[Drama 2021] Racket Boys, 라켓소년단

[bee_wannabe]

@lmhpsh to be honest i agree with the last statement "I found the drama less gripping in few places." I forgot how the first 2 episodes of Prison Playbook went because i binge watched it. But i think PP wasn't that gripping either in its first 2 episodes. As the layered story slowly unfold viewers become so attached to the character.

 

What concerns me more is actually the characterization. PP stands out because of the unique, funny, and endearing character (Hae Rong and Kaist are epic). Here in RB, it lacks the unique characters even though they are still funny and endearing. Nonetheless i love the warmth, hope, and engaging narrative this writer gave through PP so i have faith in him. 

 

Anyways my thoughts regarding episode 2: The depressed couple intrigued me. I'm sure we'll get to see their back story as well as their involvement with the villagers which may lead them to having new hope in life. It's also nice to see another PP alumni here.

 

My favorite part in episode 2 is the grandma story. How she misjudged the couple thinking they are rude when it is the couple's first time there knowing nothing about the tradition. But then she herself needs to experience the struggle in unfamiliar place. The difference is this time she meets nice person who is willing to help in spite of his own uncomfortable circumstances. 

 

Seeing how the grandma always rejects the help others offer even though she certainly wants to take it, reminds me of this clip i watch on youtube about the characteristics of people in certain area of Korea (i forgot the name). It's a show with Lee Seung Gi, Han Hyo Joo, Cha Tae Hyun, and Lee Bum Soo. When you offer something to those people, you need to at least ask thrice. If they said no after the third time, then it's a no. It's a hassle for some people. But for them it's a consideration of not wanting to burden the others.

[Lmangla]

EVENT alert! Join us for some laughs.

 

 

re: @Sleepy Owl, @partyon 

[backstreetboysfan]

Aww Hae Kang and  the star player were so cute in episode 3

[angelbeast90]

I love how Haekang fought on his sister's behalf for his mom to take more care of her.

 

He want's his mom to have her dreams but also he wants her care. I love this show is showing the complex emotions and decisions of a teenager.

 

Also I'm laughing at how he treated the class president. One minute he is hating (I think hate is not the correct word here though) him but the other minute he tells him to come join them.

 

 

[bee_wannabe]

Our lovely siblings

 

Meaningful message of episode 2.

 

 

My favorite parts of episode 3

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

I chuckle at this part. What a creative method.

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by ferily
Maximum 3 tweets per post. Please put rest in spoiler tag. Thanks!

[angelbeast90]

 

[Latte_Anyday]

Cute. There's goin' to be 2 couples between the boy/girl badminton teams. 

    The young cast is doin' a great job. I like how Hae Kang is seein' the other guys as friends. Btw feelin' bit of national pride as the actor who plays Hae Kang/Tang Joon Sang is actually part Malaysian. 

    I don't get why they keep downplayin' badminton here. I mean badminton is just a sport as good as others. I don't know is it because the sport doesn't generate big profits maybe? 

[backstreetboysfan]

I like the couples on this drama, so cute.

[backstreetboysfan]

New casting news!.

 

KangSeungYoon will make a special appearance in SBS drama RacketBoys to support PrisonPlaybook’s scriptwriter. KimSangKyung OhNaRa TangJoonSang SonSangYeon ChoiHyunWook KimKangHoon LeeJaeIn LeeJiWon

 

 

[angelbeast90]

I don't have much to say but I enjoyed the episode very much. Now Haekang has claimed the badminton team as his friends.

 

But his dad was getting on my nerves with his his careless attitude. Even if it's about getting a pay check atleast he should be more responsible towards his team.

 

 

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

 

 

[bee_wannabe]

19 hours ago, Latte_Anyday said:

I don't get why they keep downplayin' badminton here. I mean badminton is just a sport as good as others. I don't know is it because the sport doesn't generate big profits maybe? 

 

Exactly, because badminton doesn't generate profits as much as baseball does. For some sports the only way to earn money is through the competition. And those competitions are not that many. The other way, if you're lucky and popular enough like Lee Young Dae, Son Yeon Jae, or Kim Yuna, is through CF deals.

 

For some other sports like baseball and soccer, athletes can earn stable earning through their club. They can play regularly at their club and participate in a competition as national representative in between the seasons. And the most powerful resources is the fandom. The fandom of the club as well as the individual star player will bring more cash through the tickets selling, the merchandise, and also the CF deals. As far as i know, baseball is the biggest sport in korea with loyal fans that go through generations.

 

And yes, HG's dad angered me a lot in episode 4. Might sound biased but i still can not bring myself to warm up to him ever since the early episodes. Can be his acting, can be his character. For now I just hope that he'll redeem his mistake to the boys later.

 

[Thong Thin]

27 minutes ago, bee_wannabe said:

And yes, HG's dad angered me a lot in episode 4. Might sound biased but i still can not bring myself to warm up to him ever since the early episodes. Can be his acting, can be his character. For now I just hope that he'll redeem his mistake to the boys later.

 

 

Hi, I do agreed with you on Hae-Kang's dad.

As a coach, he hold little responsibility towards the boys. The boys were looking forward to the competition but had to forgo just because of Coach Yoon who gets himself drunk,got up late the next day and arrived at the

wrong competition hall.

 

[youactlikeicare]

I'm really enjoying this show. I agree that the father is a mess, but I think this is the low point and he will grow from here (I hope). 

