<img alt="Netflix‘s new entertainment program ‘Strongest Rugby: Die or Win’ scheduled to be released in December Photo courtesy of Netflix |” class=”thumb_g_article” data-org-src=”https://t1.daumcdn.net/news/202410/30/sportsdonga/20241030065147087hsvm.jpg” data-org-width=”1200″ dmcf-mid=”0AGiuqA8mC” dmcf-mtype=”image” height=”auto” src=”https://img2.daumcdn.net/thumb/R658x0.q70/?fname=https://t1.daumcdn.net/news/202410/30/sportsdonga/20241030065147087hsvm.jpg” width=”658″/>
Netflix’s new entertainment program ‘Strongest Rugby: Die or Win’ scheduled to be released in December Photo courtesy of Netflix |
“After baseball, this time it’s rugby!”
Dramas and entertainment programs based on rugby are coming to the small screen one after another. There have been many dramas featuring various sports such as baseball, soccer, basketball, and golf, but this is the first time that rugby, an ‘unpopular sport’, has been brought to the fore.
Among these, Netflix’s new entertainment program ‘Strongest Rugby: Die or Win’ (Strongest Rugby), scheduled to be released in December, is currently receiving intensive attention from broadcasters.
‘Strongest Rugby’ is a sports survival program that shows the competitiveness of rugby players who throw their whole bodies to win. It sheds light on the ruthless ‘rugby world’ filled with the sounds of bones colliding and shouts to take a step forward.
‘The Strongest Rugby’, which began filming for the first time in May, includes the undisputed strongest Korean rugby team, with all members of the national team, a veteran business team that overpowers their opponents with skill and perfect team play, and a dark horse team with strong spirit and overflowing passion. The top predators of the university team with 100 years of tradition, as well as the new aces who will turn the rugby game upside down, all gather to engage in a ‘rugby war’.
The production team said, “There are only four professional rugby teams in Korea, and the winning prize is 0 won,” adding, “Nevertheless, you will be able to see the sincerity of the rugby players as they break their bones and tear their flesh.”
‘Strongest Rugby’ is garnering attention as it is directed by producer Jang Si-won, who created ‘Steel Unit’, ‘Urban Fisherman’, as well as ‘Strongest Baseball’, which helped open the era of ’10 million spectators’ in Korean professional baseball. As rugby is a popular sport in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, it is expected to use this opportunity to captivate not only domestic but also global fans.
Dramas are also helping to create a rugby craze. The SBS drama ‘Try: We Become Miracles’ starring Yoon Kye-sang is scheduled to air next year.
‘Try’ is about what happens when a star rugby player retires due to a drug scandal and becomes a contract manager for his alma mater’s weakest rugby team.
The title comes from a term in rugby where 5 points are awarded if the ball is touched in the ‘in-goal’ area, outside the opponent’s goal line.
Yoon Kye-sang plays Joo Ga-ram, a retired rugby player and coach of Hanyang Sports High School, while Kim Yo-han, a member of the idol group WEi, appears as Yoon Seong-jun, the captain of the rugby team at the same school.
In relation to this, the Korea Rugby Association said, “After broadcasting live rugby on a terrestrial broadcaster for the first time in the Hangzhou Asian Games final last year, rugby seems to be gradually gaining attention,” adding, “We hope that through this opportunity, the long-held goal of popularizing Korean rugby will come to fruition.” I was pleased.
Kim Young-mi, a popular culture critic, said, “As a drama without a script, it fits well with the trend of emphasizing reality in sports and can increase immersion. It is important to describe in detail the rules of rugby, which has a relatively high barrier to entry.” said.
Reporter Lee Jeong-yeon [email protected]
