'Rookie coach Kim Yeon-koung' features volleyball emperor Kim Yeon-koung taking on her first coaching challenge to revive Korea women's volleyball.
MBC held a press conference for the new variety show 'Rookie coach Kim Yeon-koung' on the afternoon of the 24th at Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Former volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung, SEVENTEEN Seungkwan, former volleyball player Pyo Seung-ju and PD Kwon Rak-hee attended, and under the moderation of broadcaster Park Kyung-rim they talked about the program.
'Rookie coach Kim Yeon-koung' is a variety show depicting the club founding project of the volleyball legend and volleyball emperor Kim Yeon-koung returning as a rookie coach. The world No. 1, the unique volleyball god Kim Yeon-koung is expected to show the process of returning as a 0-year 'new' coach.
Kim Yeon-koung went from a 20-year veteran player to a 0-year rookie coach. The former volleyball emperor seeks out hidden gems in the volleyball world — from players released from pro teams to amateur players dreaming of pro teams to retired players — to found the new volleyball club 'Pilsseung Wonderdogs.' Until a real owner appears, they must prove competitiveness only through victories, raising curiosity about whether an eighth women's volleyball team can be born to leap from 'under' to 'wonder'.
'Pilsseung Wonderdogs' proclaims itself a real volleyball team formed not as a simple variety-show team but of 14 underdogs with diverse stories, led by former volleyball player and captain Pyo Seung-ju, including Lee Jin, Kim Na-hee, Lee Na-yeon, Inkushi, Goo Sol and Yoon Young-in. They will begin a renewed challenge toward their dreams under coach Kim Yeon-koung.
SEVENTEEN Seungkwan will serve as the team's manager, appearing as the 'Bboo manager' to lead the team alongside coach Kim Yeon-koung. In addition, caster Lee Ho-geun and commentator Lee Sook-ja will join the broadcast team. These earnest and entertaining supporters also form a major pillar of the program.
Kim Yeon-koung took on the coaching challenge in 'Rookie coach Kim Yeon-koung' after receiving persistent invitations from PD Kwon Rak-hee since her active player seasons. Regarding this, he said, "I worked hard for the players' growth. I hope many people look forward to it. It's the first volleyball variety show for me, so I'm very curious too. I hope many people look forward to it," expressing anticipation. In a pre-released teaser, he worried, "It seems too provocative," yet, "When I thought it was too provocative, people said it came out as it is," he joked, adding laughter.
Even those who didn't watch volleyball know Kim Yeon-koung, who is called the volleyball emperor both during her playing career and after retirement. What is the biggest change between player and coach? Also, how is Kim Yeon-koung seen as a coach by those who knew her as a fan or teammate, and as a manager?
Kim Yeon-koung said, "I didn't expect to coach so soon. I retired and immediately took the coaching position. PD Kwon Rak-hee came to me since the season and teased me, not exactly harassment but persistent teasing. The program's purpose was also very good. I thought it could further promote volleyball, so I decided to do it. I actually wanted to try coaching. It was good to be able to experience it through broadcasting. It was tough at times. It became an opportunity for me to grow and develop as a coach," she said.
Regarding her, captain Pyo Seung-ju said, "I felt she became calmer than when she was a player. As a player she had a more forceful side. It's hard to explain, but she had a somewhat strong image. As a coach she has become calmer. That surprised me," he said. He added jokingly, "She showed such composure that if it were the old days there would have been a commotion with a 'sikppang' reaction, but she's become very composed," drawing laughs.
Longtime fan of women's team Jeonggwanjang, Bu Seung-kwan said, "First, as someone who has liked volleyball since the launch of the professional league in 2005, I'm known as a fan of several teams. I was a fan of that team until her last season. Because of that, I often felt I was doing something wrong toward Yeon-koung. But when I decided to do this show, I thought I should show that I'm a fan of volleyball rather than a single team. But as you can see in the teaser, it started with failure. How annoying I must have been, constantly cheering for the opposing team and coming and going. While serving as the Wonderdogs manager I worked hard to score. I hope our chemistry comes through every time we broadcast," he said with a laugh.
Kim Yeon-koung also said, "Rather than trying to show something, I want to unify the team. Being unified means creating a team system based on a common idea and playing volleyball that moves according to that system. I wanted to build such a team. Because whoever plays will move according to one system, I hope they'd recognize which direction to take in matches, so I formed the team with that in mind."
