Racket Boys 라켓소년단 [2021]

[mademoiselle]

Ahn Jung Won in the make @abs-oluteM @ktcjdrama

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by mademoiselle

[ktcjdrama]

I somehow think that they shot the first episode much later... because right now, Kim Kang Hoon looks younger compared to him in episode 1, haha...

[mademoiselle]

Episode 12 Preview

 

[stroppyse]

Wow. What is up with that coach from the other middle school? What a total jerk! How is he allowed to coach kids?

 

I'm conflicted about Yong Tae in episode 11. I understand that he wants to be friends again with the other kid, but I don't understand spilling the strategy for his team player after being warned about keeping it a secret to the other team, especially when the other team is already acting strange and YT knows that the other kid is being bullied by the coach. Then again, YT is still clearly a kid, but he's also a member of the team.

 

Anyway, the tears in YT's eyes clearly show that he knows he messed up big time.

 

As for the other kid, he's also just a kid who cares about his own prospects and about pleasing his own coach who holds his playing fate.

 

Stupid coach.

 

It was nice finally seeing the back story to why the city couple was feeling suicidal. I really felt for them. I'm glad that they are feeling as if they belong to the village since the villagers have welcomed them in turn. Lovely that the oldest grandmother's daughter gave the couple some kimchee. Even if she is a grouch, the daughter still understands that the city couple helped them out as best as they could. Awww.

[40somethingahjumma]

We're up to Episode 9 and still thinking that this could be one of the year's best just by nature of how the characters interact in this particular context. I love the boys of course -- all five -- and it's great watching each of them come alive as they grow into badminton players and build on their team work. I was thinking about how much this reminds me of an old J medical drama where a group of medicos are recruited to do a very difficult operation. Under the right kind of leadership individuals who don't necessarily stand out or are idiosyncratic become something much bigger than themselves. Some are a natural fit but others need a period of adjustment before they are accustomed to the rhythm. There's something about healthy group dynamics that motivates and challenges. Consequently the racket boys are maturing individually and growing as a team. In-sol has now found himself a place as the group's strategist even if he isn't the best player. His natural acumen lends itself to the role.

 

Although the politics of badminton is something of a necessary evil and it's something that certainly demands exploration in this situation, a lot of the antics of administrators and coaches leave a bad taste in my mouth. Some of it might be caricatured for dramatic purposes but I can believe that the excessive bootlicking is real. This kind of behind the scenes maneuvering is one of a number of things that is detrimental to a sport. Of course funding is always an issue and hobnobbing with the big shots might be necessary on some level but for the coaches to have to essentially humiliate themselves and swallow insults to get their kids in the spotlight is a bridge too far.

 

It's good then that things are changing. Je-hyeok from Prison Playbook had a nice cameo that went into all of that. All the normalized bullying and abuse that he and Coach Yoon had to endure as younger players was dreadful. And as the show goes to prove there are better ways of training and instilling purpose into players than playing on the worst aspects of human nature.

 

No doubt the show feels that it needs some element of villainy to keep the stakes high and get the audience barracking for the protagonists. Villains do come in different shapes and sizes particularly in the form of rivals but at times the main characters are their own worst enemy. It's the right balance to have. Threats come from external and internal forces. Another Prison Playbook cameo worth mentioning was Kim Sang-chul who was known as Jailbird there. Not such a nice guy in this but a very memorable appearance. 

 

The budding romances are just adorable although at one time it cost Bang a game or two. I'm a tad surprised that the trash talking got Han Sol that flustered. She's usually the bossy one but then the idiot line referee embarrassed her in front of the guy she liked. It seems to me that the win at all cost philosophy can play out quite nastily and does... all throughout the drama.

 

The city slickers-country folk biffo was unbelievable. It's how wars start -- from the tiniest things. But the combative attitude on both sides escalates everything to the point of danger. A bit of humility right from the start would have gone a long way. I can't believe how the mural got defaced. That was an all-time low.

 

We're loving it so far and rooting so hard for the Haenam boys to make it all the way and become national champions. 

