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The SBS show Racket Boys came to an end with episode 16 on August 9. The finale was, however, delayed by a week; it was originally intended to air on August 2. There will be no new season, at least not if the show's climax is taken into account.
Korean dramas are now following the western concept of setting up follow-up seasons for shows that are deemed successful. This includes Penthouse, Chief of Staff, Stranger, and most recently Love Ft Marriage and divorce.
That will, however, not be the case for Racket Boys. Hae-kang's loss is not a lead up to the new season, but instead is a shot of reality injected into the show.
The charming set-up of the countryside neighborhood, supported extremely well by the characters, is what made this show worth the watch.
Why did Hae-kang lose the match against Kang Tae-soon in the Racket Boys finale?
Kang Tae-soon is a talented and brilliant player who left badminton because of an abusive coach. It was the White Wolf that brought him back into competing after years. So it was only right that after all the hard work, dedication and determination, Tae-soon would win the match.
'Racket Boys' episode 16 revealed that the match for determining the country's representative at international level was a contentious affair. Tae-soon had a tough time, but he ended up clinching victory.
The match itself was not shown, but it was through commentary that the audiences realized Hae-kang had lost.
But the loss gave Hae-kang the motivation required to continue competing in future matches. The match against Tae-soon wasn't meant to be a setback; instead, it was intended to help Hae-kang mature.
It worked brilliantly too, because the show ended with Hae-kang taking on the challenge of competing again.
Did Jeonnam's team win the nationals in the Racket Boys finale?
The Jeonnam boys did win in the national finale against Seoul. Hae-kang and Woo-chan's successful partnership in the doubles game in Racket Boys episode 16 helped them score another victory, after Yeong-tae and Yoon-dam had both won their singles matches.
Hae-kang also got the opportunity to confess his love for Se-yoon, and the two started dating. However, Yeong-tae, Woo-chan and In-sol are not aware of the couple.
The ending was also peculiar, as audiences would have expected to see Hae-kang and Se-yoon competing together as national representatives.
Instead, the end saw them compete against their best friends. Han-sol and Yoon-dam played against the couple in a mixed doubles match.
Yeong-tae was not a senior in the middle-school tennis club of Haenam School, and continued to stay with the others at their coach's home despite other options being available.
From the very beginning, the show was more about the friendship between the Haenam boys and how they bonded with the girls.
Badminton helped them stay together in Racket Boys, and it's what kept them inspired and motivated. Will Hae-kang make it to the national team next year? The question didn't bother him as all he wanted was to concentrate on life as an 18-year-old and play his favorite game.
Along with Woo-chan, In-sol and Yoon-dam in Racket Boys episode 16, Hae-kang also crossed over to high school from middle school. So the future is dependent on their youth and love for the game.
