The South Korean women's volleyball team lost to Thailand on September 22, failing to secure a medal for the second consecutive tournament. Although they improved their ranking by one spot from the previous competition, the absence of former captain Kim Yeon-koung was still felt.
Under the guidance of coach Cha Sang-hyun, the team faced Thailand in the bronze medal match at Arena Komaki during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, losing in straight sets with a score of 0-3 (20-25, 19-25, 23-25). The team struggled from the start, dropping the first set 20-25. In the second set, they fought back, taking a 10-9 lead with a service ace from Kim Da-in, but ultimately lost the set 19-25 after allowing Thailand to come back.
The third set saw a back-and-forth battle, with both teams tied at 5-5 before South Korea managed to pull ahead 9-6. However, Thailand responded with aggressive attacks and tenacious defense, eventually tying the set at 12-12 and winning it 25-23 to secure the match.
Previously, the team finished fifth at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, marking a 17-year absence from the podium due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While they advanced to the semifinals in this tournament, they could not overcome Thailand in the final match, resulting in another missed opportunity for a medal.
The departure of key players from the golden generation, including Kim Yeon-koung, Yang Hyo-jin, and Kim Su-ji, who announced their retirement after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has contributed to the team's struggles. Kim Yeon-koung, who first competed in the 2006 Doha Asian Games, has a history of success, winning medals in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games (silver), the 2014 Incheon Asian Games (gold), and the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games (bronze).
Kim also excelled on the world stage, achieving notable results at the Olympics, including fourth place in London 2012, fifth in Rio 2016, and fourth in Tokyo 2020. With her retirement, the team is undergoing a generational transition, which appears to be a challenging process, indicating that more time is needed to demonstrate the success of this transition.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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