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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.