Racket Boys (2021)

Took me back to REPLY days T T

LONG REVIEW ALERT
Racket Boys is a coming of age, slice of life, feel good, sports comedy drama which along with the sports of badminton also shows you different shades of life. It will make you witness, observe and analyse different forms of relationships, various shapes of love, many aspects of life and immense depths of life values. I am not lying, it reminded me of my REPLY SERIES days because of similar screenplay technique used in it.

Another peculiar fact about this drama that's clearly visible is that unlike it's name suggests, it's not entirely, or even majorly about Badminton, even though all the main characters are involved in this sports. It's just like Hospital Playlist which despite it's name, mainly deals with day-to-day happenings of the hospital and not just surgeries, diseases, management, etc. So, We call these "slice of life" kdramas for a reason and undoubtedly it's the best genre among others.

STORY & PLOT:
Racket Boys following a similar path of Hospital Playlist, involves badminton players, coaches, association, schools, teams, etc. and their daily lives, evens & odds, results or outcomes and aspirations.

The main plot is about a group of 5 teen boys namely "Racket Sonyeondan (Racket Boys) who are high school badminton players of Haenam-gun Middle High of South Jeolla Province and their journey towards winning a national level competition, together as a team. It starts with Yoon Hae Kang (Tang Joon Sang) moving to Haenam county village from Seoul after his father's financial breakdown. As someone with parents who are both badminton coaches, he was initially an amazing badminton champ but switched to baseball for reasons. However, as he moves down to the underdeveloped village and joins the badminton team just to help them once, he finds himself realizing how much he loved the sports from his childhood and then embraces it with grace.

The story also involves 2 teenage girls who stay with these 5 boys under one roof with Hae Kang's parents and little sister. Together they persue the sports they love so much, explore life & relationships, help each other to improve as players and seek happiness in staying together. The story at some points also throws light upon the past of some characters.

Again, the story involves few villagers who are the neighbours of these badminton fellows staying under the orange roof. All these people help each other during odds as well as celebrate their evens together, which actually portrays the life of a typical village or country side region, irrespective of counties. This was a very good side of the drama to witness and a perfect concept of slice of life stories, I feel.

The story additionally involves badminton players from different schools, regions and countries, plenty of coaches & association members, shop, store, restro, motel owners, saffs, etc etc.

Since it's a coming of age story, you'll literally go through an emotional rollercoaster which involves both happy & sad moments that will make you cry outta despair or sometimes the tears of joy. One moment you'll be smiling wide and the next moment you'll be laughing the hell out of you and other times you'll be crying out of nostalgia.

CAST & ACTING:
I feel Racket Boys could have got much more recognition than this in its real time airing if most of the Kdrama audience were not always focused on the starcast of a drama. I know a lot of people are watching it but still it deserves more. The story is of teenagers and the production did a very good job in casting them. Unlike many highscool Kdrama where actors in their middle or late 20s are casted for 18-20 yo characters, Racket Boys casted actual teenagers, hence bringing change in the norms. Also, the writer of this drama was also the writer of Prison Playbook, so you'll see many characters from that drama here and also many guest appearances.

There is definite character development for each and every single character in this drama, irrespective of their roles, from oldies to youngs. Let me describe the main characters, which is a bit lengthy because I don't really write a lot about this part but the growth of characters in this drama is actually something to be noted and learnt.

The main lead Yoon Hae Kang (Tang Joon Sang) is actually a very good Korean-Malyasian teen actor who rose to fame even though he has few dramas, after his role in CLOY. Loved him playing an asperger kid in "Move to Heaven" and "Racket Boys" hopefully brings him the recognition he deserves for his skills. His character always aspired to win and was pretty conceited, also a lil narcissist. His expressions and way of delivery were so on point and he needs to be praised for that.

Kim Kang Hoon, almost everyone's favourite child actor has always mesmerized us with his acting and in this drama he got a cute character who is always emotional, yet clueless. His countryside accent is so cute and I totally loved him as Lee Young Tae.

Bang Yoon Dam (Song Sang Yeon) is so handsome *blushes under the blanket*. I thought he'll have a somewhat cool character but he's someone who is selfie & sns addict who ends up taking selfies with everyone he meets. He is very easy-peasy.

Choi Hyun Wook is cute and his character Na Woo Chan with a father who is a military personnel had to struggle a lot about choosing a path that made him happy yet question on his capabilities. The way he kept going and got motivated every time from others, is really well shown.

Lee Jae In as Han Se Yeon is the most talented badminton player in the world who rarely loses a match, is always calm and relax while playing a match. She loves her team and her coach but isn't open to everyone. She knows how to work under pressure at any given condition.

