*This content was translated by AI.View Original
The South Korea men's national volleyball team, which failed to win a medal for the second consecutive time at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games (AG). However, key attacker Im Dong-hyuk (27, Korean Air) found hope even within the disappointing results.
Im Dong-hyuk met with reporters on the 8th at the media day for the opening of the men's division of the 2026-2027 V-League season held at Hotel Riviera Cheongdam in Seoul Gangnam-gu, and looked back on his recent activities with the national team.
The South Korean Nam Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team led by coach Isanae Ramirez experienced both achievements and regrets on the international stage this year. Following a runner-up finish at the June Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Nations Cup, they won a bronze medal at the September Asian Championship, securing a qualification spot for the 2027 International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Men's World Cup. In particular, Im Dong-hyuk's performance stood out at the Asian Championship.
He returned from a lower back injury in August and announced his soundness by scoring a team-high 18 points in the first friendly match against Bahrain held domestically. He then scored 18 points, including three service aces, in the first match of the September Asian Championship against Taiwan. South Korea defeated Taiwan with a set score of 3:1, and in the quarterfinal match against China, Im Dong-hyuk and Heo Su-bong (28, Hyundai Capital) each recorded 21 points to lead a 3:1 victory.
However, the Asian Games, where they participated with the goal of winning a medal, did not meet expectations. South Korea lost to China with a set score of 2:3 in the group stage, and also fell to defending champions Iran in a five-set thriller in the quarterfinals, losing 2:3. Ultimately, after going through placement matches, they finished in 7th place. This marked their failure to win a medal for the second consecutive time, following the previous Hangzhou Games.
Im Dong-hyuk said, "At the Asian Championship, we earned a ticket to the World Championship with our own strength, but the Asian Games were a tournament that held greater significance for us," and confessed, "I feel bad because I think I have disappointed everyone who supported us."
Nevertheless, he did not view the content of the matches negatively either. In particular, the experience gained from the quarterfinal match against Iran was significant. After losing the first set to Iran, South Korea won the second and third sets in a row, leaving only one set away from victory. Heo Su-bong scored 22 points and Im Dong-hyuk scored 18 points, putting the strong Iran team in a difficult position. Although they lost the last two sets and suffered a comeback defeat, it was a match where they confirmed competitiveness different from before.
Im Dong-hyuk stated, "To be honest, I don't think many people who watched the (Iran match) thought we would win," while adding, "My confidence rose as I played against China, and after facing high blocking, I felt that we could give it a try against Iran too."
He continued, "I tried to exploit Iran's weaknesses in any way possible. I want to give high marks for the fact that we played an evenly matched game through the plays we prepared," while adding, "In the end, because we lost, I felt a lot that we are still lacking. However, since we know our shortcomings, I think we can definitely compete when we reunite with the national team and adjust."
His attitude toward facing strong teams has changed. Im Dong-hyuk admitted, "Originally, when facing teams like Iran, China, or Japan, there was no lack of a part where I approached the match feeling somewhat intimidated." However, he said, "We beat China at the Asian Championship and although we lost at the Asian Games, while playing an evenly matched game, I no longer often feel like we are going to lose," adding, "If we further maximize the strengths of the Woo Ri (CEO) team, I think we can definitely compete with the Japanese national team in the future. I think our players should work harder and dedicate themselves more to show a better performance later."
He also gained considerable personal benefits. Im Dong-hyuk, who had been active on the domestic stage with powerful attacks, found new methods while facing blockers taller than himself on the international stage.
Im Dong-hyuk explained, "I found many solutions while facing high blocking. You can absolutely never break through with power alone. A certain level of control is needed, and technical aspects are also required." He added, "As I kept trying and finding solutions during matches, it seems that my options have increased, such as the field of vision for reading blocking and how to attack when a block comes up."
He plans to continue what he learned from the national team with his club team. Last season, Im Dong-hyuk contributed to Korean Air's championship title victory. In the first match of the championship series against Hyundai Capital, he scored a team-high 22 points and stood at the center of a 3-2 victory.
Im Dong-hyuk, who returned after completing his national team schedule, is currently working to bring his physical condition back up. He said, "There are no major injuries. However, with the national team, there was a repeated process of quickly raising my condition for tournaments and then letting it drop," adding, "My condition has dropped slightly now, but Korean Air's trainers and coaches are managing me well."
He continued, "I want to continue utilizing and practicing the attacking options I gained from the national team this season as well. If I do that, I think I will be able to show a better performance than this year when I am selected for the national team next time," reaffirming his resolve.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
