Racket Boys 라켓소년단 [2021]

[stroppyse]

Just realized I forgot to write about my thoughts for episode 5 and 6.

 

I thought episode 5 was really moving in so many ways. I loved the story of the grandmother helping out the city couple, and the husband finding out first, and the wife finally understanding then painting her mural on the grandmother's wall. The wedding picture of a youthful grandmother and grandfather when they had not had the money to actually take pictures was thoughtful and beautiful. HK being so thoughtful despite his rude and gruff exterior never fails to make me smile, plus I was already convinced that HK and SY had a thing for each other from way back when they were classmates in elementary school.

 

It occurred to me as well that SY had been impressed with HK standing up for her back then, and had never met another guy who impressed her as much. And, it clearly came as a shock to HK to find out how popular SY was. When they were younger, HK was the national champion having to manage his schedule and SY was still developing. HK noticed her, but did not have the same crush that SY may have developed on him.

18 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

• The ending scene of Se Yoon and Hae Kang is so sweet and put a smile on my face. So awkward and so funny too. I'd love to know how and what happened during their walk that Se Yoon's potatoes get less and less meanwhile the potatoes all went to Hae Kang. LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. I mean, as stubbon and prideful as Se Yoon, how did she agree to let Hae Kang carries all those potatoes for her? xD xP

 

I thought it was sweet that SY let HK carry more and more of the potatoes for her. It's definitely a novel way to flirt!

 

 

Episode 6 was a bit more random. I didn't quite appreciate the whole running away to play and then having to work to earn their bus fare back. It's sad that both the work foreman as well as the older worker tried to take advantage of the boys. Actually, I guess the work foreman totally did take advantage of them since he only paid them for one person's wages even though all 4 of them had worked.

 

It was good that In Seol was very aware of his surroundings and was a reader, not to mention able to fake out that older worker guy who was trying to take their money. Still, I totally sympathized with his shaking hands after he pulled it off. And, then the whole thing seemed a bit of a set up so that the boys could express that their coach was one of the few adults that they felt they could trust. Awww.

 

I'm glad the grandparents' son and grandson finally visited them. Had to laugh that the grandson met Hae In, and now he's going to want to go to his grandparents' all the time to see her. LOL

 

I remember how it was a thing for little girls to say that when they grew up, they wanted to marry their fathers. It's sweet that the writer invoked that memory.

 

I can't wait for the doubles between HK and SY to start, though that preview did not give very good vibes at all for the Summer Tournament. Hopefully, they'll negotiate it well, and bring back some wins.

[Warm Paws]

1 hour ago, stroppyse said:

Episode 6 was a bit more random. I didn't quite appreciate the whole running away to play and then having to work to earn their bus fare back.

 

I absolutely agree! Them having to suddenly work at a construction site (a pretty big one at that) was so random. 😆 Who knew that getting a job was that easy? The foreman never cared for them, and just rescued HK from injury cause you know... Liabilities and stuff. 😄 But them going through all this just to learn their lesson was a bit of a stretch. But I dunno, I can sort of see it happening as a scenario in an anime/comics so I'm thinking it's the direction they're going for.

 

I also laughed towards the end when Han-Sol left HK and SY. Just to get that short moment between the two, they had Han-Sol decide to walk off alone at night BECAUSE her phone ran out of battery. 😄😄 In real life, that's like exactly what you're not supposed to do. 😆

[abs-oluteM]

Just had to say how troubling it is to find that players in the past often got bullied by their seniors ( and secretly condoned by the coaches) as a way to "train" them. Of course from other sports dramas I have seen , it isn't just limited to badminton. But it seems the coaches of this generation want to walk away from that sort of practice which is a good message to send .  I thought it sweet how Coach Yoon tries to make himself as relatable to the boys as possible especially after seeing how his friend ( Park Hae Soo cameo) has successfully done the same. Though I laughed when they were more worried he isn't going to punish them and started trying to be "cool" . The boys did have a good lesson out there in the real world for skipping training. They don't realise how protected their lives are , and there are really some nasty folks out there willing to scam even children like them. I must say how much I like Mr Nerd a.k.a as Class President more with every episode. Thanks to his sharp observation , the others weren't further scammed of their wages by Kim Sung Cheol . 

