A brother and sister-in-law are donning libero jerseys side-by-side on the V-League stage. This is the story of Samsung Fire’s Lee Sang-wook and IBK’s Kim Chae-won.
Born in 1995, Lee Sang-wook is in his seventh year as a professional. He was drafted by Woori Card with the first pick in the third round of the 2017 rookie draft and moved to Samsung Fire in 2022, where he is now playing his second season. In the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2022-23 seasons, he led the team in digs and was named Best Libero in the 2019-20 season.
This season, Lee ranks fourth in digs, sixth in receptions, and third in defense, helping the team improve. After finishing last last season, Samsung Fire 온라인카지노 is currently in second place. With a 14-7 record (38 points), they are chasing the leader Woori Card (15-6, 42 points). The team is trying to hold on in a tight race.
Lee Sang-wook’s sister-in-law is IBK’s libero Kim Chae-won. Born in 1997, Kim Chae-won donned a GS Caltex jersey as the first pick in the third round of the 2015 rookie draft. After becoming a free agent in 2021, she played for the unemployment team Suwon City Hall. Then, in 2023, she was called up by IBK head coach Kim Ho-cheol to play professionally again. He was given a second chance.
Kim Chae-won has also saved her team from a crisis this season. On Dec. 30 against Pepper Savings Bank, when star libero Shin Yeon-kyung was struggling with a cold, Kim stepped in to stabilize the team from behind. She came in for the second and third sets and recorded 13 digs to help the team win.
At the time, Kim Chae-won said, “Practice is practice, but the mindset is important. You can do anything if you are mentally centered. For me, I always remind myself that I can do it,” she said. “Before, I was always nervous and had a lot of anxiety about making mistakes. Now, I have the mindset of doing it with confidence and no regrets. As a result, I feel more confident and realize that I can do it too. It’s all thanks to everyone’s support,” he said.
Mental coaching from his older brother also helped. “I don’t usually talk about volleyball,” said Lee Sang-wook. My sister-in-law asks me when she’s having a hard time or when she’s frustrated about what to do.” “I’m still young, I’m greedy, and I have a lot of motivation. Sometimes she does well, sometimes she doesn’t, and when she doesn’t, she’s very disappointed. I explained these things to her one by one and told her that she would be under a lot of pressure as a substitute rather than a full-time member, so it would be better to think about it differently.”
Lee Sang-wook’s wife also played volleyball until high school. But her sister-in-law, Kim Chae-won, relies on her brother’s advice more than her sister’s. “At first, she talks to my wife, but she says it doesn’t work, so she talks to me. She says she feels better when she talks to me,” he says, adding, “When I came back to the pros, I thought I should definitely come. If you don’t experience it now, you’ll definitely regret it later. The more you cherish this time now, the more you’ll cherish it. You have to be grateful for the hardships and stresses of the moment. I’ve been whining less since I said this. I think I’m doing a good job,” he said with a smile.
In conclusion, Lee said, “I hope to continue playing volleyball for a long time to come. To do this, I have to work harder for my own growth, and I have to constantly try harder. I want to play professionally with you until the end,” he said in a message of support.
His brother and sister-in-law play the same position. Kim Chae-won, who is a junior, is also a senior who listens to her concerns.