[Interview] 'Rookie Award → Retirement at 26 → Cafe Owner Transformation'... Yang Ji-young's Second Challenge: "Basketball Left Only Regrets; I'm Happiest When Making Bread"

*This content was translated by AI.

"I am happiest when customers enjoy the bread I made myself."

Yang Ji-young (33), a former WKBL Shin In-seon (수상) player who left the court at the early age of 26, has started a new life as a cafe owner seven years after retirement. Her voice was consistently filled with bright smiles as she spoke about living happily doing what she loves most.

A graduate of Sukmyung Women's High School, Yang Ji-young was once hailed as a rising star in Korean women's basketball. She was selected second overall by Yongin Samsung Life Insurance in the 2011 WKBL Rookie Draft and received the only Shin In-seon (수상) of her career during the 2012-2013 season, her second professional season.

However, the wall of professionalism was high. Yang Ji-young announced her retirement at the relatively young age of 26 in 2019. Playing as a forward for Yongin Samsung Life Insurance and Incheon Shinhan Bank over nine seasons, she appeared in 93 regular-season games with career averages of 1.9 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists. In her final season, 2018-2019, she played in 31 games, averaging 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.

Her family also has deep ties to basketball. Her mother, Moon Kyung-ja, was a key figure in winning the silver medal in women's basketball at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Her younger sister, Yang In-young (Bucheon Hana Bank), also became a professional player, and the sisters played side by side on WKBL courts. At the time, they were noted as the second sister duo in the history of women's professional basketball.

Now, instead of a uniform, Yang Ji-young wears an apron to welcome guests. She opened a cafe in Seoul Yongsan-gu early last month and embarked on the second challenge of her life.

These days, Yang Ji-young starts her day early, arriving at work three hours before opening to make bread herself. In a phone call with StarNews on the 27th, she smiled, saying, "I come out early every morning to make bread and prepare for opening. It was hard at first, but my body seems to have adjusted now."

It was not a sudden decision. After retirement, she explored various fields to find a new career path and eventually found the answer in what she loved most.

Yang Ji-young recalled, "After retiring, I wanted to learn something new, so I tried many things. But I've always been serious about food. Especially, I really loved bread. My mother told me, 'If you love bread that much, make it yourself.' Hearing that, I officially started baking."

At first, it was a hobby. She shared the bread she made with people around her and realized the happiness baking brings by seeing them enjoy it deliciously.

Yang Ji-young explained, "Making bread was so fun. Even just kneading the dough without thinking about anything else was good. While making bread, I could focus only on what was in front of me without other thoughts. It also relieved stress."

She continued, "Most importantly, the happiness I felt when seeing people enjoy the bread I made was great. I kept studying, earned a barista certification, and got a good opportunity to open a cafe."

Because she makes everything herself, her affection for each menu item is special. Yang Ji-young said, "Since I make all the bread myself, my affection grows even more. Although I learned both confectionery and baking, I now have a menu composed of items I am most confident in and can do best. Among them, the cheesecake tastes the best. It has a rich flavor unlike other places," she introduced confidently.

The cafe has already become a space frequently visited by women's basketball players and WKBL fans. Yang Ji-young expressed gratitude, saying, "Friends I played basketball with promoted us a lot in the early days, and many basketball fans have come to visit. It feels truly rewarding when they say it tastes good."

The most frequent visitor and a reliable helper is her younger sister, Yang In-young. Yang Ji-young said, "My sister actually comes to the cafe more often than I go to the basketball court. After Saturday morning training ends, she visits almost every week. She comes to the cafe, helps with dishes and various tasks, and then goes home." When asked about her sister's part-time pay, she laughed, saying, "Just give her a cake."

Yang Ji-young wished for her sister, who is still an active player, more health and happiness than good grades. This is because she watched from the closest possible place as Yang In-young endured injuries and rehabilitation. She revealed her affection, saying, "I saw In-young in pain due to her shoulder, unable to sleep properly. At home, she really worked hard every day on rehabilitation exercises using sticks and bands. Now, I hope she doesn't get injured again and can just play basketball as she wants and be happy."

Her husband, who married last May, is also a reliable support team. He comes to the cafe after work every day to help with cleaning and guards the shop together on weekends. Yang Ji-young conveyed both apology and gratitude, saying, "We don't have time to enjoy our honeymoon. My husband comes to the cafe after work every day to clean. There are no separate weekends."

Currently, she is smiling while doing what she loves, but looking back on her playing days still leaves deep regrets. When Yang Ji-young decided to retire, everyone around her, including her mother and sister, tried to hold her back. But at the time, her mind was firm.

Yang Ji-young reflected, "When I retired, my mother, sister, and everyone else advised against it. But my will was so strong. At that time, both my body and mind were too exhausted."

She further disclosed, "The team's performance was not good either, and I felt like everything was my fault. Those thoughts kept piling up on each other, making things even harder."

Looking back at the court after time passed, regret outweighed relief. Yang Ji-young said, "When I think about basketball, all I feel is regret. Looking back now, I don't know what was so scary back then."

She continued, "These days, when I see young players competing, they shoot with real confidence and collide without fear. Even though they are young, they work really hard and play well. Seeing that, I thought a lot, 'Why couldn't I do that? I should have tried it too.'"

She added, "I wanted to challenge myself without fearing anything like those players and do things confidently. That thought comes up often."

To juniors who may be facing similar concerns, she offered advice as a senior who has already gone through difficult times.

Yang Ji-young told the juniors on the court, "All players will overcome this well, but if hard thoughts keep piling up on each other, it becomes even harder. That moment will pass somehow. Don't hold onto it for too long; I hope you all overcome it well. I hope everyone gives their best."

Finally, Yang Ji-young expressed gratitude to WKBL fans who have continued to send unwavering love and support even after her retirement. She said, "A fan who has supported me since my rookie days often visits the cafe now. Even if they are not my personal fans, many fans who love women's basketball come to visit. There are quite a few basketball fans who have already become regulars."

She continued, "It has been a long time since I stopped playing, but I am truly grateful that they haven't forgotten and keep coming. I will work hard so that this cafe can be one where people can continue to visit five years from now, ten years from now," she conveyed her determination.

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*This content was translated by AI.