"I apologize in advance" Bae Yu or 'welcome declaration of war' to Yang Hyo-jin, who is about to retire

*This content was translated by AI.

The professional volleyball V-League postseason in the 2025-2026 season is meaningful to Yang Hyo-jin (37, Hyundai Engineering & Construction) and Bae Yu-na (37, Korea Expressway Corporation).

This is because Yang Hyo-jin, who announced his retirement after this season, is the last spring volleyball stage of his career, and Bae Yuna is the stage where his "best friend" of nearly 20 years leaves.

Yang Hyo-jin and Bae Yu-na, who made their professional debut together through the draft in 2007, are the same age born in 1989 and are "best friends" who have worked together as national team members.

However, Yang Hyo-jin has only worn Hyundai Engineering & Construction uniforms since his debut, and Bae Yu-na has had to face each other only as enemies inside the V-League court while passing only GS Caltex and Korea Expressway Corporation.

As Yang Hyo-jin announced his retirement first, this postseason is now the last opportunity for Yang Hyo-jin and Bae Yu-na to face each other even as enemies on the court.

Bae Yu-na couldn't hide her regret on the last stage of the postseason of "Best Friend."

Bae Yu-na attended the Jin Air 2025-2026 V-League postseason media day held at Hotel Rivera Cheongdam in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 20th as a representative player of Hyundai Engineering & Construction and met (Yang) Hyo-jin only as an opposing team on the court for nearly 20 years. I'm sorry and bad that one of my friends is retiring," he said.

Bae Yu-na showed emotional emotions while looking directly at Yang Hyo-jin in the distance, and Yang Hyo-jin's expression looking at Bae Yu-na seemed to be emotional.

The atmosphere in the hall, which could have been solemn, quickly became a sea of laughter at Bae Yuna's "pleasant declaration of war."

Bae Yu-na said, "I feel a little sad and bad, but I'll apologize in advance (to Yang Hyo-jin)," adding, "I'm sorry. We're going to win the combined championship," he said.

Although it is regrettable that the final postseason stage can be played with a best friend, the desire for "integrated championship" is separate until the championship game following the regular league.

Of course, Yang Hyo-jin was not behind either. "I don't think I should apologize," he said. "Even during the regular league, (Bae Yu-na) said, 'I will win the regular league (first place)." "I actually won the regular league, and Bae Yu-na will play until the age of 45, so I hope we win and finish the championship game."

However, the confrontation between Yang Hyo-jin and Bae Yu-na in this women's volleyball postseason has not been confirmed.

While Bae Yu-na's team, Road Corporation, went straight to the championship match by ranking first in the regular league, Hyundai Engineering & Construction (2nd), which includes Yang Hyo-jin, will have to cross the PO (two wins out of three) gate against the winner of the semi-playoff (PO) held by GS Caltex (3rd) and Heungkuk Life (4th).

Although he announced his retirement, his best friend's final showdown in the championship match will take place only when the performance of Yang Hyo-jin, a key player of Hyundai Engineering & Construction, is supported, including No. 1 in league blocking and No. 3 in fast attack success rate.

Yang Hyo-jin vowed to perform "last dance" by going around the court as he has done so far, rather than giving much meaning to his last spring volleyball.

Yang Hyo-jin said, "I don't prepare with any special emotions (in the last postseason)," adding, "Like the team keyword, I will finish well until the end, as I have always done personally."

This season's women's volleyball postseason will begin at 7 p.m. on the 24th with the semi-PO between GS Caltex and Heungkuk Life Insurance (Jangchung Gymnasium). From the 26th, the PO between Hyundai Engineering & Construction and the semi-PO winning team will be held with two wins out of three rounds. The long-awaited championship match (three wins out of five) will begin on the 1st of next month.

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*This content was translated by AI.