 

I agree with @stroppyse that eps 6 was a compilation of many random things. One thing that caught my attention was the various scenes of the boys with their families back home. I believe it dawned on them how much their families - siblings included sacrifice , support and prioritise their ambitions so that they can focus on doing well in the competitions. I hope Woo Chan's parents too will openly one day show him the sort of support the others are getting from their families.

 

Anyway am looking forward to next week where the boys will finally take part in the Summer Competition. From the preview, it won't be short of drama!

[mademoiselle]

Episode 6 seems to be about having the boys realise how blissful they are and them not appreciating what they have. It's what the oldies always tell us; it's also how I feel when I look at the youngsters these days (LOL). I understand the show's intention as well as having them appreciate Coach Yoon but I completely agree it was executed quite randomly. Nonetheless, I was a bit teary and I believe I see Hae Kang feeling touched too - again these boys showed him they really appreciated his dad unlike his past badminton team mates.

 

Great cameos from Lee Joon Hyuk, Kim Sung Cheol and Park Hae Soo. Kim Sung Cheol once again stood out with his dyed hair, earrings and deameaner.

 

Just when I was thinking Hae Kang hadn't cited his motto for a while, and I got a dosage of it near end. Also, I just love it when Hae Kang went to practice badminton alone. He's finally showing determination. Regretfully it seems like he's going to get smashed by Yellow Head again...? I hope preview being preview is just pulling our legs.

 

I'm starting to like the Class President, In Seol too. He is quite handsome when he's being serious (he was all sorts of "not serious" in True Beauty).

 

BTS is out!

 

[mademoiselle]

19 hours ago, Warm Paws said:

I also remembered that I only use around 5GB of data per month. Even if I don't game on my phone, 300MB is still somehow a decent amount.

5GB in a month?! Mainly also because I use Wi-Fi at work and home so I don't really use data hence I'm still surviving on 1GB (coz I want to keep my phone bill at its lowest).

7 hours ago, stroppyse said:

Something about Nam Da Reum. I just think he's such a good looking boy, and such an excellent actor as well. I just hope he transitions well into more adult roles rather than what seems to happen to so many child/young actors in not being able to attract enough of the good roles as they age.

Yeah I think he's got a lot of potential. Like you, I also hope he'll receive good roles to play. I honestly don't mind he starts off playing second lead because sometimes second leads can be more interesting than the main lead. Moreover I want to see him keep getting better in acting.

 

[stroppyse]

9 hours ago, Warm Paws said:

I also laughed towards the end when Han-Sol left HK and SY. Just to get that short moment between the two, they had Han-Sol decide to walk off alone at night BECAUSE her phone ran out of battery. 😄😄 In real life, that's like exactly what you're not supposed to do. 😆

 

Agreed. The "ran out of batteries so I have to run home to plug my phone in" was actually rather funny. The only reason it wasn't completely weird and manipulative is that they are all young, so I guess they could think that way when you're still a sheltered teenager?

 

8 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

Just had to say how troubling it is to find that players in the past often got bullied by their seniors ( and secretly condoned by the coaches) as a way to "train" them.

 

This has been a bit of an ongoing scandal in SK more recently. The hazing that athletes go through from the senior players and the coaches has been horrifying the public, so I think the writer is probably addressing it. I'm glad that they're showing that SK's athletic culture is getting away from hazing and bullying. I hope that is really the case, and not just in this drama.

 

8 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

One thing that caught my attention was the various scenes of the boys with their families back home. I believe it dawned on them how much their families - siblings included sacrifice , support and prioritise their ambitions so that they can focus on doing well in the competitions. I hope Woo Chan's parents too will openly one day show him the sort of support the others are getting from their families.

