*This content was translated by AI.
"It's true that the players were agitated. But I said never to be a laughing stock."
Korean Air veteran setter Han (41) recently expressed his frustration. It was at a meeting with reporters after beating Hyundai Capital to win the fifth game of the men's professional volleyball championship match (champ match, three wins out of five) of Jin Air 2025-2026 professional volleyball at Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon on the 10th. Han said, "I didn't know why we were good and had to be a laughing stock. So I said, "Don't think it's hard, and let's go all the way."
The background of the expression "laughable" was coupled with the atmosphere that Korean Air has virtually become a public enemy since the controversy over the decision in the second game. At that time, Korean Air was on the verge of defeat as the opponent Leo's serve seemed to cross the line at 13-14 in the fifth set, but after a video review and a "out" decision came out, it narrowly won the game from behind after entering deuce. However, there was a lot of controversy over the decision at the time. In addition to whether there was a serious or a misjudgment, the fact that the scene that fell into a similar position was judged to be a person led to a problem of consistency in the judgment.
In particular, the controversy grew as Hyundai Capital coach Philip Blanc (France) made a determined statement, saying, "Both the president and the referee are in the confines of Korean Air." He pointed out that Cho Won-tae, president of the Korean Volleyball Federation, is the owner of the Korean Air Volleyball Team. Coincidentally, Hyundai Capital, which suffered a loss amid controversy over the decision, changed its mood by winning both Game 3 and Game 4 at home with complete shutdown wins. At some point, Hyundai Capital became the first team to try to win the "Reverse Sweep" even though it missed the victory due to misjudgment, and Korean Air created an atmosphere as if it had become a public enemy.
Korean Air coach Henan Dal Zoto (Brazil) said, "I have never been shaken by external factors for a single moment," but the players felt differently. Han said, "It is true that the players were agitated (after the controversy over the judgment), and captain Jung Ji-seok also said, "It was personally difficult because of the off-field nerve war." It was more difficult because it was beyond our control," he confessed.
However, Korean Air players had no choice but to feel unfair. At that time, the judgment was solely up to the judges, and the next day, the post-reading and appeal review committee also came to a "correct reading" conclusion. If they failed to win in this atmosphere, Korean Air could have been mocked. A player said, "I didn't know why I had to be a laughing stock even though I did well. That's why I told the players not to be a laughing stock."
If Hyundai Capital melted the anger caused by the dubious decision on the court and won the 3rd and 4th games, Korean Air played in the 5th game of its last home game with "dunggi." Jeong Ji-seok also said, "I had no choice but to do it with evil and hopping." Fortunately, unlike previous games, in Game 5, he was able to play with the support of many home fans on his back. Fans also gave strength to players who were shaken by the decision issue through cheering phrases such as "Raise your head and be sincere."
Korean Air's ability to return to its home turf was that of the top team in the regular league. Unlike the third and fourth games, which suffered 0-3 shutdown losses in two consecutive games, Korean Air won 25-18 from the first set, and also captured 25-21 in the second set, leaving only one set to win. Although he was shaken for a while by giving up three sets, he scored a "winning celebration" after winning the fourth set, which turned the tables 25-23.
Han said, "I just thought of winning. I tried to scream more and raise the atmosphere so that I wouldn't be a laughing stock," he said. Jung Ji-seok said, "It was a championship match of all time," adding, "In fact, there was something unsettling due to the defeat in Game 3 and 4. But my salary is quite high (laughs). I thought I should take responsibility and not avoid it. I was able to win because I pushed until the end," he said with a bright smile after a tough championship.
With the championship, Korean Air achieved a "treble (three gold medals)" following the cup tournament and the regular league. It is the sixth time in two seasons and the sixth time in history that Korean Air has won the championship since the 2023-2024 season. With this victory, Korean Air has risen to the second place with the most wins in the championship after Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (8 times). Coach Henan said, "I can't choose the MVP of the championship if I'm asked to. "It's because everyone is MVP," he said. "The opponent is a fantastic team, but Korean Air deserved to win more."
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*This content was translated by AI.
