"I was happier to hear that I play volleyball well than anything else": A single remark from Park Chul-woo moved the mother of a 1996 Olympic national team player; the only son of a "three-generation volleyball family" has finally made it to the pro ranks

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"Coach Park Chul-woo told me he had heard many times that our (Jeon) Yu-seok is kind and diligent. I was so moved by those words that I burst into tears."

Yoo Yun-gyung, 52, a former women's volleyball national team member at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, finally shed tears. On the day her only son, Jeon Yu-seok, 21, of Chungbu University, who is following in the footsteps of his mother and grandmother as a third-generation volleyball player, finally entered the professional league, what brought more joy to the mother than her son's high draft pick was unexpectedly an evaluation of his character rather than his volleyball skills.

Jeon Yu-seok was selected third overall in the first round by OurCard at the 2026-2027 Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) men's rookie draft, held on the 28th at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. OurCard secured the third pick against a mere 4 percent probability, and Jeon Yu-seok was the first player that Coach Park Chul-woo, 41, had in mind.

Growing up in a family of volleyball players also contributed to his development. His mother, Yoo Yun-gyung, is a former outside hitter who played for the Tobacco and Ginseng Corporation (later KGC Ginseng Corporation, now Cheongguksan Red Sparks) and represented the national team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Her maternal grandmother, Hwang Gyu-ok, 80, was an outside hitter who played for the national team at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

His maternal uncle, Yoo Ho-seok, 54, is also a former volleyball player who served as an outside hitter for KEPCO. His father, a former police officer, is also tall, standing at 180 cm. The family, well aware of the arduous path to success as an athlete, initially opposed their only son's challenge to become a professional volleyball player.

Jeon Yu-seok recalled, "Both my mother and maternal grandmother strongly opposed me playing volleyball. They know how hard sports are. Since both of them put in tremendous effort to become professional players, they wanted me not to walk that path. They told me that if I did, it would require enormous effort." He added, "But because I loved volleyball so much, I said I would give it a try until the end."

What the family emphasized above all else was character over skill. Yoo Yun-gyung, met at the draft site, stated, "Because our family has a background in sports, we often talked about how character is more important than athletics since I was young. My husband, being a former police officer, emphasized that aspect even more." She added, "You can learn sports once you get there. But we always said that character must come first. It seems (Jeon) Yu-seok's bright personality is also influenced by that."

The father instead sided with his wife. Jeon Yu-seok's father, met by StarNews at the site, credited his wife, saying, "My wife went through a lot of hardship. I couldn't pay much attention due to work, but my wife rented a room near the school for six years during (Jeon) Yu-seok's middle and high school to take care of him. While I am proud of my son, I am truly grateful to my wife."

For such parents, their son's entry into the pro league was by no means a foregone conclusion. Jeon Yu-seok played as a libero until middle school because he was short. Although his height grew rapidly during the high school period amid the COVID-19 era, he did not immediately establish himself as an outstanding attacker. Yoo Yun-gyung explained, "(Jeon) Yu-seok was a libero in middle school and did not stand out much in high school either. His height suddenly increased during the pandemic, but he couldn't even play properly in his first year of high school."

Attending university was an important turning point. Although there were opportunities to attend other universities, the family chose Chungbu University. They judged it to be a suitable environment for a player who still needed to grow rather than one whose skills were already complete. Yoo Yun-gyung stated, "We believed (Jeon) Yu-seok had to go to Chungbu University no matter what. My son was not a star player in middle and high school, and we thought Chungbu University is a place that nurtures players with potential."

In fact, Jeon Yu-seok did not receive much attention even after entering university. He trained consistently and built his body during his first and second years, and began to show his potential by starting as a regular player around last year's Danyang Tournament. Yoo Yun-gyung emphasized repeatedly, "He trained very hard in his first and second years. I did nothing for him. He worked hard himself, and many people around him helped him." She added, "After going to Chungbu University, his strength improved and his skills grew. I think choosing Chungbu University was a really good decision."

As a result, Jeon Yu-seok received the Attacking Award at the 2025 KUSF University Volleyball U-League, and also won the Defensive Award at this year's Korean Air National University Volleyball Danyang Tournament. The former libero who once worried about his short stature has grown into a tall outside hitter standing 200 cm. Finally, the moment of his dream pro draft pick arrived. Coach Park Chul-woo revealed that Jeon Yu-seok was the player he wanted most. He was evaluated as having immense potential for future growth, combining stable receiving skills from his background as a libero with his height of 200 cm.

However, what moved Yoo Yun-gyung's heart was not praise for her son's performance on the court. Yoo Yun-gyung revealed, "I just told Coach Park Chul-woo that I was grateful to him. But instead of saying (Jeon) Yu-seok plays volleyball well, he said he is kind." She continued, "I was so moved by those words that I cried. We have always considered character the most important thing since we were young, so that part was especially gratifying."

Even in the moment her son headed to the pro league, the mother's advice remained unchanged, and the son's mind was the same. Jeon Yu-seok resolved, "My grandmother said that no matter which team I go to, if I work hard and approach things with a positive mindset, they will recognize me." He added, "She said going to the pros is not the end, but just the beginning. She told me to do my best so that the team does not regret picking me. I will prove why OurCard picked me in the first round."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original