 

That is a good point. I think especially with YD, it never dawned on him how much his parents favored him over his siblings. I think the scene was a bit overdone, since the other children clearly got to eat what they wanted when YD wasn't around rather than always having to eat what YD wanted whether he was there or not. Having said that, the tradition of the first born son being favored over the rest of the children is a real thing, even these days, especially if that son is accomplished in some way.

 

It explains why YD's father was almost more devastated to realize that his son was not #1 on the team any more in the previous episode.

 

I think it's great that WC's mother supports him at least. I also hope that WC's father will come to respect and support his son's wishes and choices more. As a military man, WC's father expects to be obeyed, and in the past, it seems that WC has obeyed. However, WC is growing up and finding his confidence. Having said that, the fact that WC is still playing badminton with the guys rather than moving with his father's transfer seems to indicate that his family is allowing it, even if his father is still not that thrilled that WC continues to play rather than focusing on "more important things".

 

4 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

Yeah I think he's got a lot of potential. Like you, I also hope he'll receive good roles to play. I honestly don't mind he starts off playing second lead because sometimes second leads can be more interesting than the main lead. Moreover I want to see him keep getting better in acting.

 

I think second lead roles are fine as long as he's acting with more veteran actors rather than getting cast into idol dramas or teen dramas where he's the veteran. I think that's a bit of a trap for child actors.

[bluepebbles]

Racket Boys Filming Location - Episode 5

 

The lovely potato scene was filmed at Green Barley Field in Gochang .

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

The Gochang Green Barley Field Festival is held every year in late April among the beautiful green barley fields of Gochang-gun. It is the region’s most popular festival. The festival celebrates the plentiful barley grown here, and visitors can take part in activities such as making flutes out of barley and searching for hidden treasures in the barley fields.
A visit to the festival is also a good opportunity to see Seonunsan Provincial Park and Gochangeupseong Fortress.

 

Address: 

158-6, Hagwonnongjang-gil, Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do[Google Map]

 

[bluepebbles]

Just dropping this for information. The scene about the Jakarta tournament got a backlash from the Indonesian netizens. I just have to commend how SBS responded on this. Not all the time production will take action when it comes to these kind of issues. 

 

 

 

 

[bluepebbles]

 

[mademoiselle]

BTS

 

[abs-oluteM]

New stills for tonight ...

Ki Eun-se will join as coach Lee Yu-ri, adding vitality and fun to the show. Lee Yu-ri, played by Ki Eun-se, is a former badminton national and a badminton coach at Seoul Jeil Girls' Middle School. Haenam Jeil Girls' Middle School coach Ra Young-ja and her are rivals in terms of beauty and skills, creating a strong tension. Above all, while Kim Sang-kyung and Oh Na-ra are together, Ki Eun-se appears and the scene changes in an instant, drawing attention. In the play, Yoo-ri (Ki Eun-se) enters the gym where Yoon Hyeon-jong (Kim Sang-kyung) and Ra Young-ja (Oh Na-ra) watch the match. When Lee Yu-ri finds Yoon, she greets him with a bright smile and waving her hand, and Yoon also gets up from his seat and responds warmly.

 

However, Ra Young-ja saw this and watched the two with a cold expression with her arms crossed, and Yoon looked at Ra Young-ja and quickly sat down quietly. After that, Ra Young-ja and Lee Yu-ri, who are faced with each other, shoot hot eyes at each other. So what kind of relationship do Yoon, Ra Young-ja and Lee Yu-ri have in the past?

https://www.hankyung.com/entertainment/article/202106219888I

 

 

[mademoiselle]

Pre-release clip

I knew Hae Kang was going to praise himself~

[mademoiselle]

E8 preview

 

[abs-oluteM]

Our handsome Bang is the best boy ! I know as an adult I shouldn't be encouraging violence and the best course of action would have been for them to tell Coach Ra , but I was very satisfied when he hit that line judge. I can understand of course why Han Sol didn't want to kick up a fuss. Being a teenage girl , she'd be embarrass for it to be highlighted. 

