There's simply no comparison. The movie is just a better overall production, even counting the fact that movies tend to have a higher budget. It's best to think of them as being in two different universes-having similar characters, a similar setup, but completely different characterizations, different plot, different tone, different extrapolation. I suspect that a lot of people rate the series higher because it ends happily, where the movie is tragic. As a gay man, I totally understand the bias against LGBT movies with tragic endings; there's simply too many of them. But still, the movie's better.
But I'm not dismissing this series. The series comes into it's own about halfway when it spends time with new characters and explores themes of it's own.
Overall, you won't regret watching it. I wish I had time for a rewatch as my own comparisons to the movie spoiled the beginning for me. Looking forward to Season 2 instead!
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Despite Flaws, How Many Minis Actually SHOW The ML Slowly Falling In Love?
This is NOT a perfect show. There absolutely are some editing issues and "mostly" minor plot holes but on the whole this show left me thinking "who cares".Why?
❤️ Because there was an almost entire episode SHOWING the ML falling in love with the FL.
❤️ Because there are scenes where they do NOTHING and yet you're holding your breath, not blinking your eyes and left feeling like you just watching the most intimate thing in the world.
❤️ Because she doesn't back down from his dark side and embraces his "visciousness and cruelty".
❤️ Because instead of hiding behind him like a weak-willed nobody she rises up as an equal, giving better than she gets.
❤️ Because they take no prisoners and leave no quarters when it comes to the other's life. Not even the MLs guard is exempt from punishment for messing up.
❤️ Because she tells him a story about a prince discovering his rose was an "ordinary" rose so he later turnsn it into telling her a story about a prince and his one and only Iris.
❤️ Because after an "attempted" scene against her he helps her process the trauma together.
❤️ Because even the antagonists, who had their own despicable and unforgivable actions, had their own love stories and were able to serve as a contrast to our leads choices.
❤️ Because even though this is a "simple mini" the Palace politics felt like some of the most real out there with EVERYONE double speaking and double plotting... BUT they actually EXPLAIN it all and break it down with inner thoughts and other character discussion cut-aways.
❤️ Because chemistry 🔥🔥🔥🔥🤣
SO...
This show is HONESTLY not perfect but it is going to stay with me for a while and I will absolutely be revisiting it in clips.
I already talked myself down from a 10...
Rating breakdown:
Full unobjective rating based SOLELY on plot and execution: 7
Dialog: 9.5
Chemistry: 9.5
Set and Clothing Design: 9
(I will defend the leads eye makeup as being that way for a REASON 🤣 "Evil eyes vs innocent/protagonist clothes")
Final Rating (still biased but lowered): 9/10
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Which is the main couple?
The very first thing that I believe every watchers think of the same way, the main couple supposed to got more screentime. Due to lot of second couple scene (tbh, I skipped a lot), I started to confuse and feeling like Xu Qing You and Mo Ling Ze is not the main couple. What I like the most from this series is that was no dumb FL that appeared in most c-drama (well, XQY is dumb in another way, lol), the FL is fashionable here (I don't think she re-put on the same outfit) and for sure the mature relationship.This series is not coming in the vibes I expected for, I don't really can relate it to the title. But, at least, it's 'so so' and still watchable for me. For the casting and acting skills, I don't think there're any problem, they looked great--well built chemistry and suit on all their own characters. Although I don't really remember the songs played in the drama, but I like that sexy opening song! :D lol.
The two essences of this story:
"What's the point of enduring in a toxic relationship?"
"We can't 'form' people, because they are ALIVE!"
P.S: I put the rewatchable value amounted at 5, but actually I'm not type of watcher who rewatching any, so it means it's 5:5 according on your own taste.
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This is a feminist movie. What kind of image does it conjure up for you?I can tell you that this isn't a story about a confident, "girl crush" woman. Rather, it follows the story of an ordinary woman and the gender based microaggressions she faces.
This movie isn't an easy watch precisely because it's so real (similar to Misaeng). You could only hope that all of those events don't happen to the same person in real life though.
I knew about the general plot before watching the movie but it still really hit me hard. At the start, I thought it was really fast-paced because it just threw you into the movie. But as the movie progressed, I got used to it and was able to connect with it more.
However, I think reading the book would help you understand the movie better. There was a few scenes that didn't feel resolved in the movie, but I think were explored in the book.