[ktcjdrama]

3 hours ago, stroppyse said:

 

I'm conflicted about Yong Tae in episode 11. I understand that he wants to be friends again with the other kid, but I don't understand spilling the strategy for his team player

Feeling the same. He is a little kid trying to encourage a friend, but I guess he gave a little too much talk. I can’t tell from the preview, did they win or lose? And that coach was sort of trying to ask for some favors from that kid’s mother, right? 
 

 

[mademoiselle]

7 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

I can’t tell from the preview, did they win or lose?

Looks like they must have lost because the losing team must follow the training of the other team, isn't it? That coach is shady and I'm wondering if he's requested bribe. All other kids' parents may have complied to his request apart from Eun Ho's so he's picking on Eun Ho...

 

I'm worried about Hae Kang. I thought he had recovered from it after 2 weeks rest.

[mademoiselle]

Netflix Korea Promotion

 

OST 4 Im Dan Woo - To Find Myself

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by mademoiselle

[abs-oluteM]

@40somethingahjumma so far up to eps 11, the drama has maintained its feel good quality, and consistently sends out the right messages especially about how little acts of kindness go a long way. 

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

Eps 11

Hmm that coach from the other school is playing some kind of sick psychological game with his players and honestly I wish that by the end of next episode, Coach Yoon can find some proof to get him suspended or his coaching position revoked. @stroppyse agree with you ...not just a stupid coach but has terrible character and passing on the wrong values to the next generation.

 

@ktcjdramatrue, TY is just a kid . He is at least a couple of years younger than the others. And I think he knows the other kid too since he mentioned that the latter has kept a distance when they used to tell each other everything. That made him let down his guard further.  Yes @mademoiselle, HK definitely lost. The other coach calls the shots for their training. 

 

Finally got to see the sad backstory of the  City Couple. Coming here to this small village , saved them in many ways and has given them hope and they have found a new meaning to life. I am assuming they won't be leaving. In fact , If I were them  , I won't ...clearly they have become very much a part of the community and there's a quality of life here. 

 

[stroppyse]

12 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

Feeling the same. He is a little kid trying to encourage a friend, but I guess he gave a little too much talk. I can’t tell from the preview, did they win or lose? And that coach was sort of trying to ask for some favors from that kid’s mother, right? 
 

 

 

The boys lost. That's why they were being trained by the other coach in the preview rather than their own coach. The other coach had mentioned that if his team won that Coach Yoon would not even be allowed in the gym since the other coach would be the head coach for their region.

 

Yes, the coach basically threatened the kid if his mother didn't show up to the game to do something, though not sure what.

 

1 hour ago, abs-oluteM said:

@ktcjdramatrue, TY is just a kid . He is at least a couple of years younger than the others. And I think he knows the other kid too since he mentioned that the latter has kept a distance when they used to tell each other everything. That made him let down his guard further.

 

YT and the other kid are close and have been friends for a long time. When they were both in elementary school, YT was being bullied once, and the other kid basically fought them all off for YT. That's how they became friends. As I said, I get that YT wanted to re-establish their friendship when it was so weird, but it was a hard lesson for him to learn in terms of betrayals, both inadvertent (YT's) and intentional (the other kid's).

 

YT is technically supposed to be only 1 grade younger than the other boys. However, the actor who plays him is only 11 years old. Totally amazing actor!

[mademoiselle]

This scene was cut...?

 

[LaLa]

49 minutes ago, mademoiselle said:

This scene was cut...?

 

Yeah I don't remember it was aired when I watched the episode live. 

 

@abs-oluteM @ktcjdrama @mademoiselle @stroppyse @40somethingahjumma prepare tissues for ep 12

 

 @abs-oluteMdon't open twitter because I'm tweeting spoilers about the episode 😅

 

Another cameo from Prison Playbook casts! It's Kang Seung Yoon turns!!

Edited July 6, 2021 by LaLa

[stroppyse]

1 hour ago, LaLa said:

repare tissues for ep 12

 

Noooooo! I won't even be able to watch this episode until much later today, but I'm already dreading it. And, actually, this writer has done it to us before in Prison Playbook.

