According to Nielsen Korea, the episode of SBS's 'Kick a Goal' aired on the 2nd recorded a household rating of 5% in the metropolitan area, with a 2049 target audience rating of 1.6%. The peak minute rating soared to 6.3%.
In this episode, Coach Lee Young-pyo, who was known for his undefeated record in Korea-Japan matches during his playing days, was seen preparing for a rematch after narrowly losing the first match 3-4. He declared, "We can't end on a loss," and expressed his determination to devise new strategies and focus on training for victory. Meanwhile, Japan's Coach Maezono announced that they would stick with the same squad for the second match, confidently stating, "For Korea, it's a revenge match, but for us, it's just a rematch since we won."
To select players for the second Korea-Japan match, Coach Lee Young-pyo called together the existing 7 national team members and 7 new candidates. The unexpected 14-member lineup immediately engaged in evaluation matches to compete for spots. 'Team Hwarang,' composed of the existing national team, showcased their strong teamwork and impressive performance, with Seogi scoring four goals single-handedly, earning high praise from commentator Lee Geun-ho, who said, "Her quick decision-making and sense are the best in 'Kick a Goal'." On the other hand, 'Team Chungmu,' made up of reserve members, saw Shim Euddeum making a strong impression with her speed and physicality, scoring a goal.
After the match, Coach Lee Young-pyo announced, "The competition starts now," and took the Korean national team candidates to a training camp in Jeju. Among the existing 7 national team members, Kang Bo-ram was replaced by Park Ha-yan, Shim Euddeum, and Lee Yoo-jung from the G League, increasing the number of candidates to 10.
Coach Lee Young-pyo explained, "I wanted to field the best possible team for the revenge match. During the selection process, Lee Yoo-jung stood out the most." He then informed the players, "For the Korea-Japan revenge match, we plan to select the final 7 players. One player will be eliminated today and sent home," heightening the tension.
Meanwhile, Japan's player Mashima Yu shared an update via a self-cam, revealing, "After the last Korea-Japan match, I traveled to Korea privately, played soccer, and had meals with the 'Kick a Goal' members. I've also started learning Korean to communicate better with everyone." The episode ended with a teaser that a new member, a former idol, would be joining the Japanese team, further heating up the anticipation for the second Korea-Japan match.
'Kick a Goal' airs every Wednesday at 9 PM.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)