I was also confused if Kim Ji Young's behavior was supposed to be more metaphorical or literal. After reading some reviews of the book, I think I understand what it's trying to say. There was one review in particular that said she didn't have a voice in this society so she had to adopt other personas / mimic other people in her life to say something.
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Acting/Cast: The acting done by the cast was better than I've seen in most dramas. To say it was good is an understatement, there was such genuine emotion in each scene and it all felt very real. L and Yoon So Hee did such a great job with their characters and their relationship. The only thing that actually bugged me was about Taks character. At first, I really wasn't into Tak. I wasn't sure how he could turn into a complete jerk, even through such stress. It did frustrate me, but it was nice to see an imperfect character get knocked back to his senses.
Music: I'm really not trying to overdo this review with more compliments than it deserves, but the OST in this mini series was so note worthy. The soundtrack was so great to listen to, and it fit the band and the vibe of the show very well. I especially liked the last song, One More Time, I felt that song was absolutely perfect to finish the drama off.
Re-watch Value: I don't re-watch dramas a lot, especially ones with complex stories. I'd rather re-watch shows where all you have to do is laugh and smile. As good as this was, I might just save it as a memory, I don't think I'll re-watch it all by myself. With a friend however, I can totally do that.
Overall: I wanted to give this drama a 9.5 for how I felt about it after just watching it, but after some thinking, I gave it a 9 for everything I said above. With the ratings and the other review, you might think on skipping this one, but I'm here to say that this is a mini series worth watching. It's a 4 hour long ride, so if you feel like it's not you're thing early on, give it a chance to prove itself.
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Original, heartwarming, thoughtful, hilarious with quiet a few really amazing characters
I absolutely adored this saeguk. I binged it in almost 3 days. The concept is fascinatingly original, the characters and plot deliciously mature, I'd say there's almost no part of this show that was unnecessary (something very rare in Kdramas). I practically started watching bcz everyone was hating it despite the unusual plot summary (I have no idea why'd people not admire a well-made project like this). It has some veteran actors in their best forms playing some of the best developed characters. The king and the mother-in-law of the Jo family were flawless.In fact, it has one of the finest negative characters I've seen in a while. And she's a smart, wise, plotting woman who is infinitely complex as a character to simply be a villain. I loved that dialogue when she said, "Must you disappoint me till the end?" She literally savored the death of her husband! And Rowoon's character improved with every episode. I loved how frank Jung Woo is. He confessed multiple times, and with such heart! It's a beautiful, thoughtful drama. The exaggerated comedy complemented the dark assassination plots. I actually enjoyed how childlike our hero is, his innocence never undermined his courage. And Sun Duk is such a mature character, I loved how she listened to the encounter of the princess and Jung Woo, I don't think the expression of love can get any more profound. I loved how Jung Woo mentioned his remark to his father as cruel. Those are bits of life. The matchmaking of lady Yoeju too was fine in its deductive finesse, it was a display of strategy at its finest. Lady Sam Soon was a literal delight. I wasn't fond of all the pairings (I'd have liked the farmer to fall for Doo Ri, it was so predetermined I wished they'd show that people don't always fall in love with who they're supposed to be with. The 14-year-old prince and 24-year-old lady Ha Na was another daring move. I don't know if 14-year-old kids actually fall for older women like this or vice versa especially considering how grown-up Ha Na is and how mature her taste is) but at this point I'd rather not complain (and it all worked out in the end like pieces coming together in a puzzle).
Could not find a single plot hole in the drama till the end. And I have to mention the playful music and stunning visuals. The interiors were especially detailed. The pingfengs (folding screens) in every room were so pretty and distinct (I especially liked the mother-in-law's minimalist and the princess's maximalist flower-patterned screens). In a way they reflected the personality of the inhabitants. There were also indicative cinematography, pretty visuals and nice locations (probably common in every high budget saeguk, so I digress).
The ending was fitting, wise, not shocking but reassuring and very proper. I loved it. I think the last I contemplated rating a Kdrama 9 was 'Flower of Evil' and even that didn't have a perfect ending. This was a well written, well-acted and well executed drama, which managed to strike the right balance between light and dark and remained warm till the end.
