shows how well these narratives resonate beyond Korea.

Shows like "Switch - Change The World" and "The Player" use gambling as a metaphor for greater themes that perpetuate human society, such as revenge, justice and the formation of one's identity. These films and series often show the gambler as not only someone chasing a big win but also making a statement against a rigged system, such as a local gang.

We also need to take a look at "Squid Game". While this series is not strictly about gambling in the traditional sense, its premise revolves around the very high-stakes games played as a last resort for those crushed by overwhelming financial debt. It dives into a dramatized potential of the extremes people will go to for life-changing money, and how easily morality can be warped when survival is at stake.

However, it isn't all just moral corruption and crime taking place in these films and series, as there are also clear elements of tragedy and redemption arcs in the works. In comparison, Western media takes a broadly different view on gambling, one that often leans toward sleek casino glamour or full-blown addiction horror stories, but Korean films tend to occupy a middle space that can arguably be considered more measured and realistic, at least in terms of human-centered emotion and reaction, over fictional settings.

While you can easily find tales of addiction and collapse, there are also narratives relating to redemption. A down-and-out gambler may lose everything, but they might also find something worth living for along the way, and while gambling is rarely glorified, it's also not reduced to a point-blank cautionary tale. Instead, it becomes a tool and a way to test characters, challenge relationships, overcome obstacles, depict teamwork and expose hidden truths.