‘The Winning Try’ – Jisu Park On Making The K-Drama True to Rugby

Danielle Sauers hears from former Korean national player Jisu Park about the K-drama series, ‘The Winning Try,’ on how he tried to add authenticity to the production and how it could help raise the sport’s profile in Korea.

Danielle H. Sauers

Rugby has been played in Korea for over 100 years, and the Korean Rugby Union (KRU) recognised a century of the sport’s presence in 2024. Although it has failed to gain much traction in that time, a small but dedicated fan base and player pool keep the rugby spirit alive.

The KRU has launched initiatives in recent years to raise interest domestically, including a larger presence on social media and promotion through entertainment.

Perhaps the most visible action to date has been the launch of the new drama, “The Winning Try” (titled <트라이> in Korea), currently airing on SBS Network and internationally on Netflix. The show follows the struggling Hanyang High rugby team and their new coach, school alumnus and disgraced former Korean National Team player, Ju Garam (played by Yoon Kyesang).

It’s debatable how much of an impact a drama could have on legitimising rugby to the Korean audience, but the show has gotten positive feedback thus far. It follows the familiar K-drama formula of a little romance, a little humour, and a touch of melodrama wrapped up in a heartwarming storyline.

Photo Credit – Jisu Park

Jisu Park, a former Team Korea national player and professional with the Coca-Cola Red Sparks in Japan (which disbanded in 2021), served as the advisor for “The Winning Try.” Park states, “It was an honour for me to be appointed as an advisor for our country’s first rugby drama.” Park also appeared on season one of Netflix’s “Physical 100”.

Park was tasked with making sure the drama was believable, as none of the actors had any experience playing rugby. He reviewed the script and created storyboards for all of the rugby scenes, and trained the actors physically to prepare them for the athletic scenes. Park also recruited former players as extras to fill out opposing teams, including a pivotal Japan versus Korea national match that opens the series.

Prior to “The Winning Try,” rugby was featured on “Rugged Rugby,” a Netflix reality series that began airing in December of 2024. The show followed Korean professional and collegiate teams battling it out in a bracket-style competition. Although the series attracted new domestic fans, the KRU has not made many moves to capitalise on the nascent interest.

When asked how best to market rugby to the Korean audience, Park says, “We need to develop youth rugby programs like the rugby academy [O.U.P. Sports Academy] I run in Japan.” He emphasises that promoting “non-contact, fun versions like touch rugby” would best match Korean sensibilities and would help grow a fanbase that enjoys rugby without the injury risk.

It’s difficult for Park to express what he hopes to achieve for Korean rugby through “The Winning Try”, saying, “I think if you watch the story, you’ll get it.” His reticence is not a lack of excitement, but speaks more to his humility, which can be tied to his experience as a rugby professional.

This team-first mindset is evident in several scenes, including a flashback in episode three where the current Hanyang High principal (still a coach in this scene) is introducing student Ju Garam to rugby. She states,

“In rugby, you can’t pass forward. You can only pass to the side or backwards. In other words, someone has to protect your side at all times. It looks tough on the outside, but in fact, it’s the kindest sport. You won’t be lonely.”

Park resonated with a storyline involving another retired Team Korea player, nicknamed “Rhino,” the father of a prospective student. Rhino’s career was cut short after a devastating knee injury, echoing his own story of suffering a comminuted fracture of the right knee in 2022.

The show has many uplifting and charming moments, but it doesn’t shy away from the reality of a career in rugby in Korea: a tough road playing an unpopular, high-impact sport that can lead to injury.

The path of becoming an athlete is not one that many will undertake, especially the path of a rugby player in Korea. But there’s a good chance that “The Winning Try” will attract more fans of all ages to the sport, as it debuted at #2 under New Releases on Netflix in Korea and has achieved record ratings in national broadcasting, outdoing itself each week.

Perhaps the classic underdog story of Hanyang High will positively affect the underdog sport of rugby in Korea after all.

The series is 12 episodes in total, and the final episodes will be made available in the coming weeks. The episode released prior to publishing this article (episode 8) saw the show reach its highest ratings in Korea, according to Nielsen Korea.

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