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Story: Right or Wrong gives us a lovely storyline that does not actually start with a love line but a main "get to know the life of the characters" plotline. Soon though, it picks up the pace and gives you a lot more than you expected. The story gives you some drama, a lot of funny remarks or conversations (at least I sometimes found them quite funny) but mostly it gives you loveliness...RoW is lovely from beginning to end and when you start you don't wanna stop because the characters grow on you rather quickly. Also it gives us a little unusual storyline for BL series and movies, so that's something new and fresh.
Cast: The cast was a little bit awkward at first but after getting to know the characters better, you start loving them and the awkwardness disappears. The acting is good enough, for me to forget that they are actors and for me to want to know what they will act in next. Also the cast managed to give their own flavour to the characters.
Music: The music was great. I love the ending song!!
Rewatch: Oh yes, definitely. Probably right now ^.^
Overall: Overall the story did not disappoint at all and was interesting and refreshing especially for a BL series. The characters were lovely, the cast did a great job, the music is noticeable and nice to listen to and I definitely love this as much as Obsessed. Well, the expectations for the rest of HIStory 2 are rising...
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The epilogue or continuation to ep 36 and the ending to the series.
If you have watched 36 eps of Word of Honor, then do watch this as it wraps up the series and answers the questions you may have after ep 36. This small episode shows what happened to Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu after we last saw them in the armory. We also get to see Gao Xiao Lian's family. A happy end to the series and for WKX and ZZS. Nice to see them be together and retire from jianghu to teach the future disciples of the rebuilt four season's manor.Ep 36 leaves off with Gao Xiao Lian calling everyone to a meal and here we see Deng Kuan (her husband) come to collect their son for the meal with mother. We see the disciple practicing 18 steps of Qiuming that only WKX knows so he is learning from WKX. ZZS turns up to instruct him and then WKX shows up to disagree with his teaching methods as he tends to do. Deng Kuan then whisks away his confused son, saying that the two of them have been fighting like this their entire lives and says that they are now immortals. In 36 we are shown that Chengling has rebuilt the manor near the ice mountains. So, all of them live nearby. Great that their family of three is still together.
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As typical as this set up may sound, it's so well done and enjoyable to watch it doesn't matter. I've actually never seen a movie premise like this. Well that's not true. A few years back there was an American movie about a ghost writer helping an author to pen a book but it was done poorly and there is no comparison.
Remember that they are writing an adult comic. There are a lot of sexual references but it's done very tongue in cheek as the female writer is faking 99% of her sexual experience. Most of the graphic sexual images are in fact, in graphic (comic book) form.
Watching Jung Bae get wise to her act...I loved it! Dae Rim is such a character and Jung Bae finds her tough to take at first. But when he begins to draw...it's her face that appears on paper. As the two leads gravitate toward each other and their feelings grow...it's so cute!
Lee Sun Gyun and Choi Gang Hee make a great pair. Able to be comedic and have you believe when they are sincere.
I recommend this movie highly.
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I came into this drama for the cast alone, but I got much more than I was expecting. If you are expecting a great romance, you may be disappointed. There are some romantic feelings, but it is not the main point. The quartet of flawed but likable individuals find friendship and support at a time when they all have a deep need for it. As a hardcore romantic, I thoroughly enjoyed the friendship and didn't feel any lack due to the barely there romance.
The best things about this drama:
1) the acting- the casting could not have been more perfect. Each actor seemed fitted to the role, bringing out the best in their character.
2) the characters- perfectly imperfect, and quirky. Their interactions with each other made each episode special.
3) the witty banter- I applaud the writer. So very clever. This truly made the drama a joy to watch.
4) the music- brilliant!
Quartet may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me, this is the best drama of the year.
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Hope I didn't give away too much here.
First of all, I wont call myself a saeguk fanatic, since I don't think I watch that much dramas of this genre, though I definitely do enjoy them and Korea's history.
Story:
Plot is interesting, satisfying amount of action and nerve-wrecking moments.
I definitely say that the content is like 80-90% political, with the remaining parts for romance, just to spice up and bring some colors to the political issues here.
I like how they focuses on the political history of Joseon with its neighboring countries instead of the usual domestic politics among the clans.
So I wont recommend it if you are looking for a more romantic saeguk drama like The Princess' Man or The Moon Embraces The Sun.
Acting/Cast:
I started this because of Seo In Guk, but that definitely isn't the main reason why i completed this.
- Seo In Guk
I do feel awkward at first seeing him acting in a historical drama, since this is his first.
I even thought that his voice isn't suited for a prince especially when he give out commands, which usually goes well with deeper voices.
