6 Must-Watch Sports K-Dramas to Try Out
Get inspired to move and sweat it out with this list of binge-worthy sports and sports-related Korean dramas!
The sports genre isn’t the easiest to sell to a wide audience. A basketball-oriented drama may only catch the attention of basketball fans. A tennis-oriented drama may only catch the attention of tennis fans. There’s the matter of technicalities, too; too much deters a viewer from tuning in, and too little takes the sports factor out of the equation.
K-dramas have done a pretty great job at reeling viewers in by tossing comedy, friendship, and romance into the mix. Instead of simply zeroing in on rules, stats, and matches, the intricacies of the sport itself are woven with the characters’ development, orienting the story in such a way that it remains relatable and inspiring.
Not to mention, we do love seeing our favorite K-drama heartthrobs as athletes. (PSJ as a MMA fighter? Count us in!)
Below, six of our favorite sports and sports-related dramas to get you moving and inspired to sweat it out!
6 Must-Watch Sports K-Dramas to Try Out
6 Must-Watch Sports K-Dramas to Try Out
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)
Inspired by the life of Olympic gold medalist Jang Mi-ran, this youth-oriented drama showcases the grueling demands of sport amidst a coming-of-age backdrop. Our heroine is the plucky and outgoing Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung-kyung), a naturally gifted weightlifter at an athlete college campus.
Photo Credit: MBC
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)
Along for the ride are Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo-hyuk), a talented swimmer and Bok-joo’s childhood friend; Jung Jae-yi (Lee Jae-yoon), a former athlete turned doctor; and Song Shi-ho (Kyung Soo-jin), an overachieving rhythmic gymnast. Relatable, engaging, and full of heart, it’s an easy watch that is beloved by its fans up until this day.
Photo Credit: MBC
Run On (2020)
A dark horse turned fan favorite over the course of its showing on streaming giant Netflix, Run On is a genuinely worthwhile watch. It stars Im Si-wan as Ki Seon-gyeom, a former sprinter looking for a new raison d’etre after quitting his team and Shin Se-kyung as Oh Mi-joo, a subtitle translator who doesn’t take *bleep* from anyone.
Photo Credit: JTBC/Netflix
Run On (2020)
They’re joined by cold-as-ice sports agency president Seo Dan-ah (Sooyoung) and earnest to a fault artist Lee Young-hwa (Kang Tae-oh), whose romance is another reason to tune in. The storyline is slow to pick up, but there’s plenty to unpack, as well as a multitude of film tributes to look out for.
Photo Credit: JTBC/Netflix
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Hot Stove League (2019)
This series received critical acclaim, winning Best Drama at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards. Despite having no experience handling a baseball team, the prickly Baek Seung-soo (Namkoong Min) is brought on as general manager for the Dreams in hopes of ending their four-season losing streak. His need to succeed becomes a driving force for the rest of the management team and the players, who were once content to finish second to last.
Photo Credit: SBS
Hot Stove League (2019)
Part of his team are operations manager Lee Se-young (Park Eun-bin) and team president Kwon Kyeong-min (Oh Jung-se). The drama doesn’t just focus on baseball as a sport, but the politics and the business behind it. It’s an inspiring watch for sure.
Photo Credit: SBS
Thumping Spike (2016)
Despite always coming in last, the hard-working Daehan High School volleyball team strives to make it to the top. A former pro volleyball player who was forced to retire due to injury, Kang Se-ra (Hwang Seung-eon) finds new purpose when she signs up as the new coach for the unfortunate team.
Photo Credit: MBN
Thumping Spike (2016)
Her coaching style helps bring the players closer, but this also entails her to grow closer to Hwang Jae-woong (Song Jae-rim), a promising athlete who is also recovering from an injury. This is a significant issue given their age gap and that Se-ra leads a public life. The well-rounded cast makes it endearing to watch, with its underdog plot adding to the relatability factor.
Photo Credit: MBN
Prison Playbook (2017)
Baseball serves as the backbone upon which this series was built. Superstar baseball pitcher Kim Je-hyuk (Park Hae-soo) is convicted of assault after saving his sister from a sexual predator. While serving his sentence, he is reunited with his former close friend and baseball teammate Lee Joon-ho (Jung Kyung-ho), who is now a prison guard after retiring due to sustained injuries from a car accident.
Photo Credit: tvN
Prison Playbook (2017)
It’s a slow burn, but it paints a real, raw picture of what happens when top athletes are no longer among the stars. It also provides good insight as to how convicts fare in correctional facilities, giving a silver lining to an otherwise bleak idea.
Photo Credit: tvN
Fight For My Way (2017)
A poignant and humorous take on the third-rate lifestyles of the everyman, Fight For My Way is a close-up of underdogs with lofty goals in fields they are barely qualified for. Leading the pack is the chaotic yet earnest Ko Dong-man (Park Seo-joon), a once-famous Tae Kwon Do practitioner who is back to square one after losing a fight that shatters his confidence.
Photo Credit: KBS
Fight For My Way (2017)
Content to just get by, he becomes a nameless mixed martial arts fighter who makes a living working the occasional odd job. Later events prompt him to realize that this is not the kind of life he wants, and we find ourselves inspired by his efforts to make something out of himself.
Photo Credit: KBS
If you're looking to diversify your K-drama watching, we definitely recommend binge-watching any of these awesome titles to get the adrenaline pumping while getting inspired with authentic, heartfelt stories of hard work, friendship, and love. Happy watching, chingus!
Im Siwan and Shin Se Kyung in 'Run-On' | Netflix
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