"Was what we did just playing with a ball..." Shocked by Japan's volleyball, even Korea's national team star attacker; there was something else that surprised him even more

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"What has the volleyball we have been playing until now actually been? I started to wonder if this was really the volleyball we had been playing."

Im Dong-hyuk (27, Korean Air), a key attacker for the Korean men's national volleyball team, candidly shared the gap he felt with Japan on the international stage.

On the 8th, Im Dong-hyuk met with reporters at the opening media day for the 2026-2027 season V-League men's division held at Hotel Riviera Cheongdam in Seoul Gangnam-gu, reflecting on his activities with the national team this year, including the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The Korean Nam Ja-bae-gu (CEO) team led by head coach Isanae Ramirez experienced both hope and disappointment on the international stage this year. In June, at the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Nations Cup, they advanced to the final for the first time in history but suffered a 0-3 crushing defeat to Indonesia, settling for the runner-up spot. At the September Asian Championship, where key players including Im Dong-hyuk joined, the team showed improved performance. In particular, in the quarterfinal match against China, Im Dong-hyuk and Heo Su-bong (28, Hyundai Capital) each scored 21 points to lead a 3-1 victory. Korea finished third overall and also secured a qualification spot for the 2027 International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Men's World Cup.

However, at the Asian Games, they bowed their heads again. Korea lost 2-3 to China in the group stage, and in the quarterfinals, despite leading 1-2 in sets against defending champions Iran, they suffered a 2-3 comeback loss. In the match against Iran, Im Dong-hyuk scored 18 points, leading the attack alongside Heo Su-bong (22 points). However, they ultimately failed to win a medal, and Korea finished the tournament in seventh place after going through the placement matches. It marked their second consecutive tournament without a medal, following the previous Hangzhou Games.

Im Dong-hyuk could not hide his regret. He 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 even greater significance for us," adding, "I feel bad because I think we disappointed everyone who supported us."

Nevertheless, he did not deny the experience gained on the international stage. In particular, the performance of Japan, whom they faced in the semifinal of the Asian Championship last September, is still unforgettable. At the time, Korea suffered a 0-3 (13-25, 11-25, 14-25) crushing defeat to Japan. It was a one-sided match where they failed to reach even 15 points in all three sets.

Recalling the matchup against Japan, Im Dong-hyuk confessed, "To be honest, it ended before we even had time to struggle. It was a game that ended without us really feeling anything or trying anything."

He continued, "After the game ended and we entered the locker room, I think everyone was in a daze. We wondered what the volleyball we had been playing until now actually was, and whether this was really the volleyball we had been playing," explaining, "The level of Japan was so high that jokes were made about 'was what we did just playing with a ball?'"

The shock was even greater given the clearly different performance despite similar physical conditions. Im Dong-hyuk said, "What I felt more strongly was that Japanese players also have similar physical conditions to us in a way, yet they play volleyball so well." He added, "I think if our country learns what it can learn, keeps watching and learning, and challenges them, we can definitely catch up," and "Although we lost without being able to do anything properly against the Japanese national team, when else would we get to play a game like this? It was a good experience."

Im Dong-hyuk is an attacker who joined Korean Air in the 2017-2018 season and has grown steadily. Last season, he also played an important role in Korean Air's championship title run. For him, who had established his competitiveness on the domestic stage, the gap with Japan was a reality that was difficult to accept easily.

So, how can that gap be narrowed? Yuki Ishikawa (31, Girat Bangkok KARA), captain of the Japanese national team, has previously cited overseas expansion as one of the answers.

In an interview with the Japanese media Sponichi in January 2024, Ishikawa answered regarding why the Japanese national team had become stronger by saying, "It is because more players have gained overseas experience." He added, "Besides me, Ran Takahashi and Kento Miyaura are playing overseas. They have to survive in an environment where the food is different and they cannot communicate, so they become stronger both as players and as human beings. As such players increase, the level rises."

Im Dong-hyuk also paid attention to this trend. When asked, "Are there discussions among Korean players about going overseas?" Im Dong-hyuk said cautiously, "Some players are interested in going overseas and have a desire to go. However, since every player has different thoughts, it is not something I can state definitively."

Nevertheless, he stated his conviction, saying, "Seeing Japanese players succeed overseas and thereby raise their international competitiveness, I think our players should now challenge overseas expansion without fear," adding, "I think that by doing so, international competitiveness and national team results will also improve further."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original