But he improved over time, and before I knew it, I was too into his character, GwangHae, to even remember it's InGuk who's acting.
Definitely a good actor indeed.
- Shin Sung Rok
He's just PERFECT at playing the bad character. No words needed to describe it.
- Jo Yoon Hee
Not a fan of her acting. Keep feeling that there's something missing in the way she acts in some of her scenes.
- Others
I always feel that saeguk drama actors/actresses are the best. Most of them portray the characters clearly, which makes you hate or love them to the core.
Kim GyuRi's acting is worth mentioning, love the way she successfully acted the Kim GwiIn character that makes me dislike her, but at the same time feeling that she is pitiful and likable as well.
Music:
I'm addicted to it now, putting it on replay, so that should mean its nice ;)
I'm a huge ballad/emotional drama songs. They definitely have the good ones, the ones that when you listen to, you cant help but to replay scenes of the drama like an mv in your head. And it makes you emo afterwards (or maybe its just me XD)
Though I wish there are more songs instead of only 3 being repeated in 23 episodes.
Re-watch Value:
Since its hugely political, i don't think it is worth re-watching.
Unless one don't mind listening to the usual long political conversations in saeguk dramas :P
For InGuk fans out there like me, maybe it wont be so bad to re-watch it just to stare at how hot he is as a prince~~
Hope this helps :)
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Idiosyncratic SK interpretation of a sequel to 'Sleeping Beauty' from the Prince´s perspective :-)
I would like to see the KDrama "Yong Pal" as an idiosyncratic South Korean interpretation of a sequel to 'Sleeping Beauty' in the modern zeitgeist, which is told from the point of view of the prince - what had actually happened after the two had celebrated their wedding at the time? ..."Yong Pal" gives its own makjang-infused answer several centuries after the Brothers Grimm :-)Obviously, the story also has a critical focus on recent health care topics. Basically, the Hanshin Hospital takes center stage. This belongs to a Jaebeol conglomerate. Yong Pal is employed here as a talented young intern. But Yong Pal also works illegally as a doctor. Provided the price is right, he treats those who need medical care below the official radar of the health care system. Yong Pal gets promoted as exclusive doctor for the discreet care of the VIPs, too. On the 12th floor, the very rich and most influential patients stay within a separate department of the Hanshin Hospital, where, in addition to plenty of luxury and discretion, only the best medical care is guaranteed. Towards the end, Yong Pal also works as a doctor in a simple, small, rural clinic. Thus, in the course of the KDrama the protagonist's field of activity (and challenges with ethics, or rather the lack of it) covers the broad spectrum and the current focal points of the topics in health care (i.e. in South Korea).
In the beginning, Yong Pal is clearly at the center of the story, captivating the audience. The focus shifts after he meets coma patient Han Yeo-jin and helps her to regain consciousness, strength and her rightful legacy as Jaebeol of the Hanshin Group. From then on, everything revolves more around Yeo-jin and her vendetta. This isn't less impressive, especially with Kim Tae-hee's intense acting. However it is different. The second part thus offers pure Korean-style Makjang: more drama is always possible. As a result, storytelling takes another lane. (Many viewers obviously don't seem to have been very happy with that. Makjang fans, however, will definitely get their money's worth.) The transition between the first and second parts is moderated by a transition, which is filled with the blossoming romance between the two protagonists. From then on, however, there is hardly any room for a love-life in the protagonist's bitter fight for inheritance and revenge, in which she is ready to take any means. (You may want to take that against the KDrama as well.)
All in all, "Yong Pal" is a moving story that is grippingly exciting at the beginning and furthermore tells of a makjang-charged revenge. Love story included. Due to the success of the series at the time of broadcasting, actually two more episodes were added.
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This review will probably be my longest up to date. Bear with me because I have to put this film in its right temporal and spatial frameworks before talking about the film itself. If you’re not interested in history, you can skip the first two paragraphs and get to the film’s specific review.
I am history lover so it’s a given that I studied Japanese history way before I started watching Japanese classics and that knowledge in history helped me a lot when I started exploring the golden Japanese cinema. Seppuku is set at the beginning of the Edo era (17th century), an age of peace that lasted for more than 250 years in Japan where the Samurai class gradually lost the “warrior” side of their positions since there weren’t any wars to fight. As Tokugawa (the general who established his shogunate in Edo) gained complete control over Japan; many Samurai who fought the Sekigahara battle and others were left without clans to serve and were called “Ronin” meaning masterless Samurai. They were usually viewed as bandits whether intentionally or unintentionally, they lived in poverty but they didn’t lose their “samurai nobility” that’s still a higher rank than the peasants’ class. They also never gave up on their honorable ethics and beliefs.
