An Intro to Tazza: The High Rollers
Tazza: The High Rollers is a South Korean film about gambling which is based on the comic series of the same name that was done by Kim Se-Yeong and Hun Young Man and is all about the gambling subculture and the assortment of players.
The film was officially released on the 28th of September 2006 in Korea and was distributed by CJ Entertainment.
Directed by Choi Dong Hoon, the film centres on gambling transients and the Korean card game called Hwatu. Hwatu is a popular card game played throughout Korea which translates to War of Flowers.
A sequel to the film called Tazza: The Hidden Card began filming in early 2014 and was released on the 3rd of September 2014. The sequel was directed by Kang Hyeong-Cheol.
Tazza: The High Rollers was filmed on location in South Korea and also in Subic, Zambales, Philippines. The film is an estimated 139 minute long production that is in South Korean.
Brief Synopsis of Tazza: The High Rollers
Tazza: The High Rollers is about a man named Goni, played by Jo Seung-Woo Cho, who is down on his luck and loses all of his own life savings as well as money he stole from his family to a swindler on a game of Hwatu.
Goni is then determined to get his money back so he begins training under Mr Pyeong, played by Baek Yoon Sik, who is one of the best gamblers in the country.
Goni eventually becomes very well-known in the gambling world as he travels to gambling establishments all around the country.
A woman known as Madame Jeong owns an illegal gambling set up starts to show an interest in him so he leaves Mr Pyeong behind and begins to work for Madame Jeong, played by Kim Hye-Soo whom he eventually has a love affair with.
Madame Jeong gets arrested and Goni then meets another professional gambler named Ko Gwang-Ryeol, played by Yoo Hae-Jin, and the two of them become gambling partners.
The Film’s Success and Critical Acclaim
With a filming budget of US$5.5 million, Tazza: The High Rollers became one of the highest earning films in South Korea that year after grossing almost US$40 million at the box office.
The film was a huge success commercially won critical acclaim. Its success resulted in the film receiving numerous nominations and awards.
At the 2006 Blue Dragon Film Awards, Tazza: The High Rollers received nominations for best film; best; director; best actor; best supporting actor; best lighting and a technical award.
Kim Hye-Soo won the best actress award and Choi Young-Hwan won best cinematography. In 2007, Kim Hye-Soo was nominated for best actress at the Asian Film awards.
At the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Baeksang Arts Awards, the Grand Bell Awards and the Korea Movie Star Awards in 2007 Tazza: The High Rollers received a variety of further nominations for best film; best director; best actor; best actress; best supporting actor; best cinematography and best editing.
Awards were won for best director; best editing; best actor; best actress; best supporting actor and best costumes.
You can watch the trailer for Tazza: The High Rollers below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrkVNd3lfJw
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