Korean NT 2021

    Quote from motodle

    With how the team is performing at the VNL (lots of losing in straight sets ;(), I would consider it a big success if they can make it into the Top 8.

    I saw a post in dcinside that one of the reasons they want Suji to be included in the OG lineup is for "Kim Yeonkyeong's Mental Companion" 😂😂😂 They said they need her to raise her spirits during the game 😂😂😂


    I kinda agree though, the team looks so dispirited lately because of their performance - including KYK. Though of course, she does her job to lighten up the mood and encourage the younger players, there is just so much that she can do.


    I feel like whenever I watch old NT videos, there is more communication that happens when you have KYK, Suji/Hyojin, and Heejin in frontcourt. Y'know the little pats and talks at the net when they're preparing to serve? Yeah, I miss those kind of moments.....


    I hope KYK doesnt feel burdened about what's happening to the team....

    Kinda agree😂 It feels different when you're surrounded by your bestfriends. The 4 of them already play together for a long time and always hangout together.


    For sure she have a lot of thoughts now.

    Saw a clip of her playing piano at the hotel so hopefully she can ease her mind a bit😅

    Korea likely only hired a foreign coach like Lavarini for the NT since it was gonna be Kim's last shot at Olympics & they wanted to increase their chances to get a medal. The team grew & improved so much under him.

    Wonder what coach the Korean team will get for the 2024 Olympics... I really like his team & his coaching playstyle, what a pity 2021 is.

    (no Korean coach can compare, the v-league is still playing slow volleyball🤦🏻‍♀️)


    Though Lee Dohee must've done something right training up her setters, both being chosen for a play style that Lavarini wants.

    Will be a downgrade from a main coaching role (which she lost), but Korea will benefit a lot if they can grow more setters under her coaching/guidance.

    They genuinely lack good/enough setters in the league.

    I also agree. I'm all for getting Suji and Heejin to the Olympics.


    The chance of getting a medal for Korea is close to zero (even if twins and Haeran remain on the team IMO). As the captain, it's inevitable that Kim will feel burdened. Having her close friends there will hopefully lift some of the burden off her shoulder and help her enjoy their last time together at an Olympics.


    This is my top list for the OG:


    Quote from VolleyOrange

    https://worldofvolley.com/voll…ng-to-play-in-greece.html


    WoV reporting that Heungkuk denied the transfer. Is it true and has there been an official statement from Heungkuk released?


    According to the media WoV is talking about in its article, I get the impression that the transfer will happen after they fixed those bureaucratic issues

    Whaaaa? Why Greece? So random..

    Quote from motodle

    I also agree. I'm all for getting Suji and Heejin to the Olympics.


    The chance of getting a medal for Korea is close to zero (even if twins and Haeran remain on the team IMO). As the captain, it's inevitable that Kim will feel burdened. Having her close friends there will hopefully lift some of the burden off her shoulder and help her enjoy their last time together at an Olympics.


    Suji always have a soft spot for KYK.. I think she will retire from NT together with KYK after OG

    Quote from VolleyOrange

    https://worldofvolley.com/voll…ng-to-play-in-greece.html


    WoV reporting that Heungkuk denied the transfer. Is it true and has there been an official statement from Heungkuk released?


    According to the media WoV is talking about in its article, I get the impression that the transfer will happen after they fixed those bureaucratic issues

    Will reply you and bring this topic over to the Transfers thread instead to keep this focused on Korean NT for the rest here

    Quote from motodle

    The chance of getting a medal for Korea is close to zero (even if twins and Haeran remain on the team IMO)

    The 2019 NT had a considerable chance to reach Top 4 - they even won against Brazil & Japan (who are in their Olympic pool).

    But I have no idea how the KR NT works, how could they not have trained together at all during 2020? (after they won against Thailand in Jan)

    Their only training together since then, had been the 1 month before VNL & during VNL itself🤦🏻‍♀️


    In comparison to Korea, their opponents have took 2020/21 as an opportunity to grow and improve, i.e. Japan especially

    (so yea, even if KR had the same NT team from 2019 with Haeran, twins and healthy Heejin, it may not have been enough since Olympics were delayed)


    Quote from YKMag

    Suji always have a soft spot for KYK.. I think she will retire from NT together with KYK after OG

    Pretty certain it'll be Suji's last NT - she's the same age as Kim & there are good younger centers who are improving fast.

    I'm more curious if it will be Hyojin's last Olympics instead, she has said multiple times that she intends for this to be her last too.

    (but based on how she's like, I think she's just the type to say things and doesn't actually close the door entirely on it haha)

    She's young & should be good enough for one more run in 2024 if she maintains her condition. Hope she stays for one more run.

    Quote from suminj

    But I have no idea how the KR NT works, how could they not have trained together at all during 2020? (after they won against Thailand in Jan)

    Their only training together since then, had been the 1 month before VNL & during VNL itself🤦🏻‍♀️

    It's the KVA and KOVO not caring again. They could have shortened the domestic league like Japan and China did to help the NT prepare for the OG.


    Quote from suminj

    Pretty certain it'll be Suji's last NT - she's the same age as Kim & there are good younger centers who are improving fast.

    I'm more curious if it will be Hyojin's last Olympics instead, she has said multiple times that she intends for this to be her last too.

    (but based on how she's like, I think she's just the type to say things and doesn't actually close the door entirely on it haha)

    She's young & should be good enough for one more run in 2024 if she maintains her condition. Hope she stays for one more run.

    Just curious about the part in parentheses: What did Hyojin do/say that make you think so? :/


    I think if the young MBs are good enough to take over, it will be more likely for Hyojin to decide to retire from the NT.