 

Spoiler

In PP, HY died after he was clean of drugs and released from prison because his dealer met him as he was leaving and sucked him back into drugs immediately.

 

Hopefully, no one will be dying in this drama at least, but now I'm going to worry until I watch.

 

Maybe post some spoilers here?

[LaLa]

@stroppyse

 

Spoiler

 

Eh? In PP Hae Rong dead?! I thought he only got caught again with the police after being trapped by the dealer? I didn't know that

 

 

 

1 hour ago, stroppyse said:

Hopefully, no one will be dying in this drama at least, but now I'm going to worry until I watch.

 

Huhuhu yes someone in ep 12 left the living world and enjoying her times in the after life. 

 

Spoiler

 

왕 할머니 돌아가셨어요 ㅠㅠ 그리고 옛날에 라 코치님 금 매달을 금메달을 딴 날, 어머니는 돌아가셨고 장례식이 준비된 후에 알게되었어요. 라 코치님 작별 인사도 할 수 없었어요.

 

 

[stroppyse]

@LaLa

 

So, a really sad episode. Plus the evil other coach probably retains control of the team, so now I'm worried for the team as well. Thanks for the spoiler.

[ktcjdrama]

3 hours ago, LaLa said:

prepare tissues for ep 12

 I was about to write the same thing... yes, prepare your tissues, racketeers...

 

We had a little accident at home so I couldn't watch immediately, and now it's too late, I have to go to bed already. Will share my thoughts tomorrow morning. 

[stroppyse]

Still haven't watched it yet, but hoping that there is some bits of hope to hold onto in this episode. Otherwise...

 

 

Changing topics. I think the romance between Bang and Sol is actually very cute! It's made even cuter by the fact that no one actually believes that they would be dating. LOL

 

Now if only HK and SY could find their way to actually figuring out that they like each other and to let each other know?

[ktcjdrama]

2 hours ago, stroppyse said:

 

Still haven't watched it yet, but hoping that there is some bits of hope to hold onto in this episode

 

It’s a beautiful episode. Lots of great moments for different characters. 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thoughts for ep.12 (can't believe it's already 12?? We're reaching the end soon...)

- Poor Yong Tae, feeling so bad towards his team that he chose to go back to his father's house.

- I was sad to see Eun Ho's mother had to give the evil coach money in the envelope, but when what's inside the envelope was revealed, I couldn't help but chuckle. 

- Grandma becoming a listening ear for Hae Kang was so sweet, then she delegates the advising to her daughter. It's nice to hear some of their background story. It was also sweet that Hae Kang indirectly confessed that he wouldn't mind sharing everything with Se Yoon. But this is just something I don't understand~ why do so many people like to wait for a certain event (that is uncertain from happening) to express what's in their mind? No doubt there are things that needed opportune time to be said, but telling someone how you feel about them, when it's something positive, does not have to wait... sigh

- Love when Hae Kang and Yoon Tae made up, and Hae Kang having a big heart of asking him to forgive Eun Ho... LOL, so teenage again, using elbows to nudge the other person. Yoon Tae turned his face the other way a little too late, Hae Kang saw all the ugly crying already.

- My first tears this episode was when In Sol was in the car asking his dad to somehow help him be able to play in the nationals. My heart breaks.

- That evil coach! I feel like going into the screen and whack him. How could he do that to other people's children. Abusing his authority and connections. Am I glad that Coach Yoon is well prepared about how to take care of that evil coach even as he was driving to his boys. Poor kids, so many of them, yet none dare to say anything and could only watch in terror what was going to happen.

- Coach Bae is amazing in that he sacrificed himself for the future of his boys. Love that our current boys have faith in him, not swayed by the rumours but believe in their coach because of what they see with their own eyes and what they experienced. 

- The dying van seems to represent the dying grandma. It was such a random scene at first, but a few moments later, I realised it's there to symbolise the end. Love it that they got a new van from Grandma.

