“Squid Game” creator Hwang Dong-hyuk and actor Lee Jung-jae on set | Image credit: Noh Joo-han/Netflix
The Squid Game remains Netflix’s biggest series in history, so it makes sense that the streamer would stay close to its creative engine. The streaming giant has announced the production of First Man Studio’s new Korean crime drama The Dealer, with Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk appointed as producer.
Casino drama where house rules keep changing
“Dealer” is about Jeon Gun-hwa, a talented casino dealer whose life changes completely due to housing fraud and his wedding plans are thrown into disarray. Pushed into a corner, Gong-hwa steps into the world of underground gambling, which he had tried to distance himself from, and leans into the power he has suppressed for years. That power allows her to turn any situation in her favor when the stakes are high.
Jeon So-min (Love Reset, Soul Alchemy, Love Next Door) plays Geong-hwa in what Netflix describes as a radical change from her previous roles, casting her as a character who kept her abilities buried until she had no choice but to survive.
Players surrounding Gonfa
Ryu Seung-beom (“Tazza: One-Eyed Jack,” “The Berlin Files”) co-stars as Hwang Chi-soo, a financially desperate gambler who is drawn into Gong-hwa’s dangerous plans.
Lee Soo-hyuk (S Line, Queen Woo, The Player 2: Master of Swindlers) plays Cho Joon, a formidable casino player with calm instincts and an unreadable poker face, and the eternal wildcard who can change the temperature of a room without raising his voice.
Ryu Kyung-soo (“Bequest,” JUNG_E) will round out his starring role as Choi Woo-sun, Gong-hwa’s fiancée. He is portrayed as a kind-hearted detective at home, but at work he is steely and never lets suspects escape.
New director, familiar squid game relationship
The series marks the directorial debut of acclaimed cinematographer Choi Young-hwan, whose credits include Smugglers, Veterans, Tazza: High Rollers, and Thieves. Onoo Yi and Lee Tae-young wrote “The Dealer,” and Choi intends to vividly express the glamor, tension, and charm of the casino world.
The connection with Squid Game is significant, as Netflix has previously pointed out the series’ superiority on the platform, including positioning the original season as the biggest series in history. Hwang also hinted that the world of the story could continue beyond the main series, with the possibility of spin-offs and English versions.
From left: Hwang Dong-hyuk, Ryu Kyung-soo, Jeon So-min, Choi Yong-hwan, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Ryu Seung-beom attend a reading of Netflix’s “The Dealer” in Seoul. |Image: Netflix
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