Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Marvel's Spider-Man Secret Lair promotional image

    Get a Look At the Secret Lair x Marvel’s Spider-Man Superdrop

    09/08/2025
    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions gameplay still

    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Is All About Adventure (with Friends)

    09/08/2025
    Chord in Persona 5 The Phantom X

    Now Is The Perfect Time To Jump Back In ‘Persona 5: The Phantom X’

    09/05/2025
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » TV » REVIEW: ‘The Winning Try’ Boasts K-Drama Intensity With The Spirit of Rugby

REVIEW: ‘The Winning Try’ Boasts K-Drama Intensity With The Spirit of Rugby

Adrian RuizBy Adrian Ruiz08/07/20255 Mins Read
The Winning Try But Why Tho 2
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

If All Out! leapt from the pages of manga and landed in the middle of a high-energy K-drama, it would look a lot like The Winning Try. Netflix’s new sports series blends the melodrama of Korean television with the grit, honor, and camaraderie of rugby. The result is a story that can be over the top in tone, yet feels grounded by strong performances and an honest love for the sport.

The drama centers on Ju Ga-ram (Yoon Kye-sang), a disgraced former rugby star whose career was derailed by scandal. His return to the sport comes in the unlikely role of coach at Hanyang High, with a struggling team that regularly finishes last. The principal, who once taught Ga-ram, offers him a shot at redemption, though not everyone at the school is thrilled about it.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Alongside Ga-ram is Bae Yi-ji (Im Se-mi), a fellow coach and former flame, whose presence adds another layer to the tension. The team’s captain, Seong-jun (Kim Yo-han), is torn between loyalty to his teammates and his own internal struggle, having Ga-ram as a coach. This blend of old wounds, new rivalries, and institutional politics gives the show plenty of emotional ground to cover right from the start.

The Winning Try blends high-stakes sports goodness with expected K-Drama tropes.

Yoon Kye-sang and Kim Dan in The Winning Try

All the familiar K-drama tropes are here: slow-burn romance, reluctant students, corrupt school politics, and personal redemption arcs. What sets The Winning Try apart is how seriously it treats rugby itself. The series takes time to show the physical demands of the sport, the respect embedded in its culture, and the way it can transcend language and borders.

The Winning Try’s opening episodes make it clear this is not just a high school underdog story. There is nepotism, manipulation, and hard truths about what it means to succeed in a system that values sports programs and funding over the students they are meant to serve. In this way, it has shades of All-American, offering compelling adult storylines alongside the younger cast’s journey.

The melodrama works because the performances keep it grounded. Yoon Kye-sang captures Ga-ram’s mix of pride, shame, and determination, making him more than a fallen hero trope. Im Se-mi’s Yi-ji is equally compelling, balancing professionalism with the quiet sting of past heartbreak. Kim Yo-han’s Seong-jun stands out as the young athlete navigating loyalty, ambition, and trust in a coach he doesn’t fully believe in yet.

Even the supporting roles bring something meaningful to the table. These are stock characters on paper: the reluctant star, the dedicated teammate, the overbearing authority, but the cast infuses them with warmth and complexity.

Grounded performances keep the drama from being overbearing.

Yoon Kye-sang in The Winning Try

The first four episodes move with a natural rhythm, even within the heightened emotions of a melodramatic K-drama about rugby. Character arcs unfold alongside the on-field action in a way that feels organic, each scene building trust, tension, or rivalry without losing sight of the bigger picture. The rugby matches are exciting, but it’s the moments in between: strategy talks, locker room confrontations, and late-night reflections that keep the story’s heart beating.

Part of what keeps The Winning Try engaging is that it never feels like a straight-line underdog story. Just when you expect the team to rally behind their coach, Seong-jun steps away, unable to reconcile playing under someone who once disgraced South Korea with doping allegations. That absence changes the team’s entire dynamic, forcing others into roles they may not be ready for.

