THE SHORT VERDICT:

If you enjoy underdog stories, I do think that there’s quite a bit to enjoy in this little show.

This one is a little rough around the edges, in that the characterization leans OTT, particularly when it comes to the villains in our story, but Show more than makes up for it with how much heart it has, and also, in how easy it is, to watch.

I grew really fond of our resident underdogs over the course of my watch, and I was sincerely sorry to say goodbye. 🥲

THE LONG VERDICT:

I have to confess that I hesitated a little, about whether to pick up this show, because when Show premiered, I was still finishing up my watch of “Good Boy” (review is here!).

See, “Good Boy” had also  been marketed as an underdog story, and without spoiling anything, I will say that Good Boy turned out to be rather perplexing and disappointing, in ways that I had not expected.

What if this show ended up disappointing me in similar ways too, right? 😅

I’m glad that I decided to take the plunge anyway, because Show does turn out to be a very enjoyable underdog story after all, and I honestly would have been sorry to have missed out on this one. 🥲

OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

Here’s the OST album, in case you’d like to listen to it while you read the review.

Overall, I do think that the soundtrack is pleasant and effective, though I have to admit that while watching, I really didn’t take much notice of individual tracks, except for Track 1, SURF, which also serves as our opening song.

I like that it’s boppy, breezy and stirring; it’s a very youthful sort of energy, which I think befits our young, energetic rugby boys. 🥰

Here it is on its own as well, in case you’d prefer to listen to it on repeat. Just right-click on the video and select “Loop.”

HOW I’M APPROACHING THIS REVIEW

First I’ll talk about how to manage your expectations going into this one, and what viewing lens would be most helpful.

After that, I talk about stuff I liked on a more macro level, before I give the spotlight to selected characters and relationships, in a separate section. Finally, I spend some time talking about my thoughts on the penultimate and finale episodes.

If you’re interested in my blow-by-blow reactions, &/or all the various Patreon members’ comments during the course of our watch, you might like to check out my episode notes on Patreon here.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

Here are some things that I think would be helpful to keep in mind, to maximize your enjoyment of your watch:

1. Show takes a while to settle

It was only in episode 2, that I found myself starting to properly enjoy this show, so I’d say, give Show a bit of time.

2. Don’t expect subtlety

To be honest, Show’s pretty OTT and caricature-y, a good amount of the time. And so, adjusting your expectations to expect the OTT instead of subtlety, is helpful.

A manhwa lens really does help to smooth everything out.

3. Show is not romance-forward

There are a couple of lovelines in our story, but these function more as supporting arcs than anything else, so adjusting your expectations around that, is helpful too.

4. You don’t have to know or love rugby to enjoy this show

I came into this show with no existing love or even much knowledge about rugby, and that didn’t affect my ability to enjoy this show.

So yes, even rugby noobs can watch this one. 😁

STUFF I LIKED

Show’s easy to watch

One of the things I found myself appreciating about this show, is how easy it is, to watch.

Like I mentioned earlier, it’s true that a good chunk of stuff is played OTT, from how awful the villains are, in our story world, to how cheerful and happy-go-lucky Ga Ram is , as our protagonist (more on that later).

At the same time, it’s quite easy to roll with it, once I’ve got my cartoon goggles on, and then Show is quite good about serving up moments of heart, poignance and gratification, along the way, so much so that I felt quite well rewarded for the investment of my drama hours, each time I sat down to watch an episode.

Show’s got heart

Possibly the most important thing that kept me watching, is that Show has a lot of heart, and that heart starts to show through pretty early, by episode 2.

It was moments of heart &/or poignance, that really worked to ground this show for me.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. A beat that I found nicely poignant, is the one in episode 4, when Ga Ram (Yoon Kye Sang) sits outside the chicken restaurant, listening while I Ji (Im Se Mi) rants about him, about how he’d crossed the line.

He looks so sad and regretful in this moment, that I can’t help but feel sorry for him, and this definitely works to make his character pop for me, amid the more OTT lashings.

[END SPOILER]

The underdog story

I mainly signed up for the underdog story, because I have a soft spot for underdogs, and, as it turns out, this rugby team and this rugby coach – they’re all underdogs. 🥲

I wasn’t looking for Show to re-invent the wheel; I just wanted Show to deliver a heartfelt underdog story, and Show gives us exactly that.

Importantly, I appreciate (again, after being disappointed by Good Boy‘s approach 😅 – and again, review is here!) that Show makes sure to give our underdogs small victories along the way, so that there’s a sense of progress for us as viewers.

Our rugby underdogs

I have to confess that, at first, I couldn’t tell the rugby boys apart; it just felt like there were so many of them, all so quickly introduced. 😅

Most of them fell vaguely into a similar sort of space, of being young, clean-cut and fit. It certainly didn’t help that they all wore the same uniform. 🙈

BUT. By the time I was watching episode 2, I’m glad to report that I had begun to be able to tell them apart, without having to try very hard; I think I just needed some time to get acclimatized. 😅

And then, by Show’s halfway point, I’d gotten to the point where I’d automatically perk up, when these same rugby boys would come onscreen.

They had become such a key highlight of my watch, that I found myself wishing that Show would give them more screen time than they already had. 🥲

Ga Ram and the boys

As much as I enjoyed watching the rugby boys for their own sake, I loved, even more, the burgeoning bond between the boys and their new coach, Ga Ram.

