The Top Korean Gambling-Related Movies and Series to Watch

Korean cinema is famous for fusing genres to create lasting masterpieces, with the Academy Award-winning "Parasite" a great example that had elements of dark comedy, suspense, drama, thriller, crime, and horror.

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Korean movie directors are also great at experimenting with the casino movie genre, fusing some amazing suspense, drama, and heist stories with casino and gambling settings. Korean casino movies have been particularly prominent over the last 20 years, which has coincided with the nation's increased interest in poker, blackjack, and other casino games.

The Korean gambling industry has experienced significant growth in recent years thanks to online casino operators. These sites have made classic casino games more accessible to all. iGaming expert Jaehoon Kim highlights that safe online casinos feature a wide selection of games, with some featuring over 2,000 slot games (Source: https://www.techopedia.com/kr/gambling/casino-site). This, in addition to the security and convenience provided, has helped iGaming sites become more widespread throughout Korea.

This popularity has created a market in the entertainment sector for shows and movies based on gambling activities, including the Tazza series.

"Tazza: The High Rollers" is a 2006 movie by director Choi Dong-hoon that follows its protagonist Go-ni's journey to win back his life savings from a con artist.

The film focuses on the traditional card game of hwatu and takes the viewer on a nerve-jangling journey filled with twists and turns throughout the underground world of gambling.

"Tazza: The Hidden Card" is the follow-up from director Kang Hyeong-cheol that was released in 2014. The film follows the journey of Go-ni's nephew and follows a similar theme of revenge in a high-stakes world.

The final film of the trilogy, "Tazza: One Eyed Jack", was directed by Oh-kwang Kwon and released in 2019 and sees Do Il-chul face the wrath of his loan shark after defeat in a poker tournament.

"Time to Hunt" is a 2020 movie written and directed by Yoon Sung-hyun about a heist that sees a group of friends hunted by a hitman attempting to retrieve money and valuable information.

While this movie doesn't feature too much gambling, the target of the heist is an illegal gambling den that holds valuable US dollars.

"Big Bet" is a TV show that debuted in 2022 and has had two seasons to date. The Kang Yoon-sung series follows casino mogul Cha Moo-sik whose life is flipped after being accused of murder.

Packed with action and a healthy dose of black comedy, "Big Bet" has enjoyed critical acclaim and won several awards including the Blue Dragon Series Awards best drama category and the Golden Bird Prize for Program at the Seoul International Drama Awards.

Other titles to look out for include 2007's "War of Money" and "All In" from 2003. War of Money explores the exciting and sometimes dangerous world of high-stakes gambling and money lending, while "All In" focuses on the life of a professional high-stakes gambler.

"Liar Game" and "The Royal Gambler" are other options with gambling themes, while "Squid Game" offers a unique take on gambling where players stake their lives on a chance of winning a huge cash prize.