"One more time for victory" Kim Yeon-koung's sincerity about the postponement of retirement
He was at the crossroads of retirement when he was an active player, but he chose it for his fans in the end. Kim Yeon-koung (Heungkuk Life Insurance), who was selected as the leading star of Korean volleyball and the best star of this season, will try again to win the V League title.
"I will try to win one more season next year," Kim said at the 2023-24 Dodram V-League Awards held at the K Hotel in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 8th. "I will play one more season for my fans." MoneyS selected Kim as a hot topic of conversation on the 10th, expressing its desire to postpone her retirement and win the trophy for her fans.
Heungkuk Life Insurance topped the regular league with 27 wins and nine losses (82) in the 2022-23 season. However, it failed to win the championship after losing to the Korea Expressway Corporation in the championship game. Although Heungkuk Life extended its contract by one year to achieve its dream of winning the championship, it lost to Hyundai Engineering & Construction 0-3 in the championship game this season, missing the title of "spring volleyball."
Korean fans unanimously agreed that Kim, who finished second for two consecutive seasons, will consider retiring. However, Kim announced the extension of her active career by expressing her thoughts on winning the league's Most Valuable Player award (MVP) this season.
It is a mindset that deserves the title of volleyball queen. Kim said, "I hope there will be more competitors next season. I will try not to fall behind," and added, "If next season is the last, I will announce it in advance." She continued, "A lot of people are cheering for us, shouldn't we all prepare our minds together?"
He played in all the games this season, ranking sixth in scoring (775 points) and second in attack success rate (44.98 percent). He received 20 out of 31 votes in MVP selection, beating over runner-up Yang Hyo-jin (5 votes) to win the individual spring volleyball prize.
Kim Yeon-koung, who won her first V-League title in the 2005-06 season, swept overseas trophies including Japan, Turkmenistan, and China. She then returned to Korea in 2020 and boasted her health by receiving individual awards every season. However, she seems to be putting her life and death on the line for the upcoming 2024-25 season, as it has nothing to do with the trophy.