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Read Full BioThe South Korean actors Jung So-min and Ryu Seung-beom will appear in a casino-themed Netflix drama series created by the makers of “Squid Game” and the movie “The Thieves.”
The series, entitled “The Dealer,” is now in production, according to Netflix officials.
The stars Lee Soo-hyuk and Ryu Kyung-soo will also star in the drama, according to a report by the South Korean news agency Yonhap on January 14.
The producers describe the drama as a crime thriller. It will center on a casino dealer named Gun-hwa (played by Jung So-min). Gun-hwa loses the money she was planning to spend on her wedding and nuptial home to fraudsters. This forces her to take a job in the high-stakes gambling world, where she must channel her hidden talents.
Ryu Seung-beom will play the role of Hwang Chi-soo, a former gambler and casino hustler who finds himself allied with Gun-hwa as she devises a dangerous plan to get her money back.
Lee Soo-hyuk will play a poker-faced gambler with outstanding betting skills. Ryu Kyung-soo, meanwhile, will play the role of Choi Woo-seung, Gun-hwa’s love interest and a detective in a police unit that deals with violent crimes.
The film will be directed by Choi Young-hwan, who worked as a cinematographer on another hit gambling-related title: “Tazza: The High Rollers.”
Jung So-min Plays Lead Role in Netflix Gambling Drama
Choi was also in charge of cinematography for the movies “Smugglers,” “Veteran,” and “The Thieves.”
Hwang Dong-hyeok, most famous for directing the Netflix title “Squid Game,” has joined the series as a planner and producer.
The streaming platform has not yet set a release date for the series.
Ryu Seung-bum is another major South Korean film star. He has appeared in international box-office hits such as “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” and 2019’s “Tazza: One Eyed Jack.”
Jung has made a name for herself in South Korean drama series titles, starring in hits such as “Bad Guy” (2010). She also appeared in “Because This Is My First Life” (2017), “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?” (2018), and 2025’s “Would You Marry Me?”
Ryu Kyung-soo is best known for his roles in the Korean drama series hits “Itaewon Class” (2020) and “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” (2023).
Lee Soo-hyuk, meanwhile, is a model and actor who appeared in the supernatural drama “Tomorrow” (2022). Last year, he appeared in the crime thriller series “S Line” (2025).
Gambling has become the subject of several hit TV shows in South Korea this year. Most notable of all is the third season of “Taxi Driver,” where the eponymous hero (played by Lee Je-hoon) infiltrated a cross-border illegal online sports betting ring.
Earlier this month, a South Korean court jailed a man for stealing casino chips, jewelry, and cash from his employer’s safe to fuel his own gambling addiction.
A district court in the city of Chuncheon jailed the man, aged 36 and unnamed for legal reasons, for 14 months.
Drama Glamorizes Casino World
Netflix said that, “Choi is set to bring the glitz, tension and allure of the casino world to life.” Casinos are largely prohibited for South Koreans, except for one venue, High1, operated by Kangwon Land, which accepts local players. The country has 16 other casinos, which only accept foreign passport holders.
The country’s President Lee Jae-myung has warned that gambling poses a dangerous threat to society. Lee stated, “I believe there are several terminal factors that could lead to the downfall of [South Korea]. I think these terminal factors include the menace of loan sharks and gambling.”
However, gambling operators have said the country’s strict rules, restricting opening hours and betting volumes, are driving gamblers to offshore platforms.
Loan sharks reportedly target minors, offering them money to gamble online. The criminal groups allegedly target youths with gambling problems, offering them loans with interest rates as high as 30%.
Amid a rise in underage gambling, there have been efforts to combat the problem. Last month, Korean banking giant Hana Financial Group announced plans to spend 5 billion won ($3.4 million) on anti-youth gambling initiatives.
The drama series could increase the interest in gambling among the country’s youth. One character, Jo Jun, is described as a “casino player who turns the tables.”
“Armed with razor-sharp skills and an impenetrable poker face, Jun dominates the casino tables, raising the tension at every turn,” Netflix adds in the character’s bio.
Netflix Invests in Asian Gambling Dramas
The series follows another Netflix production centered on the Asian gambling world. The platform released Ballad of a Small Player last year, which followed the life of Lord Doyle, a gambler in Macau’s casino world, played by Colin Farrell.
The movie received mixed reviews with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 49%. It follows several other productions from streaming platforms with a focus on gambling.
When contacted for comment, the production team behind The Dealer did not immediately respond.
— Adam Roarty contributed to this story