On the proliferation of sports variety shows like baseball, golf, basketball and soccer, she showed confidence, saying, "Recently many sports variety shows have emerged, but we didn't really consider that. As you know, there have already been many golf, baseball and other sport shows. I wonder if there's much more to expect?" and added, "It's our first volleyball variety show, so I'm curious how it will come out. Manager Bu Seung-kwan, captain Pyo Seung-ju? What's that? I think there will be more entertaining elements," causing uproarious laughter. Still, she looked puzzled and joked, "Did I say something wrong?" which added to the laughs.
So are there challenges as a coach? Kim Yeon-koung said, "Ultimately a coach can't play inside the court. That was frustrating. Once I even asked the PD, 'Can I step onto the court because we're in a bad situation?' That's how frustrated I was. What I can do is create the best direction, but ultimately it's the players who show it on the court, and that part was hard."
There were differences in leadership between player and coach Kim Yeon-koung. She emphasized, "I hadn't been retired long. I kept some distance so the players would think of me as a senior sister rather than a fellow player. I wanted to create a bit more distance between coach and players, so I tried to exercise leadership in that area."
On the catchphrase that became popular, 'sikppang,' she said, "I had no choice but to control my mind. When I got impatient, the players became impatient too. I even experienced personal growth. I thought I was calm, but none of that calm appeared in the teaser, so I'm really looking forward to the broadcast. I'm curious what I said and what slang I used, so I hope many people watch it on the show," she added.
PD Kwon Rak-hee said, "I thought 'volleyball = Kim Yeon-koung.' I contacted her out of the blue and it turned out she had also been thinking about such a variety show. She wanted to do it and the timing fit, so this started. It's very meaningful," and added, "Women's volleyball is truly an intense sport. There are moments in life when you're overwhelmed and suddenly burst into tears. I felt that when I first went to a volleyball arena in college. During hard times in life I went because my father was a volleyball fan, and I felt it. Facing the heat and intensity of indoor sports, I burst into tears. That's when I encountered women's volleyball," he said.
He continued, "When I watched the video of Director Yeon-koung and player Seung-ju playing together at the Tokyo Olympics, I burst into tears. Watching the Tokyo Olympics footage again still makes me cry every time. Women's volleyball is more intense and you can feel much more energy compared with other sports. It's not just a ball game but a sport that can bring some change in life. I really wanted to do a women's volleyball variety show, and I thought the person to inspire that was Director Kim Yeon-koung," he emphasized.
He added, "In terms of directing emphasis, I apologize to the coach, but I planned the route where Kim Yeon-koung would suffer the most. She really went through a lot. I was a bit scared too, but the key point was what would happen if we pushed Kim Yeon-koung to the extreme. I kept pressing, acted brave, pretended not to know and pushed until the end. I thought that genuine things come out at that moment. The true side came out. I think many entertaining scenes came out," he said confidently, raising expectations.
Ultimately 'Rookie coach Kim Yeon-koung' raises expectations that it could serve as a catalyst for revitalizing the stagnating Korea women's volleyball. Regarding a match against her former team Heungkuk Life Insurance, Kim Yeon-koung said, "I'm the Wonderdogs' coach, but I'm also contracted as an advisor for Heungkuk Life Insurance. I encountered somewhat uncomfortable opponents. I hope they perform well to some extent," she said.
Regarding ambitions to found the eighth club, she said, "I think our team would do well even if we enter the pro league against professional teams and recruit foreign players. I see that level of competitiveness. Many good and famous players also appear. If such players join and an eighth club is founded, it could have a ripple effect and lead women's volleyball into a new era. I hope many people take an interest and we'll work hard so an eighth club can be established."
Above all, she said, "Expectations are very high. When I wanted to do this program, I wanted to make a meaningful show even when I appeared as a guest on many variety shows. Volleyball is what I can do best, so I found volleyball variety shows very appealing. I hope interest in volleyball grows even more," she said emphatically.
Finally, Kim Yeon-koung said, "One reason this show must succeed is that I hope many young people feel they want to play volleyball through it. That would expand volleyball's base. Our national team's results are not good right now, so in terms of performance, international competitiveness is important for volleyball to become a more popular sport. Associations and many organizations are working hard on that, and time is needed. If that progresses well, I think volleyball could become a popular sport in the future," she added.
'Rookie coach Kim Yeon-koung' will premiere on the 28th at 9:10 p.m.
[Photo] OSEN reporter Jo Eun-jung.
[OSEN]