"Spike War" raised viewers' expectations with insane performance from its first match.
On July 7, the MBN sports variety show "Spike War" aired the first showdown between Team Shin Jin-sik and Team Kim Yo-han. Even though it was a match held simultaneously with the founding of the celebrity volleyball teams, the nail-biting performance made viewers' hearts race.
On the broadcast, after tests for agility and core strength, they checked the jumping ability essential for the "flower of volleyball," the spike attack. Among the players, Yoon Seong-bin, who recorded a standing jump of 134cm, and Kael, who played as a volleyball player until college, drew attention. A natural rivalry formed between Yoon Seong-bin and Kael. The two entered the jump test in hyper-focus mode, and the result was Kael's victory. Kael thus obtained the "golden card," which would play an important role in team formation.
After all the tests, the two teams' coaches, Shin Jin-sik and Kim Yo-han, began the draft picks after much deliberation. Shin Jin-sik selected Kael, Song Min-jun, Kim Joon-ho, Lee Dae-hyung, Song Jin-woo, Woo Ji-won, Austin Kang, Dal Soo-bin, Kim Min-kyung, and Seong Hoon. Kim Yo-han selected Si Eun-mi, Lee Yoo-an, Yoon Seong-bin, Lee Yong-dae, Shin Seong, Ahn Seong-hoon, Narsha, Kani, and Denian.
At that moment Kael used the "golden card" that allowed him to choose his coach. Kael wanted to join Kim Yo-han's team where setter Si Eun-mi was. Shin Jin-sik was flustered by the departure of ace Kael, and Director General Kim Se-jin said, "When an ace player transfers to the opposing team, the opposing team can bring one player with them," creating a match-trade situation.
Thinking it was an opportunity, Shin Jin-sik picked Kim Yo-han's setter Si Eun-mi, and after deliberation Kim Yo-han chose Si Eun-mi instead of Kael. In the awkward situation for Kael, Team Shin Jin-sik's players said, "That can happen for a moment," welcomed ace Kael back, and Korea's first celebrity volleyball team was completed.
As soon as the teams were formed, they went straight into the first match. In the first set, where volleyball beginners' mistakes poured out, Kim Yo-han taught them the basics step by step, and Team Kim Yo-han took the first-set victory. Afterwards, players on both teams showed real-time improvements in skill. With terrifying concentration on the ball, offense and defense traded blows, and from the second set they displayed a level of play incomparable to the first set.
In particular, Kael of Team Shin Jin-sik and Yoon Seong-bin of Team Kim Yo-han showed tremendous performances as the aces of their teams. Using high jumping ability for powerful spike attacks, and with the sense to plunge the ball where defense was empty, they raised their scoring ability. In the close match with repeated deuces, Kael's service ace gave Team Shin Jin-sik the second set.
In the final third set, with even stronger attacks, aggressive blocking, and diving receives, both teams played an intense match that satisfied even the coaches. The third set also saw back-and-forth deuces, and the result was Team Shin Jin-sik's thrilling come-from-behind victory, taking both sets to win the first showdown. The unexpectedly nail-biting, tight performances and growth of both teams' players raised expectations for the future.
After the match, Yoon Seong-bin of Team Kim Yo-han warned, "I feel sorry for the opposing team, but this victory means nothing. We gave them a carrot. I think in the final match we won't lose terribly to them," he said, issuing a challenge. Kael of Team Shin Jin-sik targeted rival Yoon Seong-bin and said, "Although his volleyball skills may be slightly behind mine, I hope we still compete hard in a rivalry," raising the tension.
Near the end of the broadcast, scenes of both teams entering full-fledged Sparta training were shown, and the appearance of legend Hoo In-jung was announced. A match between the Suseong High School volleyball team, led by coach Hoo In-jung, and Team Shin Jin-sik will take place. In particular, footage showed Team Shin Jin-sik being helplessly overwhelmed by Suseong High, increasing curiosity about the next broadcast.
[Photo] MBN "Spike War" broadcast capture
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