Big Issue ~ What Price Would You Pay for the Perfect Photograph?

“Big Issue” is a 2019 Korean drama, 32 episodes, categorized as Thriller, Mystery, and Romance. It is streaming on KOCOWA+ and Apple TV.

 

• Memorable Quote:  “I can find the person no problem.” … “It’s my daughter.”

SUMMARY: After losing everything because of a devastating scandal, a former photojournalist is recruited by a powerful tabloid editor to work in the dangerous world of celebrity exposés. They chase increasingly explosive stories, but both must confront corruption, ambition, and the true cost of revealing the truth.

♦ Being a Celebrity is Not So Glamorous

Big Issue explores the dark side of celebrity culture. Set in the highly competitive world of tabloid journalism and paparazzi photography.

Han Seok-Joo

Once a respected and talented photojournalist with a promising career and a loving family. One photograph changes everything. After becoming involved in a scandal that spirals beyond his control, Han Seok-Joo loses his professional reputation, his family, and ultimately his sense of purpose. Reduced to living on the margins of society, he becomes a man haunted by regret and desperate for a second chance.

Ji Soo-Hyun

An ambitious and notoriously ruthless editor-in-chief of a powerful tabloid organization. Brilliant, calculating, and feared throughout the media industry, Ji Soo-Hyun thrives on uncovering celebrity secrets and generating explosive headlines. Yet beneath her cold exterior lies a complex woman carrying ambitions and motivations that are far more layered than they first appear.

Recognizing Han Seok-Joo’s extraordinary photographic talent, Ji Soo-Hyun recruits him into her organization. It’s his “second chance”. What begins as a practical arrangement quickly develops into one of the drama’s most compelling relationships. Their partnership is built on mutual need, but as they pursue increasingly high-stakes stories, they begin to uncover corruption, hidden agendas, and dangerous secrets that extend far beyond celebrity gossip.

As Han Seok-Joo returns to the world of photography, he faces difficult moral choices. Every assignment forces him to reevaluate the line between exposing the truth and exploiting human vulnerability. The camera that once destroyed his life becomes both his greatest weapon and his greatest burden. Meanwhile, Ji Soo-Hyun must navigate rival media organizations, powerful business interests, and enemies determined to protect their secrets at any cost.

• Why did Han Seoj-Joo fall? He needed money for his sick daughter.
• Why did Ji Soo-Hyun rise? She didn’t know he had a sick daughter.

They both need a second chance and a shot at redemption.

Main Characters:

• Han Seok-Joo (played by Joo Jin-Mo, “Bad Guys: Vile City”, “Empress Ki”, “Friend: The Great Legacy”)
• Ji Soo-Hyun (played by Han Ye-Seul, “Birth of a Beauty”, “Will It Snow for Christmas?”)
• Jo Hyung-Joon (played by Kim Hee-Won, “Troll Factory”, “Project Silence”, “Moving 1 and 2”, “Han River Police”, “Gold Land”, “Pawn”, “The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful”, “Hi-5”, “Unlocked”)
• Jang Hye-Jung (played by Shin So-Yul, “Train”, “Reply 1997”, “Ghost Station”)
• Bae Min-Jung (played by Choi Song-Hyun, “Vampire Detective”)

Where to Watch: KOCOWA+ and Apple TV

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 6.9 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 7.8 out of 10 stars
• Viki viewers rated the series: 9.2 out of 10 stars
• Amazon customers: 4 out of 5 stars

My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers.

This is a K-drama that offers a fascinating look at the machinery behind modern scandal reporting. Rather than glamorizing celebrity culture, “Big Issue” examines how information is gathered, manipulated, and weaponized. Every photograph carries consequences, and every headline has the power to elevate or destroy lives. The suspense keeps viewers invested.

The lead characters are intelligent but flawed, and constantly forced to confront the impact of their decisions. This Korean drama examines media ethics, personal redemption, and the pursuit of truth in a world where appearances can be deceiving.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Big Issue: Reality and Fiction Outbidding Each Other in a Moral Freefall | RICEMEGATRON EXPERT: KOREAN SCREEN INSIGHTS

Big Issue [Review]. | Red Watches TV

Korean Drama Premiere Review: Big Issue | Chasing Carefree

Full Review: Big Issue (2019) | Kdrama and Ramen

TRAILER/TEASER:

Singapore, Viu. “Big Issue 빅이슈 Teaser.” YouTube, 1 Mar. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cup0t2OXdEw&t=1s.

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