K-drama star Son Suk-ku fired real bullets for new series Big Bet

Shooting a real gun and indulging in Jollibee fried chicken – these were a couple of significant moments for the cast of K-drama Big Bet.

The series, which premieres on Disney+ on Wednesday, also marks the first time in 25 years that South Korean cinema legend Choi Min-sik is appearing in a television drama.

The 60-year-old, known for films such as Oldboy (2003) and The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014), plays Cha Mu-sik, a South Korean man who fought his way to the top to become the Philippines’ casino king, but gets tangled in a murder case.

Choi is hardly the only beloved name in the cast. Son Suk-ku (My Liberation Notes, 2022), Heo Sung-tae (Squid Game, 2021) and Lee Dong-hwi (Extreme Job, 2019) also star in the show.

Here are five things they revealed about the 16-parter, which will air over two seasons of eight episodes, at a press conference and at a separate interview with The Straits Times last Wednesday.

1. Legendary leading man

Even the stacked cast of Big Bet was star-struck by its lead actor Choi. Son, who plays a South Korean policeman dispatched to the Philippines, was in awe the first time he saw Choi act.

“His acting was so real and natural that I didn’t even realise he had begun acting. It was so authentic, as if he was just being himself. I was in awe. It made me a bit nervous because I didn’t want to come across as unnatural,” the 39-year-old recalls.

Choi, who is returning to the small screen for the first time since 1997’s Love And Separation, says he has missed telling a longer story. With the help of de-ageing technology, he plays Mu-sik from his 30s to 50s.

 

He explains: “Movies are intense, but they’re only two hours long. It gives you a lot of pressure, and I’m not always satisfied with what I’ve done.

“With television, you get to tell an extended story and showcase all the sides of your character. It’s physically challenging, but I’ve missed it.”

2. Real guns and bullets

With much of the series involving gambling, crime, gangs and police tracking down these illegal activities, guns were a big part of the show.

In an interview with ST, Son says that was one of his most memorable takeaways from the series.

“I’ve tried shooting a rifle, but I’d never tried a pistol. I practised shooting a pistol with real bullets with Choi Min-sik and it was quite scary. Even though I was just shooting at the target, I could feel the reverberations from the shot.“

3. Cool with getting punched

 

Heo had fun with his action sequences too, even when he was getting punched and kicked. The 45-year-old plays a gangster who believes Mu-sik and him are friends, but circumstances soon pit them against each other.

“There’s a scene I really like in (2013 crime film) New World, where the actor Hwang Jung-min gets beat up brutally in an elevator. I have a similar scene here. Even though I was the one getting beat up, I was very happy because the scene looked so cool,” he says.

4. Loud-mouthed sidekick

While his co-stars were busy firing shots and getting beaten to a pulp, Lee, 37, played Jong-pal – Mu-sik’s loud-mouthed, moustachioed right-hand man with a flashy dress sense.

He says: “My character is a big talker. That’s where all my action is. But Suk-ku and Sung-tae had many running scenes, so I worried if their joints were feeling okay.”

5. Fried chicken joy

Since Mu-sik’s casino empire is based in the Philippines, much of the series was filmed in the South-east Asian nation.

But the scorching weather was not what left the strongest impression. When asked what he enjoyed about working in the Philippines, Heo lights up as he mentions fast-food chain Jollibee, known for its fried chicken.

Flashing an excited smile, he says: “Jollibee. Jollibee was very good.”

• Big Bet premieres on Disney+ on Wednesday. A second season is expected to premiere in 2023.