'Back to the Setter' Lee So-min, 177cm, Regains Dream at Gwangju Women’s University: “I’ll Play Any Position in the Pro League” [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee So-min (21) of Gwangju Women’s University is a setter with something special. Standing at 177cm tall, she also has experience as an attacker. Most importantly, she reclaimed her dream of being a setter in college after once letting it slip away.

Lee So-min began playing volleyball in the second grade of elementary school and remained a setter through middle school. However, after transferring to Gangneung Women’s High School due to team circumstances, she switched to attacker. Even after transferring to Jeonju Geunyeong Girls’ High School and later enrolling at Woosuk University, where she dreamed of being a setter again, she continued playing as an attacker. This was because her strong serve and spike power made it difficult for the team to let go of her attacking abilities.

Ultimately, after finishing her second year in college, she even considered quitting volleyball altogether. That was when Gwangju Women’s University reached out. Lee So-min recently told StarNews at Gwangju Women’s University, “Coach Choi Sung-woo promised to train me as a setter, and I felt it was right to seize the opportunity when it came.”

The path that led her back to being a setter was not easy. Lee So-min said, “The gap was too large. I would run in to set but sometimes ended up trying to attack instead. College players are at a higher level, yet I only played as a setter until middle school. It was hard for me to admit that I was still setting at a middle school level and then catch up.”

So she worked even harder. Even after night training ended, she would stay behind to practice with attackers who hadn’t synced well that day, repeatedly hitting the ball together. She also asked other players to toss her the ball so she could repeat the setting motion.

Her efforts bore fruit. At the “2026 Korean Air Cup National University Volleyball Goseong Tournament” held at an indoor gymnasium in Goseong County, Gyeongsangnam-do, last July, Gwangju Women’s University went undefeated from the preliminary round to the finals, never dropping a single set. In the final match, they decisively defeated powerhouse Woosuk University 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-16), securing back-to-back tournament titles.

The journey was even more special. Coach Choi Sung-woo (34) was barred from the bench due to disciplinary action received at the U-League in June, forcing the players to find their own solutions. Lee So-min said, “From the first game, things didn’t go well. So we had many discussions among ourselves about what not to do if we wanted to win.” She added, “I think we focused more on communication than on strict discipline.” Centered around senior Kim Min-ju (22), the team united tightly and ultimately achieved the remarkable result of winning without dropping a single set.

At last month’s Danyang tournament, Lee So-min faced an entirely different role. Kim Min-chae (20), a former Hyundai E&C player and MVP of the Goseong tournament, moved to Suwon City Hall, while several senior players left to prepare for job hunting. Injuries also struck key players. As a result, Lee So-min, originally a setter, stepped onto the court again as an outside hitter.

Even under the grueling schedule of three consecutive five-set matches, Gwangju Women’s University secured the runner-up position. Lee So-min said, “I don’t think I failed to attack. I believe I showed what I could show,” but also reflected, “With so many injured players, there was a sense of urgency to finish quickly, and the physical burden was significant.”

This is also why Coach Choi Sung-woo holds Lee So-min’s potential in high regard. Coach Choi stated, “She is a setter with excellent court management skills,” while adding, “She has strong attacking power and can receive well. Especially her serve is very powerful. She is a player who can be utilized both as a setter and an attacker.” He continued, “Her willpower and fighting spirit are outstanding. When she sets her mind to do something, she strives to make it happen no matter what.” He emphasized, “I believe she has resources that can be fully utilized even in the pro league.”

The player herself does not consider her experience as an attacker a weakness for being a setter. Lee So-min expressed confidence, saying, “Because I’ve played as an attacker, I know what kind of ball to set in which situation so attackers can hit comfortably. My height is also an advantage — it allows me to toss from higher positions and catch balls that go over.”

She also has a clear vision of the volleyball she wants to play as a setter: fast and powerful sets delivered precisely to the attackers’ hitting points, preventing opposing middle blockers from keeping up. Her role model is Phonsapa Geatpard (33, registered name Phonsapa), a former Thai national team player who played for IBK Industrial Bank of Korea.

Lee So-min said, “What’s attractive about being a setter is that you move the entire team. Depending on how well the setter sets, attackers can score comfortably.” She added, “When Phonsapa joined the V-League, I thought she set really well, and she did so impressively during the recent Asian Games too. That’s why I wanted to be like her. Her ball control was exceptional.”

At one point, she even considered quitting volleyball and pursuing a career in sports marketing. In fact, she is so interested in sports promotion that she personally manages the social media accounts for Gwangju Women’s University’s volleyball team. When she has free time, she visits Suwon World Cup Stadium near her home to cheer for professional soccer team Suwon Samsung.

Lee So-min said, “Usually, I relieve stress by eating and sleeping. Since I love soccer, I watch a lot of it. I went to Big Bird stadium frequently when I was 20, and once this year. Sometimes watching can even be stressful.” She added, “I also managed the volleyball team’s social media account during my time at Woosuk University, which sparked my interest in sports marketing.”

Nevertheless, what she wants to do most is stand on the court. After graduating from high school, she did not go straight to the pro league, and even in college, she switched positions multiple times. Now, at the 2026 Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) Rookie Draft, she is knocking on the door of professional volleyball once again. The time that has come full circle may have become Lee So-min’s greatest asset.

When asked what position she desires in the pro league, Lee So-min did not hesitate. She smiled and said, “I’m fine with any position. Just being selected would make me happy.”

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*This content was translated by AI.