    In the V-league, Hyojin is no doubt the superior MB. Her height combined with her smart play made her the top scorer in the league despite being an MB (so she's frequently subbed out for a libero). However, she is also slow, this might not work well for her in case the NT decides to keep playing fast volleyball, which they should.


    Between Hyojin and Suji, Suji is the one that's more willing to dive and dig the ball. She can also do the slide attack that Hyojin doesn't do.

    I remember reading on a fan account that retired volleyball player Han Yoomi, when she was commentated on a match, said that Hyojin's knees no longer allow her to perform such attack. I would say that this is also the reason for her low speed and poor defense play.


    Suji (1987) is one year older than Kim (1988) btw.

    Said they were the same age (batch) since Kim is an early-1988 (korean age thing), but yes different years by international age.

    Yeah, not to mention all the delays in between due to covid, KVA really should've stepped in to decrease the length of the league by at least 1 round or 2🤦🏻‍♀️

    Er it was a video clip/interview on Hillstate's YouTube lol, quite long ago lol can't recall exactly but its just an impression I got from something she replied with


    I don't know, I don't necessarily think Hyojin's that slow compared to Suji, if I had to choose between one of them I'd still choose Hyojin.

    Of course, who knows how her condition will be 3 years later, her effectiveness dropped a lot in 2020/21 compared to 2019/20 even in v-league (though I think she got it back in the latter half)

    Fantastic dig by Hyejin when Serbia was at set point, but it seems like she pulled her hamstring because of it and stayed down, was grabbing it and limping off court oof, Dain subbed in after


    Hope Hyejin can recover within a few days of rest

    Wow finally the long awaited 2nd win by Korea, Kim finally exploded with 26points


    (Granted Serbia's main players weren't playing & had a shitty game too lol - but hey, good for Korea)

    Great digs by entire Korean team, esp so many great saves by Jiyoung

    Jiyoon with 14points too :super:


    Can we please have Hyejin & Dain for Olympic setters lol, Dain did so well subbing in for Hyejin - that monster block too

    KYK is just AMAZINGLY GOOD. Almost all her spiked were killer spikes :oooo Volleyball Empress indeed!!!


    Glad the team has finally got its rhythm ^_^ the younger players, Jihyun, Eunjin, and Dahye are doing so well - it seems that the future of korean volleyball isn't that bad at all 😄


    I hope they get to improve themselves this VNL! Though, sadly, I don't think all young players would go to Olympics (esp Dahye 😭) 😣 Olympics is just not somewhere you cultivate young players at, unless there's zero hopes of a medal, and you're totally an underdog.


    Since hiring Lavarini has one goal - to win a medal - I think he would still want to get all his core players for OG. Many are saying Suji won't be included since she's not part of VNL, but I read (in dcinside) that it's almost impossible for her to go during Week 3, it would require her days of quarantine so it's not sensible to send her 😭


    Hope Hyejin will rest her injury as not to sabotage her chances in the OG lineup. Jiyoung also seems to improve a lot better? Though not so much, but she seems stable in receiving and digging today against Serbia soooo 👍


    P.s. do you have any idea when does teams have to release their final OG lineup?

    Quote from KorVolleyFan

    I hope they get to improve themselves this VNL! Though, sadly, I don't think all young players would go to Olympics (esp Dahye 😭) 😣 Olympics is just not somewhere you cultivate young players at, unless there's zero hopes of a medal, and you're totally an underdog.

    Italy brought a young roster to Rio 2016 and didn't get past the group stage. Look at them now.


    Quote from KorVolleyFan

    P.s. do you have any idea when does teams have to release their final OG lineup?

    For basketball it is july 5. I imagine not too much different for other sports.

    Quote from zhutingfan

    Italy brought a young roster to Rio 2016 and didn't get past the group stage. Look at them now.

    (Ohhh was Eognu part of that roster? Cus if yes, wow) But I'm thinking about KYK who's retiring....There isn't really no one who's extremely promising (like playing abroad type of player) in the Skor team for them to bring a young roster to develop 😅 Of course they wouldn't want her last Olympic games to be an experimental one.... I'm hoping they could atleast reach Top 4 🙏🏽

    I am getting more and more impressed with Jung Ji-Yeon. Her body movement and spiking ability is pretty strong. I think she plays with more brains than Park Jeong-Ah too, tbh. She and Lee So Young needs to focus over the next few months and prepare really well. I really wish Kang So-Hwi can join, she's also another strong striker.

    Quote from KorVolleyFan

    (Ohhh was Eognu part of that roster? Cus if yes, wow) But I'm thinking about KYK who's retiring....There isn't really no one who's extremely promising (like playing abroad type of player) in the Skor team for them to bring a young roster to develop 😅 Of course they wouldn't want her last Olympic games to be an experimental one.... I'm hoping they could atleast reach Top 4 🙏🏽

    yep, she was. to be fair, italy was a complete mess then because they called the veterans back for them hosting 2014 wch, who pretty much all subsequently retired. Think of the valuable experience that the youngsters could learn from Kim in an Olympics!

    oh Kim Da In and Ahn Hye Jin (and the rest of the team who played) :rose:


    Never mind if a win is against a Serbian team who hadn't got their key players. Sometimes you just need a win for some confidence (and mental) booster!


    I love how everyone went all out to keep the ball in play, finally... and my dearest Da In made a block! :box:


    It'll be so radical if Lavarini gets those 2 for OG instead of the experienced Yeom.


    (and i love them playing kpop during the timeouts.. low key bts fan here 😜)