The 2023-2024 V-League will open on the 14th and start a six-month run. The men's match is the first match between Korean Air and Hyundai Capital at Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon at 2 p.m., and the women's match between Korea Expressway Corporation and Heungkuk Life Insurance at Gimcheon Indoor Gymnasium at 4 p.m.
The V League was launched in 2005 and marks its 20th season in history. However, due to the sluggishness of the men's and women's national teams at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the new season will start with a mood that is not as good as before. However, there are various interests that will attract volleyball fans' expectations, including Korean Air's attempt to win the first four consecutive V-League titles.
In particular, the biggest difference this season has changed from previous years is the introduction of the Asian quota. Until now, each V-League club has played with around 15 domestic players and one foreign player. However, the Asian quarter was introduced this season, allowing two foreign players to be seen on the court.
Players who entered the V League in the Asian quarter receive a lower annual salary of 100,000 dollars compared to Korean players. However, if you look at the performance of the Hangzhou Asian Games, their performance is more expected. It has been known to the public that the men's team is receiving a world-class salary of 229 million won on average and the women's team is receiving 152 million won on average this season. At the same time, despite his high salary, he was eliminated from the Asian Games early, and it was pointed out that there was a lot of bubble in the V-. In addition, the Asian quarter was evaluated as a system that could make V-League salaries a reality.
Fourteen teams from the men's and women's divisions of the V League have recruited Asian quotas from six countries, including Japan, Taiwan, Mongolia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
In the men's division, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance and OK Financial Group recruited Mongolian national Eddie (outside hiker/middle blocker) and Bayarsaihan (middle blocker) who grew up in Korea. They have an advantage over other players in terms of language communication as well as skills. Hyundai Capital and KB Financial Group selected Taiwanese middle blockers Tsai Pei-chang and outside heater Liu Hong-min. Woori Card and KEPCO chose Japanese Apogit Spiker Itsei Otake and Libero Iga Ryohei, respectively. Unlike the six teams that reinforced their weaknesses, the Philippine-flagged outside heater Mark Espejo, which was taken by Korean Air, which is full of outside heaters such as Kwak Seung-seok, Jung Ji-seok, Jeong Han-yong and Lee Jun, was considered an unexpected choice.
Three out of seven women are Thai nationals. All three are active in the Thai women's volleyball team. IBK Industrial Bank of Korea recruited Thai main setter Ponfun Gedfard as the No. 1 overall pick, Hyundai Engineering & Construction reinforced its power with outside heater Wi Fawi Shih Tong and Korea Expressway Corporation with Apogit Spiker Tanacha.
Jeong Kwan-jang chose Indonesian-flagged Apogit spiker Megawatty Puttiwi, while Pepper Savings Bank chose Philippine middle blocker MJ Phillips. Heungkuk Life Insurance selected Reina Tokoku, a Japanese national who serves as an outside heater and an apogit spiker. Phillips is a dual U.S.-Philippines athlete and Raina is a mixed-race athlete whose father is Ghanaian. 토토사이트
GS Caltex was particularly troubled by the Asian quarter. He first selected Indonesian outside heater Mediyoku, but replaced Thai setter Soraya Pomra due to shoulder surgery of the main setter Ahn Hye-jin. However, Lee became pregnant ahead of the new season and went through a complicated process of recruiting Philippine national team setter Iris Tolenada again.
The Asian quarter is a card that the V League has been contemplating and preparing for for a long time. At the beginning of the introduction discussion, there was a lot of concern that their recruitment would reduce the position of domestic players. However, as the number of talented Korean players decreased, they had no choice but to choose a strategy to fill the vacancy on the court with additional foreign players. Some teams have prepared for the new season with a clear Asian quarter. Their performance is expected to determine the joy and sorrow of the ranking battle
