Volleyball icon returns to court to lead underdog squad against top rivals

A poster of "Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung" / Courtesy of MBC

Korea’s retired volleyball icon Kim Yeon-koung is thrilling audiences once again with her triumphant return to screens through MBC’s sports reality show "Rookie Director Kim Yeon-Koung."

The show, which premiered Sept. 28, follows Kim as she assembles "The Unsinkable Wonderdogs," a newly formed women’s volleyball team made up of underdog talent – those released from professional teams, battling anxiety or returning from retirement in pursuit of a second chance.

The team faces a daunting task: They must play seven matches against top-tier opponents, including Korea and Japan’s high school champion teams and professional volleyball clubs.

To survive and avoid disbandment, they need to secure at least four wins out of these seven games with the ultimate goal of becoming the eighth officially recognized team in Korea’s sole professional volleyball league.

These combined images show scenes from an episode of MBC's "Rookie Director Kim Yeon-koung" aired on Sunday. Courtesy of MBC

While much of the appeal of Korea’s traditional sports entertainment comes from revisiting beloved, retired stars, the show stands out for its unique, inclusive approach. The program pairs those on the margins of the sports with Kim, its greatest living legend, documenting the team’s journey as they grow together in Korea’s highly competitive, but limited professional landscape.

Kim’s debut season beyond the court has been a ratings phenomenon. The first episode drew a modest 2.2 percent nationwide rating, which more than doubled by the third episode, reaching 4.7 percent, according to Nielsen Korea. Streaming platform Wavve reported a 124 percent surge in viewing time during the Chuseok holiday period, making the show its top driver of new subscriptions.

Revered as Korea’s "Volleyball Emperor," Kim has compiled an unmatched resume: MVP at the 2012 London Olympics, Olympic scoring record-holder (207 points), CEV Champions League MVP — the first Asian recipient — and nearly two decades of championship success in elite leagues across Korea, Japan, China and Turkey.

Since retiring in May, Kim founded the KYK Foundation to support youth volleyball players, and now, through her new TV project, she is tackling the structural shortcomings of the sport's development firsthand.

Players raise Kim Yeon-koung into the air in celebration of her career and retirement during the KYK Invitational 2025 Women’s Volleyball World All-Star Game at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon on May 18. Newsis

The country’s sports system, while proud of stars like Kim, lacks the depth to consistently produce world-class talent. Korea only has 19 registered high school volleyball teams — a staggering contrast to Japan’s more than 3,900 — and is the only one of the country’s "big four" professional sports — along with football, baseball and basketball — without a second division or minor league coverage.

"When MBC first approached me, I laughed and said, 'No way,'" Kim said, "But then I thought the show could help Korean volleyball to grow, so I joined the show."

Her hands-on leadership style — sharp, demanding, yet empathetic — has become a focal point of the show’s success. She scolds players when needed, inspires them when they falter and reminds them, "There’s nothing we can’t do."

As Korea’s national teams struggle internationally — the men’s squad suffering a winless world championship and the women’s team exiting early from the Volleyball Nations League — Kim’s next chapter brings hope and new energy to the sport’s future.