 

I think the nerd's father is kind of terrible to try to make his son quit badminton. I am glad the son stayed strong and is now part of the team. Hopefully he joins the other boys on their adventures and he they become real friends. His speech to his father about not having friends was so sad. 

 

Also, I like that Hae-Kang's decision to quit badminton wasn't just because baseball is more popular. There was a deeper reason of not liking his team mates for bad mouthing his family, and not wanting to play with them. I do like the two young romances they have been hinting at, I think they are cute. 

 

So far this has been a great slice of life drama.

[backstreetboysfan]

New casting news!.

 

ParkHaeSoo and KimSungCheol will show special appearances in SBS drama RacketBoys to support the scriptwriter of PrisonPlaybook. KimSangKyung OhNaRa TangJoonSang SonSangYeon ChoiHyunWook KimKangHoon LeeJaeIn LeeJiWon

 

 

[angelbeast90]

 

[loopo]

I'm sold, something about this drama is magical. Korean dramas in this genre always deliver and so far its just so good. Coming from the writer of PP, I can see some similarities here in there specially with how they highlight the reverse situation card to showcase the true intent of the characters. I've been on a drama slump as lately nothing has been that compelling for me but now I have something to look forward to every tuesday-wednesday (subbed episodes). 

 

P.S. This drama made me revive this account that I think I last used when Hospital Playlist was airing (Captain Ahn!!)

[bedifferent]

Episode 4 was great! It's the one that sold me on Racket Boys.  I watched Move To Heaven prior, was very impressed with Tang Joon Sang's performance so I kept an eye out this drama.  I'm glad his Hae-kang is a departure from Geu-Ru, a smart choice for a young actor to make, as we get to see his versatility and range.  I agree with those who mentioned the first 2 episodes was not super engaging but by Episode 4, just like Hae-kang, we too develop a bond with the town folks and the badminton boys.  

 

Hae-kang is a kind boy at heart but his childhood was peppered with disappointments in human nature.  It starts with his feeling of abandonment, a resentment that his mom chose her career over family, leaving his father navigating as a single parent.  I suspect, we have not been told as viewers yet, that her remote coaching job was born out of necessity to provide for the family.  They were not financially stable (buying burgers for the badminton team was not an easy feat for coach Kim) so they both must made the sacrifice to take on coaching jobs apart from each other.  Sure, Hae-Kang doubts his mother love for him and faulted her for not being present as a mom.  We see it in the first few episodes.  I really like how his mom acknowledged his feelings, apologized for her absence and gave him space to reconcile on his own terms.  I thought it was quite a different portrayal of the mother son dynamics than those we often see in Kdrama where parents are shown in control of the relationship and children must always concede their feelings out of respect. 

 

Both of Hae-Kang's parents put a lot of trust in him.   Like with good athletes, they believe in his potential and always try to coach the best character out of him.   It was in his father's roundabout pep talk that Hae-Kang understood the reason for his mother's mischance at the Olympics as the unspoken love and sacrifice she made on his behalf.  Many times, it is hard for a child to understand a parent's act of love or realized it too late to make any impact on the child or the parent.  I like how Hae-kang was quick to understand the challenges of motherhood and womanhood at the same time. 

 

For me, it was a change to see how different Hyeon-Jong is as a father and a coach from the typical Kdrama character.  He's not a father who knows best nor is he an upright confident coach.  Hyeon-Jong's lack of conviction and self doubts are almost teenager in nature.  He easily influenced and manipulated by other coaches.  This comes from his indecisive and timid nature.  I don't know if anyone ever expressed confidence in his ability so I love that Head Coach White Wolf Bae gets to mentor and encourage Hyeon-Jong to find a better version of himself.  Coach Bae is wonderful in the way he quietly supports the boys. He understood their confidence must start with a capable coach who not only believes that they can win but one that believes he can coach.

 

The one thing I like about this drama is how we get to know the town from the lens of a newcomer like Hae-Kang.  He who has doubts about people, about relationship.  As a child, he quit badminton because he overheard his teammates disrespecting his father's hard earned money.  His teammates were not the true friends he thought.   He realized early that badminton is not a sport that is widely respected because it is not tied to money.  He saw his father struggled from job to job.  He aspired to be a baseball player, a career that is popular, well liked, and respected.  Hae-Kang has doubts about people's true intention.  He observe people from afar, reserved and holding back his true feelings until he knows them better.  He learned of In-sol's fraught relationship with his father over the love of badminton.  Of how the boy is alike him in many ways, including his lonely childhood lacking real friends.  Of his generous nature volunteering to tutor him.  With the racket boys, it was a long battle of denial out of fear of disappointment and hurt.  When he realized the boys and the town people have saved his sister, it was a breakthrough for Hae-Kang.  He was willing to take the risk to open up and trust people again.  With this admission, he confirmed that he has found a place and a group of people that he wants to belong to.  Hae-Kang smiling and admitting that they are his friends at the end was the perfect way to end the episode.

 

The rest of the characters are lovable in their own ways too.  I am fond of them already.

[jongski]

 So yeah.. what flower boys?!  Our racket boy rules!

 

 

[backstreetboysfan]

Episode 5 was good. liked the ending scene.

[Lmangla]

 Event Alert! Vote for your Ultimate Unnie/Noona

 

 

re: @Sleepy Owl, @partyon