This was the relationship that grabbed my heart the most, during my watch. 🥰

In kpop-speak, they were my OT8, and I honestly loved them more than any actual romantic loveline in this story world. 😍

STUFF THAT WAS OK

Show’s cartoony core

Like I mentioned earlier, Show’s pretty OTT and caricature-y, a good amount of the time.

It does help that this is clearly Show’s intention, since it helpfully provides comic book panels to transition between scenes, and also makes sure to present the cartoon rendition of each of our key characters, when they’re making their first appearance.

It’s just that this kind of OTT kind of style, where just about everyone feels like a caricature instead of an actual person (at least at first), is not my preference.

It’s not a dealbreaker by any means, though, which is why it’s in this neutral zone.

The OTT characterization

Like I’ve mentioned earlier in this review, Show does tend to go rather OTT when it comes the characterization of our characters.

I found this to be particularly true of Ga Ram’s character, specifically, as well as our resident villain characters.

There’s just this strong broad strokes sort of tendency, when it comes to the handling of these characters.

Ga Ram’s character

While Ga Ram is consistently flippantly cheerful, regardless of the negativity or insults that come his way, and while that did feel frustrating for me, after a while, I appreciate that Show does soon give us a sense for the hidden pathos behind Ga Ram’s persistently smiley, flippant facade.

I’ll more about that later while discussing Ga Ram as a character, but this layer of pathos absolutely helped to ground him for me as a character, and make me sympathize as well as engage with him.

The villains

On the other hand, the villains are just OTT, period. There are no hidden layers or pathos; they just are caricature-like, as a general rule.

The upside that I found about this, is that they are pretty easy to understand and digest.

Nothing feels complex; they all just come across as selfish, scheming people who want to get rid of anyone who stands in their way, for their own purposes.

It’s just the way writer-nim has structured this story, so I think it’s best not to try to fight it – because that would be frustrating and pointless. 😅

And I must say, Show does a great job of making me hate all the bad guys in this story world; I wanted to punch ’em all in the face, no lie. 🙈😅

The shooting arc

Besides the rugby arc, there’s also a shooting arc in our story, which explores several characters on the shooting team.

I have to confess that I had less interest in this arc than in the rugby arc. 😅

I didn’t dislike it though, which is why it’s here in the neutral zone.

The romance between Ga Ram and I Ji

There’s a loveline between Ga Ram and I Ji, and like I mentioned earlier, the lovelines in our story function more as supporting arcs than anything else.

I honestly could have done without this loveline; I felt that indifferent towards it.

However, for the amount of screen time budgeted for this loveline, I feel that Show does a reasonably good job of teasing out this relationship, which is why it’s in this neutral zone.

SPOTLIGHT ON SELECTED CHARACTERS / RELATIONSHIPS

Yoon Kye Sang as Ga Ram

As you might have likely guessed by now, Ga Ram took a while to grow on me as a character, mostly because I didn’t quite know what to make of his OTT, super smiley, super cheery persona, which was his default, regardless of the insults or obstacles coming his way.

I will say, though, that Ga Ram grew on me over the course of my watch.

The more I saw of what made him tick, the more I felt like I could understand him. Plus, it was impossible not to be won over by his genuine big-heartedness, y’know?

In this next spoiler section, I highlight some of the moments that really helped me to see Ga Ram more clearly, as a person.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. I did feel a little disappointed that one of the players, Tae Pung (Cho Han Gyeol, who plays Bibi, in The Haunted Palace!!), chooses to transfer schools, but he does have a point, that the odds are stacked against the Hanyang team.

The thing that I can’t help but appreciate in Ga Ram, though, is the way he looks at these players as people, rather than commodities.

I’m sure some other coaches would wash their hands off Tae Pung the minute they realize that there’s no changing Tae Pung’s mind, but with Ga Ram, he still tells Tae Pung that he’s worked hard, and even gives Tae Pung advice about how he’s overworking his ankles while he plays, and how he should do balance training.

That says a lot about Ga Ram’s sincerity, and the way he has sincere regard for each player as a human being, and I’m glad that the players aren’t blind to it. 🥲

E3-4. One thing I do appreciate about Ga Ram, is that, beneath the cheerful bluster, he’s actually really observant of his players, and knows each one’s strengths and weaknesses well enough to be able to name them all, off the top of his head.

And, he also has the ability to stay calm in the face of all kinds of unexpected obstacles.

I mean, yes, he does wear that nonchalant cheer as a matter of habit, but underneath that, he remains steady, even when he doesn’t actually have a plan on how to solve the problem.

That’s a kind of steadiness that I do admire, even though I’m still getting used to Ga Ram’s elastic reaction faces and forced cheer.

But then, usually, just as I’m starting to feel a tiny bit perplexed at Ga Ram’s forced cheer, we get a beat where we get to see flashes of his real emotion beneath that cheer, and I feel sympathetic towards him, all over again.

Like that beat, after the whole fiasco where Ga Ram’s taken to the police station for breaking into the data storage, when Ga Ram tells I Ji that the reason he’s come back, despite knowing how unwelcome he would be, is because everything that he was looking for, is in the school; that he missed it all so much, that he couldn’t endure it any longer.

Of course, there seems to be an unspoken layer here, that includes I Ji in the midst of that “everything.”

