The Sand Flower

Loved this series for a couple of reasons. One, because I learned so much about a sport I never knew existed. Ssireum....who knew? Jang Dong-yoon is a true pro who remade his physique, not to look awesome, but to look real for the sport. The matches looked so authentic to me, and I got invested in Kim Baek Du's challenges as well as the connection between the teammates. The seedy gambling world touches about every sport, and this series showed parts of that as well. Next, the culture of the village was immersive, and you could relate with the gossiping neighbors, get angry with their ridiculous nosiness and be touched by their loyalty. Third, the characters of Baek Du and Doo-sik (sounds like doo sheek) are perfect foils for each other, with a mysterious bond from childhood that neither can forget. Their relationship is the heartbeat of the series. Don't see how anyone could resist the charm of this show.