Watch Jumping Girl

Jumping Girl is a South Korean drama starring Luna, U-kwon, Ha-na Jung, B-Bomb, and Ha-seong Park. The show aired on KBS in 2015 and follows the story of a young girl named Kang Baek Ho who aspires to become a professional jumper. The show is packed with emotions, struggles, and passion as Baek Ho navigates her way through a competitive world of jumping.

Baek Ho, played by Luna, comes from a poor family in a small village in South Korea. Despite facing several challenges related to her economic and social status, she refuses to let her dreams die. Her obsession with jumping starts when she discovers a flyer for a sports team at school. She begins to practice at every opportunity, even utilizing a makeshift equipment set up involving a trampoline and mattresses in her backyard. Her persistence and dedication finally pay off when she is accepted into a proper sports team.

The sports team comprises Harang High School in Seoul. It is here that Baek Ho meets the show’s other main characters. She becomes friends with Lee Tae Hwan (played by U-kwon), the team’s captain, who is initially cold and abrasive towards her. However, as the series develops, they grow closer and become each other's confidants. Baek Ho also finds a mentor and inspiration in the team’s coach, Seo Hwan Jang (played by Ha-na Jung), who is a former national jumper. Another character, Joo Mi (played by Namgung Eun), is Tae Hwan’s ex-girlfriend and the school’s star jumping athlete. Joo Mi is antagonistic towards Baek Ho but becomes somewhat of a moral support for her towards the end of the show.

Baek Ho's journey in the sports team is challenging both physically and emotionally. Sure, she has talent as a jumper, but she must learn how to harness this talent properly. Many challenges crop up along the way, including a group of boys who criticize and bully her because she is poor. The team's upcoming competition also adds to the pressure over her, which intensifies when Joo Mi genuinely injures her leg and is unable to participate. Baek Ho has to carry the team's hopes on her shoulders, and her success will make or break everyone's goals.

Jumping Girl is a balanced show that explores not only the world of sports but also the societal class differences between the characters. The show does a fantastic job of highlighting the discrimination that Baek Ho faces purely because of her economic stature, which is an issue that is prevalent in both Korea and the world at large.

Another integral aspect of Jumping Girl is the romance angle between Baek Ho and Tae Hwan. It is classic to have a romance angle between the show’s leads, and Jumping Girl does not disappoint. It's low-key yet compelling, as Tae Hwan fights his growing feelings for Baek Ho due to differences in their backgrounds. As their relationship blossoms, the theme of love becoming an equalizer between people who come from differing backgrounds is explored.

In summary, Jumping Girl is a must-watch show for anyone who enjoys sports dramas. Its storyline packs a lot of depth, evokes emotions, and is complemented by strong performances from its cast. The show also has an excellent balance of moments, where you feel inspired to achieve anything you set your mind to, and moments that are heartbreaking for its relatable and realistic characters. Ultimately Jumping Girl leaves its viewers feeling hopeful in their understanding that talent only gets you so far, real determination and drive need to be the driving force behind reaching one's goals.

Jumping Girl is a series that ran for 1 seasons (15 episodes) between April 27, 2015 and on KBS