E3-4. I’m not sure that Ga Ram actually knew how to go about changing Cheol Yeong’s (Jung Gi Sub) mind, given how strong Cheol Yeong’s resolve was, to keep Ung (Kim Dan) away from the dangers of rugby.

But, I appreciate that Ga Ram goes back to basics, and finds a way to allow Cheol Yeong and Ung to get a taste of the buzz and alacrity around players training on an actual rugby field.

That clearly stirs something within both father and son; it’s just that father and son react differently.

While Ung quickly stops to bask in wonder, Cheol Yeong quickly hastens away, because it’s bringing up too many memories for him.

Eventually, he kind of snaps, which is how he ends up attacking Ga Ram at the hospital, which I honestly don’t believe Ga Ram had planned or anticipated.

But when the police ask about settlement, I like that the condition that Ga Ram names, for the settlement, is that Cheol Yeong take a walk with him.

And it’s during that walk, that the two men finally have a heartfelt, honest conversation, where Ga Ram speaks honestly about his own regrets, and how he believes that both of them had played rugby in the wrong way, and that they should allow Ung the chance to play rugby right, the way they didn’t manage to.

Plus, Ga Ram makes a very good point, that Cheol Yeong should ask Ung what it is, that Ung wants to do with his life, rather than decide for him.

I’m glad that that finally strikes a chord with Cheol Yeong, who eventually makes the decision to let Ung follow Ga Ram to Seoul, for tryouts.

E3-4. I found the flashback at the top of episode 4 quite poignant, because now we get to see what a golden boy Ga Ram had been, from the moment he’d attended tryouts.

He’d been such a gifted athlete, that all the coaches had wanted him on their teams, and had chosen rugby, only because of what Principal Kang (Gil Hae Yeon)- than Teacher Kang – had said (and I paraphrase), about how, in rugby, he would never be alone, because it’s a team sport where you have to guard one another.

I found that poignant on two levels.

1, that the very coaches who’d been so set on having him on their teams, are now the same people who are scheming to get rid of him and his rugby team, and

2, that Ga Ram hadn’t started out with a love for rugby, but had grown to love it so much, that he’s now come back, despite the way almost everyone is against him and disdaining him.

E5-6. These episodes, I found myself just wanting the people around Ga Ram – the ones who care about him – to know what he’s going through.

And so, I’m actually kind of glad that when Ga Ram has that episode of extreme weakness, he ends up turning to Seok Bong (Bae Myung Jin) for help.

It’s true that he doesn’t tell Seok Bong what’s really going on, but I find a bit of relief, just from the fact that Seok Bong must now know that there’s something wrong.

E7-8. We finally see the truth behind Ga Ram’s doping scandal, and, as it turns out, he hadn’t doped in the usual sense of the word; rather, he’d taken the prescription medication that had been given by the doctor, to help manage his Myasthenia Gravis condition.

With the way Ga Ram hesitates so much at taking the medication, though, it conveys the fact that he was fully aware, while taking it, that this would count as performance enhancement, and that, if checked, he would fail a doping test.

I’ve been thinking about why Ga Ram would allow himself to be maligned, and go straight to retirement, rather than explain himself, and I think it boils down to him not wanting I Ji to know, because he’d believed that this would end up derailing her shooting career, just as it was taking off.

Although, he’d managed to derail her career just fine, by disappearing, but I’m rationalizing (quite hard, actually) that he must have believed that this was the lesser evil, between the two.

To Ga Ram’s credit, he does try to seek out I Ji right after announcing his retirement, so it’s not like he’d intended to disappear on her.

But I do think that after he’d ended up collapsing, he’d found out that he was doing much worse than he’d first thought, and I’m guessing that he then conveniently dropped away from everything and everyone, so that no one would know how ill he was.

Is it noble idiocy? Yes, I think so. But at least I feel like I can rationalize his actions, even though I wish he’d made different decisions.

E7-8. I’m with I Ji at being horrified at Ga Ram’s decision to delay surgery in order to continue coaching the boys, because the doctor is saying that his condition is pretty bad, and that he needs surgery, sooner rather than later.

I Ji is absolutely right in saying that the boys wouldn’t want him to risk his life for their sakes.

At the same time, I have to acknowledge that Ga Ram does have a point; that several of the boys’ futures ride on how well they do at the Nationals, and they simply can’t play without a coach.

He doesn’t want to derail these boys’ futures, and I do appreciate that he takes his custodianship of them so seriously.

E7-8. It’s kind of crazy to me, that Coach Song (Kang Shin Il) is only asking Ga Ram now, if the doping scandal had had anything to do with what he’d said to Coach Song, the day before that fateful match; that he would be unable to play.

But, I rationalize that perhaps Coach Song hadn’t wanted to confront the possibility that he’d had anything to do with Ga Ram’s doping scandal; that he’d been the one to push Ga Ram to dope, because he’d been so adamant, that Ga Ram play during the match.

The important thing is, he’s finally at a point where he’s asking the right question, and I have to credit Ga Ram for having the grace to just let bygones be bygones, and assure Coach Song that it’s all in the past – and that the only thing he’d like Coach Song to do, is watch over his boys.

Aw. That is quite touching, yes? 🥲

[END SPOILER]

Ga Ram and the rugby boys

I know I mentioned the rugby boys and their relationship with Ga Ram as two separate things earlier in this review, but in terms of delving into the details, I found that the two things are so interwoven, that it just makes sense to talk about it altogether.