In that era, many Ronin’s started to visit clans to request a “Seppuku” in their clans’ yard, meaning a ritual suicide where the Samurai has to literally disembowel himself using his Shinto (the Samurai in that era has a long Sword Katana and a smaller one Shinto that he always carry around with him, they’re considered as big part of his Samurai honor). The Harakiri (ritual suicide) is in fact an honorable death for a Samurai so it was dishonorable for clans to reject such a noble request from Ronins but they also didn’t want to let them kill themselves on their property so they either hired them as their clans’ Samurai (but that didn’t happen a lot since it’s an era of peace so the clans didn’t need many Samurai considering the fact that there’s no war) or they just gave them money and sent them away. As other Ronin heard about the story, they started to frequently visit clans in order to request a Seppuku but they never actually meant to kill themselves, they just wanted to take the money and leave. And that’s what’s called “Harakiri fraud” which is a cowardly, shameful act from a Samurai even if he’s a Ronin.
The history stops there although the clan that’s mentioned in this film (The Iyi clan) is a real clan that’s known as a very important figure in modern Japanese history. Now, let’s talk about the film itself; one clan (the Iyi clan) decided to stop these Harakiri frauds and made the Samurai who asked to commit seppuku kill himself so that other Ronin won’t dare show up in front of their clan. That’s how the story starts but through flashbacks, we get the overall story of that man, where he came from and why he came. His circumstances, his situation and his life were all told using flashbacks that were amazingly illustrated in order to produce spectacular turns of events.
Seppuku is a human Samurai film that deals with old Japanese codes of honor and ethical Samurai principles. Kobayashi wanted to introduce a somewhat anti-samurai film that deals with the shortcomings of some Samurai beliefs by using quotes such as “After all, this thing we call samurai honor is ultimately nothing but a façade” (said by Tsugumo Hanshiro) but then he comes back to insist on the codes of dignity. Unlike many Kurosawa films’ I saw where he always idolizes the Samurai figure. Don’t get me wrong, Kurosawa’s films are my favorites but what I meant to say is that Kobayashi and Kurosawa’s adaptations of Samurai stories are quite different even if they’re comparable, to each his own genius ideas of making masterpieces.
The film contained the sword fighting but it wasn’t the main focus of this film. The developments were surprising and quite intriguing to follow; in this film you get a taste of suspense, psychology, action, tragedy, revenge and even family. Although the film insists on the Samurai element more than anything else, it also focuses on family relationships, interactions and sacrifices as well as human and more specifically Samurai emotions.
If I keep talking then I won’t stop praising this film’s screenwriting by Shinobu Hashimoto and the original novel by Yasuhiko Takiguchi. I appreciated every angle of the story and the way it revealed facts at the most unexpected time. This is not a film that’s set to kill a Samurai through a ritual suicide or show the audience how a Samurai disembowel himself; it’s a film that describes the human emotions and feelings behind that act. However, I do understand if some people found the development a bit slow. As for me, my eyes were glued to the big screen the whole time without a single move or sound. Yes, it had that kind of impact on me.
The acting, oh my! what on earth can I say about that acting? I am not biased or someone who talks with full subjectivity so when I say that Nakadai was marvelous in this, I am not talking with a fangirl’s emotions, I am speaking with full objectivity about a Japanese legend. For me or anyone who knows classic Japan, Nakadai Tatsuya is a legendary star in the Japanese cinema and one hell of a charismatic astounding actor who can grab your intention in a split of a second. Like many of his other roles, Nakadai was amazing in this; his portrayal of Tsugumo Hanshiro’s character was flawless. Enough said or I won’t stop talking about that man’s incredible acting skills.
Other actors were also amazing; I was moved by their acting skills. It’s the golden Japanese era of cinema so it’s a given that only high-class acting exists. The characters were very well written and their relationships were fascinating to follow, I was moved by many characters’ developments in Seppuku.
Now let me talk about that breathtaking cinematography. I like to focus on cinematography while watching films and even though this was produced in 1962 (black and white); I was charmed by the back sceneries and great settings. Kobayachi did an awesome job with those mesmerizing takes that I will never forget.
