Yoon Kye-sang on upcoming sports film 'Try': 'I think rugby will become a popular sport through this drama'

Yoon Kye-sang

, the 45-year-old singer-turned-actor is all set to star in 'Try', Korea's first-ever rugby drama. In Korea, rugby has fewer than 1,000 registered players. The sport is so unpopular, that when one of Korea's three semi-professional teams disbanded in 2015, officials called it "the collapse of Korean rugby".

Why This Drama Hits Different

'Try' isn't just entertainment, it's a full-scale cultural intervention disguised as a feel-good sports story. For decades,

Korean sports

dramas stuck to the usual suspects - basketball, baseball, soccer. Rugby was so niche that it never even got consideration for mainstream media. But now? A major network is betting big on this "unpopular sport", and the timing couldn't be more perfect. The show follows a perpetually last-place high school rugby team meeting an eccentric coach named Joo Ga-ram (Yoon Kye-sang), who's a former rugby star fallen from grace due to a doping scandal. It's classic underdog formula - think of any great sports movie where the worst team gets an unlikely coach and magic happens. But what makes this special is Yoon Kye-sang's approach - he's channelling his comedian persona into coaching, making rugby look fun and accessible. The character development is genuine, too. Yoon Kye-sang revealed that his character's "unpredictable and comedic personality is actually inspired by his own humorous nature," incorporating "a lot of my past self from variety shows where I used to joke around and play pranks".

The Ripple Effect

The cultural impact is already visible in ways that would make any sports promoter proud. Former rugby players are suddenly becoming household names through entertainment shows. The Korea Rugby Association notes that "the recent easy search for former and current rugby players in home entertainment shows is also a measure of the public's interest in rugby". Rugby player Andre Jean became a fan favourite after placing third in 'Physical 100', while various entertainment programs feature former national team members. This media representation matters because it's breaking down decades of invisibility for a sport that was literally on the verge of collapse.

From Zero to Hero

Yoon Kye-sang is genuinely betting on rugby's future in Korea. "I think rugby will become a popular sport through this drama," he confidently stated. "The script is really interesting, so I'm certain the drama will do well". The Korea Rugby Association expects that rugby will become "a recognized and popular sport in Korea that does not lag behind baseball, basketball, and volleyball". The timing is perfect too. Just as K-pop and Korean cinema conquered global hearts with unique storytelling, 'Try' is positioning rugby as the next frontier of Korean cultural influence. In a country where sports success is measured by Olympic medals and global recognition, this drama represents a fascinating case study in how media representation can reshape cultural perceptions. What makes this even more remarkable is the sport's journey from "practically extinct" to "primetime drama subject." It's the kind of plot twist that proves sometimes the most overlooked passions can become mainstream magic with the right story and star power.