Disney+ Series 'Casino' Heats Up with Intense Rivalry in the Philippines

The Disney+ original series 'Casino', directed and written by Kang Yoon-sung and produced by Arc Media, C-JeS Entertainment, and BA Entertainment, is set to bring intense drama to the screen as 'Cha Moo-sik' (played by Choi Min-sik) enters the Philippine casino scene, pursued by 'Oh Seung-hoon' (played by Son Seok-koo). This new series promises to deliver a gripping tension to viewers. Previously, MBC's Friday-Saturday dramas like 'Bunny and Brothers' and 'Director Maeng's Trolls' recorded disappointing ratings below 1%.

In the preview for this week's episode, Cha Moo-sik gains the trust of Chairman Min Seok-jun (played by Kim Hong-pa) and makes his grand entrance into the 'Bolton Casino', the largest in the Philippines. As Moo-sik builds connections with local political figures, he steadily climbs to the center of power, marking the return of the 'Casino King'.

However, lurking behind the glamour is a dark shadow. A mysterious murder in a Philippine sugarcane field confronts Moo-sik head-on. He tells Yang Jeong-pal (played by Lee Dong-hwi) in a low voice, "It's a murder case," while keeping a close watch on the scene. Even the Philippine Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is involved, and Moo-sik boldly faces the investigators, saying, "You know who I am, right?" This raises viewers' curiosity about how he will navigate or exploit the situation.

Meanwhile, the appearance of 'Korean Desk' Oh Seung-hoon, played by Son Seok-koo, signals another axis of conflict. Dispatched to the Philippines to investigate the death of a Korean national, Seung-hoon receives a warning from local CIDG investigator Mark (played by Nico Antonio), "Mr. Cha seemed to know everything. You really need to be careful."

With this warning in mind, Seung-hoon's investigation becomes more relentless, and his pursuit of Cha Moo-sik begins to create cracks within the casino. Moo-sik retorts, "Do you think you can beat me in the Philippines? You absolutely can't," but their battle, like a gambling game, is expected to be unpredictable.

At the end of the preview, Oh Seung-hoon is seen screaming in front of a gun, accompanied by Cha Moo-sik's narration, "Now you see why you can't beat me," hinting at an unpredictable storyline that heightens viewers' tension.

MBC's special series, the Disney+ original 'Casino', is a crime action drama depicting the intense psychological battle between the legendary 'Cha Moo-sik', who makes a final gamble after his downfall, and the persistent 'Korean Desk' detective 'Oh Seung-hoon' (played by Son Seok-koo). The series debuted last week, immediately securing the top spot in viewership ratings for its time slot.

Reported by Kim Se-ah, TenAsia haesmik@tenasia.co.kr