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“Even if my self-esteem hits rock bottom.”

After the 2023-2024 season, in which the women’s professional volleyball team won its second consecutive title, Hyundai E&C was in a quandary. National middle blocker and core team member Lee Da-hyun wanted to play overseas. Respecting the athlete’s decision, Hyundai E&C granted the request and started playing without Lee. However, after a series of problems, the team was unable to go overseas this year. Back at Hyundai E&C, Lee is eager to prepare for the new season, hoping to have another great season and knock on the door of the overseas leagues once again.

“I don’t want to leave because I’m doing well in Korea or because I’m the best in the V-League,” he said in Muan, Jeollanam-do, where the team is holding its summer training camp. I want to leave because I’m not good enough. I wanted to go out even if my self-esteem was at its lowest point. Even from a young age, I had a style of developing while overcoming difficult situations. 메이저 토토사이트 I needed that time,” he said, sharing how he decided to go overseas.

The decision came after he realized the barriers in the international arena, including the last four Volleyball Nations League (VNL) tournaments, where he was at the center of a generational change. “When we went on a long losing streak in the VNL, it really clicked (to go abroad). When my older sisters retired and the bottom fell out, I thought, ‘I have to be as determined as them. It wasn’t just a loss, but the future of Korean women’s volleyball, the V-League, was at stake, so we couldn’t take it lightly. Everyone had to take responsibility. We were looking for a way to do something, and overseas expansion was the first thing that came to mind.”

“The biggest difference was the timing of the contract,” he says. “The foreign league had an October deadline, while the V-League had a June deadline. Overseas, the contract was due by October, but the V-League had to be finalized in June. “I’m not a world-class player, so I couldn’t make a clear decision about going overseas before June,” he said. “I was torn. In the end, after consulting with my club, I decided to play it safe and play another year and try again,” he explained.

No giving up “This year didn’t work out, but I’ll always try again if the opportunity arises,” he says. “Next year, I’ll be a free agent, which adds to the time gap because free agent contracts are usually signed in April after the season ends. It’s going to be more complicated, but I’m going to keep trying. This year, I was impatient because I knew I had to go. I’m trying to take a broader view, like ‘if not, then not,'” he said.

Now that he has chosen to stay in Korea, he is focused on preparing for the upcoming season. “I came back like this, but I have so many good teammates at Hyundai E&C that I can stay without regrets,” he said, “I am learning a lot about life. I feel like I put everything down and start anew with a positive mind,” he smiled brightly.

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