When this show dropped out of nowhere, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to watch it!

I wouldn’t have started watching this show, if our Tuesday panelist BL Songbird hadn’t strongly recommended it. The story is about a soccer team that is not doing well, and one day, it is bought by an entertainment agency. The reason for the acquisition is just to commoditize the team to make money again. The agency takes over and cuts out all the players with a poor face, then forces the actors with a face value from their agency to become players. Sounds cliche right? It is, when you think that the agency is undermining the value of players who have spend their lifetime honing their soccer skills. To capitalize on their looks rather than their sports skills is actual demeaning. But the players are left with no choice but follow through this ridiculous charade if they want to remain on the team. It must be remembered that soccer isn’t exactly a popular sport in Asian countries as compared to their European counterparts. So we are left with a weird combination of players who only want to focus on their game and handsome actors who want to be anywhere else but the soccer field. The show clearly outlines three different couples but by the end of the show, we are left with only two.

Do Ji U & Yoo Gang Jae

Have you ever met soccer player who has a crush on a popular actor like most common people? Meet Do Ji U (Park Jong Hun) who became Yoo Gang Jae’s (Ko Deok Won) biggest fan after watching his film where Gang Jae plays the role of a soccer player. Ji U is the literal definition of a hardcore fan, his room walls are plastered with Gang Jae’s photos, and he has a Gang Jae standee. All this, despite the fact that he himself is an acclaimed soccer player. Surprisingly enough, Gang Jae also had a childhood crush on him. Our main couple studied in the same school and Ji U is Gang Jae’s first love. Imagine their surprise when they meet at the soccer training field when Gang Jae’s agency acquires Ji U’s team. Unbeknownst to everyone, Gang Jae drew inspiration from Ji U while portraying the role of a soccer player. Their supposedly “Enemies to Lover’s” romance is endearing because both have feelings for each other, but they keep it hidden. The actors had a decent chemistry and I loved watching their blossoming romance!

Sun Bin & Taeyoung

Yun Tae Young (Hwang Yun Je) is the ideal team captain, resilient and disciplined. He is entirely displeased when his team is acquired by an entertainment agency which parades his team- mates for their face value. Despite his reservations, he tries his level best to align himself to this weird idea and help the new actors who know literally nothing about soccer. One such member is the fallen idol trainee, Han Don Hui (Im Jung Gyu) who tries hard to gel with the soccer team. Ironically they become roommates and Tae Young’s warm personality draws Don Hui out of his shell. I really enjoyed watching this pair fall in love with each other, despite their abundant differences!

Is it a Worthwhile Watch

City Log members Lee Jae Jun (Kay) and Lee Ji Han (Kang Min Su) play the third couple. Unfortunately, they don’t have much screen time and their love story is left undeveloped. “FC Soldout” is an entertaining watch if we leave out the soccer aspect; there wasn’t much happening and I don’t understood why an entertainment agency would acquire an unsuccessful soccer team in a country where the sport doesn’t even have any precedence. Apart from the leads are handsome and their romance is truly enviable!

Rating- 3.5 out of 5

Streaming on- IQIYI