The Match

I certainly would've enjoyed this more if I liked or even been familiar with Go. Or baduk. But I'm not and as such I could only get excited with and about the characters. There are plenty of scenes where I liked these people but also some where I got pretty bored if I'm honest. Also, Lee Chang-ho as a kid seems to have a very different personality from his older self. I kind of missed his brashness and his cheekiness. He became an old man, much like his game.

Anyway, Yoo Ah-in constructs yet another unique character and he is basically a main character here so I am glad this movie could reach viewers without cutting him out, it was practically impossible. It was shameful he could not promote it really.

Lee Byung-hun does his thing too, but that is no surprise to anybody. His character was a bit eccentric so he had material to work with I guess.

Also, the 80s to 90s period was captured pretty convincingly I thought.

The Match worked well with the cards it was dealt with.

I'm sure many watched for Lee and Yoo who are top actors of their generations; stars align. Their acting, rooted on the known legendary character developments of the giants of the game of Go in Korea, is carried out as expected.

Sentimental viewers may add value to familiarity and the homage to the national pride it represented from the tiny peninsula. However, as the film stands by itself, I wish it did add more creative license to the conflict between the two.

It felt more a documentary lavished by top acting than a movie for the sake of a movie.

I watched THE MATCH purely for the presence of Lee Byung-hun, one of my favourite Korean actors, although I'll admit to knowing (and caring) nothing for the board game Go which this is all about. However, I was well satisfied with Byung-hun's turn in this one, and he's ably supported by Yoo Ah-in (familiar from his turn in the lauded BURNING) as a former protege turned rival at the world championships. Early on, I wasn't sure I'd like this as I found the kid in it far too precocious, but it develops depth and character insight as it goes on and builds to a satisfying ending. Not as good as the Tobey Maguire chess film, but I can see why Netflix picked it up.

The Match is a well-intentioned biographical sports drama about Go legends Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho. While the film tries to capture the evolution of their relationship from mentorship to rivalry, the execution feels too subdued. The Go matches are well shot, but the narrative lacks urgency and emotional depth. Performances are solid, especially from Lee Byung-hun, but the characters remain distant. Themes like ambition, loyalty, and conflict between generations are hinted at but never fully explored. The result is a respectful yet uninspired portrayal that fails to leave a lasting impression.

"The Match," directed by Hyeong-ju Kim, is a sports drama that tries to be inspiring but ends up feeling like a tired retread of countless other films in the genre. The story of a disgraced coach and a team of underdogs is as old as cinema itself, and Kim's take adds nothing new to the formula. The film's attempts at emotional depth, particularly in the relationship between the coach and his troubled star player, feel forced and unearned. The dialogue is a collection of generic pep talks and melodramatic outbursts, lacking the authenticity needed to make the characters feel like real people. While the on-field action is competently shot, it fails to generate any real excitement, as the outcome is predictable from the very first scene. "The Match" is a prime example of a film that coasts on the familiar beats of its genre, delivering a forgettable and ultimately uninspired cinematic experience.

Is it worth watching? No. It's a paint-by-numbers sports film that you've seen a hundred times before, and done better.