Because, I do think that as Ga Ram’s influence on them increased, their teamwork and closeness as an intact group, also improved.

I really do feel that Show teases out the bond among the team, as well as the bond between them and Ga Ram, really well.

We start off with everyone landing as being rather scattered, but by the time I hit the mid-stretch of my watch, I felt like I was looking at a little bonded family. 🥲

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. I actually feel really sorry for the rugby team, not only because they’re consistently looked down upon in school and by other rugby teams, but even more, because when they seek out their ex-coach at his new school, he only has harsh words for them, essentially saying that he’d left them on purpose, because they were dragging down his career.

Ouch.

Given that the team looks to the coach for guidance, support and overall care and protection, this means that they’re being lashed out at, by the very person to whom they’re turning to, to help them and save them.

Poor babies.

I’m glad that Ga Ram shows up and speaks up on behalf of the team, even though the general tone of the interaction leans on the slightly juvenile side of things. 😅

Basically, one of the key ways that I see Ga Ram slowly breaking down the walls and getting through to the various team members, is in how he stands up for them, and shows care to them, when they most need it, even though he’s mostly irreverent in the way he goes about it all.

And the person who needs that turnaround the most, is none other than team captain Seong Jun, (Kim Yo Han) who’s the most adamant that the team not be coached by someone who’s been disgraced for doping.

It’s only later in episode 1, that we see, through flashback, that once upon a time, Ga Ram had been Seong Jun’s idol, growing up.

Aw. There’s a sting of disappointment, underneath all of Seong Jun’s rejection of Ga Ram. I found this very poignant. 🥲

When Seong Jun storms off from training without a permission slip, I love that the thing that finally gets through to him, is the way Ga Ram cares enough for Seong Jun’s ankles, that he gives up his own shoes, so that Seong Jun won’t have to wear cleats on asphalt – and just barefoots his way back to school.

That single action says so much, and I can understand why Ga Ram’s gesture would linger with Seong Jun, even when the Vice Principal is trying to pressure him to boycott the game with Daesang High School.

Where the Vice Principal is coming from a place of scheming and maneuvering, Ga Ram’s gesture comes from a place of genuine concern and humanity. 🥲

E1-2. Honestly, even though I know nothing about rugby and came into this show without any pre-existing interest in the sport, I did enjoy watching the match between Hanyang and Daesang, at the end of episode 2.

It was a thrill to see the team put Ga Ram’s strategies to work, and actually see results.

Where before, they’d always never scored a single point against Daesang, this time, in the half of the match where they worked together to apply Ga Ram’s strategies, they not only managed to score their first points against Daesang, they even prevented Daesang from scoring any points of their own.

Yes, this still means that Daesang wins that match, but that progress is significant, and absolutely worth celebrating, for the team. 🥲

I got a good amount of gratification watching the team celebrate, and I’m hopeful that we’ll get more of such feel-good moments, as we watch the team gain their various victories, through the course of their journey.

E3-4. I am mildly amused, actually, that the boys find themselves covering for Ga Ram, while he goes off to recruit Ung.

I feel like the more they’re forced to cover for him, the more they feel like they’re one with him, if that makes sense?

Anyway, I found it quite endearing, how the boys try so hard to find ways to cover for Ga Ram in his absence.

E3-4. I do like the idea that the entire rugby team gets involved in helping Ung be prepared for the tryouts, even though the odds are stacked against them. I think I just like watching the boys work together towards a common goal, y’know? 🥲

E3-4. It’s great to see how happy the rugby boys are when Ung clears the shooting round of his tryouts, and it is gratifying to see Seong Jun – who’d previously been adamant about Ga Ram not being their coach – make such happy and grateful eye contact with Ga Ram. Aw. 🥰

E5-6. I just basically love that the boys are slowly but surely glomming onto Ga Ram as their mother duck; it’s the most endearing thing ever.

Even though it doesn’t make logical sense that the school would favor other sports over rugby, to the point that they don’t even assign the team a place to train, I like the idea that Ga Ram is unfazed by the obstacles, and finds ways to keep the boys engaged and challenged.

Honestly, it’s quite brilliant that Ga Ram would take them to the pool to train, and the boys genuinely look like they’re enjoying themselves.

I will say, though, that it’s kind of worrisome to me, as a layperson, that Ga Ram’s pushing the boys so hard, in terms of the long training hours; I keep thinking that pushing too hard and too long, is a recipe for injury, but what do I know? 🙈😅

I do understand Ga Ram’s priority, though, of increasing their stamina and endurance, so that they’d be able to play the full game without any need for substitution; after all, they don’t actually have any reserve players.

And, along those lines, having the boys play soccer with Seok Bong’s team, so that they’d have use of the soccer field afterwards, for their rugby training, is quite creative, I have to admit.

E5-6. In episode 5, I found Yeong Gwang’s (Kim E Jun) arc quite poignant, because it’s true that he has to make a tough choice, between staying on to play rugby, or taking the police force entrance exam.

I mean, even though the team’s made some headway since Ga Ram’s taken over coaching them, they are still a long way from being a successful, victorious team, and so I can understand Yeong Gwang feeling like he can’t bet his future on rugby.

And, if he successfully joins the police force, his career would be taken care of.