- Grandma's scene... she finally opened her mouth to speak to her daughter. Cue tears fest here. And yay to the city couple for helping to defend grumpy ahjumma against her greedy siblings. I really love how later on the two women became friends.

- Totally can relate to Yong Tae's confusion whether the funeral is a reunion party or a send-off gathering. I've been to funerals where the mood was too festive that I thought it's rude to the mourning family. But I do understand it's one of those rare events that could rally people to come together at short notice.

- The great news of a baby. So wonderful to see that for our city couple! It's almost like Grandma's departure is replaced with a new life. Even though it's sad to see her go, her departure also allowed Coach Ra being able to experience closure for the loss of her mother, a new relationship formed between grumpy ahjumma and the city lady, and the gift of a new van!

Edited July 7, 2021 by ktcjdrama

[stroppyse]

2 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

- Totally can relate to Yong Tae's confusion whether the funeral is a reunion party or a send-off gathering. I've been to funerals where the mood was too festive that I thought it's rude to the mourning family. But I do understand it's one of those rare events that could rally people to come together at short notice.

 

I don't know. I know that death is sad, but it's also a time to rejoice in a life having lived, especially for someone like the Grand Grandmother who had worked so hard and was so respected in the village. The Irish hold a wake which is basically a party for the departed. I've always thought that was a lovely idea, to have people brought together to be happy, tell stories, eat food, and drink.

 

Also they said in the drama and as you've pointed out, funerals can also be reunions as people make the effort to come when otherwise they may be too busy with other things for a reunion.

 

Thanks @LaLafor the warning about the episode. When I finally watched it, I was ready.

 

The Grand Grandmother's death was moving in so many ways. That she was finally able to speak to her daughter, but also that she held on to her life until she was able to see and speak to her daughter. And, I was so glad that the city couple stepped in to help the Grand Grandmother, but also to help protect her daughter from her rapacious siblings. They have no shame to talk about grabbing their share of the wealth at the funeral proceedings. It makes you wonder if they would have come to the funeral if their mother had been poor. But they also took their mother and their youngest sister for granted in not bothering to show up until there was something that they thought they could take. It's painful to think that scene was written because of rapacious children waiting to pounce on their parents' money as soon as they can.

 

2 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

- My first tears this episode was when In Sol was in the car asking his dad to somehow help him be able to play in the nationals. My heart breaks.

 

In Sol ugly cried for the first time that we've seen him, and possibly the first time in a long time for his father. My heart broke for him as well. Especially since IS did play well, giving it his utmost. I want IS to be at least an alternate or something and have him go to the Nationals with the other guys.

 

2 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

- That evil coach! I feel like going into the screen and whack him.

 

I had a hard time watching. I wanted to kick him in the teeth until his teeth all fell out. I'm so glad that he was afraid of Coach Bae because Coach Bae had actually beaten the heck out of him before. People like him shouldn't be anywhere near children. Ever. I'm so glad that he and the others who enabled him were disciplined. I hope that means that they were kicked out of coaching entirely.

 

And again, it hurts to think about all the scandals about coaches like that evil coach who tormented his charges and possibly extorted money from their parents. Wish Coach Bae had beaten him again, though in this day and age, violence is not the solution.

 

I was proud of the boys for having faith in the man they knew rather than the online rumors that they had heard.

 

HK saying that it's okay for SY to listen to any of his conversations was very special. @ktcjdrama, I know what you mean about the idea of waiting to tell someone how you feel. However, there always seems to be an event planned to mark momentous occasions in kdramas, so guess HK is waiting to create an event to confess to SY.

 

I felt so bad for Coach Ra upon hearing that her mother did not anyone to tell her about her deteriorating condition for fear that it will distract her in the Asian Games. I can understand both Coach Ra and her mother in acting and reacting the way they did. Also explains why Coach Ra was so diligently helping out at the funeral.

 

Despite the tears, it was a good episode. I hope IS comes back for the sleepovers.

