Korean Air in the professional volleyball V-League won the 2022-2023 season and achieved three consecutive wins (first place in the regular league and championship match). It is the first time since the past dynasty Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (2011-2012-2013-2014 season) that the team has won 3 consecutive losses in the V-League. Men’s volleyball is now called the Korean Air Dynasty. When talking about the winning history of the Korean Air Dynasty, Kwak Seung-seok cannot be left out. Outside Heater (OH) Kwak Seung-seok joined Korean Air as the 4th pick in the 1st round of the 2010-2011 rookie draft and is a franchise player who has been active for 13 seasons. He played in all games (30 games) of his first season, and the team reached the top of the regular league for the first time in club history.
However, winning the championship (champion) was always within reach. It was blocked by Samsung Fire & Marine, the strongest at the time, and only finished runner-up for three consecutive seasons from the 2010-2011 season to the 2012-2013 season. For three seasons after that, he did not even make it to the championship game.
In the meantime, Kwak Seung-seok also suffered ups and downs. He was selected for the national team, and underwent ankle surgery and had time to rehabilitate. In particular, in the 2015-2016 season ahead of the first professional free agent (FA) status, the built-in starting position was shaken. As his playing time decreased, he changed his position to a libero, which is dedicated to defense, and even appeared in matches. “It wasn’t very good. But the director told me to do it.”
Because of this, it was the general expectation of the volleyball world that he, who was the biggest free agent, would transfer to another team. But Kwak Seung-seok remained. He wanted to win at Korean Air. “It was my first team, and I struggled so much with my favorite teammates, but I couldn’t win, so I really wanted to win here.”
After that, the heyday of Korean Air began as he wished. During the 7 seasons from the 2016-2017 season, except for the 2019-2020 season, when the championship was not held due to Corona 19, all 6 times went up to the championship game, winning 4 times and winning 3 times.
He was instrumental in these victories. In the 2021-2022 season, it was Kwak Seung-seok who confirmed the championship by blocking Keita’s attack of the ‘Mali Bomber’ in the final match of the 5th set 22-21 of the championship match with KB Insurance, and with Hyundai Capital, who left only one set to win the 2022-2023 season. It was Kwak Seung-seok who brought the atmosphere with blocking and sub-ace in the 5-4 situation in the 5th set of the 4th game of the championship match.
“Four consecutive wins in a row, the goal of all Korean Air employees”
Kwak Seung-seok, who met at the Korean Air Jumbos volleyball team training ground in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do on the 8th, said, “(After three consecutive losses) there is no afterglow after a month.” He wanted to win a combined 4 consecutive wins that no one in the V-League had achieved beyond 3 consecutive losses. “We have to prepare well for the next season. “First” is always important. I want to prepare hard for the goal of winning 4 consecutive games. Isn’t this what all Korean Air employees and the president are aiming for? (Laughs).”
When asked about his overall opinion of last season, he said, “It was much better than expected.” Korean Air achieved the team’s first ‘treble’ by winning the regular league and winning the championship match for three consecutive wins, as well as winning the KOVO Cup before the season. “Actually, I didn’t think much about the KOVO Cup because the players selected for the national team didn’t play, but the other players were really good at it, so I won the treble.”
The love for the team is extraordinary. It was also fortunate for him that he was selected by Korean Air in the rookie draft. Kwak Seung-seok himself and his friends thought he would go to another team, but Korean Air seized the opportunity as the preceding teams nominated other players 토스카지노.
“When I was a college student, I played a lot of practice games with professional teams. When I practiced with Korean Air, the atmosphere of the hyungs seemed really good. So, it was the team I wanted to go to the most. In fact, of course, I knew I would be nominated for another team, and I raised my butt even though I was going to go out in the previous nomination, but it wasn’t. Even the friends next to me were embarrassed. I’m confused too. I think it worked out well after coming to Korean Air.”
Korean Air coach Tommy Tillikainen once evaluated Seung-seok Kwak as “a chameleon-like player.” It means ‘all-around beauty’ and ‘hexagonal player’ who performs well in various roles according to the team’s needs. He is also the manager’s favorite player.