“Only the Top Two Teams Get the Upper Seats”: Seating Arrangement at Media Day Draws Attention; “It Feels Good to Be the Champions” [V-League On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

“I will try to move up to the upper section next year.”

At the 2026~2027 professional volleyball V-League women’s division media day held on the 7th at the Liber Hotel Cheongdam in Seoul Gangnam-gu, the seating arrangement of coaches and players from seven clubs drew attention.

Last season’s championship winner GS Caltex and runner-up Korea Expressway Corporation occupied the two upper seats, while the remaining five clubs sat below them, arranged from left to right according to their previous season’s standings. This created a formation where the top two teams looked down on the lower-ranked teams.

The coaches of each team were also aware of this arrangement. GS Caltex head coach Lee Young-tak said, “Coming here with the championship title, I like the seating arrangement from the start. I have been seated in a position at the very top that I had never experienced before,” adding, “Although we won last season, we will approach it with the mindset of challenging again.”

Hyundai Construction head coach Kang Seong-hyung, whose team finished second in the regular league last season but lost to GS Caltex in the playoffs to end up third overall, also said, “It doesn’t feel good (sitting down here),” before adding, “Just kidding. We will build a well-composed lineup with Hyundai Construction’s unique color and try to move up to the upper section.”

This seating arrangement also appeared unusual to the eyes of foreign players. Izushie (China) of newly established team SOOP said, “I will do my best this season,” adding, “We will approach the Maeil Business Newspaper (MK) match with a humble attitude and ensure that next time, our head coach can sit further forward to conduct interviews.”

The 2026~2027 professional volleyball season will hold a cup tournament in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province from the 11th to the 25th, before opening the regular league on the 31st. It remains to be seen how the seating arrangements of each club will change at next season’s opening media day.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original