A Moving Story of Growth Between Players and Coach
The "Kim Yeonkyung" Brand Power Drives Popularity
Excitement Spills Over Into Professional Volleyball... "Interest Will Continue"
Jung Haein (32, female) has been completely captivated by Director Kim Yeonkyung since the beginning of last month. While watching the variety show "Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung," which aired from September 28 to the 23rd of last month, she became a fan of both Director Kim and the members of the team "Wonder Dogs." Initially, she admired Director Kim and her love for volleyball, but she eventually also became a fan of Inkushi (21, real name Jamiyanpurev Enkhsaikhan), a volleyball player from Mongolia. Jung said, "At first, I was impressed by how a player with limited skills could develop under a passionate coach," adding, "I even attended the biased cheering event for Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung held at CGV Yongsan, Seoul, on the 23rd of last month."
Although it has been a month since "Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung" ended, fans still remember and support Director Kim and the team members. They expressed their gratitude, saying that the show gave them comfort and motivation to move forward in life.
According to Nielsen Korea, the final episode of "Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung" on the 23rd of last month recorded a nationwide household viewership rating of 5.8%, 5.9% in the Seoul metropolitan area, and a peak of 7.7% per minute. The first episode on September 28 had a nationwide rating of only 2.2%, but the show gained more attention as it progressed. On the online video service Wavve, "Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung" was the content that attracted the most paid subscriptions for eight consecutive weeks since the end of September. During the week of the final episode, from the 17th to the 23rd of last month, "Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung" ranked first in total viewing time across all genres on Wavve.
Fans are still unable to move on from the lingering emotions left by "Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung." Jung Heeyoon (19) recalled many of Director Kim's words while preparing for this year's college entrance exam. The most memorable line was, "Remember why you cried. We made a promise. Let's show everyone what we can do, in style." Jung said, "Director Kim's words before the exam were a huge motivation for me," adding, "'Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung' is not just a variety show. The journey of the Wonder Dogs resembles the daily struggles of everyone living their own lives, so it is worth remembering."
The Ongoing 'Kim Yeonkyung Syndrome'... "The Journey of the Wonder Dogs Mirrors Our Own"
Jung Haein (32, female) participated in the biased cheering event for the entertainment show "Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung" held at CGV Yongsan, Seoul, on the 23rd of last month. Jung is taking a photo with a life-size cutout of Director Kim Yeonkyung. Photo by Jung.
Why are so many people still unable to move on from "Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung"? They unanimously said that they received great comfort from Director Kim and the Wonder Dogs players. Watching players who had been released from professional teams or had not made it to the pros grow together with a rookie coach gave them strength.
Jung was reminded of her own research career, which she had been pursuing since 2018, while watching Inkushi. The scene where Inkushi, who is not fluent in Korean, would simply reply, "Yes," even when she didn't fully understand her senior's words, reminded Jung of herself responding affirmatively and then being scolded. Jung said, "Seeing Inkushi come to a foreign country, write a volleyball journal, and grow with her teammates reminded me of myself conducting experiments and writing lab notes," adding, "Now, whenever I don't want to do experiments, I recall quotes from the show and find comfort." The quote she remembers most is Director Kim's, "Let's do it, let's try. Don't regret it."
Jung Heeyoon found great comfort in player Han Songhee. At 172 cm, Han is considered short for a volleyball player, but she overcame her weaknesses through effort. Jung said, "Han Songhee is a 'little giant.' Despite her height, she grew into a receiving-type attacker and displayed impressive skills," adding, "Everyone faces their own obstacles, but Han Songhee showed me that nothing is impossible for those who truly try. I gained a lot of courage from her."
Passion for Female-Centered Narratives... Excitement Spreads to Professional Volleyball
Player Inkushi joined Jeong Kwan Jang as an Asia quota player on the 8th. Jeong Kwan Jang Red Sparks official website
Director Kim's brand power was also a major reason for attracting so many fans. Kim Jihoo (32, female) has been a so-called "true fan" of Director Kim since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She emphasized that Director Kim has always shown the same attitude, from the national team to professional matches, and now on this variety show. "Director Kim is the best at volleyball, but she is also the one who throws herself the most and runs the court the hardest. The qualities she showed on the show were not developed overnight. Even in the decisive fifth game of the 2022-2023 season championship before her retirement, Director Kim demonstrated leadership by encouraging her teammates."
The female-centered narrative is another reason why the show remains memorable. Through the show and the sport of women's volleyball, viewers formed a sense of solidarity and comforted each other. Jung said that since the beginning of this month, she has been sharing Director Kim's quotes with her friends every day. When a friend needs encouragement, she sends a photo of Director Kim. Jung said, "There have been many variety specials about male athletes, but very few where female athletes are the main characters," adding, "I find it amazing that I have become so drawn to a sports variety show with a female lead."
The buzz has even spread to professional volleyball since the season opened in October. This is because Wonder Dogs members Inkushi and Lee Nayeon have advanced to the professional league. The numbers back this up. According to the Korea Volleyball Federation, the average viewership for the first round of the women's league increased by 0.15 percentage points compared to last season, and total attendance rose by 0.7 percentage points. The match on the 19th, when Inkushi made her debut, recorded a nationwide household rating of 1.41%, ranking second among all men's and women's volleyball games this season. Jung Heeyoon went to watch women's volleyball four times this month alone. She said, "After watching 'Rookie Director Kim Yeonkyung,' I became very interested in women's volleyball. I couldn't attend Inkushi's debut match because it was an away game, but I watched it on TV. I plan to continue following women's volleyball in the future."
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