'Pilseung Wonderdox' continued its two-game winning streak with a shutout victory over the Suwon Special Self-Governing City volleyball team.
On the 9th (Sun), episode 7 of the MBC entertainment program The Wonder Coach (directed by Kwon Rak-hee, Choi Yoon-young, Lee Jae-woo) aired, unfolding Pilseung Wonderdox's appearance as they faced the corporate volleyball powerhouse Suwon Special Self-Governing City team and the professional team Jung Kwan Jang Red Sparks (hereinafter Jung Kwan Jang) in succession.
That day, Pilseung Wonderdox succeeded in taking the first and second sets against the Suwon Special Self-Governing City team. Although the Suwon Special Self-Governing City players launched counterattacks and put them in danger, Pilseung Wonderdox shook the opponent's receive with strong serves. Inkushi satisfied coach Kim with a 'growth-Kushi' side that excels at blocking, attacking and serving, and Baek Chae-rim, Yoon Young-in and Kim Na-hee, who knew the team well as members of Suwon Special Self-Governing City, put on a great performance and restored the momentum.
Meanwhile, coach Kim Yeon-kyung drew attention by immediately pointing out process problems even when points were scored. Setter Lee Jin, who received Kim's criticism, reflected the feedback and managed the match, and the game ended with Moon Myeong-hwa's quick attack. Pilseung Wonderdox took the third set 25-16 to complete a shutout victory, achieving the club's first two-game winning streak and giving viewers vicarious satisfaction.
Next, Pilseung Wonderdox players previewed a match against Jung Kwan Jang, a storied volleyball powerhouse and the 2024-2025 V League runner-up. Jung Kwan Jang was the last professional team of Pilseung Wonderdox captain Pyo Seung-ju and the team that blocked coach Kim Yeon-kyung's last-season golden retirement as a player, making the reunion between the two intriguing. Ahead of the match with Jung Kwan Jang, coach Kim said, "I think they are a stronger team than the ones we've faced. I am very excited to see how much our players have grown and what level of play they can show."
Pilseung Wonderdox had to prepare for the Jung Kwan Jang match with just 11 players while Baek Chae-rim, Yoon Young-in and Kim Na-hee were away for their club's overseas match schedule. Coach Kim Yeon-kyung, along with the coaching staff, committed to training in an all-out effort, and team manager Seung-gwan, a Pilseung Wonderdox staffer, amused the team by conducting a Jung Kwan Jang team briefing fueled by 20 years of fandom to lift the players' spirits.
On the long-awaited match day, Pyo Seung-ju, now captain of Pilseung Wonderdox, faced Jung Kwan Jang with mixed emotions. After much deliberation, coach Kim Yeon-kyung started Goo Sol as the starting setter, but the captain's attacks were all blocked and they fell behind 0-9, facing an early crisis. Still, Pilseung Wonderdox kept fans on edge with a neck-and-neck battle that drew within one point thanks to Kim Hyun-jung's blocks, Moon Myeong-hwa's service ace, and attacks by Han Song-hee and Pyo Seung-ju. Han Song-hee, the 'little giant,' overwhelmed opposing blockers and displayed the decisive spikes she had honed, bringing smiles to viewers.
Among them, libero Goo Hye-in also drew attention with a noticeably improved performance. A play that began with Goo Hye-in's defense led to a comeback and moved viewers. With the first set score at 23-24 and Jung Kwan Jang at set point, Inkushi had a perfect back-attack chance, and the momentum-shifting Pilseung Wonderdox left viewers eager to see whether they could shake the professional team and spark an underdog revolt in the unpredictable rematch to be shown in the next broadcast.
According to Nielsen Korea, episode 7 of MBC's The Wonder Coach climbed to a 3.5% 2049 rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness, ranking first among all programs aired that week and continuing its meteoric rise. It topped all variety shows airing at the same time, including My Little Old Boy and Please Take Care of My Refrigerator since 2014, marking four consecutive weeks as Sunday variety's 2049 rating leader and an overall weekly 2049 rating No. 1 achievement. Metropolitan household ratings hit 5.2%, setting the show's own highest rating amid enthusiastic response, and particularly during the match with Jung Kwan Jang, scenes in which coach Kim Yeon-kyung emphasized setups for back attacks and the energetic attacker, the 'little giant' Han Song-hee, showcased her well-honed skills, peaking at 6.9% minute-by-minute and plunging viewers into The Wonder Coach fever. All ratings for episode 7, including the 2049 rating and the highest rating, set new personal bests as the show continued its dominant run.
Episode 8 of the MBC entertainment program The Wonder Coach will air 40 minutes later than usual at 9:50 p.m. on the 16th (Sun), and the airtime may change due to the 2025 K-Baseball Series broadcast.
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