 

The camaraderie among the boys continue to grow, and In Sol proved useful to the team by analysing the strategy that helped Hae Kang win the 1st match. I wonder if Hae Kang's overconfidence or perhaps lack of competitive exposure in badminton cause him to lose the 2nd one. Or was it because he lacked the hunger since he had already met his goal and I think he may go back to baseball? It doesn't seem like his parents are against the idea as well since Yoon talked to Coach Ra about it and they were somewhat expecting it.

 

Poor SeYoon . It isn't easy to continue to be at the top of your game all the time. The mental and emotional pressure got to her. And it was made worse because people kept telling her that she was invincible . And Coach Ra was right that she really didn't need to have to deal with politics of the sports. It was easier for Hae Kang to deal with losing as this game isn't everything to him the way it is for Se Yoon.

 

-------------

New stills......why is Coach Yoon all dressed up?

https://ent.sbs.co.kr/news/article.do?article_id=E10010231547&plink=ORI&cooper=NAVER

 

 

[mademoiselle]

That line judge is such a douch @abs-oluteM

They should have stopped the game and complain he's making harassing comments and distracting the game. Technically this shouldn't happen irl anyway.

 

Haenan team is really starting to work well together with In Seol being the analyst and deciphering the opponent's weakness although I feel this should be a job from both coaches. 😅

 

Hae Kang continues to be the sweetest person, and I'm talking about him sleeping on the floor letting In Seol takes the bed.

 

It's so annoying that the show doesn't show us Hae Kang's win against Yellow haired boy. And because Hae Kang won this one, I was almost certain he would lose against Park Chan. I'm not sure what to make of Hae Kang's reaction to losing but I feel it's definitely not the end of it and he's not going back to baseball team.

 

Se Yoon and Hae Kang are just the cutest couple-to-be. Even though Se Yoon was bawling her eyes out on Hae Kang's shoulder, I couldn't stop myself smiling. Hahaha.

 

[ktcjdrama]

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

They should have stopped the game and complain he's making harassing comments and distracting the game. Technically this shouldn't happen irl anyway.

I was so mad about this as well. He should not even open his mouth to interact with the players.  Such person is not credible to be a judge. The other people should’ve seen that he was not doing his job at all. 
 

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

Even though Se Yoon was bawling her eyes out on Hae Kang's shoulder, I couldn't stop myself smiling. Hahaha.

I really love this part. She could only let go of herself with him because he is the only person who said out loud to her that it’s okay to lose. Could this also be the reason why he was quiet about his loss, as consideration to Se Yoon? 

[mademoiselle]

Episode 9 Preview

Omo omo omo...what's this on the video cover! Hahahaha

[abs-oluteM]

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

Omo omo omo...what's this on the video cover! Hahahaha

Two teenagers hiding in a cupboard....hmmmmmm . Are they allowed to peck on tv? 

[stroppyse]

2 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

Two teenagers hiding in a cupboard....hmmmmmm . Are they allowed to peck on tv? 

 

Nope. As minors that would be totally scandalous! Probably lots of protests from knetz.

 

I did like how SY was able to cry once she was alone with HK. Actually, HK is the only one that SY seems to be able to cry in front of. It happened when they were in elementary school and she was getting bullied by the more senior boy, too. HK told her it was okay to cry. And, not HK had told her that it was okay to lose. HK seems very sensitive and perceptive towards SY.

 

Also, HK understands about the pressure of being the best and having all the expectations of everyone on him, even though he ultimately chose to change sports. Though, given that he's become a pitcher that they're willing to give a full scholarship to, HK seems to be a very good natural athlete as well as having a lot of confidence.

[stroppyse]

Why is it that when Yong Tae cries, I feel like crying with him, even when the scene is being played for comic effect? Seriously, I found the boys' somber mood, even as they are supposed to be celebrating having gotten further than they ever have before, as they contemplated losing HK to baseball touching.

