FC Soldout – Series Review & Episode Guide

Ji U is a football player for the FCTA team. Eight months ago, the previous owner went bankrupt. Most of the staff, sponsors, and foreign players left. The remaining players must run the team on their own, but low morale led to a long and humiliating losing streak. Just as things seem hopeless, a new owner steps in. Tae Soo is the CEO of Fast Forworld Flow, an entertainment agency. Although Tae Soo agrees to finance the team, he plans to monetize the players and use them for publicity.

Tae Soo's first move as owner is to cut several original players. He walks through the locker room, making quick decisions and dismissing people based on first impressions. One of the terminated players is Do Hyung. Tae Soo seems to base the decision on Do Hyung's appearance, saying his jawline and hairline don't fit the image he's looking for. Ji U and the rest of the team are outraged by the unfair cuts. Yet, Tae Soo and his assistant, Chief Seo, stand by their choices. They're ready to move forward without some of the original squad.

The remaining players include Jin U, Tae Yeong (the captain), and Min Su (the goalie). To fill the empty spots, Tae Soo recruits new talent. Instead of experienced footballers, he adds actors, idols, and influencers looking to boost their careers with a side gig in sports. Tae Soo defends the move by saying the celebrities will make the team more marketable. The original players push back and try to fight for their teammates, but Tae Soo doesn't budge. The celebrities are here to stay and will play alongside the rest of the team.

The new recruits include Gang Jae (struggling actor), Seon Bin (former boyband member), Kay (failed idol), and Dong Hui (aspiring YouTuber). They join the team to boost their struggling careers, but Gang Jae has second thoughts. He feels uneasy about taking the spot of a player who was pushed out of the team. Tae Soo reminds him that his acting career has stalled, so he's only getting minor roles. Being part of this team keeps Gang Jae visible in the public eye, setting him up for a future comeback. Reluctantly, Gang Jae agrees to stay for the sake of his career.

Ji U feels torn. He hates the changes being forced on the team, including its name change to FC Forworld. However, he's secretly a huge fan of Gang Jae. Ji U has watched all his dramas, listened to every live stream, and even keeps fan memorabilia in his room. Becoming teammates with his favourite celebrity feels like a dream come true. Yet, the real Gang Jae differs from the idealized version Jin U imagined. As their personalities clash, tension grows between the two teammates.

FC Soldout is a lighthearted slice-of-life comedy. A group of celebrities joins a football team for publicity, which is a bizarre scenario that sets itself up for hilarity. The story has a great sense of humour, delivering funny hijinks in each episode. You'll often find the characters goofing around or doing something silly. Since there aren't many Korean BL comedies in existence, this series fills a much-needed gap. We already have emotional dramas that make us cry, so I'm glad FC Soldout wants to make us laugh instead.

FC Soldout is about football (or soccer, if you prefer), a surprisingly rare topic in the BL genre. Even among sports dramas, basketball gets more attention because it's easier to film. After watching hundreds of school or workplace romances, I welcome any departure from the norm. This series earns my respect for not rehashing the same old material. Beyond the sports theme, it also explores celebrity culture. Some episodes revolve around the day-to-day life of a football team, while others focus on fame and reputation. FC Soldout has a strong premise, opening the door to many creative storytelling ideas.

This series is most enjoyable during the playful interactions between the characters. They spend several episodes living together at a training camp, where many funny or flirty moments occur. However, the narrative can seem aimless since there are no significant plot developments beyond light comedic fluff. The bigger issue is that FC Soldout mishandles serious drama. Whenever it explores deeper conflicts, the writing becomes illogical, incoherent, and incredibly dumb. Its inability to create a complex story arc is a significant flaw that deserves criticism.

I enjoy the main couple's romance. Both characters have secret crushes on each other before they become teammates. In private, they act lovestruck and gush about their partners. However, their relationship is volatile when they interact. Sometimes, they clash over a disagreement. Other times, they get hilariously flustered. Near the end, they become quite sweet. While this relationship isn't particularly deep, the bottom line is that their scenes make me smile. In contrast, I don't care about the secondary pair. Their exchanges come and go without inspiring me.

To be honest, I have little interest in watching guys run around kicking a ball. Thankfully, the sports content in the series is kept to a minimum. However, it doesn't have the budget to hire enough actors for a full football team. With only seven known players, the story's immersion breaks a little. As for performances, Jin U's actor (Park Jong Hun) is a cutie who looks sharp on camera. He overacts in a few scenes and can work on controlling his emotions, but I still like him. His co-star (Ko Deok Won) grows on me over time and handles the comedic moments quite well.

The finale has a surprising amount of last-minute drama, but it's executed poorly. Any time there's a serious plot, the writing becomes a hot mess. Even so, I still enjoy the couple's adorable romantic moments. Their playful interactions continue to make me giggle. In particular, their final scene in the locker room is an excellent way to wrap up the series. Overall, I'm fond of FC Soldout. I always have a soft spot for funny and creative stories, even if they're not perfectly written. Despite its narrative flaws, this BL drama is full of charm and has won me over.