"As Expected, God Yeon-gyeong," Repeatedly Seeks Handshake from Referee Who Gave Red Card After Match

After the Match, Alushi Approaches Referee for a Handshake
FIVB: "Korea's Kim Yeon-koung, a Player Who Might Appear Once in a Billion"

Kim Yeon-koung remains on the court after the game ends and extends her hand for a handshake to referee Alusi. Photo by VideoMug YouTube capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] The captain of the South Korean women's national volleyball team, Kim Yeon-koung, who advanced to the semifinals for the first time in nine years by defeating Turkey at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was captured making a gesture of reconciliation by approaching the referee who gave her a red card during the match, sparking widespread attention.

On the 4th, a video titled "The nail-biting women's volleyball match against Turkey, how tense was the scene?" was uploaded on SBS's social video news channel, Videomug, on YouTube. The video showed Kim Yeon-koung approaching the head referee who made a decision unfavorable to the Korean team after the match against Turkey.

Afterwards, netizens posted on online communities with titles such as "Kim Yeon-koung visiting the referee who gave her a red card after the match," "Kim Yeon-koung meeting the referee after the Turkey match," and "The behavior shown by God Yeon-koung," spreading heartwarming stories about Kim Yeon-koung meeting the referee.

Women volleyball players heading to the semifinals.
Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier that day (the 4th), during the women's volleyball quarterfinals held at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, when South Korea was narrowly leading 24-23 in the third set, Yang Hyo-jin's attack hit the net, and referee Alushi declared a "four-hit fault" (a fault for touching the ball four times on one side).

In response, Kim Yeon-koung became furious and shook the net in protest, and referee Alushi showed her a yellow card as a warning.

After the match, Kim Yeon-koung said, "I was not satisfied with the referee's decisions from the first set. When the opponent protested, they tended to make compensatory calls," adding, "I thought the referee was one who responds to protests. Also, since Turkey was catching up, I judged that it would be okay to interrupt the game once," revealing that her protest was a strategic action.

However, the referee's somewhat questionable decisions continued. In the fourth set, when South Korea was trailing 2-5, South Korea claimed a "double contact" fault (a player touching the ball twice consecutively) against Turkey, but it was not accepted.

When Kim Yeon-koung protested again in anger, referee Alushi gave her a red card. In volleyball, receiving a red card awards the opposing team one point and the serve.

Kim Yeon-koung admitted, "I did not expect the red card," but said, "In the end, it ended well."

Photo by International Volleyball Federation Instagram capture

After the match ended, Kim Yeon-koung met referee Alushi, shook hands, and pointed to the net while explaining the situation during the game again.

She continued the conversation by repeatedly shaking hands energetically as if giving high-fives, and eventually ended the conversation with a smile. As she left, she also gently patted referee Alushi's shoulder and greeted him with a friendly expression.

This appears to be a considerate action, taking into account the possibility of meeting referee Alushi again in the remaining matches and avoiding any chance of the Korean team being disliked by the entire Olympic volleyball refereeing panel.

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) also cheered for Kim Yeon-koung. On the 4th, FIVB posted on its official Instagram with a solo photo of Kim Yeon-koung, stating, "We have said it again and again. South Korea's Kim Yeon-koung is a player who appears once in a billion."

Meanwhile, the South Korean women's volleyball team will face Brazil, ranked third in the world, on the 6th for a ticket to the finals.