Common Sense Media Review
By Jose Solis
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Korean sports drama with smoking, drinking, mild language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Match (2025)
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE MATCH tells the true story of the relationship between Korean Go master Cho Hun-hyun (Lee Byung-hun) and his disciple Lee Chang-ho (Yoo Ah-in), who he takes under his wing as a child. Set during the '80s and '90s, the story tracks their extremely fierce mentor-mentee relationship, which turns into a rivalry shaped by ambition, discipline, and what real mastery is.
Is It Any Good?
A sports film can be technically proficient and well-acted, but that won't make a difference if the plot lacks dramatic tension. That's the main issue of The Match, which has a wonderful premise—a Go master and his prodigy apprentice become rivals—and based on that, it should have been laden with tension and high stakes. Yet for anyone unfamiliar with the game of Go, not a lot makes much sense, and there are mostly quiet scenes, long matches lacking excitement, and lots of staring into the void.
Performers Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in do solid work, but they're stuck with a script offering little to sink their teeth into. There is no real dramatic arc. No urgency. Just a slow simmer that never boils. Most kids will be completely uninterested, and even most adults won't be compelled to follow the tedious plot. It's the kind of film that perhaps respects its subject a little too much; some added entertainment value would have been welcome.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the qualities that made Lee Chang-ho a good student and later a worthy rival for his mentor. How did he show compassion, tolerance, and respect?
How did the relationship between teacher and student change over time? Do you have similar relationships in your life?
Were you familiar with the game of Go before watching the movie? If yes, did the movie do it justice? If not, are you curious to learn more about it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 9, 2025
- Cast : Lee Byung-hun , Ah-in Yoo , Jung-hee Moon
- Director : Kim Hyung-joo
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Director(s) , Korean Movie Director(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s) , Korean Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Writer(s) , Korean Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 115 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate