Pink Spiders, Red Sparks and AI Peppers? The V League must be back!

Volleyball

Published: 12 Oct. 2023, 16:18 Updated: 13 Oct. 2023, 13:41

Pink Spiders, Red Sparks and AI Peppers? The V League must be back!

The Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders' Kim Yeon-koung celebrates during a V League game against the Gwangju AI Peppers at Pepper Stadium in Gwangju on March 2. [YONHAP]

The 2023-24 V League starts Saturday as the seven teams in both the men's and women's tournaments begin a six-month race to claim the title in the league’s 20th year.

All fourteen teams will compete with more diverse squads this season, as they have all been permitted to add an extra foreign player through the Asian Quota Draft — a new system through which teams can add an additional player from selected Asian countries.

V League doubles number of foreign players with new Asian draft

Women’s V League

Last season’s league winners Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders will return to the court with their eyes on becoming overall champions this season, after narrowly missing the championship title last season. The Pink Spiders ceded the title to Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass after allowing them to come from two games behind to win the five-game series.

With talismanic star Kim Yeon-koung still in the squad, in addition to newly-minted middle blocker Kim Su-ji and Japanese outside hitter Reina Tokoku — a new foreign player selected through the Asian Quota Draft — the team will likely display formidable attacks.

Head coach Marcello Abbondanza’s influence will be more visible, as it is his second season in charge and he has brought in his former coaching staff to reinforce his style of play.

Last season’s league runners-up Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate still has all the same key players like middle blocker Yang Hyo-jin and outside hitter Jeong Ji-yun, who can lead the team this season. The addition of opposite hitter Laetitia Moma Bassoko, also known as Moma, and Thai outside hitter Wipawee Srithong will boost the team’s attack.

With such a competitive squad, a fierce competition with the Pink Spiders like last season seems likely. The Suwon side were leading the league last season until the Pink Spiders snatched the top position two months before the end of the season.

Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass finished last season in third place on the seven-team table and won the championship, but whether they can recreate last season’s victory is unclear, as former ace Park Jeong-ah has now moved to the Gwangju AI Peppers. Head coach Kim Jong-min and the rest of the players will have some work to do during the season as they have to find a way to replace Park’s vacancy and finish the season strong.

The newly-dubbed Daejeon Jung Kwan Jang Red Sparks — formerly known as Daejeon KGC — finished in fourth last season. Their main mission this time around will be to return to the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 season. Veteran middle blocker Han Song-yi will continue to be in action with the Daejeon side to lead the team to glory.

The GS Caltex Seoul KIXX finished last season in fifth place, but the team displayed a good performance at the KOVO Cup — a tournament in which all seven V League teams participate ahead of the regular season — in August, where they lifted the trophy. Ace Kang So-hwi’s good performance for Korea despite the national team’s struggle is also a bright sign for the KIXX.

The Hwaseong IBK Altos managed an unimpressive sixth place finish last season. The team has a solid attacking option this season with the addition of former Hillstate outside hitter Hwang Min-kyoung, who joined the Altos as a free agent. The team will have to bounce back this season in order to reach the postseason for the first time since 2021.

The Gwangju AI Peppers have only secured eight wins since their foundation in 2021. This season may be their best season yet, as the side has added the likes of former Hi-Pass ace Park and former Hillstate opposite hitter Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani. New head coach Joseph Trinsey will also bring a new style of play to the Peppers.

Men’s V League

The Incheon Korean Air Jumbos' Han Sun-soo [KOREA VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION]

The competition over in the men’s V League will mostly be to see who can challenge the V League giants Incheon Korean Air Jumbos. The Jumbos were unstoppable last season, with the team sweeping all three titles available — league title, championship and the KOVO Cup.

Last season’s league runners-up Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers and this season’s KOVO Cup winners Ansan OK Financial Group Okman are strong competitors that could stop the Jumbos’ bid to win their fourth consecutive league and championship titles.

Okman will be the team to watch as they displayed an impressive performance under new head coach Masaji Ogino, and he may have more to show in the upcoming season.

The Seoul Woori Card Woori Won, Suwon Kepco Vixtorm, Uijeongbu KB Insurance Stars and Daejeon Samsung Bluefangs will also be eager to display how much they improved from last season, especially with the addition of those Asian Quota Draft picks.

A clash between the Jumbos and Skywalkers at Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon on Saturday will be the first game of the season, followed by the Pink Spiders’ game against Hi-Pass at Gimcheon Gymnasium in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]