Big Deal

Big Deal is a South Korean thriller film based on the novel of the same name by Byeon Ho-soon. The movie revolves around the Asian financial crisis of 1997 and its crippling effects on Korea's Soju industry, particularly on Gukbo, the country's number one Soju company. At the beginning of the film, Gukbo is on the verge of bankruptcy due to the financial turmoil. In-beom Lee, a young and ambitious associate at the global investment firm Solquin, is tasked with taking over the company through a merger and acquisition (M&A) deal. In-beom sees this opportunity as a chance to not only make a name for himself in the high-stakes world of corporate takeovers but also to prove his worth to his senior colleagues at Solquin. As In-beom prepares to head back to Korea to close the deal, he plans to approach Gukbo from a strategic perspective. He has one major asset on his side: his education at some of the world's best business schools, where he honed his skills in the art of manipulation and negotiation. In-beom plans to play the role of a straight-shooting consultant who aims to help Gukbo overcome its financial challenges and regain its footing in the market. During his first meeting with Jong-rok Shin, the acting second-in-command at Gukbo, In-beom portrays himself as a clean-cut, Harvard-educated M&A expert who claims to be interested in helping the company get back on its feet. Jong-rok, initially wary of Solquin's intentions, is slowly won over by In-beom's charms and agrees to let him become involved in the company's decision-making process. However, as In-beom begins to manipulate his way around Gukbo, his true intentions become increasingly apparent. He is not what he seems to be, and Jong-rok starts to suspect that something is amiss. The rest of the story revolves around In-beom's Machiavellian tactics and the intricate dance of power struggles that take place within Gukbo. Throughout the series of events that unfold, In-beom walks a thin line between deception and truth, keeping his intentions hidden even from Jong-rok, who becomes increasingly entangled in In-beom's web of intrigue. As the relationship between the two men deepens, the stakes are raised, and Jong-rok begins to question his loyalty to both Gukbo and In-beom. Gukbo's struggle for survival mirrors the turmoil of the Korean economy during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In-beom's pursuit of power and wealth serves as a commentary on the darker side of capitalism and the moral ambiguity that can arise in high-stakes corporate takeovers. As the plot twists and turns, Big Deal delves into the complexities of the human psyche, exposing the extent to which people will go to achieve their goals. The movie's title, "Big Deal," suggests that its drama lies not in the grand events that shape the corporate world but in the intricate, high-stakes battles that unfold within it. Big Deal exposes the smoke-and-mirrors world of high finance, where the pursuit of wealth and power can drive individuals to make decisions that have far-reaching consequences for those around them. In the end, the outcome of Gukbo's fate is left uncertain, as Jong-rok becomes increasingly torn between his loyalty to the company he has sworn to protect and his growing distrust of the man he has entrusted with its survival. In a chilling climax, the lines between truth and deception become blurred, leaving the audience to ponder the true intentions of In-beom and the extent to which his ambition has consumed him.