Lee Ji Won (Lee Han Sol) and Kim Min Ki (Jung In Sol) did very good job. Han Sol is a straightforward girl and Se Yeon's best friend who gives her best and improves with time. In Sol, the so called Nerd who ranks 1st in the province and the son of a councilman joins the team for his love for badminton and his craving to make friends and hangout with them. The child actor who played Yoon Hae In (Hae Kang's little sister) was cute and her character is mature for her age, which she actually played well.

Kim Sang Kyung as coach Yoon Hyun Jung played a good character who is aware of his own weaknesses and incompetency and always tried his best to improve himself just so he can help his students better. He was super funny, supportive, loving coach, father, husband and colleague that everyone loved him. Oh Na Ra as coach Ra Young Ja was fierce who never compromised with her teaching methods and her students' well being. She always fought for a fairer environment for the players. Head Coach Bae/White Wolf was such an inspiring character who despite of his strict & disciplined nature strived to provide everything to everyone whom he's responsible for. I loved him.

If I go further I might end up talking about all of them because there were a LOT of familiar and old (as in by age) faces in this drama whom I have loved, respected and cherished for a long a time. I was so happy to see all of them in this single drama. Also so many guest appearances from the Prison Playbook cast plus others; such a delightful journey it was to witness.

DIRECTION & WRITING:
This drama given its genre, setup and vibes has been able to achieve a great direction from Jo Young Kwang pd-nim who has a good history of directing beautiful dramas before. The editing is just like as it should have been for a slice of life drama. Synchronisation, organization, connection, intertwining, linking and presentation, everything is good. Even sound editing in different situations, i.e. funny, emotional, inspirational, romantic, energetic, etc, has been perfectly done; just like it should have been for a light heart comedy and feel good drama. The cinematography is top notch. In sports shows, it's necessary to take care about the angles of videography and showcase the movements & techniques of the players perfectly and this drama has been able to do it very well.

Jung Bo Hoon jakkanim is a disciple of the legendary writer Lee Woo Jung jakkanim who has created masterpiece dramas all her life and have worked together in "Prison Playbook". Undoubtedly, Bo Hoon jakkanim just like "Prison Playbook" has again delivered a masterpiece drama "Racket Boys". The screenwriting, dialogues, line coordination, scene organization and everything has been very well done by him and hence he needs appreciation. Also, he needs to work and create more and I'm sure he'll do better.

When I said that this drama reminded me of the REPLY SERIES, especially "Reply 1988" , I honesty meant it.

OSTs:
I suppose there are 5 OSTs in total along with the number of featured old & modern songs that the characters in the drama listen. Just like the title, the drama has some references of Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS) and there songs, hence following the trend. Tbh, the OSTs are not that extraordinary here but I feel they're appropriately fit for the kind of vibes this drama gives off. In fact, it's okay for a slice of life drama to have less OSTs because the number of scenes are really high and they won't want to use OSTs a lot in the story, otherwise it'd be lengthy. So, they put them as background scores during conversations.

I love "Will Be" by The Boyz the most which is clearly the main theme OST for the drama used as a mean of power source, inspiration, motivation and pushes you forward. "Focus on Me" by Coffeeboy is a light romantic track mostly used for the subtle romance between the teen lead couple. "I Love You Teacher" , "Cloud" and "To Find Myself" are good too.

DESCRIPTION:
I think I have described how I feel about this drama enough but I feel I have either run out of words or got lot more to say. This drama truly belongs to that category of Korean shows which you should watch whenever you feel down or in a mood of watching a beautiful and feel good thing.

The screenplay is in a mixed manner where one particular scene doesn't run constantly and rather another event that's going on simultaneously is showed in between; that's the technique for a slice of life drama. Majority of the things which seemed to be something turned out be another. Comedy scenes are accompanied by emotional turnovers in the end or vice versa. There were things that taught us stuffs about life, sports, teaching, parenting, social life, etc.

Since the drama focuses on badminton it honestly reminded me of the old days when I played the sports. In fact, it is the only outdoor sports I can play well though I don't get to play often these days. It revived the love I have had for this game. It also throws light on the reputation of badminton among the major sports, people's thoughts about it and the youths' interest in it. The life of badminton athletes, their struggle to keep going among lots of other competitors or peers, the perspective of the coaches, the happenings inside the association and the environment of badminton courts as well as school/province/national level competitions, etc have been very well portrayed in the drama. The way they have shown all the competitions, the games in it and the sets played by the athelets, is very good, though not entirely shown. I think that's fine since it's a drama and they had a lot to show, even things other than the sports. An athlete's way of handling pressure, tackling the opponent, coping to the changing environment, even sometimes giving in as well as giving up, all these also included which are essential parts of their life and the sports.

