Is Jung So Min About to Lead Netflix's The Dealer?
Jung So Min is set to headline Netflix thriller The Dealer, marking her first Netflix-produced project and a sharp turn from global favorites like Love Next Door, Be Melodramatic, Abyss, and Alchemy of Souls. Plot details are under wraps, but anticipation is already surging for the star’s darkest role yet.
I love a good high-concept K-drama, and this one swings for the fences: Jung So Min is set to lead a Netflix thriller called "The Dealer" — her first Netflix-produced series. Yes, the "Alchemy of Souls" star is moving from mage wars to the poker table, and the premise is delightfully odd in exactly the way I want from a late-night binge.
What "The Dealer" is about
The story follows Jeong Geon Hwa, a casino dealer who is about to get married. Then everything goes sideways: she gets scammed and loses her entire home deposit. With four years at the Ocean Land Casino under her belt and a reputation for being seriously good at the job, she decides to gamble her way out of the hole — literally.
Complication number one: the casino is slipping financially and launches a massive Texas Hold'em tournament to bring in cash. Complication number two: Geon Hwa has started brushing up against some dangerous people in the criminal underworld and would really like to make it to the altar in one piece.
And then there's the hook that makes this a true K-drama swing: when she's drunk, she can tell if someone is lying. Is it ridiculous? Yes. Do I want to see her bluff-call mobsters with a whiskey-fueled superpower? Also yes.
Who's behind it (and who's in it)
Script comes from Lee Tae Young, best known for "On Your Wedding Day," with Choi Young Hwan directing. As of now, Jung So Min is the only cast member attached. It marks her first Netflix-produced project after a run of internationally licensed series like "Love Next Door," "Be Melodramatic," "Abyss," and "Alchemy of Souls." She is currently appearing in "Would You Marry Me?" and recently became a free agent after her two-year deal with IEUM Hashtag ended.
Timeline, episode count, and the small industry detail that matters
This is still in pre-production, which explains the light casting. A recruitment notice for the art team pegs the job period from September 2025 to May 2026 — a pretty clear hint at the broad filming window. Factor in post, and you’re looking at a release window around late 2026 or early 2027. The plan right now is 11 episodes, about 45 minutes each.
- Title: "The Dealer"
- Format: Netflix-produced K-drama thriller
- Lead: Jung So Min ("Alchemy of Souls")
- Writer/Director: Lee Tae Young ("On Your Wedding Day") / Choi Young Hwan
- Premise: Casino dealer Jeong Geon Hwa, scammed out of her home deposit, enters a huge Texas Hold'em tournament at Ocean Land Casino to win it back
- Twist: When she's drunk, she can detect lies
- Status: Only Jung So Min attached so far; still in pre-production
- Filming window hint: Art team hiring lists Sept 2025–May 2026
- Release timing: Likely late 2026 or early 2027
- Episodes/Runtime: 11 episodes, around 45 minutes each
- Jung So Min updates: Currently in "Would You Marry Me?"; now a free agent after IEUM Hashtag contract ended
Bottom line
A bride-to-be with a booze-activated lie detector taking on a high-stakes poker tournament while dodging criminals? That’s the kind of pulpy, specific premise that either collapses or sings — and with Jung So Min fronting it, I’m betting the latter. Now we wait for the rest of the cast and a firm start date.