Big Deal (film)
2025 film by Choi Yoon-jin
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Big Deal (Korean: 소주전쟁) is a 2025 South Korean semi-autobiographical drama film loosely based on the real-life sale of Jinro during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The film follows Pyo Jong-rok (Yoo Hae-jin), a patriotic financial director at a soju company, and Choi In-beom (Lee Je-hoon), a revenue-driven global investment employee, as they clash over the fate of Korea's national liquor brand.[3] It was released theatrically in South Korea on May 30, 2025.
| Big Deal | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 소주전쟁 |
| Hanja | 燒酒戰爭 |
| Lit. | Soju Wars |
| RR | Soju jeonjaeng |
| MR | Soju chŏnjaeng |
| Written by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Kim Seong-an |
| Music by | Dalpalan |
Production company | The Lamp |
| Distributed by | Showbox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 105 minutes[1] |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Box office | US$2 million[2] |
The film was originally directed by Choi Yun-jin but her name was omitted from the final credits after the production company, The Lamp, dismissed her, citing allegations of script appropriation. A Seoul court rejected her injunction to reverse the dismissal, allowing Big Deal to be released without her directorial credit.[4][5]
Synopsis
Set during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the film follows Pyo Jong-rok, the CFO of Gukbo Group, a renowned soju company facing financial turmoil. Choi In-beom, an ambitious employee from the global investment firm Solqueen, approaches Gukbo with plans for acquisition. As the two men, driven by contrasting motivations, engage in a corporate battle, their relationship evolves, with soju serving as a symbolic bridge between them.[6]
Cast
- Yoo Hae-jin as Pyo Jong-rok, CFO of Gukbo Group[7][8]
- Lee Je-hoon as Choi In-beom, an employee at global investment firm Solqueen[9]
- Son Hyun-joo as Seok Jin-woo, the heir of Gukbo Group
- Choi Young-joon as Koo Young-mo, the head lawyer representing Gukbo Group
- Byron Mann as the head of the Hong Kong branch of Solqueen
- Kim Ki-hae as Baek Seong-bin
- Lee Chang-ho as development researcher
- Stephanie Michova as Julia
- Jang Jae-hyun as reporter
Production
The film's cinematography is led by Kim Seong-an, known for his work on Intimate Strangers (2018) and Pilot (2024). Art director Kim Bo-mi, recognized for her contributions to Default (2018) and Escape (2024), brings a nuanced visual aesthetic to the film, capturing the emotional depth of the characters and the era.[6]
Release
Originally slated for release on June 3, 2025, Big Deal was rescheduled to premiere on May 30, 2025, to coincide with South Korea's Golden Week holiday, aiming to attract a larger audience during the peak movie-going season.[10][unreliable source?][11]