I love how the village/country-side things like the lifestyle, the environment, the socio-cultural behaviour, the developing relationships, the agri-farm businesses, etc have been picturized in this drama. They sometimes hesitated to make acquaintances and were holding each other tight the next moment. They fought with each other several times and ended up crying tears of joy/pain together some other time. The love and support of the villagers for the Racket Boys was enormous. The old lady's affection for kids was so overwhelming to see; she enjoyed having more kids under her roof, always fed them with their favorite delicacies and even protected them some times. The progressing life of Seoul couple who moved to the village because of situations, has also been beautifully written. The way they grew fond of the village and it's people was even more heart-touching.

The things between the association like the bonding between the coaches, the coaches' urge to do better for their students, the management as well as selection procedures in the sport plus the corrupt and unfair doings of handful number of bad people has been shown. The way everything was handled, corrected and planned was very good.

Lastly, the portrayal of different relationship between the cast, such as, parents-children, elderly & middle-aged couples/partner/spouses, brother-sister, coach-athelete, teacher-student, friends, opponents, etc. made this drama very beautiful, I truly love the way they've been shown. The subtle romance between Yoon Hae Kang and Se Yeon was very cute. They would have shown more of it if they were a lil older but I feel it's totally okay since the drama doesn't focuses or in fact requires romance. The 2nd couple in the drama were cute as well (not spoiling).

About the controversy, it's again incorrectly misinterpreted. How is it racist to tell that the audience discourage the opponent athlete and the country provides unsuitable environment to the guest athletes? I understand it sometimes feels offensive but that's how sports and army dramas/movies work. Every country does that while producing things about their own athlete. I too was angry at such gestures of my own country doing the same in every sports movie until I came to realize this is one of the dramatic elements in a movie/series meant for entertainment and it's not throwing mud to the other country. They don't complain or criticise because they also think the same and are sane enough to differentiate what's racism . Firstly, this isn't what you call racism and finally, this isn't demeaning at all to the mentioned country. I am sure no one would have cared if they had mentioned a country from the West or even another country from the East.

The ending was good. The last 2 episodes were all about the main national level competition that the boys and even the girls had been waiting for. The games have lengthier duration and before or between the each game, they have shown, how the athletes were motivated, guided or instructed by many people. I loved the ending. Won't say more or it'd serve as spoiler.

CONCLUSION:
The drama was an absolute treat to my eyes, to my heart and to my mental health that gave me the wholesome nostalgic feelings throughout and made me want more of it. I am sad that it has ended. I started it 3 weeks back, 2 days before it was supposed to end but I was honestly very sad and angry when they kept delaying for 2 consecutive weeks. It felt like ages waiting for the finale and it has actually delivered all my expectations and anticipations that I have had for the last 2 weeks; I am glad for that.

Honestly, at some points of the drama the screenplay felt a lil slow and some other points the plot felt moderately blunt but thankfully it caught it's original momentum back in the next instance, every time. There are definitely few flaws in other technical aspects as well but anyways RACKET BOYS, overally, is a very good drama which is binge worthy and will make your day better any time you wanna watch it. The rewatch value is very high, i.e. you can watch it again and again, that too it can be placed under random play dramas that you can start from any point and can easily get into. Go ahead and watch it ASAP.

DEFINITELY COMING BACK TO THIS.

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More than a sport, Racket boys is a community

This is a very charming story of underdogs finding their feet A father who lost his self esteem finds that he never actually lost his skill, a family that was separated comes back together and heals broken relationships, a tiny knew rural community makes itself known and grows somewhat together, and each individual character, all ages, shapes, sizes changes over the course of 16 episodes.
It touches on a number of difficult issues seen elsewhere - bullying and misuse of influence among others, but these are resolved in ways I found novel.
There are many moments to laugh at, and some nice use of sound effects. There are many deeply touching moments, and yes, tissues.
I really enjoyed this. It is cleverly and kindly written and directed. The observation of people and communities is acute. The acting is as always perfect.
Watch it.

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A Badminton Drama, Which Needs More Training…

Sports-related K-dramas are few and far between, and the delivered results of these dramas can often be hard to truly take seriously. ‘ Racket Boys’ is no exception. The drama has arisen to a lot of criticism respectfully for certain racial stereotyping, badminton stances and the exact depiction of the drama’s messages. However, it is wrong to entirely point out that “ Racket Boys” does keep the ball rolling with certain elements of the sport and screenwriting either.

