[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] The chief physician’s supportive message for Kim Yeon-koung (33, Shanghai, China), the star of our women’s volleyball national team, has touched many people.
Kim Jin-gu, director of Myongji Hospital and known as Kim Yeon-koung’s primary doctor, posted on his Facebook on the 4th, sharing his impressions after watching Kim Yeon-koung lead the women’s volleyball team to the semifinals. He described her as a "cheater" (a player who boosts teammates’ morale) who never shows signs of fatigue or pain but keeps shouting on the court. He added, "She is so flawless that even opposing players fear and respect her."
Director Kim recalled, "The first time I saw Kim Yeon-koung in the clinic was 15 years ago when she was 18, a rookie who had just graduated from high school with a starting salary of 50 million won. She was in so much pain every time she jumped and landed that it was hard for her to run." He continued, "I prescribed medication and wrote a strong medical opinion to ensure she took a rest. I recommended at least six weeks of rehabilitation treatment to prevent a serious injury. But a few days later, I saw on TV that she was shouting and running perfectly fine. Not just running, but it felt like because of her, women’s volleyball, which wasn’t popular before, was becoming a popular sport."
He also mentioned Kim Yeon-koung’s exceptional sense of responsibility. Before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, an MRI scan revealed a tear in the inner cartilage of her right knee joint. According to Director Kim, at that time Kim Yeon-koung said, "Ah, sikppang. I have to play. I am an athlete. I am a Korean athlete. Athletes have to play games. I have always been in pain."
He said, "She quietly shed tears like chicken droppings while muttering 'sikppang sikppang' so that no one could hear, then signed the surgery consent form. Since then, I have never seen her show tears or blame anyone. Thanks to Kim Yeon-koung’s few days of hospitalization, I think I have seen all the women’s volleyball players." ‘Sikppang’ is a softened expression of a curse Kim Yeon-koung utters when the game is not going well.
Director Kim concluded his message with support, saying, "The result no longer matters. I will not hold back my applause for Kim Yeon-koung, who may be playing her last national team match."
Director Kim took down the post after receiving criticism from some fans regarding the disclosure of personal medical information of a patient and allegations of using a famous athlete’s name for promotional purposes. He stated, "I believe I did not violate ethical regulations as a medical professional since I did not disclose detailed medical records beyond the diagnosis," but also accepted the criticism, saying, "Although I felt deeply insulted by the accusation that this was a promotional clickbait post, I understand why people might think so."
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