In the gripping new thriller “No Way Out: The Roulette,” police and criminals are entangled in a high-stakes game of life and death. Starring Cho Jin-woong (Signal) and Yoo Jae-myung (Itaewon Class), this series marks the drama debut of acclaimed film director Choi Kook-hee (Default, Life Is Beautiful).
Cho Jin-woong portrays Baek Joong-sik, a detective in desperate need of money after being scammed. Assigned to investigate butcher Yoon Chang-jae (Lee Kwang-soo, Live), who is in the hospital after losing an ear, Joong-sik’s path leads him to the home of Im Ji-hong (Hyun Bong-sik, Gyeongseong Creature). There, he discovers a carrier case filled with a billion won in cash, setting off a chain of events that complicates his life further.
As Joong-sik delves deeper, he learns of a masked man orchestrating a series of violent crimes through an online roulette game, offering large sums of money to those who commit these heinous acts. The stakes rise dramatically when the target becomes the notorious rapist and killer Kim Guk-ho (Yoo Jae-myung), who is about to be released from prison. The prize for killing him is a staggering 20 billion won (US$14.7 million), drawing numerous would-be assassins out of the woodwork.
Assigned to protect Guk-ho, Joong-sik finds himself in a situation reminiscent of Takashi Miike’s “Shield of Straw,” where he must safeguard a despicable individual from a city full of people eager to cash in on his death. Simultaneously, Chang-jae, believing the money rightfully his, begins his quest to reclaim the fortune.
“No Way Out: The Roulette” is a dark and gritty series that explores the moral ambiguities and desperation of its characters. The narrative weaves through themes of chance, societal pressures, and the lengths people will go to in pursuit of wealth. This series stands out with its raw depiction of humanity’s darker side, offering a narrative fluidity and grim realism that set it apart from the polished nature of streaming originals like “Squid Game.”
Echoing elements from classics of Korean cinema such as Kim Jee-woon’s “I Saw the Devil” and “A Hard Day,” the series draws viewers into its intense and unpredictable storyline. Cho Jin-woong, who originally played the villain in “A Hard Day,” now takes on the role of a morally complex detective.
Future episodes will feature Kim Moo-yul (Sweet Home season 2) as lawyer Lee Sang-bong, and Yum Jung-ah (SKY Castle) as Ahn Myung-ja, the mayor of Hosan. Together, they add depth to the already rich tapestry of characters.
“No Way Out: The Roulette” promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, delivering a thrilling and satisfying experience where every scene brings a new surprise, much like last year’s unexpected hit, “A Bloody Lucky Day.”
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