Before delving into reasons behind more mixed-criticism for the drama, let’s start on a positive note with what kept viewers entertained . The drama is pretty lighthearted. Whilst it does delve a little beyond the surface into darker territory with Hae Kang's father Yoo Hyeon Jong (Kim Sang Kyung)’s struggles and his mountain of dept as well as more heartfelt moments , the comedy was pretty silly for the most part , the friendship factor for Hae Kang ( Tang Joon-sang) with captain Bang Yoon Dam (Son Sang Yeon), hipster wannabe Na Woo Chan (Choi Hyun Wook) and maknae Lee Yong Tae (Kim Kang Hoon) the good performances by the cast, the romantic elements of the storyline and even the occasional cameo appearances by actors ( such as Park Ho San, Park Hae Soo, Kim Sung Chul, Kang Seung Yoon and Lee Kyu Hyung) from screenwriter Jung Bo Hoon’s previously commercial and critically-acclaimed work ‘ Prison Playbook’ (2017) were surprisingly endearing touches.

Another thing which seemed pretty enticing for viewers was that director Jo Young Gwang had done some evident homework into Badminton terminology such as '4U' (to indicate racket weight) and even mentioning the ideal string tension for beginners to badminton of 26 pounds. Adding to this was the depiction of female players of the sport, with a girl’s team at the middle school, whose coach, Ra Yeong-ja (Oh Na-ra) is renowned for her fierce teaching methods shared some more diverse lighting on the game.

Less impressive was the drama being its own worst enemy at times. The camera work could often be dull when actually depicting the game being played, and the usage of badminton shot positions by Hae Kang's father Yoo Hyeon Jong (even as a disgraced player) was badly depicted at the best of times . Adding to this pile of problems was the episode lengths. Averaging around 90 mins, there’s a lot to cram into these episodes and the skip button can often look more appealing than actually watching the drama at times. The stereotypical cliches here also drag on when Yeong-Ja and her two players are forced to move in with the Yoons and the rest of the boys’ team as the “ will they?, Won’t they?” chemistry lingers between evident romantic setups here. Oh, boy. Then there’s the controversy with racial stereotyping here also with depictions of “ foreigners” being presented as flaky or fickle, such as the cameo appearance of Black exchange student Johnathan( himself) , the obvious “K-pop fan “ ( who disappears and is never mentioned again pretty much because he is no longer relevant to the plot), and then the questionable depiction of the Indonesian team also.

Controversy aside the comedy factor is dependent on personal taste, rather than being universal. It is silly, rather than cleverly written but some may enjoy the running gag of Oh Mae (Cha Mi-kyung), the village “grandma” and her antics, whilst others may view at as distasteful and a poor screenwriting excuse for Hae Kang to learn the value of the “ unique” personalities personalities of the countryfolk living there,and nothing else. Yet in between these more questionable screenwriting, the drama does have surprisingly heartfelt moments here also, like when Hae-kang realizes that neither Oh Mae or her husband are literate , and so he helps her with the remote to her TV and sets up a way she can video call her grandson.

Overall, “ Racket Boys” isn’t a bad show per say. The acting is pretty solid, the sport depiction isn’t bad and the lighthearted moments are fairly sweet but it is very much dependent on what you are looking for. The comedy really isn’t everyone’s taste with its goofy gags ,often stealing away from the more profound moments of the drama and the tropes can grow tiresome and predictable.There were times where it felt as though ‘ Racket Boys’ struggled with balancing out the comedy and drama factors due to episode lengths, and would’ve flourished more as two separate shows rather than as a K-dramedy . However if you’re just here for some laughs and a couple of “ aww” moments during a binge-watching session ( rather than the central storyline) in order to disengage your brain from more serious and complex storylines, then you’ll likely enjoy it.

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An incredibly fun show

"Racket Boys" is not merely the best show about badminton (if there are many others) and not merely the best drama with a sports background, but it's possibly the best drama about friendship. It's almost a total package from cast, story, production value, score, photography and everything else.

There are a few faults. For some reason, Kim Kang Hoon's Yong Tae gets an inordinate amount of screen time to the detriment of Son Sang Yeon's Yoon Dam, Choi Hyun Wook's Woo Chan and Kim Min Ki's In Sol. The coaching couple of Kim Sang Kyung and Oh Na Ra overplay their parts (the former as a goofball and the latter as humorless and grim). The older villager subplots show early promise, but as their focus shifts away from Jung Min Sung and Park Hyo Joo's former city couple, the emotional punch fades. Moreover, it perfectly acceptable to have a show without Woo Hyun. Seriously.