 

I also found the further reveal of WC and his father very touching as well. WC thinks that his father doesn't think much of him or his passion for badminton, not realizing that his father had been secretly watching his games. The negative comments about his son that he overheard probably drove his father to tell WC to quit badminton as much as anything. However, upon realizing that WC is on a real team of brothers who are genuinely happy for him and encouraging of him, the father understands why WC doesn't want to leave the team. And, WC understands that his father, like most other parents, really does want the best for him, and not that his father is just demanding blind obedience to his wishes.

 

That was an unexpected twist on HK's part. Rest in spoiler.

Spoiler

When HK was injured, I wondered if it was a fake out meant to lull the jerk from Busan into the final match with HK. So, when HK played his amazing game to pound the other guy into defeat, holding his opponent to just 6 points, the same number of points that the jerk had claimed that he would let HK score, I was happy for him, but wondering how many people were in on the plan. Then, the revelation that HK had actually seriously hurt him ankle, but then managed to fool his dad and then go on to play that match and win. It speaks to how passionate HK can be about something he's really into. The same reason that the baseball coach couldn't even bring himself to talk to HK about coming back.

 

Anyway, it was very cute how the boys are somber when they go to the bbq party, only to be met by HK wearing his national team uniform, a clear sign that HK was not going to leave badminton. As close as they guys are, they perhaps underestimate HK's competitiveness, as well as what really makes him tick.

 

Also sweet how HK doesn't forget about the grandmother and visits her anyway despite having wifi at this house now. And even cuter that the others followed him to the grandmother's once they realize where he must have gone, bringing In Seol, SY, and HS with them. Awwww.

 

I can't wait to see the jealousy that HK is going to feel over SY being paired up with Park Chan all the time as the respective number 1 players. It feels as if HK hasn't quite realized how much he likes SY yet, so it will be good for him to realize it. SY seems more definite about liking HK, even if she isn't saying anything about it as yet. I also appreciate that being with HK isn't the primary force in her life. SY is someone who has a goal and is trying to figure out how to reach it.

 

I love this story more and more. It's befitting the author of Prison Playbook.

[ktcjdrama]

12 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

Episode 9 Preview
Omo omo omo...what's this on the video cover! Hahahaha

Jealous Hae Kang is so cute 😁 (at 0:07)

[mademoiselle]

Tang Joon Sang is legal to kiss but not Lee Jae In (Se Yoon), @abs-oluteM

I thought I've seen cuts of child actors kiss on screen before but I can't remember exactly who. I'm not expecting the kids to smooch passionately. A peck on cheek and then quick peck on the lips I think it'll be cute (and more realistic).

 

I thought the beginning of the episode was a bit abrupt since I thought it'll be a continuation from the scene where Se Yoon cries into Hae Kang's shoulder. Like dude, what happened after she stopped crying?? Did they chat? Did they comfort each other since both lost??? What happeneddddd?!!

 

Gosh I was teary-eyed for Woo Chan and Dad's scenes. I thought there must be something important when they showed the commotion at the audience seats in earlier episode — that was definitely a nice closing up on Woo Chan and Dad's storyline

Another scene I appreciated was Head Coach Paeng (Ahn Nae Sang) finally lost it at those disrespectful coaches... that no matter his relationship with Coach Yoon wasn't superb, nonetheless they had a history. That's a nice twist.

 

So... what's the deal with the city visitors vs villagers bit? Is it concluded now and what's the deal with those scenes? It feels rather random.

 

I'm so happy Hae Kang won against Busan Curls and got him good at 6 points. Serve him right for looking down on others. But goodness... at the expense of his ankle! He could have thrown away his chance at sports completely for risking it! Where did he get his confidence from is beyond me. LOL. Or was he actually listening to In Seol's analysis and others' discussion whilst playing game? This honestly goes to show Hae Kang hasn't shown his full potential yet, which later confirmed by Park Chan, that he is still "the goal" rather than an opponent.

