The Rivalry
Episode 5 of Racket Boys begins with the boys sitting together with Han-Sol and discussing thee topic of love. After commenting on their prospective love interests, the racket boys head out to do some foraging. Only, Woo-Chan eats the wrong leaf, and immediately feels ill. With the summer competition coming up, he thankfully recovers but it’s certainly a warning sign. As the kids head in to training the next day, Hyeon-Jong briefs them on what to expect. Kids from Hwasun Oseong and neighbouring universities are coming and that means new teams for double competitions. As fate would have it, Yoon-Dam and Hae-Kang are teamed up together. They obviously don’t get on well and they don’t gel on the court either. Elsewhere, Se-Yoon continues to get stuck in to her competitions, training rigorously for an upcoming match in Indonesia. For now, she refuses to be part of mixed doubles, given how much work that entails. That evening, Mr Hong heads over to the house and asks for a favour. He’s got a long-standing rivalry with Mr Bang and wants a runner to jump into the relay race. Hae-Kang volunteers but Yoon-Dam immediately puts his name forward too. For now, Hong decides to think over who to choose. This brings new incentive into the court as Hyeon-Jong tries to figure out a way to get Yoon-Dam and Hae-Kang to work together. While he wants to get involved, Bae insists he doesn’t, instead believing the kids should be left to figure it out for themselves. As they play, the balls from the opponents keep getting sent in Yoon Dan’s direction – which is their undoing. Hwasun win the match, leaving Yoon-Dam and Hae-Kang reeling over their loss. Hae-Kang and Yoon-Dam both shake hands with their opponents while Hyeon-Jong watches from the wings. It’s here they seem to realize Yoon-Dam is second best. In fact, his parents realize this too and contemplate where to go from here. The kids do eventually figure it out for themselves though, managing to work together and get over their differences. In Jakarta, Indonesia, Se-Yoon prepares for her next match. She’s no longer suffering from headaches either, and manages to get to sleep quickly. It seems like Hae-Kang’s words before – and some medicine – have done her the world of good. The match begins, with Se-Yoon up against Indonesia’s Ivana Putri. Se-Yoon wins easily, prompting a barrage of boos from the crowd. She doesn’t let it phase her though and she shrugs it off, heading backstage. Back in the office, Hyeon-Jong works overtime to try and coach the team as best he can. When he falls asleep at his desk, Bae heads in and drapes a coat over his shoulders, smiling warmly as he does. The next day, the relay race begins and it’s Se-Yoon who takes the decisive lap of victory, despite some initial doubts when Mr Hong drops the baton. After the game, the kids head back home where Yong-Tae admits that it’s Hae-Kang who’s responsible for helping her out with the medicine. When he reveals that Hae-Kang was stuttering and nervous (not to mention red in the face), Se-Yoon realizes that he likes her. Well, the kids get an opportunity to grow closer together later on too, as they’re picked as volunteers to head out together and pick potatoes. Hae-Kang obviously likes her though, but despite a longing glance in her direction, can’t bring himself to seal the deal. Instead, they continue to walk together. Will either of them open up and admit how they really feel?
The Episode Review
Racket Boys returns this week with another solid slice of life episode, one that deepens the character ties for everyone involved. The city couple subplot continues to flourish, and admittedly this is missing from the recap portion. To be honest, aside from the wall mural and some crop picking, there’s not a lot else to talk about there. Where there is more to talk about however, comes from the growing ties between Se-Yoon and Hae-Kang who dance around their true feelings for one another. The early parts of this episode are essentially sidelined by the rivalry between Yoon-Dam and Hae-Kang, who find themselves up against it early on. This storyline is eventually resolved though, paving way for the echoes of romance later on as Se-Yoon and Hae-Kang continue to dance around their true feelings. Either way, the series has done a good job so far progressing these storylines, leaving things wide open for tomorrow’s follow-up.