But the flaws are minor. Tang Jun Sang is marvelous and his performance is so different but just as compelling as his work in "Move to Heaven". Hopefully, he continues to grow and find opportunities in productions of this quality. Although in a smaller role, Lee Ji Won sparkles as the sidekick to the star athlete. Her work in episode 14 and that episode as a whole is one of the best episodes of the year. The direction and story deftly mixes humor and tension. Even the badminton pieces, though repetitive, are compelling viewing throughout.

2021 is more than half over and it seems unlikely that any show will rival "Vincenzo" for top marks for this year, but "Racket Boys" is the leader in the clubhouse of the remaining challengers and should be on the list for top dramas of the current era.

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"Win together, Lose together."

Was it worth it to have it delay for after the Olympics? TOTALLY!!

This final episode had the same vibe in a way with all the adrenaline rush of the final matches and results, that even the final scene was inovative and creative to see.

The perfect drama for a Prison Playbook reunion has got to be this one. The screenwriter is the same after all xD
Quite a youthful drama to enjoy and binge watch, learning a few badmington tricks and loving the cameos and whole cast.

There's quite a few negative comments and reviews against this drama regarding the issue in the early episodes, however if we disregard a drama based on one of many flaws that exist in modern society we fail to see how the tides change or how the story progresses. Racism is WRONG, and unfortunately is somewhat always present in one way or another in the course of our lives as we fight against it, but this drama doesn't deal with only this particular issue, it deals with many problems that we fail to consider, taking advantage of people, doubting and taunting others, the pressure of sport competitions, bullying and more.

It's not that it instigates and highlights those negatives, but it shows in some depths what happens in and out of the field too.

I gave the drama chance though despite all that, there are always others who make it worse and not with profound purposes. Blame it on the scripts for that. Nowadays its hard not to offend anyone by anything written or said. Still for all I've seen so far, I can say it was worth to persist and follow this, some character developments and interesting cameos in the plot are worth it. Most of all it made me reminisce of the times where I too used to play this sport in school and for fun as my hobby. And I miss it.

I have gained a new found respect towards athletes who play this sport in such competitions.
It's intense and hard as any other sport out there, but sadly underrated compared to others. Badminton was always fun and refreshing for me. And I remember how hyped and cheery I was whenever I picked a racket and started playing. Because it never failed to make me smile despite the blood, sweat and tears when it came to grades in school or playful competition among my peers.

So, when I heard about this drama it got me intrigued on how they would be able to make 16 episodes of a team of boys from a rural area thrive all the way to achieve their goals, and stick to a consistent plot of the sport.

The development of their characters and the bond of friendship and brotherhood are the best moments here.
I get that first love and all that is somehow present in Youth dramas, it is tolerable but if they made it solely about the boys and the sport itself it would not only remain interesting, it would probably be better. I like Han Sol part where she regains confidence in herself and is able to show that a team isn't formed by a single player. The scenes where Se Yoon enters are mostly awkward, I prefer seeing her character playing the sport rather than waiting for confession of two boys in luv there.

If you focus on the boys and their game play and antics you won't be bored.

The coaches arc is interesting too, I really enjoyed the character development we see in coach Yoon. He had always hidden talent when it came down to coaching however as the story progresses we are able to see that as he guides the boys with good advices and strategies but most importantly, how he learns to trust in himself and in the talent of the boys he is coaching. Many coaches fail in that department throughout the drama, although some do realize it at some point in time like coach Ra for example. Better late than never, is what I tend to say and Amen for that.

When it comes to arches in the storyline this one wavers in between the present and a character that is mostly known by everyone but about an issue that happened 10 years ago. Somehow, the characters are connected, and although he is mentioned for most part of the drama, he only shows on the second half when it's all aimed to the final competitions.

By then we've already witnessed the countless adventures and struggle of our main boys and their ever growing friendship.

The elders and village people along with the city couple who moved to Haenam is always fun and endearing and filled with many symbolic lessons about life and hardships, but also how to welcome strangers into becoming an extension of what can be called family.

I have to point out the cinematography here mainly on some games and moves is pretty interesting, and specially on the first half of the drama it remained strong, however, on the second half they focused more on the romantic plot and the missing player that caused havoc in the badminton community a decade ago. Not bad on that, but I would prefer if they included those epic cinematographic shots of badminton every once in a while. Nevertheless, the sport is portrayed as the main event.