 

I'm not surprised Hae Kang was furious about losing. I'm just surprised he didn't show it this time and why. Is it because Park Chan is the serious opponent and no.1 whereas Yellow-haired isn't?

 

One little rant:

Spoiler

I've noticed the drama likes to end each competition/game with a powerful jump smash. This emphasis (esp. it's repeated so many times with different players) is getting repetitive. Badminton isn't just about power and there's so much more other deadly shots a good badminton player can win against their opponents other than a jump smash. For example, a quick but super sharp drop shot to the corner of the net or a really REALLY good netting shot where there's just no way the opponent can save it. I'd like to see more variety and other skill shots from future game scenes.

[ktcjdrama]

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

a powerful jump smash.

because this is more dramatic on screen... haha....

 

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

Gosh I was teary-eyed for Woo Chan and Dad's scenes. I

I cried too... 

 

1 hour ago, mademoiselle said:

I thought the beginning of the episode was a bit abrupt since I thought it'll be a continuation from the scene where Se Yoon cries into Hae Kang's shoulder. Like dude, what happened after she stopped crying?? Did they chat? Did they comfort each other since both lost??? What happeneddddd?!!

I kept asking the same question too, hoping that it will be revealed somehow. Well, maybe not this episode, but later episode??

[abs-oluteM]

20 hours ago, stroppyse said:

can't wait to see the jealousy that HK is going to feel over SY being paired up with Park Chan all the time as the respective number 1 players. It feels as if HK hasn't quite realized how much he likes SY yet, so it will be good for him to realize it. SY seems more definite about liking HK, even if she isn't saying anything about it as yet. I also appreciate that being with HK isn't the primary force in her life. SY is someone who has a goal and is trying to figure out how to reach it.

This so cute. I liked watching jealous Hae Kang. You're right - he has no idea he likes her though it is clear to us the viewers.  Regarding my question about the peck , yeah maybe the drama won't show it less it gets knetz all riled up. ( The show already has enough controversy with the Indonesian viewers. )This is a lovely slice of life , and I won't want it to be overshadowed by the small things that viewers may want to nit pick on. 

 

12 hours ago, mademoiselle said:

Gosh I was teary-eyed for Woo Chan and Dad's scenes. I thought there must be something important when they showed the commotion at the audience seats in earlier episode — that was definitely a nice closing up on Woo Chan and Dad's storyline

I was very touched by this scene too , and so glad that WC gets to see that Dad supports him. Dad is quite typical of some Asian dads who just don't show their affections openly but clearly loves his son,  and it was touching for Dad to tell him to go for his dreams. 

 

So at the end Hae Kang really was injured and didn't realise it - double twist there. I  was also surprised that the baseball coach didn't event get a chance to approach HK. Clearly he saw where HK's heart is now. Now that he's been accepted as part of the national youth team, he will definitely go places. From that house, it is only Bang , HK and Se Yoon that got accepted right? 

 

There was a part of me that felt a little sad when the boys compared badminton with the more popular games like baseball. Someone like HK could easily excel in baseball too . So it felt like they are  sending a sweet message of support for this "underdog sport" when HK chose badminton over baseball. [ Ahhh if only they can come to where I am. Badminton is our most loved sport, apart from football. ]

 

I love the Badminton World Federation promoting this drama !

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQYcw0zMu1T/

 

And oh forgot to mention that In Sol is fast becoming my fave ( though I love all these boys - such great kids) . Just love how observant he is and how he's been able to fit in to the team . HK's right - now at least that badminton team won't be just typecast as being all airheads! 

[ktcjdrama]

54 minutes ago, abs-oluteM said:

From that house, it is only Bang , HK and Se Yoon that got accepted right? 

Wasn't Han Sol also accepted? I saw her in preview with the others... then Coach Yoon also said there are 5 national team members, but Coach Ra corrected him there are 6, including herself.