I don’t blame him for choosing to go for the entrance exam; it’s not wrong for him to put his best interests first.

At the same time, it’s all very heartening, to see that after the initial outburst where the boys felt betrayed, everyone ends up giving Yeong Gwang their heartfelt best wishes.

And then, there’s also the way Ga Ram encourages Yeong Gwang, and demonstrates to him that he does have potential, even when stacked up against professional players.

Even though it was a moment that most viewers would have been able to see coming, my heart still overflowed, to see Yeong Gwang make the choice to leave his exams half completed, so that he could play with his teammates.

It’s really quite touching to see him make the choice to continue to play rugby, and stay with them, even though their future as a team remains uncertain.

He’s following his heart, and that is really quite beautiful to behold. 🥲

Another arc that I ended up loving, is the one where Hyeong Sik (Yoon Jae Chan) ends up pulling a ligament, while goofing around with the other boys.

It’s completely understandable, given Ga Ram’s health situation and the impact that that’s had on his rugby career, that he would get upset at the boys for playing around and getting hurt.

But what really got to me, is the way the boys react.

I thought it was endearing and adorable, the way they all punish themselves, by taking that punishment stance outside Ga Ram’s room, and then I found it even more adorable, to see that they were all cryingggg.

Omigosh, how endearing is that??? 🥹🥹🥹

I’m not exaggerating when I say that my eyes immediately leaked tears too, to see the boys all leaking tears, because they couldn’t bear the thought that they’d disappointed Ga Ram and made him upset.

It’s poignant, but also, utterly ADORABLE, the way they apologize so profusely to Ga Ram, and then all rush up to him, like puppies eager for a pat.

I LUFF THIS. This was, hands down, my favorite moment of these episodes, and, up to this point, of the entire show as well.

SO good. 🥰

E7-8. I loved watching the boys play against Daesang, because it’s clear to see how far they’ve come, since the last time they’d played against Daesang.

I mean, when we’d first met them, our boys had regularly lost to Daesang, without scoring a single point per match.

And here, they’re giving Daesang a serious run for their money – YESS.

It is a pity that they don’t win the match, but it’s a close match, and Coach Song gets to see their potential, so I’d call it a overall win – and I’m glad that the boys also call it an overall win.

One thing I found touching, is that when Ung’s inability to do a tackle comes up, mid-match, the boys don’t blame him at all, and simply follow Ga Ram’s instructions on how to cover Ung’s weakness, as a team.

Even though this strategy wipes them out in terms of strength and energy, they throw themselves into it anyway, and I found that selfless team spirit very touching. 🥲

I got a huge stab of satisfaction, when Myeongseong University’s rugby team reaches out to ask if their scout would be able to watch the boys’ training – mostly because it leaves all of the rugby team’s detractors in shock, heh.

E7-8. As for Ung’s paralysis when it comes to tackling, I’m glad that we get to the bottom of that quite quickly, in episode 8.

I thought it was endearing, in the meantime, that the entire team would try so hard, to help Ung overcome his phobia of tackling, even though some of it was way out there, like when Seon Ho (Woo Min Gyu) brings in that calf. 😅

As for the backstory to Ung’s phobia, it’s not the backstory I’d expected (I almost thought Ung was physically unwell, at one point), but it’s a backstory that works well.

I would believe that if those little thugs approached Ung to join them, that he wouldn’t join them, nor would he fight back if they hit him, so that he wouldn’t stir up more trouble.

I would also believe that when they threatened to hurt his father, that that would be the last straw that would cause him to fight back.

And of course, if he’d hurt someone with a tackle, to the point where he’d thought that that person was literally going to die, I could believe that Ung would find it paralyzing, to try to tackle anyone else, for fear that he might hurt or even kill the other person.

I did find it touching, that when the false accusation comes up, that the boys, led by Seong Jun, would trust and believe his word that he hadn’t been a bully.

And, even though the boys act without permission, I do like the idea that they would care enough about Ung, to go right to the originator of the post, to make him take it down.

I didn’t want Seong Jun to kneel like that little thug wanted him to, but I appreciate the idea, that he would put aside his personal dignity, for the sake of saving Ung. 🥲

I also very much appreciated the idea that Little Thug quickly realizes that he’s up against some very fit, very strong individuals, whom he’d have no hope of actually beating up, heh.

In the end, I did find it a bit melodramatic, the way Ga Ram forces Ung and the rest of the team to tackle him, by making it his own punishment for not being a good enough coach.

However, I’ll buy the idea that Ung loves rugby enough, that when pushed to the wall, where he’s about to be forced to give up rugby for good, he manages to push through his fears, to actually do a tackle.

The thing that gets me most in this scene, honestly, isn’t the big thing, where Ung manages to overcome his fears, but the smaller beat, where big brute Ju Yang (Hwang Sung Bin) starts crying, because of what a big moment it is.

Honestly, any time these boys start crying because of how affected they are by the team goings-on, I can’t help but find them super endearing. 🥲

[END SPOILER]

Im Se Mi as I Ji

It honestly took me a fair while to warm up to I Ji as a character, because she’d appeared very cold and even rather hostile towards Ga Ram at the beginning of our story.

Not only that, she’d also mostly seemed very reserved and withdrawn in general, and it’s only later that I learned that this was because of the unfair treatment that she’d been suffering, at work.