The amount of references to BTS is suppose to be about the title, a pun and trending.
Comedy wise sometimes seemed slightly forced, or when they do look at the camera because it's supposed to happen, which reminded me of sitcom shows. Although some jokes where funny, like the slogan of the motel they stayed in once in a competition and Coach Yoon's line of "there's children here" PRICELESS.

It's hard not to grow fond of the team of misfits, "Racket Sonyeondan" that share the passion for the same sport.

Hae Kang growth was good to see, how he warmed to those boys that welcomed him and showed that friendship isn't about interests or popularity but creating everlasting bonds and be supportive of each other in either wins or defeats. How they welcomed yet another peer into their group with open arms and created a group of unique and different individuals that complement one another so well, and in which Badminton is a common interest is interesting and heartwarming to see. ´

On how they learn to be a team by the lessons they learn a long the way.

"Win together, Lose together."

Now this is what I call an EPIC motto.

It's refreshing and at the same time a light drama to see, despite having some serious issues addressed.
The OST is somewhat cheerful and my favorite it has to be the main one from The Boyz Will Be, it upbeat and catchy.
I recommend to give it a try, don't be disheartened by the negative remarks, but through the whole drama as a spectrum.

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Feel-good sports slice of life that made me feel old.

What did this show have? Great characters, beautiful bonds and friendships, motivational messages, well delivered comedy, great acting, beautiful visuals. So why did so much of it feel like fillers? If I skipped the majority of the villagers' stories, it would be an easy 10.

The heart of the story are the Racket Boys and their friendship. It’s undeniable that they were the best part of the drama. Personally, I just loved the reckless Hae Kang and mentally adopted him as my son. His personality was so vibrant and even if at times annoying, he was still extremely adorable and endearing. That said, even though I had my favorite, each and every boy was lovable and brought their own unique personality to the table to give me this fun and enjoyable ride.

Some of the dynamics I liked the most were Hae Kang and In Sol, Woo Chan and Yong Tae and Yoon Dam and Han Sol. What’s more, I appreciate how the drama showed how you can be both rivals in sports and loyal friends outside of it. Many times we have seen different teams enjoying their times together between the competitions - I love his healthy portrayal of rivalry.

Sadly, I was truly not that invested in most of the adults’ stories. I wouldn’t say I disliked them, I was just completely not interested. I think the issue was the initial presentation of the characters - most if not all were introduced in rather negative light so it was hard to connect to their stories as the drama progressed. This small “plot twist” where the characters are not what they seem like at first is a great touch, but not when it is applied to all the characters - then it becomes exhausting.

The only side story outside of the teens that I cared about was the new married couple in town and Phil Ja and Song Hee’s development of friendship.

About the acting, I have nothing, but compliments to say. The young cast did a phenomenal job. I’m extremely impressed with Kim Kang Hoon - such a young boy, but was able to deliver a lot of depth and raw emotions in his performance. I’m a little bit on the fence about Choi Hyun Wook though. Did he do a great job here? Yes. But it’s the 3rd extremely similar role I have seen him in, so I hope he is not an actor of one role.

I’m also impressed with their badminton skills. Do I know anything about the sport? No. I am sure though, that even an inexperienced person can tell when someone really sucks at a sport they are supposed to be good at. I’m certain there was a lot of work put into the training before the filming which contributed to the believable matches, but I also have to compliment the filming and editing.

It’s always hard to talk about production value in kdramas. Why? Because most big studio productions have more or less the same high quality, and most kdrama do not stand out either in positive or negative ways. The standard quality is just that high. It’s the same case with Racker Boys - great scenery, great directing, great editing, great set designs. Everything is great, just like the majority of SBS shows.

Overall, amazing watch, but would have been perfect if it was 4 episodes shorter and only focusing on the kids.

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Repetitive, boring, messy, and cringey

I was hooked by the first episode, but after watching a few more, I became more and more disappointed. First, here are the things I liked about the show:
1. The acting overall was pretty good and most of the main characters were charismatic and likable.
2. The pacing was fast and alternated scenes from different story lines so you didn't get bogged down too much.