Meanwhile, the looming threat from the administration to eliminate the rugby program entirely hangs over every practice and match, adding urgency to even the smallest victories. Layer in personal conflicts, inner-team rivalries, and the fact that they don’t even have reserves to fall back on, and the series maintains a constant sense of pressure. It’s not just about winning games; it’s about survival on and off the field.

Yoon Kye-sang’s Ga-ram is haunted by allegations, opening up a whole new world of exploration.

Yoon Kye-sang in The Winning Try

If there’s one caveat, it’s that The Winning Try asks you to embrace both K-drama style and rugby culture. The episodes are long, often stretching past an hour, and without an English dub yet, they demand your full attention. But that commitment is rewarded with layered character work and emotional payoffs that sneak up on you. By the time the credits roll, you may find yourself not only invested in the team’s journey but reflecting on how you push yourself in your own life.

The Winning Try is as much about personal redemption and resilience as it is about rugby. It thrives on the energy of its K-drama roots while honoring the physical and emotional weight of the sport, creating a story that feels both heartfelt and unpredictable. Whether you come for the scrums, the slow-burn drama, or the character-driven storytelling, it delivers a satisfying blend of intensity and sincerity.

With more episodes still to come, The Winning Try is poised to keep challenging its characters and its audience to dig deeper, fight harder, and never stop chasing that next try.

The Winning Try is streaming on Netflix, with new episodes releasing on Fridays and Saturdays. 

The Winning Try
  • 8/10
    Rating - 8/10
8/10

TL;DR

The Winning Try is as much about personal redemption and resilience as it is about rugby. It thrives on the energy of its K-drama roots while honoring the physical and emotional weight of the sport.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘The Pickup’ Lets Keke Palmer Flex Her Action Skills
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Is Off To A Confusing Start
Adrian Ruiz

I am just a guy who spends way to much time playing videos games, enjoys popcorn movies more than he should, owns too much nerdy memorabilia and has lots of opinions about all things pop culture. People often underestimate the effects a movie, an actor, or even a video game can have on someone. I wouldn’t be where I am today without pop culture.

Related Posts

Foundation Season 3 But Why Tho

REVIEW: Foundation Season 3 Is All About The Destination Not The Journey

09/12/2025
Helluva Boss Season 2 But Why Tho
9.5

REVIEW: ‘Helluva Boss’ Season 2 Is A Deeper Dive Into Love And Power

09/11/2025
Helluva Boss Season 1 Episode 7 But Why Tho
9.0

REVIEW: ‘Helluva Boss’ Season 1 Is Full Of Violence, Chaos, And Heart

09/11/2025
Sandra Yi Sencindiver stars as Yutani in Alien Earth Episode 6
9.0

REVIEW: ‘Alien: Earth’ Episode 6 — “The Fly”

09/10/2025
Task promotional key art featuring Mark Ruffalo from HBO
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Task’ Episode 1 — “Crossings”

09/08/2025
Aneesha Malik in Invasion Season 3 Episode 3
9.0

RECAP: ‘Invasion’ Season 3 Episode 3 — “Infinitas”

09/07/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
The Long Walk (2025) film review promotional image
9.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘The Long Walk’ Is The Most Heartfelt And Heartbreaking Stephen King Adaptation

By Kate Sánchez09/11/2025Updated:09/11/2025

The Long Walk is a brutal watch. Equally heartfelt and heartbreaking, it’s one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work.

EA Sports FC Icons Match promotional image from Nexon News

2025 Icons Match Returns With Football Legends Bridging The Pitch And Video Games

By Kate Sánchez09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

NEXON has announced the return of the ‘2025 Icons Match,’ a live event that brings a full roster of legendary players to the pitch.

Foundation Season 3 But Why Tho TV

REVIEW: Foundation Season 3 Is All About The Destination Not The Journey

By Will Borger09/12/2025

By the end, Foundation Season 3 was a very good season of television, but it often leaves you wishing it had more time to breathe.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here