Big Bet

Just finished Kajino (aka Big Bet), the cast and locations are amazing. Same goes for the production, attention to details and continuity. Truly a modern masterpiece. As usual Choi Min-sik is amazing but many other lead actors shine here. The transition between countries and languages is flawless. The majority is actually probably in English with then a lot of Korean and a little Filipino.

The ending might not satisfy every viewers but for me it was perfect otherwise I would have just ended up wanting more and more series.

Can't recommend this enough. I ended bingeing both series after the first episode.

This is an interesting and watchable drama that stars one of the best character actors in Korea (Choi Min Sik). It has a well-crafted script, engaging dialogues, and unpredictable plotlines. As a result, I kept watching to see how it developed. There are a few missteps, however, that make this drama not one of my favorites. 1) the story jumps back and forth with no particular purpose and leaves many loose ends behind.; 2) The show becomes disorganized, especially in the second half, with a ridiculous ending that seems unintended by the writer's initial plotline; 2) There are many unrealistic storylines that are inconsistent with the character of Choi Moo Sik. For example, he is too often unprepared for predictable attacks, and also, he is very gullible and naive-- unbecoming of a successful mob boss (although he thinks he is a businessman, not a mob boss). I think the writer tried to depict him as a mob boss with a heart of gold--unsuccessfully. 3) The last few episodes are very disjointed, showcasing thoughtless plots. Acting is terrific in general, especially that of the leading actor. For all these reasons, I give a 7 for this drama.

Is it the writer's problem or the directing's problem?

I've been enjoying it since episode 1.

The background of the main character was interesting, and the surrounding characters were harmonious.

I also like the setting of a smart young man who grew up in a difficult environment.

However, the director has to re-direct the final episode of this series.

This is one of the most terrifying endings in the series.

The life of the main character, which was shown from the first episode, is ending in vain.

I hope Cha Moo-shik of his youth will return.

Everything I liked was lost in the last episode.

Had not heard much about this drama before I started watching it, so I was pleasantly surprised to find myself hooked! The storyline and subject matter is something that I have never seen before on television. This is an entertaining story about the nature of the human condition.

The beginning of the drama was a bit confusing and slow, but because I had faith in K-dramas, I stuck with it. What I found was a group of unsavoury characters whom I would never go anywhere them in real life, but found that they all had some redeeming qualities that made them appear very humanistic and sympathetic. It's a marvel that so many actors on the cast were able to portray their characters so realistically without a single one over-acting.

The wait for Son Seok-Gu's character to appear was well worth it. I am so thankful that they did not turn him into some drug addict like any other American TV show would have. That flaw is so over-used that it's a become a horrible trope.

I've read that many viewers did not like the ending, but this is what a good story ending is supposed to be like.

• All loose ends are tied up
• Not everyone deserves their "end" the way it ends
• Very realistic portrayal of the human condition

What else I liked:

• respectful portrayal of non-Korean characters
• NKC's were not portrayed as dimwits to make the Korean characters appear more appealing
• story was focused and maintained a level of complexity that kept me guessing
• no excessive and meaningless sexual content (in fact there was very little at all)

What would have made it better:

• a good soundtrack with more instrumental music
• at least one likeable and strong female character (secretary had potential, but was neglected by the director)
• understand that that line of work and the times would have made this challenging
• good storytelling dictates that there should be a foil for Kim So-Jung & Ko Young-Hee

It deserves all of the awards it's won and more.

Yes! Big Bet is giving Pablo Escobar a vibe. The Asia version. From the Intro, Location, Screenplay, and Actors. One of the underrated series. It needs a more promotional marketing strategy. The storytelling from season 1 episode 1 up until the end is wonderful. I'm now a big fan of K-dramas mostly RomCom, but, honestly, we need more shows like this. Fictional yet you know that the writer & director made a deep research into how gambling works. Plus, studying the location (Philippines) system adds a natural flavor to the story. The Filipino actors did a good job as well. Kudos to Disney+ and I can't wait for Season 3.