Netflix’s new South Korean sports drama The Winning Try, also known as Try: We Become Miracles (트라이: 우리는 기적이 된다), focuses on rugby and has captivated both sports lovers and non-sports lovers alike.
Full of competition, rivalry, drama, life lessons, and lots of fun, it has everything you could want from a good television show.
Directed by Kim Jae Hyun and Kim Ji Yeon and, written by Lim Jina, The Winning Try combines elements of humor, drama, and sports action to tell a story about second chances, teamwork, and healing broken relationships.
The series is about Ju Ga-ram (a charismatic Yoon Kye-sang), a former rugby star who loses his professional career due to doping. Years after his sporting exile, Ju Ga-ram returns to his old high school, Hanyang, to coach the rugby team, which is the weakest in the league. His task is not easy: the young team seems incapable of winning a single game, and the administrators want to disband it as soon as possible.
Without further ado, here are the main life lessons we learned from watching The Winning Try.
Losing can be a good thing
Let’s face it: We’ve all experienced the desire for success, admiration, and public recognition. This is a common and widespread aspiration, and sports activities are no exception to this.
Winning games or tournaments seems to be the most coveted goal. Coaches, parents, and players alike devote countless hours to honing their skills, refining strategies, and pursuing coveted trophies. However, according to experts in coaching and positive psychology, failure in sports can hold significant lessons. It is important to remember that failure is not the opposite of success, but rather part of the process of achieving success.
Throughout the series, The Winning Try shows that losing in sports can be a good thing for character building. And the fact is, losing is a natural part of life, and suffering setbacks on the field can serve as a powerful lesson in resilience.
It is through defeat that the young athletes on the Hanyang team have the opportunity to face disappointment, discover the value of perseverance, and learn the importance of humility and sportsmanship.
Most importantly, in the end, these qualities transcend the boundaries of the playing field and make them people of integrity.
Ethics and fair play are non-negotiable
As a veteran player who has fallen from grace, Ju Ga-ram knows better than anyone the importance of sports ethics and fair play. This is something he learned the hard way and continually tries to convey to his young team.
Throughout the series, the coach opposes any form of cheating, doping, or corruption and, on the contrary, strives to ensure that his athletes compete fairly and honorably, respecting the rules of the game and the rights of other participants.
Even when the rugby team is subjected to unfair and unhealthy situations, which happen constantly in the institutional context, they support each other and avoid unsportsmanlike behavior at all costs.
A dedicated mentor can change your life
The story of Ju Ga-ram reminds us of the importance of good mentoring and its impact on young people and their future.
In The Winning Try, Ju Ga-ram is much more than a rugby coach to his teenage students. He is the person who believes in the team, even when the team is struggling to believe in itself.
Although he is not a perfect mentor, he gets involved in his students’ lives, offering them guidance and support as they face their personal challenges. As a mentor and person with experience, he provides all the encouragement, motivation, and knowledge necessary for his athletes to mature and reach their full potential.
Respectful behavior in victory and defeat
Another important lesson from the South Korean sports drama is that we must all learn to win and lose with dignity. Athletes, in particular, must show humility when they win and composure when they lose, recognizing their own efforts and those of others.
The 12-episode Netflix series emphasizes that respectful behavior in victory and defeat is essential to maintaining a healthy and positive environment. In this sense, the program shows how respect and responsibility in sports prevent vanity and the demoralization of teammates and opponents.
The process is more important than the result
There is a saying attributed to Nick Saban, recognized as one of the most prominent coaches in college football history, that is particularly relevant in this context. He once said, “It’s the journey that’s important. You can’t worry about end results. It’s about what you control, every minute of every day. You always have to have a winning attitude and discipline, in practices, weight training, conditioning, in the classroom, in everything. It’s a process,” and this quote is undoubtedly accurate in this tv series.
The Winning Try emphasizes that the process is more important than the outcome because it fosters personal growth and the development of crucial habits that build resilience and confidence.
In fact, when Hanyang athletes focus on the process rather than the results, they often show a higher level of motivation, concentration, and productivity.
Obviously, there is nothing wrong with wanting an end goal. However, the series shows that valuing the process of the journey can lead to greater satisfaction, making the experience itself rewarding, not just the ultimate result.
Second chances and redemption are possible
In The Winning Try, Ju Ga-ram was one of South Korea’s most electrifying rugby players. With a strong arm, quick feet, and enviable poise, he was destined for greatness.
However, as we have seen with too many talented athletes, the story does not always turn out as planned.
Despite his immense talent, young Ju Ga-ram’s promising career is derailed by health issues and a doping scandal. His serious mistakes leave him out of the game and broken-spirited for years.
However, Ju Ga-ram’s journey reminds us that life is full of victories and setbacks, failures and redemptions. In this case, what we learn from the rugby player turned brilliant coach is that mistakes are inevitable, but what matters is the ability to learn from them.
The show highlights that second chances and redemption are possible when people take responsibility for their failures, acknowledge the damage caused, and commit to being better.
Ju Ga-ram’s redemption is not an isolated event, but a process full of ups and downs. It is certainly a challenging situation as he must face his painful past and consciously work to improve his present and that of the people he has harmed.
Stream The Winning Try on Netflix.