Tazza (TV series)

Tazza is a 2008 South Korean television series starring Jang Hyuk, Han Ye-seul, Kim Min-jun, Kang Sung-yeon, Son Hyun-joo and Kim Kap-soo. It aired on SBS from September 16 to November 25, 2008 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 18 episodes.

The series is based on a manhwa of the same name by Huh Young-man and Kim Se-yeong, which was also made into the 2006 live-action film Tazza: The High Rollers.

Plot
Kind and warm-hearted, Goni (Jang Hyuk) only hopes for a better life for his single, hard-working mother (Park Soon-chun). He first starts gambling to make money to buy her a sewing machine, and even encourages her remarriage with local photographer Dae-ho (Lee Ki-young). What Goni doesn't know, however, is that his stepfather used to be Jirisan's notorious swindler and that Goni's best friend Young-min (Kim Min-jun) is actually plotting against Dae-ho. In the end, Dae-ho is killed because of Young-min, and Goni is framed. He lands in jail where he learns the ins and outs of gambling in the card game hwatu (lit. "war of flowers"). Upon Goni's release, he has only one goal: to gamble his way to the top and exact revenge on Young-min and his mastermind uncle Agwi (Kim Kap-soo).

Main characters

 * Jang Hyuk as Kim Goni
 * Yeo Jin-goo as young Goni
 * Han Ye-seul as Lee Nan-sook / Mi-na
 * Lee Han-na as young Nan-sook
 * Kim Min-jun as Young-min
 * Kang Sung-yeon as Madam Jeong
 * Son Hyun-joo as Go Kwang-ryeol
 * Kim Kap-soo as Agwi

Supporting characters

 * Im Hyun-sik as Pyeong Kyeong-jang
 * Lee Ki-young as Kang Dae-ho, Goni's stepfather
 * Park Soon-chun as Soon-im, Goni's mother
 * Im Ji-kyu as Sung-chan
 * Jang Won-young as Kye Dong-choon
 * Oh Jung-se as Kwang-tae, Nan-sook's brother
 * Kim Ji-young as Young-min's aunt
 * Lee So-jung as Pyeong Yoo-ra
 * Ahn Nae-sang as Myung-soo, Goni's father
 * Kwon Tae-won as Bool-gom ("Brown Bear")
 * Song Jong-ho as Ahn Se-hoon
 * Park Yong-soo as General Choi
 * Shin Seung-hwan as Goni's friend
 * Seo Dong-soo as Yong-pal
 * Jo Sang-gu as Jjakgwi
 * Baek Chan-ki as Chief priest Gam
 * Bang Kil-seung as Doksa ("Viper")
 * Kim Sung-hoon as Dong-choon's acting boss
 * Kim Yang-woo as swindler
 * Jeon Chang-gul as prison official

Awards

 * 2008 SBS Drama Awards
 * Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Planning Drama: Jang Hyuk
 * Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Planning Drama: Han Ye-seul
 * Excellence Award, Supporting Actor in a Special Planning Drama: Son Hyun-joo
 * Best Young Actor: Yeo Jin-goo
 * Top 10 Stars: Han Ye-seul

International broadcast

 * It aired in Vietnam from August 5, 2009 on HTV3, under the title Canh bạc nghiệt ngã.