‘Cheer Up’: Is the 2022 K-Drama Based on Yonsei University’s Cheer Team?
Cheer Up is 2022’s newest K-drama about a young woman attending college and living the whole experience. In a coming-of-age sports drama, the key focus is the female lead joining the university cheer team to make money. The upbeat, bright blue, and dazzling cheer team will look familiar to Korean fans and fans who know of the infamous Yonsei University and its real-life cheer team.
‘Cheer Up’ takes place in the year 2019 and is about finding true love and friendship
Unlike other K-dramas, Cheer Up takes place years before at Yonhee University. Actor Han Ji-hyun stars as Hae-yi, a budding new freshman from a low-income family. When she arrives, she sees the dynamic performance of the school’s cheer team. Hoping to make money, she joins, but she learns the truth of friendship and true love along the way.
Part of the 2022’s K-drama story includes Under the Queen’s Umbrella actor Baek In-hyuk as Jung Woo. He is a senior and leads the cheer team. Fans will find that behind his sometimes tense demeanor, he has a warm heart and devotes himself to helping the team strive. Kim Hyun-jin stars as Sun-ho, a Medical School freshman. When he meets Hae-yi, he develops feelings he has never felt before.
But fans will be curious about the main focus of Cheer Up is the cheer team. The school colors, the team’s ensembles, and their songs ad dance will remain fans of the real-life Yonsei University.
Is ‘Cheer Up’ about South Korea’s infamous Yonsei University and its cheer team?
K-drama fans are no strangers to the importance of Yonsei University. The school has been the subject of many K-drama settings for years thanks to its picturesque campus. Fans can see its impressive architecture as the backdrop of True Beauty, The Sound of Magic, and other dramas. Yonsei is one of the top desirable schools in South Korea, but it also has a unique charm it is known for.
The school has a famous cheer team performing for its students yearly. Above all is the year’s Korea–Yonsei rivalry. It is a time of the year when Yonsei and Korea University go head-to-head in challenges to see who wins. One of the most anticipated events is the cheer battle. The two teams dress in their school’s respective colors and perform choreography and the school chant. Cheer Up mimics the same yearly event flawlessly.
Fans of Cheer Up cannot help but feel that the K-drama is based on Yonsei University’s cheer team, despite the creators not making it known. Not only do the drama’s main characters wear the same costumes, but they also sing Yonsei University’s chant, Akaraka. Fans can compare the K-drama chant to the official one on the university’s website. The differences are almost indistinguishable.
When Googling the name of the K-drama’s university, Yonhee, fans will be rerouted directly to searches related to Yonsei University. Is Cheer Up based on Yonsei? Fans can certainly assume so.
When does the K-drama air?
The 2022 K-drama is well-loved by fans for its upbeat music, college life charm, and romantic storyline. Cheer Up is a fun and dynamic drama to watch and keep tabs on, especially as it takes inspiration from Yonsei University.
Fans will recognize its cast from a few other K-dramas like My Roommate is a Gumiho and the hit suspense K-drama, The Penthouse: War in Life. Airing every Monday and Tuesday, Cheer Up premieres new episodes on Viki at 9 a.m. EST.
