'World Star' Kim Sejin, SOOP Head Coach: "I Will Take on the League with Determination"

Appointed as Head Coach of New Women's Volleyball Club After Seven Years
Both Players and Coach Begin Anew With a Founding Team
"We Will Play With a Positive Spirit as a Newly Established Club"

"The more difficult things get, the harder we need to push ourselves."

'World Star' Kim Sejin has returned to the court after seven years. After stepping down as head coach of OK Savings Bank Rush & Cash in March 2019, he is making his comeback to the field as the inaugural head coach of the new women's professional volleyball (V-League) club, SOOP Supers. In a phone interview with The Asia Business Daily on July 13, Kim said, "This is my first time coaching a women's team. Since it's a new challenge, I plan to prepare step by step to build a competitive team."

Kim, a former national team player, earned the nickname 'World Star' thanks to his performances on the world stage during his playing days. After retiring, he found success as a coach, leading Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance and OK Savings Bank. Notably, he took on the role of inaugural head coach at OK Savings Bank, which was established in 2013, and led the men's team to back-to-back V-League championships in the 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 seasons. He later worked as a commentator and, in 2023, gained administrative experience as the Director of Game Operations at the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO).

Kim Sejin, head coach of SOOP Supers, said he would make a strong impression in the V-League with the boldness befitting a new team. Photo by KOVO

Kim described himself as "someone with a strong connection to founding teams." He said, "I was a founding member at Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, and I started as the inaugural head coach at OK Savings Bank. Now, once again, I'm taking on the role of inaugural head coach," he laughed. He went on to say, "It's fortunate for the volleyball community as a whole that the women's league has maintained its seven-club system. While it's not easy for a newly founded team to achieve results in a short time, I will take on the challenge with a positive attitude."

SOOP Supers is a club newly established after SOOP, formerly AfreecaTV, an internet platform company, acquired the Pepper Savings Bank volleyball team, which had been up for sale due to its parent company's management difficulties. After approval from the KOVO Board of Directors and an extraordinary general meeting, the team officially joined the league as a new member club.

However, the situation for the team is not easy. Park Jeongah, who was a key player for Pepper Savings Bank, moved to Korea Expressway Corporation, and Lee Hanbi transferred to Hyundai E&C, both as free agents. With these national team-caliber core players departing, a major restructuring of the team's roster has become inevitable.

Kim explained, "The team was founded after the free agent market closed, so we faced many difficulties in assembling the squad. We have signed foreign player Audriana Fitzmorris and Asian quota player Izzsu Hye, but since they are both still overseas, we have not yet been able to conduct medical tests."

Kim Sejin, head coach of SOOP Supers, said he aims to create a team that harmonizes veterans and young players. Photo by Volleyball Korea

Currently, the roster is still not at full strength. While the other six clubs have fielded rosters of around 15 to 17 players, SOOP Supers still needs to reinforce several positions. Kim said, "We plan to add two or three more players from outside and are also considering trades."

Recently, the team secured both immediate strength and future potential by signing veteran Jeon Saeyan and promising player Song Eunchae from the free agent market. Kim commented, "For our inaugural season, it's most important to build a squad where experience and youthful energy are in harmony. That's exactly why we brought in these two players."

Despite the tough circumstances, Kim has not lost his confidence. "Our players have experienced the pain of losing their team literally overnight. The psychological sense of loss must have been significant," he said, expressing concern for his players first. He added, "That said, we can't just talk about the difficulties. The more difficult it is, the harder we need to push ourselves. With a determined mindset, I will prepare to build a competitive team and do my utmost to achieve good results in the league."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.