The film Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub crowns the finale of the 20-year Tazza series.
Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub (director: Choi Guk-hee, distributor: CJ ENM, provider/producer: C-JeS) is a crime film about Jang Tae-young (Byun Yo-Han), who thought he owned the world through an online casino business, and his close friend with the same name, Park Tae-young (Roh Jae Won), who took everything from him, meeting again on the global gambling stage for a final match of revenge.
Over the years the Tazza series has guarded Korea's Chuseok box office for 20 years. After the first Tazza in 2006 received great love during Chuseok, Tazza: The Hand of God in 2014 and Tazza: One Eyed Jack in 2019 also met audiences at the same time, solidifying Tazza as a series associated with Chuseok. Against this backdrop, Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub will open on Sept. 23, the day before the Chuseok holiday, continuing that baton.
Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub is the final installment of the series adapted from the original manhwa by Huh Young-man. If the previous installments shared parts of a universe, this work can be regarded as a completely independent piece. While the earlier three focused on head-to-head matches between people obsessed with gambling, this film expands the theme to "friends" and becomes a "rivals' revenge" story.
Jang Tae-young and Park Tae-young were the closest friends, even sharing the same name, but when one person takes everything from the other, their friendship turns to revenge. The story begins with the envy and hurt toward a friend that anyone has experienced at least once. Also, as the film moves between Korea, Japan and Vietnam and gamblers from around the world gather in one place, the scale of the matches becomes the largest in the series. The outcome of the two friends' contest among unfamiliar opponents has drawn the attention of prospective viewers.
Notably, original author Huh Young-man once called Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub his favorite story in the Tazza series. Director Choi Guk-hee said, "I knew it would be the final Tazza series and wanted to make it really well," and added, "Good actors and staff gathered, and the process was wonderful. You can expect a lot." Byun Yo-Han also said, "The Tazza series ultimately tells human stories, and whether it's hwatu or poker, those are just tools," hinting that the film will resonate with and entertain adult audiences.
Meanwhile, Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub opens on Sept. 23.
[Photo] CJ ENM, C-JeS
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