Here are the things I didn't like:
1. The editing was insane, making you think that scenes were missing, and giving the episodes a rough, messy feeling. I thought at times that maybe it was intentional, but now I think it's just incompetence or a rushed production.
2. The sentimentality and overacting went too far, making me cringe. Kim Sang Kyung has given some really great performances, like in the movies Memories of Murder and On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate. But whatever he was trying to do in Racket Boys, it didn't work. His performance was more appropriate for an annoying, weak-willed side character who ends up going into debt and causing problems for the main character, sort of like the Fredo Corleone of the badminton coaching world. But, instead, he’s the lead adult character. I can understand trying for something different to avoid the typical cliched lead performance, but this one didn’t work, resulting in an unlikeable, simpering character. Also, Kim Kang Hoon annoyed me with his sappy child actor stuff. I wish they had omitted this character from the story. The main boys as a group were likable, but they pushed the bromance sentimentality too far, and it was unrealistic and off-putting. I preferred the 2 girls, who seemed much more like real people because they weren't so over the top.
3. The portrayal of the sport failed. It was totally unrealistic, and the endless matches repeated over and over, with each one seeming to be the most important match of all time, only to be topped by an even more important match on the next episode, just made me numb to it all. I wish there were fewer matches and more training and actual progress and realistic pacing. And how many times do we need to see a slow-motion jumping overhead smash? Also, are we to believe that this tiny village in the boondocks has so many of the best badminton players in the entire country, as well as some of the greatest former players and coaches? They could have made a fun and much more realistic story about a normal group of badminton players.
4. The portrayal of humanity failed too. It seems strange to me that this show supposedly shows people at their very best, with friends, neighbors, and family helping each other and making sacrifices for each other. But this only seems to apply to the main characters in the story - the players who live in the house, their coaches, and the villagers. Outside of them, just about every other secondary character in the story is either a bully, a liar, a cheater, a greedy criminal, a coward, an arrogant asshole, or some other variation of villain. So the overall message is that there are a few good people in the middle of a big bad world full of horrible villains, and humanity is basically bad.

Despite all these flaws, I did power through to end, even though I was very close to dropping it. However, I had to increase the playback speed to 4x, and sometimes even 8x, to get through it, especially in the second half. If you have a high tolerance for sappy sentimentality, overacting, impossibly melodramatic sports heroics, and don't mind those things being repeatedly pushed in your face over and over again, then there's enough entertainment and likable characters beyond those things to hold your interest.

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Light hearted Sports drama

was really in the mood for an underdog rise to fame sports drama and wallah there it was . What a timing!
The story is not something new but its done well. I really like the anime style effects they have put on the matches in this drama. After move to heaven I was really hoping to see more from Tang Jun Sang and he delivers :).
Another thing that really drawed me towards the drama is the sports they are focusing on badminton. To be honest I am not an athletic person at all but the one sport that really attracted me and was good at as a kid was badminton... and I am really happy a drama is focusing on this sport which is hardly talked about in the sport drama genre. Hope it gains more attention from drama viewers. Waiting for the next episode. :)
Update after episode 10 : The Indonesia thing is really bothersome not once but they did it twice... I HV no words... they are at so much fault But still stand by the fact that really like the rest of the drama and it is a good drama.. I wish they hadn't done that though.

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i personally really love it!

oh god, not gonna lie, when i watched the first episode, i didn't think that i would be too invested. but the chemistry between the boys were just >>>>

i love everything. the chemistry, the friendship, the story, the tournaments, the villagers, the little romance, the parents and coaches, you name it, i love it all.

i love the friendship a lot, even between their opponents. as an athlete, this drama taught me that you should know to put a difference between in court and out of court. inside the court, it was game, yeah, be as competitive as you want, who cares if you're best friends with your opponent? sports is sports.

but even so, outside of court is outside of court. who cares if your opponent crushes you so bad in the court? if you're best friends, that shouldn't let that destroy your friendship.

one more thing to add is that i love that they payed attention to the villagers as well!!! the little bit of romance between them, the way they supported each other, their teamwork, i love it. its something we rarely see. thank you for paying attention to them as well.

overall, trust me, give this drama a try!! watch it!! you won't regret it.

also im a sucker for jung in sol here, man i love him so much :DD

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This gonna be my favorite drama for the rest of my life!!

