"No Team Owner, No Next Season"… "Rookie Coach Kim Yeon-koung 2": Bu Seung-kyun, on the Verge of Military Service, Stakes His Life [Comprehensive Report]

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"Rookie Coach" Kim Yeon-koung has returned as an "experienced coach." Building on the success of Season 1, she is now challenging a bigger goal: founding a team.

The production press conference for MBC's variety show "Rookie Coach Kim Yeon-koung 2" was held on the 8th at the MBC Golden Mouse Hall in Sangam, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Attendees included PD Kwon Rak-hee, PD Lee Jae-woo, former volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung, SEVENTEEN's Bu Seung-kyun, and former volleyball player Yang Hyo-jin.

"Rookie Coach Kim Yeon-koung 2" is a team-establishment project in which Kim Yeon-koung, now a second-year "experienced coach," and the "Must-Win Wonder Dogs" move from UNDER to WONDER.

Season 1, which ended last year, rose from an initial viewership of the 2nd% range to a peak rating of 5.8%, achieved a maximum real-time Wave viewership of 64.7%, and ranked first in non-drama buzz on TV-OTT Sundays for six consecutive weeks.

Kim Yeon-koung returned as an "experienced coach," while Bu Seung-kyun, who served as manager in Season 1, was promoted to Hong Bo (Team Lead). Former volleyball player Yang Hyo-jin joined as a commentator.

This season, a large-scale re-tryout was conducted with the goal of founding a team. Regarding what she focused on during the re-tryouts, Kim Yeon-koung said, "When doing Season 2, we had to show a better team and skills than in Season 1, so the players' condition was important." She added, "There were players with injuries, so checking their current condition was crucial. Also, while looking at the players' strengths, I selected them based on what role they could play on our team."

Yang Hyo-jin, who observed this, shared her thoughts on the players' reactions: "I think the players were surprised. They had seen how things went in the first season and expected to join, so I wonder if they were taken aback." However, she noted, "Those who have worked with Kim Yeon-koung would have accepted it."

PD Kwon Rak-hee had previously declared, "If we cannot find a team owner, there will be no further seasons." On this matter, PD Kwon stated, "There was quite a bit of interest from many companies." She continued, "Seeing that, I realized that founding an eighth team is not impossible. I thought we should seize the opportunity when it came, so we put ourselves in a position with no way out."

PD Lee Jae-woo, who served as co-director, also shared insights into the planning process and resolve for Season 2. PD Lee said, "While preparing for Season 2, I felt overwhelmed. I was worried about what new aspects we should show." However, he added, "We had opportunities to talk with various companies, and I judged that we could go aggressively without thinking about failure."

Stepping in as an "experienced coach," Kim Yeon-koung reflected: "When doing Season 1, there was a part where I had to systematize what I possessed into a team structure, and it took time for the players to understand. So, I started with a focus on how to quickly teach them the volleyball I envisioned by systematizing it, hoping to see good performance as soon as possible." She added, "I think the detailed aspects have improved. It seems we filled in the shortcomings."

Regarding her own growth, she stated, "I definitely feel like I've grown a lot," adding, "It seems good to try and experience various things."

Kim Yeon-koung then shared an anecdote about her passionate coaching during games. She said, "I heard that some people watch with the sound muted because they are uncomfortable when I shout. So, when entering Season 2, I thought I should show a softer side." However, she continued, "But because we faced very strong opponents, it turned out I have this kind of passion. As a result, my true self came out, and you will see me fighting without sparing my voice more than in Season 1."

Yang Hyo-jin, who joined as a commentator, shared her impressions of watching Coach Kim Yeon-koung. Yang said, "I was glad to meet her as a player. She was full of passion even as a player, but as a coach, her passion is multiplied several times over. I thought, 'She does everything with sincerity.'" She added, "It was my first time experiencing it on-site, and she is truly detailed. It was to the point where people would say, 'Why not just be a coach right away?'"

Bu Seung-kyun, who was promoted to Hong Bo (Team Lead), stated, "First of all, my job hasn't changed much, but there is more of it. I supported the players and coaching staff and had many meetings with the production team. Since Season 2 is about moving forward to found a team, I considered what would be practically helpful." He continued, "There will be a lot of reaction sounds; I shouted a lot during recording. There were even scenes that made me want to cry. You will be able to feel the charm of 'Rookie Coach Kim Yeon-koung 2' better."

Bu Seung-kyun, who is about to enlist in the military this year, said, "I would have felt regretful if I hadn't done this before going. There was a desire for Season 2 even during the Season 1 team dinner. I also constantly put pressure on regarding my position." He added, "While organizing the schedule for my enlistment from last year to this year, it seemed like it might be difficult, but I feel fulfilled that I could record before enlisting."

Bu Seung-kyun also emphasized, "I am happy that Season 1 was loved so much and that I can participate in Season 2 as well." He continued, "Even on days other than recording, I met with the PDs before the program started, and my affection for the show has grown greatly. So, I am not thinking about a successor. I did not want to use a successor. In Season 1, there were times when I could not participate, but in Season 2, I participated in everything."

"Rookie Coach Kim Yeon-koung 2" premieres at 9:10 p.m. on the 11th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original