[ktcjdrama]

1 hour ago, stroppyse said:

I don't know. I know that death is sad, but it's also a time to rejoice in a life having lived, especially for someone like the Grand Grandmother who had worked so hard and was so respected in the village.

Yes, it comes down to the culture as well. In some Chinese culture, when someone lived over 90 (I think), they no longer use black in the funeral, but red because it's a celebration. For YT to comment on that, probably it is his first time attending a funeral. As for me, I enjoy meeting relatives and friends that I haven't seen for a long time too, just that I've seen groups of people being too rowdy over the excitement of gathering together. I think we still have to be considerate of those in mourning.

 

1 hour ago, stroppyse said:

I know what you mean about the idea of waiting to tell someone how you feel. However, there always seems to be an event planned to mark momentous occasions in kdramas, so guess HK is waiting to create an event to confess to SY.

Yeah, planning a special event is fine, just that the confidence of winning the nationals, I guess only Hae Kang alone possesses that  I'm like, what if, just what if, he didn't win? Then he will not confess? We can't have that... haha.... 

On a personal note, for me, especially because of this pandemic around the world, I have learned to not wait for matters related to affirming people.

 

There's one thing I forgot to mention... In Sol's tears became even more heartbreaking because we see later on that actually he purposely bent his hand so that Hae Kang won the round. Hae Kang is aware of that too. 

Edited July 7, 2021 by ktcjdrama

[mademoiselle]

Behind the Scenes

 

[mademoiselle]

19 hours ago, LaLa said:

Yeah I don't remember it was aired when I watched the episode live. 

 

@abs-oluteM @ktcjdrama @mademoiselle @stroppyse @40somethingahjumma prepare tissues for ep 12

 

 @abs-oluteMdon't open twitter because I'm tweeting spoilers about the episode 😅

 

Another cameo from Prison Playbook casts! It's Kang Seung Yoon turns!!

Was there anything different between the live vs Netflix version? I know that some music played in live version may not reflect in the NF version due to copyright.

 

And LOL, I was looking at the tagged updates last night in bed so I saw your updates and last night so many Winner's fans cried about him being hit. I must admit for a few minutes I was confused, "Who's Seung Yoon?". Coz I totally suck with KPOP, I didn't remember him by his real name.

---

Episode 12

I was holding on rather well until the daughter broke down in tears after seeing the pickled daikon Halmoni made for her. To be honest, for a moment I thought the funeral reminded me of R88's because it was the same that Deok Sun thought the atmosphere was a little "too happy" especially her Dad was laughing and joking with the guests. This nostalgic moment obviously stopped at Halmoni's other children arrived.

 

I feel sorry for In Sol and I thought it was goodbyes from now on for his character with the way it was played out (especially since he wasn't part of the promotional posters). But then later he's still practising with the team so I guess he isn't quitting but just couldn't compete. Phew. I like him just as much as the other boys.

 

I am not sure if In Sol purposely made a mistake in the end so Hae Kang could win. However, I do think so far Hae Kang is supposedly the "strongest" player out of the lot then their scores shouldn't be this close, even with an injured eye.

 

I'm so proud of Coach Yoon. He was a victim himself and rather than using the same method (hit back), he took action in a mature manner. I can see the show is sending a message to the public and must be addressing a real life situation in sports/badminton world. It's extremely telling when the camera focus and zoom close up on Coach Yoon as he gives his speech about the abuse.

Edited July 7, 2021 by mademoiselle

[mademoiselle]

Oh my gosh these kiddosss!

 

[ktcjdrama]

2 minutes ago, mademoiselle said:

Oh my gosh these kiddosss!

Hae-in is so loved and blessed to have these oppas...

And the lucky people with the same name of Hae-in can also enjoy the loves 

[mademoiselle]

LOL just realised there are two versions

Hae In is the most blessed little dongsaeng in the whole wide world!

Hahaha @ktcjdrama I was thinking the same!  True, all Hae In will benefit from this.

I love this shot. Coach Yoon is so 騷 (sao)... what's English for this word @ktcjdrama?

 

Spoiler

It feels so wrong that Hae Kang isn't in these photos.