Overall, I think I Ji’s arc makes sense and is meaningful, and I like that we get to see that she’s a lot more caring under the surface, than one might first think.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E7-8. Even though I have to admit to not being the most interested in I Ji’s arc, I did like that beat in episode 7, where I Ji brings those shoes to U Jin (Park Jung Yeon), having discerned that U Jin’s shooting results have been shaky ever since she’d changed her shoes.

That is very observant of her, and makes me think that she’d make a good coach, whenever she does retire as an athlete.

[END SPOILER]

Ga Ram and I Ji

Like I mentioned earlier in this review, this loveline wasn’t super important to me personally, but I thought that Show did a nice job of developing it sufficiently as a side arc.

[SPOILER ALERT]

I didn’t think it was at all ok for Ga Ram to have ghosted his girlfriend for three whole years, and then show up, and then act all cheerful and normal, like he hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary to her.

With so much damage done to their relationship, I wasn’t even hopeful that they would reconcile; the most I really hoped for, was for them to gain closure, for the way Ga Ram had disappeared on her and simply not contacted her, for 3 whole years.

Even though Show withholds the truth from I Ji for longer than I would have preferred, I appreciate that she and Ga Ram manage to talk more amicably and openly, even before she learns the truth.

This, plus I Ji’s eventually learning the truth, eventually comes together to create a context between them that’s amicable enough, for them to connect again.

While I do think that this reconnection could have been teased out with more detail, I feel neutral about this loveline in general, to not mind that Show glosses over it, to get to the reconciliation.

[END SPOILER]

Jung Soon Won as Coach Bang

I just wanted to give Coach Bang a shout-out, because I thought his turnaround was quite thought-provoking and meaningful.

[SPOILER ALERT]

I do feel bad for Coach Bang, because it’s clear that he’s unhappy and really struggling inside.

Yes, he’s been a yes-man to horrible Vice Principal Seung (Kim Min Sang), and has been doing shady things like tail Ga Ram to find dirt on him, but now, we finally are starting to see some cracks in his armor.

And, I kind of understand his angst, when he has that outburst at Ga Ram, saying that things always come easily to him, unlike sad sacks like him and I Ji.

I know he’s completely off base there, but that’s the whole point that I wanted to talk about.

I think it’s very true to life, that we often think that other people have it easy, and we get all jealous of how easy their lives seem to be, when we have no idea of the struggles that they have in private.

This is a classic example of that, because, as much as Coach Bang thinks that Ga Ram has it easy, we know the truth of just how much Ga Ram’s had to struggle, to get to where he is.

I don’t hold it against Coach Bang, in the sense that this is the kind of wrong assumption that many of us make, and he’s just doing what he thinks will help secure his place at his job.

Plus, he does become instrumental in the downfall of our baddies, because he does know all their dirty secrets, so there’s that. 😁

[END SPOILER]

Park Jung Yeon as U Jin

I wanted to give U Jin a bit of a shout-out, because I do think that she’s rather cool, as a character.

Plus, Park Jung Yeon really does kinda give off Park Min Young vibes, a little bit? I thought that was rather trippy.

Here’s a quick spotlight on one of my favorite U Jin moments.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. In the end, it’s U Jin who saves Ung, and makes it possible for him to join the school as a rugby player – by losing the shooting competition on purpose.

(And yet, she manages to lose, but be a shooting badass at the same time, hitting the target sheet in the exact same place – beside the target, and not on it – multiple times. I love it. 🤩)

As for why she does it, she says that she doesn’t know, but my gut says that she’s touched by the way Ga Ram assures Ung that it’s ok even if he loses.

No coach has ever said that to her before, and I think that stirs something inside her.

I do think the other layer here, is that she feels for Ung, who looks scared and desperate.

I do think that these are the two main things that galvanizes her into making that very badass stand – and then turning around and congratulating Ung on his admission.

YESSS. She really is very cool.

[END SPOILER]

Seong Jun and U Jin

Besides the loveline between Ga Ram and I Ji, there’s also a(n even) smaller potential loveline between Seong Jun and U Jin.

I just think it’s very cute that Seong Jun’s got this giant, unwavering crush on U Jin, and I definitely rooted for him, to make an impression on his dream girl. 😁

SPOTLIGHT ON THE PENULTIMATE EPISODES [SPOILERS]

E9-10. We are officially in the lead-up to the finale, so it’s not surprising at all, really, that Show stays true to drama tradition, and serves up some extra angst, these episodes.

The good thing, in my opinion, is, Show doesn’t overdo it on the angst front, and still manages to give us some heartwarming feels, to balance it all out.

I also appreciate that even with the addition of final stretch angst into our story, Show still manages to offer up some thought-provoking nuggets too. I definitely count that as a plus.

It’s infuriating but believable (within this story’s scope of bad people) that Coach Jeon  (Lee Sung Wook) would get away with causing grievous harm to U Jin.

It’s even more infuriating, because U Jin’s own mother is actually key in allowing everything to blow over – in exchange for Coach Jeon’s promise to get U Jin into a pro team, followed by Daehan Sports University the following year.

This is where we get to see the great divide, between the ones who only care about U Jin’s professional shooting potential, and the ones who care about U Jin as a person.

While Vice Principal Seung, Coach Jeon and even Mother Dearest (who’s an ex-shooter herself, my gosh) only care about U Jin’s potential as a professional shooter, it’s people like Principal Kang and I Ji, who care about U Jin’s wellbeing as a person.

