Kim Yeon-koung's 'Rookie Director' Ignites 8th Team Founding Buzz: A Seed for Volleyball Ecosystem Change

MBC's entertainment program 'Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung' aims to be more than just a show featuring a star player; it aspires to be a catalyst for the establishment of an eighth professional women's volleyball team. Director Kwon Rak-hee stated, "Season 1 is the first step towards an 8-team league, a project to plant a seed," expressing his hope that the program "contributes even a little to the coexistence of corporate and professional teams."

Premiering on September 28, 'Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung' follows volleyball icon Kim Yeon-koung as she personally establishes and manages the team 'Winning Wonderdogs'. The team comprises 14 underdog players, including the surprisingly retired Pyo Seung-ju, players released from professional teams, and those from corporate and university leagues, drawing significant attention.

Despite uncertainties regarding performance, the Wonderdogs recently pulled off a stunning upset by defeating KGC 3-1, successfully securing their 'survival.' Kim Yeon-koung's leadership was highly praised.

The program is set to conclude its season with a match against the champion team Heungkuk Life Insurance. Meanwhile, viewership ratings have been on the rise, starting at 2.2% for the first episode and climbing to 4.9%, marking five consecutive weeks as the number one Sunday variety show in the 2049 demographic, proving its popularity.

Director Kwon expressed his happiness and pride in "providing good content to viewers" and requested viewers tune in for the final episode, which features the match where Director Kim Yeon-koung was either most satisfied or most angered. He noted the immense effort put in by the staff.

However, alongside discussions of establishing an eighth team, calls for fundamental improvements in Korean volleyball's structure are also emerging. Current Korean volleyball is criticized for not having a solid pyramid structure from youth to professional levels, but rather an inverted pyramid with only professional teams on a thin player pool. Instead of adding an eighth team, the opinions suggest that expanding the foundation through youth development and system improvements is more urgent.

'Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung' has ignited a passionate spark, but it carries the challenge of not just achieving broadcast success but also creating a 'system happy ending' that revitalizes the entire Korean volleyball ecosystem.

Netizens reacted enthusiastically to the program's success, commenting, "Kim Yeon-koung's leadership is amazing," "I was touched watching the underdogs achieve their goals," and "I really want to see next season too!"