"3R nomination → Top 5 Rivero in the league" stands tall, Kim Do-hoon said, "I hope sincerity is my weapon, and my juniors won't be discouraged in the first or second year." [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Do-hoon (28), who grew up as the league's representative libero despite being a low-ranking player, hoped that his juniors would not lose hope and continue their dreams.

Kim Do-hoon, who recently met with Star News at the Suwon KB Insurance Talentium, said, "I practiced a lot of getting a receiving position while preparing for the season. I also practiced taking three-man receptions, floater serve, and two-man receptions a lot. I also practiced setting up positions by strong serve or course, and I think that part came out well in the season," he said, looking back on the 2025-2026 season.

Kim Do-hoon is considered one of the main players who led Uijeongbu KB Insurance Stars' spring volleyball in the 2025-2026 season. Last season, when he played in 137 sets in 36 games in five seasons, he ranked fifth in the receiving league (37.18%), fifth in the dig (average 1.971), and fourth in defense (average 3.992) to become the league's top five liberos.

He is one of the players who met 100% of the club's expectations before the season. KB Insurance brought national outside heater Lim Sung-jin (27) to the FA ahead of last season. Veteran Libero Jung Min-soo (35, KEPCO) was excluded in the process of tying up a protective player against him. Kim Do-hoon, who has shown rapid growth since the Armed Forces Sports Unit (Sangmu), came out of expectation that he could fill the gap. And growing up to meet those expectations, Kim Do-hoon is considered one of the most outstanding players in KB Insurance, which has a strong defense with rookie Lee Hak-jin (19) from volleyball officials as well as a visible record.

In response, Kim Do-hoon said, "(B) Kyung-bok and (Im) Sung-jin are more experienced players than me, so I wanted to help them. I don't have a lot of experience, but I wanted to be a lot of help in defense as much as I'm a libero, but I feel sorry for the two of them because I couldn't do that. When Sungjin returned from the military later, he calmly gave credit to his colleagues, saying, "I want to grow further and help more."

After graduating from Uirim Elementary School, Jecheon Middle School, Jecheon Industrial High School, and Hongik University, Kim Do-hoon started his professional career by joining KB Insurance as the No. 1 player in the third round of the 2020-2021 V League. Kim Do-hoon, who has grown from a cold professional volleyball stage that disappears after retiring after a year or two in the first round to a league-class libero, is also considered a hope for the lower round.

In fact, only Kim Kwang-il (Woori Card), the second-ranked player in the second round, has survived the V League so far in the rookie draft he was nominated. Kim Do-hoon talked about persistence and effort that never gives up under any circumstances until his current position.

Kim Do-hoon said, "To be honest, I've never thought I was good or talented while playing volleyball since elementary school. I thought I was behind others since a long time ago. The idea was that the only way to catch up with top designated players or outstanding players was to work hard. Integrity was my weapon."

The V-League is the only one of the four major professional sports in Korea that does not have a second-tier league, which is considered the worst for young players to grow. Due to the lack of a stage to grow and step up, some people stay in the backup zone for at least two to three years or eventually retire even though they are from the first round.

The Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) is also aware of this problem and is making efforts by holding a Future tournament with the Korea Business Volleyball Federation. Kim Do-hoon said, "Actually, it's a pity that young players don't have anywhere to play. Fortunately, the Danyang Futures Competition has been held recently, and I think it's really good to have opportunities for young players through such a competition."

"I played for the first time last year, and you might think it's not a big competition, but I really helped a lot. I was able to gain a sense of play and gain confidence by playing with unemployed players and professional players who did not play much. I hope there will be a little more such competitions," he added.

I hoped that my juniors would not give up until the end and follow their dreams anywhere. Kim Do-hoon was also a player who stayed in the backup zone for a long time, but he was recognized for training hard even at that time or in Sangmu.

Kim Do-hoon said, "When I look at my younger brothers, I can see that they are burdened with a lot of pressure even though they are in their first or second year. Of course, it's a difficult annual leave, but I hope he's as ambitious and confident as he is. Even if it's hard in the beginning, if it builds up, it can definitely be an advantage for yourself. Don't be too difficult, and I hope you won't be discouraged in the first or second year," he said.

Of course, clubs and fans should also trust and wait for young players who endure in poor conditions. KB Insurance was one of the teams with such clubs and fans, and Kim Do-hoon is also attached to the team that has grown together.

Kim Do-hoon said, "KB Insurance fans are very friendly and have many family units. Older people often cheer like sons. So sometimes I liked it because I was friendly like a family, not a player-to-fan."

He said, "Whether you do it well or not, you always say you did well. Those words really help me a lot. He also thanked me for saying, "I knew you would do well, I believed in you," as he appeared in a lot of games this season.

On the previous day (13th), KOVO announced the list of men's free agents. Kim Do-hoon was the only target in KB Insurance. "It's my first FA, so honestly, I don't know what it will be like. For now, I'm going to relax and enjoy my vacation," he said, but added, "It's true that I'm attached to KB Insurance." He said, "I've been with this team since I was a rookie, and I know the team better than anyone else."

He said, "I have to supplement the volleyball part next season, but now that I'm at the age of second-hand in the team, I want to play that role properly. During the season, I should have listened to a lot of the hardships of my younger brothers and older brothers on and off the court, but I think that was very insufficient. This year was my first season as a main player, so I was busy alone. However, from next season, I want to play a good intermediate role with a little leeway. That way, I think we can make a more unified team," he said with strength.

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*This content was translated by AI.