4 Asian gambling movies to watch

In our previous article, we went through some modern Hollywood films from recent years that all manage to convey the adrenaline and pleasure of gambling and the lottery. Now, let’s travel to the other side of the word and see how the Asian entertainment industry tries to portray the exciting world of gambling in the silverscreens.

Here are four Asian films about gambling that you should try watching.

The Conman (1998)

As stated in its title, the film tells the story of a con man named King who has no regard for anything. As a result of a tragic card game incident, King loses his color vision and kills a guy. For the next five years, he languishes in jail, completely oblivious to the fate of his family. In his five years behind bars, he became an expert at horse racing. After his release, a guy called Dragon comes to see him. The only thing on King’s mind is reuniting with his wife and son. However, as he looks for the whereabouts of his family, he finds success in the horse racing industry thanks to his partnership with Dragon.

God of Gamblers (1989)
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Ko Chun is the protagonist of this Chinese-Japanese film. Ko Chun, while considered as one of the top gamblers in the world, is a mysterious man who prefers to stay out of the limelight. Regardless, he is easily distinguishable thanks to his penchant for chocolate, his distinctive haircut, and his signature pink ring. He often wins against a Japanese top player, Tanaka, at dice and mahjong tournaments. Later, the two join forces on a quest to revenge Tanaka’s father’s loss and suicide at the hands of Singaporean gambler Chan Kam-sing.

Poker King (2009)

This Asian masterpiece tells the tale of a family that makes their living in the gambling industry. Unsurprisingly, the family has a misfit member named Jack. Before Jack discovered the glory of Texas holdem poker on the internet, he had little interest in the family company. But there’s a catch: he excels at poker on the internet, but his real-life poker skills are behind. Inevitably, his competitor will figure out his weak spot and challenge him to a fight in the flesh. When all the cards have been dealt, Jack will try to emerge victorious in poker.

Tazza: The High Rollers (2006)

The award-winning film, which was adapted from a manga series, is considered South Korea’s top gambling film. Considered a critical and commercial success, it was the country’s second highest-grossing film that year. The film follows a talented card player named Goni as he enters the seedy world of underground gambling. Professional cheat gamblers have cheated Goni out of his life’s savings and even took money from his family. As a result, Goni decides to learn from one of the top gamblers in the nation, Mr. Pyeong, in hopes of winning back the money he lost. As he and Pyeong go to different gambling establishments around the nation, he gains notoriety. Throughout his journey, criminal gambling ring leader Madam Jeong learns about Goni and eventually develops feelings for him. After his affair with Jeong, Goni leaves Pyeong to work for her. However, following Madam Jeong’s incarceration, Goni teams up with fellow pro Gwang.