I have to mention the soundtrack which I believe it’s the best music composure I ever heard in any Japanese classic.
Watch this if:
-You like Japanese classics or want to discover them.
-You enjoy Samurai films but keep in mind that this isn’t an action film.
-You love films with human stories.
-You like Masaki Kobayashi because this is his finest work.
-You like Nakadai Tatsuya because this is one of his best performances.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike Japanese classics.
-You dislike Samurai films.
To end my super long review, I will mention that Harakiri is a crafted masterpiece by Kobayashi and an eternal gem of the Japanese classic cinema that’s bound to take you through a great journey of amazing events and astonishing acting skills.
I will leave you with two quotes by Tsugumo Hanshiro:
“What befalls others today may be your own fate tomorrow.”
“The suspicious mind conjures its own demons.”
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Casino-gangster-crime atmosphere with an exotic ambiance. International style. Takes its time.
"Big Bet" was inspired by the legendary persona of a South Korean casino manager who made it to the top of the multi-billion dollar casino world in the Philippines... until he was framed for murder."Big Bet" is another KDrama that has been divided into two halves in streaming provider style. (Unfortunately, this is kind of becoming the new KDrama fad and I'm already bored to express my anger about it.)
Oh yes, and I'll say it in advance: if you're interested in the series because of Son Suk-ku, you'll have to stick with it for quite a few episodes - he doesn't appear until the end of the first season...
The Disney production deliberately presents itself internationally. Nevertheless, one gets some atmospheric, socio-historical milieu impressions from South Korea - especially from the 1970s and 1980s, because the story is repeatedly enriched by flashbacks. (In fact, the first season is almost one great flashback - with flashbacks within that flashback, so to speak.) While the first season is designed primarily as a character study of Cha Mu-sik, the second season arguably has the real crime thriller behind it. Topic: Murdered South Koreans in the Philippines and the associated dynamic between the South Korean-born, now renowned casino manager, who has now become a murder suspect, and the investigator Oh Seung-Hoon, who was sent to the Philippines from South Korea. So the actual "big bet" only really becomes an issue in the second season.
So what does the first season have to offer?
Plenty of impressions of Mu-sik's childhood days, youth (wonderful: Lee Kyu-hyung as a youthful Mu-sik - although eventually Lee Kyu-hyung has meanwhile left his youth behind him...) and of his first professional steps into Casino world as young adult. The protagonist has his own charm and amazing talents and so we experience Mu-sik, although he radiates some sort of unapproachable aura, as an authentic and fascinating man with plenty of heart and mind, with a quick grasp, good intuition, radical consequence and entrepreneurial charisma.
"Big Bet" is a Korean-American production. It is international in its self-image and presents itself as such. It is made by men and it is about men. About smoking men. Sweating men in suits. Men with tattoos, too. The man with the most screen time is “Oldboy” Choi Min-sik (from the acclaimed 2003 K-Movie). He plays his role effortlessly as a 30-year-old and almost 60-year-old alike (thanks to modern filming and image processing technology). For "Big Bet" he is back in top form after a decade-long break. All in all, in this KDrama we slide into a (conservative) world of men and gangsters. Their wives, if there are any, are at home with children and really don't know anything about anything. Exceptions are the wealthy, and due to her wealth influential CEO Ko (with a rather quick appearance but comparatively lasting impression: Lee Hye-young) and the young, by Korean standards sexually quite explicit, self-determined hotel employee Kim So-jung.
In the flashbacks, as I mentioned before, there is South Korea at times. Nonetheless, "Big Bet" is principally based in the Philippines. Filming there took about 3 months. This promises exotic local hue, although the focus is on the casino and hotel world - which in turn could somehow be anywhere. No expenses were spared with the casting either. Even the supporting roles were selected with care.
In short: "Big Bet" (Season 1) is a solid and ambitious character study of Mu-sik. His Story is told in a sophisticated way and staged well worth seeing. However, the series isn't really a KDrama-like KDrama. Anyone who likes a casino-gangster-crime atmosphere with an exotic ambiance will get their money's worth here. However, the story takes it´s time. It remains to be seen what the second half will come up with. I certainly have high expectation that "Big Bet" will even improve, now that Oh Seung-Hoon intrudes into Mu-sik's world with his investigations and thus will add further dynamic.
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