K-Star wins 54-52 in annual light-hearted All-Star game

The V-League’s All-Star game was played on Sunday at Uijeongbu Arena in Gyeonggi, where the K-Star team defeated the V-Star team 54-52.

Lee Da-yeong, left, coach Shin Jin-sik, center, and Lee Jae-yeong of the V-Star team celebrate after scoring a point during the All-Star game at Uijeongbu Arena in Gyeonggi on Sunday. [YANG GWANG-SAM]

The teams were divided based on rankings from the previous season. The K-Star men’s team had players from Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers, Suwon KEPCO Vixtorm and Seoul Woori Card Hansae while the women’s team was made up of players from the Hwaseong IBK Altos, Daejeon KGC and GS Caltex Seoul KIXX.

The V-Star men’s team consists of players from the Daejeon Samsung Bluefangs, Incheon Korean Air Jumbos and Ansan OK Savings Bank Rush &Cash while the women’s team is made up of players from the Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders, Suwon Hyundai E&C and Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-pass.

The All-Star game was played in four sets for 15 points. As the match was played together with the men’s and women’s V-League teams, the first two sets were played against the women’s team while the last two sets were played by the men. Rather than the regular volleyball format of winning a point for a set, the scores from all four sets were added to determine the winning team.

Tickets for the All-Star game sold out in the first 10 minutes on Jan. 11.

The twin sisters, Lee Jae-yeong and Lee Da-yeong, received the most attention by fans, as this was the first time since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games for the two to play on the same team.

In the rookie season for the 2013-14 season, Lee Jae-yeong was drafted first by the Pink Spiders while Lee Da-yeong was drafted second by the Suwon Hyundai E&C.

The players at the All-Star game had their nicknames written on the backs of their jerseys.

But Lee Jae-yeong and Lee Da-yeong wore uniforms that said, “Guess who I am.”

During the first set, the V-star team was leading 10-9, but when the two switched positions, Lee Jae-yeong set the ball and Lee Da-yeong scored.

After scoring another point with a serve ace, Lee Da-yeong called up Hwang Taek-ui of Uijeongbu and danced to Psy’s “New Face.” When Lee Da-yeong scored her second consecutive serve ace, she danced with coach Shin Jin-sik.

Later on, Lee Jae-yeong was given a yellow card when she tried to dance with the referee.

Following the match, Lee Da-yeong won the women’s MVP award and Jeong Min-su won the men’s MVP award. The two received three million won ($2,790) each.

“I like the MVP award better than the ceremony award,” said Lee Da-yeong.

The sisters are dominant players in the women’s V-League, and are often thought of as the future of Korean volleyball.

BY LEE HYEONG-SEOK AND KANG YOO-RIM [kang.yoorim@joongang.co.kr]