Indonesians slam badminton K-drama ‘Racket Boys’ for ‘racist’ depiction
- The South Korean drama has angered Indonesian internet users after it was perceived to have insulted the Southeast Asian nation’s badminton team and fans
- Indonesia is a force in the sport, and is set to take on rivals such as China and Denmark in the Tokyo Olympics
The kerfuffle started when Racket Boys – a story about a ragtag high-school badminton team produced by South Korea’s SBS TV – aired its fifth episode on June 14, in which the characters were shown competing in Indonesia. The coaches and players were shown to be upset as they were hosted in poor accommodation.
“The host trains in a stadium and we are forced to train at some run-down place with no air conditioner. Those jerks,” a coach said.
Quipped another character: “Sir, calm down. This isn’t the first time, you know. There’s only one reason for this. Han Se-yoon. [Indonesia] wants to win against her, no matter what it takes,” he added, referring to the name of a fictional badminton player in the show.
In another scene, Han – played by Lee Jae-in – was taunted by Indonesian supporters, of which a South Korean coach remarked: “They wouldn’t boo if they had any manners.”
South Korea went on to beat Indonesia in the show.