It definitely says a lot about how well I Ji’s filled that coach role for U Jin, because in this moment when U Jin’s scared and unsure of what to do, it’s I Jin whom she calls.

It’s hard to watch I Ji kneel before Coach Jeon and eat humble pie, but it is also touching to see how much she cares about U Jin.

She’d take all of the indignity that Coach Jeon subjects her to, if it means that it would allow her to be in a position to help and protect U Jin. That is so loving, yes? 🥲

As for Seong Jun, I do feel for him, because he’s under a lot of mental and emotional stress.

I do think that that’s the reason he gets injured in the first place (because he’d felt pressured to outperform Ung), and I also think that’s the reason he hides his injury (because he’d felt pressured to keep playing, not just for the sake of the team, but also, to prove himself to his mom).

It’s also why Seong Jun keeps insisting that he’s able to keep training and playing, despite that he’s under doctor’s orders to stop training and just focus on recovery.

For his sake, I’m glad that U Jin pops by to see him at the hospital.

Aww. Puppy gets help with a hair wash, AND a towel dry, and looks completely blissed out to be in U Jin’s care.

Quite adorable, I must admit. 😁

Good for him, that he manages to show U Jin that he very much cares, with the way he remembers her exact Subway order (pretty good PPL there; it’s even story-relevant!).

Altogether, this just feels like a good bit of down time for both U Jin and Seong Jun, that increases their understanding of each other too.

And finally, Seong Jun can stop feeling jealous of Ung, now that he realizes that Ung had simply been trying to help U Jin keep her secret, heh.

In terms of the way Coach Bang steals Ga Ram’s medication and tries to use it against him, I was honestly horrified, because he takes the pills with him, thus depriving Ga Ram of his medication – which is so dangerous, seriously.

Those pills are basically keeping Ga Ram functioning and therefore alive, yes? Especially since he’s having trouble with his ability to breathe normally??

I rationalize, though, that Coach Bang doesn’t realize this, and likely thinks that these are optional use steroids, rather than lifesaving medication.

I’m relieved, of course, that Vice Principal Seung shuts him down when he attempts to report that he’s found these pills in Ga Ram’s room.

I really feel like Coach Bang oversteps his boundaries, when he tries to test the rugby boys for doping, but I rationalize that he’d felt that the only way to get Vice Principal Seung to listen to him, was to get hard evidence of the doping.

I’d be mad too, in Ga Ram’s shoes.

First, the theft of his medication, and now this? I can see why he’d end up throwing that punch at Coach Bang.

Show plays the entire thing for comedy, with them first getting covered in flour, after an anything-goes fight, and then having to coach each other’s teams, as punishment.

I wasn’t super amused, but to be fair, I definitely appreciated the moment of breakthrough, once Coach Bang realizes that Ga Ram actually needs the medication for a health condition.

You can see Coach Bang’s face turn pale, once he sees Ga Ram looking so ill and struggling to breathe; in that moment, all of his humanity came rushing back, not only to my mind, but to his as well, I believe.

It had been clear that Coach Bang wasn’t truly a bad person, and I’d been waiting for him to have his turnaround, and I’m pleased that I’m finally getting that, these episodes.

In the midst of all this, the beat that I found most thought-provoking, is when Coach Bang realizes that the whole reason he’d been removed from the lineup, back in the day, was because Ga Ram had told the Coach that he was injured, and not because everyone had stopped believing in his abilities.

I find it a really sad thought, that Coach Bang had made such big decisions – removing himself from the rugby team, and then even switching to aerobics – and that these decisions had shaped his life and entire psyche for so many years.

This can and does happen in real life too, and I found this very sobering to think about. 🥲

Another reconciliation that gets more screen time these episodes, is the one between Ga Ram and I Ji.

Now that we’re past the big reveal, where I Ji finds out the truth about Ga Ram’s health situation, I like that their reconciliation works out to be a cumulation of low-key moments.

And, I do really like that these important moments are not actually about magic or romance, and more about them believing in each other, empathizing with each other and supporting each other.

These are all the important foundation stones of a healthy relationship, so I’m glad to see them build this foundation together, for a better, healthier second go-around. 🥲

In terms of our last major beat, I absolutely do not support Seong Jun going out and buying steroids, but I do understand that he’d feel desperate enough to try anything, even something as risky as doping.

He literally feels like the Nationals are his last chance to prove himself, and that if he misses it, then his entire rugby career is over.

And of course, that sneaky reporter catches him making the purchase, and that blows up into a huge deal, by the end of episode 10.

I’m SO relieved, that Seong Jun tells Ga Ram that he didn’t consume the steroids, because it’s true that this provides a way out.

Unfortunately, this does mean that Ga Ram takes the fall, by saying that the meds are his, and admitting to suffering from Myasthenia Gravis.

This will absolutely have an impact on his coaching future, but for now, I’m just transfixed, really, by the way Ga Ram’s got Seong Jun’s hand in his, the whole time.

Even in this moment of crisis, Ga Ram’s first concern is assuring Seong Jun that it’s going to be ok, and that their relationship is ok, and my heart can’t help but blubber a bit, in response. Gurgle. 😭

How beautiful and loving is that, yes? 🥹🥹🥹

THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]

E11-12. This was, all in all, an excellent finale, in my opinion. 🥲

I feel like Show gave me everything I’d wanted, in this finale, and then some.

