You can only pick one, and boy the pressure is on. The DB team will answer a new prompt in each post, and you’re invited to do the same in the comments. Ready to play?
You can only pick one: sports drama
missvictrix: I’m one of those viewers who doesn’t care for sports, and swears she won’t watch a sports drama. Then, I watch them and love them. I think my favorite, though, would have to be Love All Play. Sure it took a dive into its depressing middle and didn’t look back, but I totally forgave the drama, because it was trying to do deep things, and carry its characters through grief, guilt, and forgiveness. Add to this a story of teamwork, with badminton players that went from hateable to loveable, the squishy and wonderful Chae Jong-hyeop who’s head over heals for Park Joo-hyun (who’s so versatile and great in everything), and I am sold. I’m even cheering for badminton players and caring about tournaments. I would even rewatch this one, which is saying a lot.
DaebakGrits: Since I recently gave Stove League as my answer for the Namgoong Min prompt, I’m going to give Racket Boys as my answer. I enjoyed the crap out of this little slice-of-life sports drama when it aired last year. So fun! So youthful! And such a good performance by Tang Joon-sang and the other young actors! It’s impossible to watch this story and not smile. Try it! I dare you!
solstices: Cheerleading is technically a sport, so I’d have to say Sassy Go Go! I don’t usually watch sports dramas (I’m terrible at sports, and thus rarely have interest in them), but this drama was so earnest and full of heart that I found myself wholly invested in the team’s journey. I loved it from beginning to end — the loyal friendships, the witty banter, the cheerleading choreography, the grudging yet genuine camaraderie, and the redemption arcs that were fully earned. The two clubs may have started out on completely opposite ends on the spectrum, but cheerleading brought them together, allowing them to see past their prejudice and form a solid support system for one another. I’m still mad that I can’t rewatch it because I don’t want to see that school violence assailant, but as a whole the drama still holds a special place in my heart. Can Lee Won-geun, Jung Eun-ji, Cha Hak-yeon, and Chae Soo-bin co-star in another drama again, please?
Unit: Cheerleading is a sport, right? Even though its routines left much to be desired, Sassy Go Go is still that one drama that has my heart. I’m a sucker for stories that start out with a reluctant set of people coming together, and ending up being the best squad ever. But more than the cheer routines, Sassy Go Go is a tale of high school friendships, fights, making up, gaining self confidence, standing up for oneself, cute crushes and first loves. And most importantly, Lee Won-geun and his beautiful eye smile, which made me a lifelong fan.
alathe: Stove League! Okay, so, confession time: what I know about sports you could scrawl onto the head of a pin with room to spare. In fact, I know so little that I spent the first episode of this show convinced that the title was Hot Stove “Leak” and was desperately searching for the metaphor. So, that’s how you know this drama is truly, amazingly good. It somehow got me to care about baseball. It’s all down to a gorgeously written, deeply human ensemble cast, with flaws every bit as endearing as their enthusiasm and goodness. Namgoong Min and Park Eun-bin make for a delightful double-act — individually, they shine, but together they’re magnetic. However, what really made the drama for me was how real and redeemable it makes its seeming villains. The characters of Kwon Kyung-min and Lim Dong-gyu are like a masterclass in how to write a satisfying redemption arc. By the end of this show, you’ll be experiencing all the emotions for the entire cast of about fifty million characters, in addition to being able to spout reels of statistics regarding their baseball performance last season. This show is one of utter joy for me, and I can’t recommend it enough.