Who will be the winner in the women’s professional volleyball free agent (FA) market, where many big-fish players have been released? Heungkuk Life Insurance succeeded in pushing Kim Yeon-kyung (35) to sit down, the ‘Volleyball Empress’? Pepper Savings Bank, which laid the foundation for the last place with ‘Clutch Park’ Park Jung-ah (30) in her arms? Winners may disagree, but losers are certain. It is Hyundai E&C that ‘chased Kim Yeon-kyung and missed Hwang Min-kyung’.
IBK Industrial Bank announced on the 18th that it had signed a free agency contract with outside heater Hwang Min-kyung (33) for an annual salary of 405 million won (annual salary of 320 million won, an annual salary of 130 million won) and a total of 900 million won over two years. An official from IBK Industrial Bank said, “He is the right person to make up for the lacking part of the team with stable receiving and bold attack power.” 안전놀이터
In this FA market, Hyundai E&C focused on recruiting Kim Yeon-kyung. Kim Yeon-kyung, who received 700 million won, the maximum compensation limit this season, showed outstanding performance in karate and defense and proved that she is still the best player. Hyundai Sunseol, which had been on a winning streak with 15 consecutive wins in the opening season, ended the regular season in second place due to Yasmin’s injury and the line injuries of domestic players who were trying to make up for Yasmin’s void. For Hyundai E&C, which was defeated by Expressway Corporation in the playoffs with a two-game losing streak, it was a plan to quickly secure the position of a championship candidate by recruiting Kim Yeon-kyung.
Coincidentally, Kim Yeon-kyung also left an interview at the V-League awards ceremony held on the 10th, saying, “I am willing to accept a pay cut if it is a winning team.” Regarding this, there was speculation that Kim Yeon-kyung was actually saying something aimed at Hyundai E&C, and rumors that a contract with Hyundai E&C would be announced soon circulated in the volleyball world.
For Hyundai E&C, no matter how much Kim Yeon-kyung said she would accept the pay cut, she couldn’t afford too little ransom. In order to raise a ransom worthy of Kim Yeon-kyung’s skills and popularity, I had to work hard on the calculator to sort out the salary cap. In the process, a situation arose where it was impossible to properly treat Hwang Min-kyung or Kim Yeon-gyeon, internal free agents.
However, as Kim Yeon-kyung changed her mind after meeting with director Abondanza and stayed at Heungkuk Life Insurance, the situation was twisted for Hyundai E&C. Hwang Min-kyung hastily promoted a contract with Hwang Min-kyung, who was heartbroken, but as Hwang Min-kyung chose to transfer to IBK Industrial Bank, which had previously sounded out his intention to recruit, Hyundai E&C played a role as a housekeeper throughout the 2022-2023 season, and from the 2019-2020 season Hwang Min-kyung, who even played the role of captain, was lost.