"Both of my parents were born in 1972." The special jersey number 72 for the 199cm KB Insurance second-year player... "I want to repay them with success"

*This content was translated by AI.

"Both of my parents were born in 1972. That is why my jersey number is 72. I truly want to repay them with success."

For Im Dong-kyun (22), a second-year middle blocker for the men's professional volleyball team KB Insurance, the jersey number '72' is more than just a number. It carries his resolve to repay his parents, who once tried to dissuade him from becoming a volleyball player in his youth, and now have become his most steadfast supporters.

During an on-site interview with reporters at KB Insurance's training camp in Sakai, Japan, on the 12th, Im Dong-kyun said, "Both of my parents were born in 1972, so I chose jersey number 72. At first, they opposed me becoming a volleyball player, but now they support me with great enthusiasm. Wearing this meaningful number, I want to achieve success."

A native of Donghae, Gangwon Province, Im Dong-kyun played for Donghae Gwangheui High School and Hanyang University before being selected as the 7th pick in the first round of the 2025–2026 V-League rookie draft by KB Insurance. Standing at 199cm tall and weighing 89kg, he possesses excellent physical attributes and is expected to be a key resource for KB Insurance's future middle blockers alongside his senior from Hanyang University, Lee Jun-young (23).

Im Dong-kyun started playing volleyball somewhat later than his peers. He first encountered the sport in the sixth grade of elementary school and was immediately captivated by its charm. However, when he decided to pursue a career as an athlete, his parents strongly opposed him.

Im Dong-kyun recalled, "I have two older sisters with age gaps of four and three years who quit volleyball early on. Because of that, my parents did not want their youngest child, me, to endure the hardships of being a professional athlete. Even my school's physical education teacher advised against it."

Nevertheless, he refused to give up his dream. Im Dong-kyun remembered, "I was so fascinated by volleyball that I only thought about pursuing it. Fortunately, my father supported me after I started playing volleyball, but my mother remained reluctant until high school."

This opposition became a stronger driving force. Im Dong-kyun stated, "Because I started despite my parents' objections, I worked even harder. I resolved to prove myself through results, so I didn't have time to feel tired."

Although he began playing volleyball later than his peers, he continued to grow steadily and eventually enrolled in Hanyang University. From that point on, his mother's attitude gradually changed. She is now his most reliable supporter. Im Dong-kyun smiled, saying, "My mother always takes care of my physical well-being first, while my father searches for volleyball articles and overseas materials to send them to me. Both of them now fully support me."

Joining the professional league fulfilled one of his dreams. However, his debut season was different from what he had expected. For Im Dong-kyun, who had been a starter on the court during high school and university, the first year in the pros meant spending more time waiting in the warm-up zone.

Im Dong-kyun shared, "Until then, I mostly played as a starter, so this was my first experience of such a situation. At first it felt unfamiliar, but that time actually helped me become stronger mentally. This season, I have been thinking a lot about how I need to perform better."

Ahead of the new season, KB Insurance made significant changes. Andres Vigena, who had served as the team's main attacker for four seasons, departed, and Lim Sung-jin enlisted in the military. Kim Do-hoon also transferred. In their place, new foreign players Linus Weber (registered name: Weber) and Tarusha Chames (registered name: Tarusha), along with libero Jang Ji-won, joined via free agency, and outside hitter Hwang Kyung-min returned after completing his military service.

KB Insurance finished third in the regular season last year but lost to Woori Card in the semi-playoffs. The decision to hold overseas training in Japan for the first time in 10 years was made to evaluate the new roster and deepen the team's depth. In this process, the growth of young players like Im Dong-kyun is also crucial.

During this training camp in Japan, Im Dong-kyun gained valuable match experience by consistently participating in practice games alongside Yoon Seo-jin and Lee Jun-young, who had previously had limited playing opportunities. Im Dong-kyun is also acutely aware of his own shortcomings.

Im Dong-kyun emphasized, "During university, I focused heavily on offense, so I lacked fundamental skills like blocking steps and serving. In the pros, I realize these aspects are even more important. Although I still have much to improve, I am filling in the gaps one by one."

His goal is clear. Im Dong-kyun confidently stated his ambition: "I want to keep developing step by step and eventually secure a starting position."

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*This content was translated by AI.