If you’re looking for some fun yet inspiring sports-themed Korean dramas, here are 10 series you might want to add to your list.
1.) Weightlifting Faiy Kim Bok Joo
Sports: Weightlifting, Swimming, Gymnastics
Plot Summary: A female weightlifter, Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung), attempts to overcome her “slump” period, while a male swimmer, Jung Joon Young (Nam Joo Hyuk), tries to conquer his trauma before diving during a competition. The two became each other’s strength, as they grow from being friends to lovers.
2.) Racket Boys
Sports: Badminton, Baseball
Plot Summary: A former baseball player suddenly became a part of a varsity badminton team, and eventually learns to love the sport.
3.) Hot Stove League
Sports: Baseball
Plot Summary: This Best Drama title holder at the 2020 Baeksang Arts Awards and 2020 SBS Awards tells the story of a bottom-ranked baseball team, Dream, and how a former wrestling, hockey, and handball team general manager, Baek Seung Soo (Nam Goong Min), helped them get back on their feet.
4.) Fight For My Way
Sports: MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)
Plot Summary: The young Ko Dong Man (Park Seo Joon) and Choi Ae Ra (Kim Ji Won) had high hopes for their futures, just like the rest of their friends. However, once they reach adulthood, the two were faced with a rather harsh reality. Dong Man who wanted to become a martial arts fighter and Choi Ae Ra who wanted to become an announcer are are both struggling with their temporary jobs. What happens when they finally decide to pursue their dreams?
5.) Run On
Sports: Sprinting
Plot Summary: A financially-troubled Korean-English translator, Oh Mi Joo (Shin Se Kyung), meets a sprinter from the national team, Ki Seon Gyeom (Im Si Wan), and eventually ends up being his translator. Problems arise when she gets asked to spy on him in exchange of cash, will she be able to refuse, especially when she’s already developing feelings for him?
6.) Thumping Spike
Sports: Volleyball
Plot Summary: A female coach with a scandal, Kang Se Ra (Hwang Seung Eon), becomes the coach of the a volleyball team with the worst skills yet most handsome players. What happens when one of the players, Hwang Jae Woong (Song Jae Rim), aims to finally win in an attempt to protect her reputation as a coach?
7.) Cheer Up!
Sports: Cheer Dance
Plot Summary: A group of students with different academic ranks — half does poorly in school, half is part of the top 5 percent — were put together in the same cheer dance club. Can they put their differences aside for the sake of the club?
8.) Matching! Boys Archery
Sports: Archery
Plot Summary: An aspiring Webtoon artist joins the flower boys archery club as their team manager in order to find reference material for her work.
9.) Birdie Buddy
Sports: Golf
Plot Summary: Despite struggling financially, a girl from the countryside tries her best to become a professional golf player, a sport known as a hobby for most wealthy families.
10.) Triple
Sports: Figure Skating
Plot Summary: Lee Haru (Min Hyo Rin) is a promising talent in the figure skating community. However, family problems made her life complicated. Unlike the other series, 2009’s “Triple” might lean more on the dramatic side with some frustrating scenes, but the line-up include some of the top actors of today. (Hello, Song Joong Ki!)
11.) Twenty Five Twenty One
Na Hee Do is passionate about fencing. But a crisis in Korea almost put a stop to her dreams. What will she do to continue the sport?
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