Although Ga Ram ends up spending a chunk of our finale in the hospital, I am actually relieved about this, because he’s been needing serious medical attention for some time, and now, he finally gets it.

Throughout my watch, one of my favorite things has consistently been any time the rugby boys cling to Ga Ram because he’s become important to them, because that is so sweet, and also, any time they start crying, because it’s trippy and endearing to see all these big buff boys blubbering their hearts out.

Which means that I love the hospital scene, of course, because I get both of those things in the same scene: our big rugby boys crying at the hospital, because they’re so concerned for their coach, Ga Ram.

Aw. It’s so endearing, isn’t it? 🥲

I am also touched by how Ga Ram valiantly continues to mother them, even from his hospital bed, reminding them that just as no player is greater than the team, no coach is greater than the team either, and that they’ll do just fine even without him.

I also really liked the scene where Seong Jun stays behind and finally opens up to Ga Ram about the insecurities and worries that he’d had, which had led him to purchase those steroids in the first place.

I really love how non-judgmental and accepting Ga Ram is, as he encourages Seong Jun, that all the training that he’s done won’t disappear just because he needs to take a break for his injury to heal.

With this kind of strong bond between Ga Ram and the boys, it feels like the natural thing to do, when the boys make that stand, saying that they won’t play at the Nationals if Ga Ram isn’t granted sick leave, and is let go.

I honestly kinda love that Ga Ram then supports the boys from his hospital bed, writing up play strategies for them, for each and every opponent they’ll come up against, in the Nationals.

With him focusing on this, and on getting better, while the boys do their part to train hard and play their best, this lands as them working to keep their promises to each other, even while they’re not able to be in the same space, and there’s something very stirring about that, to me. 🥲

In fact, I do think that Ga Ram’s video message to the boys, to meet him at the finals, actually gives them even more drive and impetus to do well; it’s no longer about winning the Nationals – it’s about getting to reunite with Ga Ram.

I love that. 🥲

That moment when Ga Ram actually walks onto the field, at the finals, and the boys literally drop everything so that they can engulf him in a group hug, is one of my favorite moments in this entire show. 🥰🥰

I mean, just look at how much joy and love there is in there, and how it flows both ways.

LOVE. So Much. 🥰❤️

The other moment that I’ve been waiting for, all series long, it feels like, is the moment that the boys actually win the Nationals, and fulfill the dream that Ga Ram’s encouraged them to dream.

The way they beeline to him and glom onto him, crying tears that I imagine are a mix of joy, wonder, disbelief, relief and release, is one of the most affecting moments of our entire story.

I LOVE this too.

It’s so hard-won; both the rugby triumph, and the close-knit relationship among the boys, as well as with Ga Ram. 🥲

I have to admit that I was a lot less invested in the shooting arc of our story, but I do appreciate I Ji’s selfless, nurturing heart, which leads her to give up her last chance at competing as an athlete, in order to be there for U Jin, who can’t compete without a coach.

But also – good riddance to Coach Jeon, who’s been one of our Big Baddies all series long. I’m glad that his mistreatment of U Jin and his fraudulent behavior is exposed.

And then, I’m glad that Coach Jeon then does his part of supply evidence of Vice-Principal Seung’s shady activities, which ends up finally bringing down our other Big Baddie, finally.

Afterwards, I’m glad to see Ga Ram propose to I Ji, because they do genuinely care about each other, despite all that they’ve been through, and also, in spite of the challenges ahead of them.

It feels right, that they would make the decision to solidify their relationship even further, even as they decide to face the future, together.

I also thought Seong Jun confessing his feelings to U Jin was pretty cute, and I do hope that they’ll manage to nurture their new relationship, amid long-distance challenges.

I definitely found it very poignant to see the seniors among our boys graduate, because this means that the team that they’ve worked so hard to build, is finally moving into a new season.

Not gonna lie; thinking about the boys no longer being an intact unit, kinda made my heart a little achey and wistful. 🥲

But, I console myself that we do see that there are connections that still bind them all together, like the way Seong Jun tells Ung that they’ll likely meet on the field as opponents.

As they all move forward to new chapters in their lives, I’m glad to see Ga Ram and I Ji both be announced as coaches for their respective teams at Hanyang. Our two underdog coaches have sure come a long way.

And I’m assured that the connections that they’ve formed with their charges are built on such strong foundations, that these relationships will not be easily broken, but will endure, for a lifetime. 🥰🥲

THE FINAL VERDICT:

A little rough around the edges, but full of heart and wholesome feels.

FINAL GRADE: B+

TRAILER:

MV:

PATREON UPDATE!

The next drama I’m covering on Patreon, in place of  The Winning Try is Shin’s Project [Korea].

You can check out my episode 1-2 notes on Shin’s Project on Patreon here.

Here’s an overview of what I’m covering on Patreon right now (Tier benefits are cumulative)!

Foundation Tier (US$1): Entertainment Drop (Sundays) + the first set notes of all shows covered on Patreon (that’s 2 episodes for kdramas and 4 episodes for cdramas)

Early Access (US$5): +Shin’s Project [Korea]

Early Access Plus (US$10): +Legend of the Female General [China]

VIP (US$15): +Bon Appetit, Your Majesty [Korea]