The 'V-League Chronicle Vol. 2' has been published, containing the history of men's clubs and the achievements of players in the 20-year history of professional volleyball. Regarding the publication of 'V-League Chronicle Vol. 2,' Choi Tae-woong, former head coach and current volleyball commentator for SBS Sports, noted, "This book delivers passion and knowledge to all who love volleyball. It opened a new perspective for me as a volleyball coach and commentator."
Written by reporters Ryu Han-jun and Kim Hyo-kyung, 'V-League Chronicle Vol. 2' details the regular league and spring volleyball, where clubs compete for a spot in the spring volleyball. It also contains the thrilling plays of star players, the birth of super rookies, and the dedication of veterans.
"It's been 20 years since professional volleyball set sail, and I am glad a book summarizing the history of men's volleyball has been published. This book will captivate even those who are not well acquainted with volleyball, especially encouraging interest in the men's V-League." - Shin Young-cheol, head coach of OK Savings Bank Hump Back Volleyball Club
Looking at the contents of 'V-League Chronicle Vol. 2,' it is filled with intriguing information that is bound to attract interest. Let's take a look at a few of those contents.
As of the 2024/25 season, the player with the most games played in the regular league is libero Yeo Oh-hyeon. He played 625 games (2,181 sets) from the inaugural 2005 season to the 2023/24 season. Including professional volleyball before the league's launch, he has played over 1,000 games in total. Excluding his professional period and focusing solely on the league's inception, middle blocker Ha Hyun-yong has the most appearances, with 577 games (2,044 sets) played.
However, unlike Yeo Oh-hyeon and Ha Hyun-yong, some players registered but did not play even a single game or set, ending their league careers without any appearances. These players still represent a part of the league's history. Of course, players who attract media and fan attention tend to receive recognition. Among the many players and coaches who have shaped the league, special attention should be paid to those who particularly stand out.
There is also a section introducing the club history in the men's division story. This is because it weaves narratives that form the 'V-League History' alongside seasonal race records. In the club history, the era of each club during the professional volleyball period is covered.
Korea Electric Power Corporation is the team with the longest history and heritage in domestic volleyball, spanning the V-League and professional volleyball. From the 2005 season to the 2008/09 season, the team competed as an amateur invitational team due to being a public enterprise in the league's early years and declared itself a semi-professional team in the 2008/09 season. The team entered the playoffs as the fourth seed in the regular league for two consecutive seasons in the 2021/2022 and 2022/23 seasons, defeating our card, ranked third, in both cases to advance to the playoffs.
'New Dynasty' Korean Air has the second longest team history after Korea Electric Power Corporation. Since Shin Young-cheol was officially appointed as head coach in the 2010/11 season, Korean Air achieved first place in the regular league and advanced to the championship final for the first time since the league's inception.
Under head coach Park Gi-won, Korean Air fulfilled a long-standing wish. From the 2016/17 season to the 2018/19 season, they reached the championship finals consecutively, re-establishing themselves as a strong team. During that period, they solidified the foundation of their 'dynasty.' Since the 2020/21 season and continuing through the 2023/24 season, they have achieved 'four consecutive' overall championships.
KB Insurance has changed its team name several times depending on its operating entity and location transfers. It changed to Geumseongsa in 1982, to Lucky Fire in 1992, to LG Fire in 1995, to Gumi LG Fire Greaters in the 2005/06 season, to LIG Insurance in the 2006/07 season, to Gumi KB Insurance Stars in the 2015/06 season, and to Uijeongbu KB Insurance Stars in the 2017/18 season. During this time, Keita became a decisive factor in the club's peak.
In the 2021/22 season, KB Insurance created a sensation by heading into the playoffs in second place in the regular league, propelled by Keita and setter Hwang Taek-yi. It was their first entry into spring volleyball in 11 seasons.
If we were to name the club that led the popularity of professional volleyball overall, it would surely be Hyundai Capital. While their rival Samsung Fire built a new dynasty by winning 'seven consecutive seasons' from the 2007/08 season to the 2013/14 season after dominating the professional league, Hyundai Capital had to settle for being the runner-up for 'three consecutive seasons' from the 2007/08 season to the 2009/10 season. In the 2015/16 season, Hyundai Capital, under head coach Choi Tae-woong, secured first place in the regular league and subsequently won championships in the finals during the 2016/17 and 2018/19 seasons. Regardless of their performance, the team is also renowned for providing the most active and friendly fan service in the league for both men and women.
Samsung Fire, upon participating in the Super League for the first time in 1997, immediately reached the top. They solidified their absolute dominance by winning the Super League championship 'eight times in a row' until just before the launch of the professional league. The selection of excellent foreign players led to their golden era. Players like Anzelko, Gabin, and Leo emerged sequentially and won the championship finals 'seven consecutive times' from the 2007/08 season to the 2013/14 season.
At that time, Choi Tae-woong and Yoo Kwang-woo stabilized the setter position, while Yeo Oh-hyeon effectively took charge of defense and reception. The outside hitter lineup, supported by Seok Jin-wook and Son Jae-hong, was also solid. However, they entered a dark age without participating in spring volleyball for 'seven consecutive seasons' from the 2018/19 season to the 2024/25 season.
Our Card is the first newly established team since the league's inception. Before the 2015/16 season, Our Card returned to Seoul after three years in Asan. The team finished the 2018/19 season in third place in the regular league, marking its first entry into spring volleyball ten years after its establishment. In the 2019/20 season, they secured first place in the regular league. Thus, they advanced to the postseason for 'six consecutive seasons.'
Among the most impressive teams in league history, OK Savings Bank cannot be overlooked. In the 2014/15 season, OK Savings Bank caused a sensation. The effect of foreign player Simon was enormous. As he joined the ranks of ambitious young players like Lee Min-kyu, Song Myeong-geun, Song Hee-chae, Kim Gyu-min, and Jeong Seong-hyeon, the synergy effect was remarkable. In just their second season, the team lifted the championship trophy. However, after Simon left, their performance plummeted. They returned to spring volleyball in the 2020/21 season after five seasons but found themselves distant from spring volleyball again afterward.
"When books related to women's volleyball came out, I bought them and read them. I thought it would be great if there were books discussing men's volleyball as well, so I am genuinely glad that such a book fulfilling that thirst has been published. I hope it serves as a stepping stone to garner more attention and popularity for men's volleyball." - Seok Jin-wook, head coach of the men's youth national team
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