Desperate, frustration I've tasted for 2 years in a row, so even more desperate...Kim Yeon-koung's dream for the 4th year

Jan 01, 2025

Desperate, frustration I've tasted for 2 years in a row, so even more desperate...Kim Yeon-koung's dream for the 4th year
A V-League women's match between Heungkuk Life Insurance and GS Caltex at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on the 28th, and Heungkuk Life Kim Yeon-koung cheers after scoring. Incheon = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2024.12.28/



"When it comes to sports, it's a unified championship. "

Kim Yeon-koung (37, Heungkuk Life Insurance) replied "Integrated Win" when the story of the 2025 "Wish" came out. It could have been a standard answer for a player, but for Kim Yeon-kyung, the weight of 'integrated championship' was different. Kim Yeon-koung even added the words `desperate.'

Kim Yeon-koung ended the season with her head down at the last minute over the past two years.




Kim Yeon-kyung, who returned to Korea in the 2020-2021 season, took the stage in the championship game every season. (The championship game will not be held in the 2021-2022 season due to the spread of COVID-19)

He was still excellent enough to be called the "World Class" and "Volleyball Emperor", but in the 2022-2023 season, he lost to the Korea Expressway Corporation in the championship game 'reverse sweep', which had never been done in history, and was held back by Hyundai Engineering & Construction last year.

Desperate, frustration I've tasted for 2 years in a row, so even more desperate...Kim Yeon-koung's dream for the 4th year
The V-League Women's Women's Match between Heungkuk Life Insurance and GS Caltex at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on the 28th, and Heungkuk Life's Kim Yeon-koung is greeting Kim Mi-yeon, who moved to GS Caltex. Incheon = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2024.12.28/
Heungkuk Life got off to its best start this season, winning 14 consecutive games. This is the time when I feel confident that I will be able to overwhelmingly reach the top this year. As the main player's line injury continued, he fell into a quagmire for three consecutive losses since his first loss.




On the 28th of last month, the last game of the first half. Heungkuk Life defeated GS Caltex by a set score of 3-0, and succeeded in escaping the losing streak. It finished the first half of the year with a lead of two points ahead of second-place Hyundai Engineering & Construction (13 wins, five losses, 41 points), with 15 wins, three losses and 43 points.

Kim Yeon-koung said, `If I lost the match against GS Caltex, I would have missed the first place. "I'm happy to have a point in the last game before I go into the All-Star break." "I think I'll have to prepare well in the second half without any injured players."," he stressed.

During the losing streak, the atmosphere of Heungkuk Life was not very good. In the Jeonggwanjangjeon on the 17th of last month, head coach Daniele crossed the camp and said unknown words to Jeonggwanjang coach Ko Hee-jin and was embroiled in a 'controversy'. In the end, coach Diele was referred to KOVO's reward and punishment committee and suspended for three games and imposed a fine of 3 million won. Foreign player Tutku and Asian quarter pitch were injured one after another, leading to bad news.




Desperate, frustration I've tasted for 2 years in a row, so even more desperate...Kim Yeon-koung's dream for the 4th year
V-League Women's Women's Match between Heungkuk Life Insurance and GS Caltex at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on the 28th, and Heungkuk Life's Kim Yeon-koung is cheering when the first set victory is confirmed. Incheon = Reporter Heo Sang-wook wook@sportschosun.com /2024.12.28/
Kim Yeon-koung said, `Suddenly, due to an injured player, we couldn't prepare properly and had a difficult game, and there was also a coach incident. There were a lot of things going on in a short period of time, so it was important to change the atmosphereCaptain Kim Soo-ji led the team well and did well when it was difficult. We also had a lot of meetings and spent a lot of time together. "

Kim Yeon-kyung, who has been playing the role of a "mental prop" in hard times, said, "It is positive that young players have grown up this season. There is a lot of pressure because young players rely on it a lot, but I think it's my role. My juniors are giving me feedback on what I'm saying, and I'm working hard in my own places."

Heungkuk Life Insurance, which finished first in the first half, will play its first game in the second half at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul on the 7th. If a foreign player comes to replace Tutku, he will be able to breathe even more than during the three-game losing streak. Kim Yeon-koung said, `After the All-Star break, a new foreign player may come, and I hope it will grow the strength to hold on until then," he said, vowing to continue his steady march to No. 1 in the second half of the year.



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.