হাই! কেমন আছেন সবাই? কে কোন ড্রামা দেখছেন এখন? কিছু কি দেখতেছেন আদৌ? আমি কি কিছু সাজেস্ট করবো? Racket Boys দেখুন!
চায়নাতে অহরহ স্পোর্টস ড্রামা হলেও কোরিয়ায় স্পোর্টস রিলেটেড ড্রামা খুব একটা দেখা যায় না। র‍্যাকেট বয়েজ সেদিক থেকে একটু ব্যতিক্রম। ব্যাডমিন্টন খেলাকে মূল উপজীব্য করে বানানো ড্রামাটায় শুধু মাত্র খেলাকে ফোকাস করা হয়নি, পুরো একটা ক্যমুনিটিকে রিপ্রেজেন্ট করা হয়েছে। যার কারণে Racket Boys আমার কাছে শুধুই একটা ড্রামা না, বরং তারচেয়েও একটুখানি বেশি কিছু।
স্পোর্টস ড্রামা হলেও এটাকে শুধু স্পোর্টস ড্রামা বলা যাবে না। Racket Boys একই সাথে স্পোর্টস, কমেডি, ফ্রেন্ডশীপ, রোমান্স, ইয়ুথ, মেলোড্রামা, সুপার-ন্যাচারাল সব জনরাকেই রিপ্রেজেন্ট করে!
আপনি ফ্রেশ স্টার্টিং মানে নতুন একটা জায়গায়, নতুন পরিবেশে নতুন ভাবে জীবন শুরু করা রিলেটেড ড্রামা দেখতে চান? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
আপনি ইয়ুথ জনরার ড্রামা দেখতে চান? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
আপনি স্কুল জনরার কোন ড্রামা দেখতে চান? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
আপনি ফ্রেন্ডশীপ রিলেটেড কোন ড্রামা দেখতে চান? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
আপনি রম-কম দেখতে চান? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
প্লট টুইস্ট- টিপিক্যাল রম-কম দেখতে দেখতে বিরক্ত? তাহলেও Racket Boys দেখুন।
কোল্ড/এরোগেন্ট মেইল লীড আপনার ভালো লাগে? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
ওভার কনফিডেন্ট/ সুপার সুপার ওভার কনফিডেন্ট মেইল লীড দেখতে চান? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
স্ট্রং/বোল্ড ফিমেল লীড ভালো লাগে? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
প্লট টুইস্ট- একা একা হিসু দিতে যেতেও ভয় পায়, পুরো গ্যাং নিয়ে যেতে হয় পাহারা দেয়ার জন্য- এমন ফানি মেইল লীড দেখতে চান? তাহলেও Racket Boys দেখুন।
কিউট/বালপাকনা বাচ্চাওয়ালা ড্রামা ভাল্লাগে? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
অনেকগুলো হ্যান্ডসাম ওপ্পাওয়ালা ড্রামা ভালো লাগে (Such as Moonlovers, Harang)? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
বন্ধুদের খুনসুঁটি, পারিবারিক বন্ধন, ফ্রেন্ডলি নেইবারহুড- এসবে ভর্তি ড্রামা ভালো লাগে? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
আপনি Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol ড্রামার ফ্যান? তাহলে Racket Boys দেখুন।
আপনি Reply 1988- এর ফ্যান? তাহলে ডেফিনিটলি Racket Boys দেখুন।
কি দেখবেন ভেবে পাচ্ছেন না? বা টিপিক্যাল ড্রামা দেখতে দেখতে ব্লক চলে এসেছে? কোন ড্রামার ঘোরে আছেন বা সিরিয়াস জনরার ড্রামা দেখতে দেখতে ক্লান্তি চলে এসেছে? বুকটা ভারী হয়ে আছে? হালকা রিফ্রেশিং কিছু দেখে মন হালকা করতে চাচ্ছেন? তাহলে চোখ বন্ধ করে Racket Boys দেখুন।
কি টান টান উত্তেজনা আর কি অধীর আগ্রহ নিয়ে প্রতিটা এপিসোড শেষ করেছি আমি- এটা শুধু আমিই জানি! আমার দেখা সেরা ৫টি কোরিয়ান ড্রামার তালিকা করতে গেলে এখন থেকে নিশ্চিত ভাবেই র‍্যাকেট বয়েজ সেই তালিকায় চলে আসবে। Racket Boys শুধু একটা ড্রামাই না, এটা আনন্দের একটা খনি, মন ভালো করে দেয়ার উৎস। এই ড্রামা আমি আরো বহুবার দেখবো!

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Light-hearted and low-stakes

This was a really wholesome and comforting drama — there never really felt like there was a huge conflict or overarching plot, it was just about several people in a little village town dealing with life and its issues. While I enjoy the light-heartedness of it all, I felt like it was hard to understand the point or the general direction of the drama — meaning that character development was a little sparse for most of the characters.

Speaking of which, I've never been a huge fan of ensemble dramas for the reason that I never care for everyone equally, and this drama was no different. I loved the badminton teams (both male and the female teams) and how they grew together throughout the episodes, both on and off the court. There was one character who had an arc as they joined the team after not getting along with them and he turned out to be my favorite character because the development was so strong and clear.

On the other hand, the subplots of everyone else who just lived in the village were not really interesting to me, especially because their interactions with the main teams felt peripheral.

Overall, I think this was a pretty fun drama to watch (slowly, a few episodes here and there) but it's not really a binge type of drama or something I felt very invested in.

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