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[이데일리 스타in 이석무 기자] ‘Volleyball Empress’ Kim Yeon-kyung (33, Shanghai, China) returned to Korea after spending about two months in the Chinese league.
Kim Yeon-kyung returned to Korea via Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 10th. The process of Kim Yeon-kyung’s return to Korea was not smooth. There was only one flight from Shanghai to Korea that day. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, in-flight meals were not provided.
Arrival time was delayed by more than an hour. Even after arrival, the time was delayed due to the COVID-19 quarantine procedure. In the end, he showed up in front of fans and reporters only three hours after his arrival.
Kim Yeon-kyung, who barely escaped the departure hall, showed signs of exhaustion. Still, he smiled brightly and said “Hello” and left the airport.
As Kim Yeon-kyung’s Chinese league schedule is all over, attention is naturally focused on her next move. First of all, there is little chance that Kim Yeon-kyung will continue to play in the Chinese league.
Kim Yeon-kyung led her team Shanghai to 3rd place in the recently ended 2021-22 Chinese Women’s Volleyball Super League. He was the 2nd in scoring per set (5.56 points) and 1st in receive (success rate of 75%), and played an active part in karate.
However, Kim Yeon-kyung’s life in China was not happy. During her stay in China, Kim Yeon-kyung lived a life of ‘isolation’, only going back and forth between the stadium and the dormitory. He also expressed frustration several times through social media.
Due to the rule of only letting one foreign player out, he was forced to keep the bench. Even the awards ceremony could not be attended due to the incomprehensible treatment of the Chinese league. Kim Yeon-kyung was not even in the group photo of the awards ceremony.
Kim Yeon-kyung’s eyes are focused on Europe and America. In Europe, where the league is currently in full swing, the atmosphere is ‘If Yeon-kyung Kim comes, it’s always OK’. In particular, the Turkish League, where Kim Yeon-kyung has been active for a long time, is the most active.
Italian media ‘Volleyball It’ said, “According to a Turkish source, Zoran Terzic Fenerbahce is trying to sign Kim Yeon-kyung.” Kim Yeon-kyung entered Turkey in 2011 and played for Fenerbahce for six seasons.
American professional volleyball, which will start in March, is also one of Kim’s options. The American professional volleyball team, which will be launched this year, is scheduled to play for two months and wants Kim Yeon-kyung to attract global attention.
It is known that the US national team captain and ace Jordan Larson, who had eaten in a bowl in Shanghai, also asked Kim Yeon-kyung, “Do you not want to play together in the United States?”
Kim Yeon-kyung is also positive about going to the US. In his recently published essay, he said, “I have a desire to study abroad in the United States to learn volleyball theoretically.” There is pressure to participate in the league right away without a break, but we cannot rule out the possibility of taking a flight to the United States for a bigger future.
It is difficult to return to the Korean professional volleyball V-League right now. According to the V-League rules, if you do not sign a contract by December 28 last year, the end of the third round of the regular league, you cannot play in the 20212 season. Therefore, it is impossible for Kim Yeon-kyung to play in the V-League this season.
Moreover, Kim Yeon-kyung is not a free agent (FA) in the V League. If you want to play in the V-League next season, you will need to sign a contract with Heungkuk Life Insurance. Although he could return for the 2022-23 season, it is not an option right now.
However, as Kim Yeon-kyung has been marching for a long time, she may take a break with the goal of returning to the V-League next season. During this period, it is possible to conduct personal activities such as broadcasting in parallel.
An official from Kim Yeon-kyung’s agency said, “After returning home, according to the domestic quarantine regulations, there will be a 10-day self-quarantine period.” “He said.
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