“I’m so sad to say goodbye to everyone now that Racket Boys has ended. I already miss my friends. I also want to play badminton so bad. It’s both sad and bitter that I have to bid farewell to Hae Kang.”
Tang Joon Sang shared his feelings as he wrapped up Racket Boys. For about nine months, he sweated so much while practicing badminton, and he developed strong friendships with actors his age.
Tang took on the role of Yoon Hae Kang, who started playing badminton again after unwillingly transferring to a school in Haenam. He is a bit rough on the outside but kind on the inside. The actor couldn’t hide his affection for the role, saying, “He pretends to be something else on the outside, but he’s a softy on the inside. But I’m nice to everyone both on the outside and on the inside. I liked every scene where he shouted, ‘It’s me, Yoon Hae Kang.'”
Tang trained for badminton like real players. “I came out as a genius badminton player, so how my posture looked was important. I wanted to look like a real player, so I trained for months before the shooting,” he shared. “It was painful, aching, and physically challenging, but I got better at it gradually. And I felt a sense of accomplishment when I looked cool on TV just like I wanted.”
He showed a youthful romance with Lee Jae In, who played another genius badminton player Han Se Yoon. He said, “Honestly, I didn’t think it was romance at first. I tried to express the ‘flirt’ of a man with a crush, but that looked quite fresh. Because it’s such a pure emotion, I tried to express it without overdoing it but not so dull at the same time.”
Yoo Ah In showed his love for Racket Boys via his Instagram. Tang mentioned the event and said, “Yoo Ah In’s post was shared on our group chat. Everyone was so happy. I was delighted that an actor that I respect showed his love.”
This year alone, Tang took on the lead roles in two dramas, Move to Heaven and Racket Boys. “I never imagined I would be playing the main roles. But honestly, I got compliments on how well I acted for the first time with these two projects. I was excited, and it felt amazing. The first half of this year made me want to work harder. I want to work more in the second half of this year.”
Tang, who debuted in 2010 with the musical Billy Elliot, shared that he wants to grow as an actor that works on both stages and screens. “Like Jo Jung Suk and Cho Seung Woo, I want to become an influential actor who works on various genres such as musicals, movies, and dramas. Please look forward to my upcoming projects.”
He then expressed his wish for season 2 of Racket Boys. “The actors my age and I talked about season 2 and imagined what it would be about. How will the story unfold? If there is season 2, of course, I want to be a part of it.”
Translator Kim Hoyeun: If you are a fan of K-drama, K-movie, and K-pop, I am your guy. I will continue to provide you with up-to-date K-entertainment news.
