In 2005, the year she turned 17, she was the first overall pick in the rookie draft as a high school senior. In November she played her first match for the senior national team, and on Dec. 4 she scored 29 points in her pro debut.
The breakthrough yearThe year she turned 18, she led Heungkuk Life, last-place finishers the season before, to the regular-season and championship series titles. At the awards in April she won Rookie of the Year and regular-season MVP together. Yonhap reported that winning Rookie of the Year, regular-season MVP and finals MVP was a first in pro volleyball.
In 2007, she won a second straight combined title and a second straight finals MVP. In 2008, she won a third straight regular-season MVP, but she was hospitalized and could not attend the ceremony. In spring 2009, she won one more championship series and then was loaned to JT Marvelous in Japan.
In 2010, she won a silver medal at the Guangzhou Asian Games. In 2011, she won the Japanese league title and MVP and moved to Fenerbahçe in Turkey. In spring 2012, she led Fenerbahçe to the European Champions League title and won tournament MVP and top scorer. That summer she helped Korea reach the semifinals at the London Olympics and was named tournament MVP without a medal.
In 2013, she taught volleyball at a middle school in Yongin. In 2014, she won a gold medal at the Incheon Asian Games, Korea’s first in 20 years. In 2015, she took the Turkish league title and MVP together. In 2016, her Rio Olympics ended in the quarterfinals.
In 2017, she moved to Shanghai in China. In 2018, she returned to Turkey and joined Eczacıbaşı. In 2020, she came back to Heungkuk Life in the V-League after 11 years. In 2021, she won her first regular-season MVP in 13 years, and after reaching a second Olympic semifinal at Tokyo she retired from the national team.
In 2022, she came back to Heungkuk Life after a stint in China. In 2023, she won her fifth regular-season MVP. In 2024, she was regular-season MVP again.
In February 2025, the year she turned 37, she announced her retirement, and in April she led the team to the combined title and won both finals MVP and regular-season MVP. In the fall she began MBC’s variety show Rookie Coach Kim Yeon-koung, and her No. 10 was permanently retired. In 2026, she became a co-owner of LOVB San Francisco in the U.S. and chair of the Asian Volleyball Confederation’s Athletes’ Commission.
Kim Yeon-koung (born Feb 26, 1988) scored 29 points in her V-League debut on Dec 4, 2005, the year she turned 17, and became known when she won Rookie of the Year and regular-season MVP together at her debut-season awards in 2006, the year she turned 18. In 2012, the year she turned 24, she was named MVP of the London Olympics.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Was taken first in the first round by Heungkuk Life at the Korea Volleyball Federation’s 2005-06 women’s rookie draft at the Olympic Parktel in Seoul. She was a senior at Hanil Women’s High School.
Source 01 · Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · Slugger Kim Yeon-koung to Heungkuk Life · opens in a new tabCalled up to the senior national team as a high school senior, she played at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Nagoya, Japan. She scored 25 points against Poland, Korea’s only win there, and finished third in scoring at the tournament.
Source 02 · Chosun Ilbo (Korean) · Glorious moments in Nagoya · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Kim Min-ji and Kim Yeon-koung, a fiery matchup ahead · opens in a new tab The date of her first match at the tournament was not confirmed. The date is that of the Poland match.Scored 29 points against Hyundai E&C in Masan to give Heungkuk Life a 3-1 win. She had two service aces and seven back-row attacks worth two points.
Source 03 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Kim Min-ji and Kim Yeon-koung, a fiery matchup ahead · opens in a new tabBeat Hyundai E&C 3-1 in Cheonan to clinch first place in the 2005-06 regular season. The team had finished last the season before.
Source 04 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Heungkuk Life from last place to the top · opens in a new tabScored 35 points in Game 5 against the Korea Expressway Corporation at Yu Gwan-sun Gymnasium in Cheonan to lead the team to the title. She received 27 of 29 votes to become finals MVP.
Source 05 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Finals MVP Kim Yeon-koung · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · Hyundai Capital retakes the top after 11 years · opens in a new tabReceived Rookie of the Year and regular-season MVP together at the awards ceremony at the Lotte Hotel in Jamsil, Seoul. Yonhap reported that winning Rookie of the Year, regular-season MVP and finals MVP all in the women’s league was a first in pro volleyball. She ranked first in seven categories, including 756 regular-season points.
Beat Hyundai E&C in Game 4 of the championship series at Suwon Gymnasium. It was the first back-to-back combined titles since the pro league began.
Source 08 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Heungkuk Life, a second straight combined title · opens in a new tabThe Segye Ilbo reported that the heavy share of the attack she took in her debut season strained her knee and she had surgery three years in a row from 2006. She could not attend the April 21, 2008 awards ceremony because she was hospitalized with an injury, and someone accepted for her.
Source 41 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · The 21-year-old attacker who saved a Japanese team with no title in 54 years · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Newsis (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung, first three-time MVP in a row · opens in a new tabSource 43 · Newsis (Korean) · Jin Hye-ji accepts the women’s MVP award for Kim Yeon-koung · opens in a new tab The dates of the surgeries were not confirmed.Received 30 of 33 votes at the 2007-08 awards at COEX in Seoul. It was her third straight regular-season MVP since her debut season.
Source 09 · Newsis (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung, first three-time MVP in a row · opens in a new tabAfter losing Game 1 to GS Caltex in Cheonan, Heungkuk Life won three straight to take its third title. In the media vote for MVP she received 24 of 28 votes.
Source 10 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Heungkuk Life retakes the title after two years · opens in a new tabStayed on the Heungkuk Life roster and was loaned to JT Marvelous in Japan’s top league on a two-year contract. Shin Dong-A wrote that she was the first Korean woman to go abroad since pro volleyball began.
Source 11 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung joins Japan’s JT Marvelous · opens in a new tabSource 12 · Shin Dong-A (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung interview · opens in a new tabSource 41 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · The 21-year-old attacker who saved a Japanese team with no title in 54 years · opens in a new tabLost the final 3-2 to China at Guangzhou Gymnasium.
Source 13 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Asian Games volleyball, silver as Korea is stopped by China · opens in a new tabWith the remaining matches cancelled after the Great East Japan Earthquake, JT Marvelous clinched first place at 20-6. The Segye Ilbo reported that it was the club’s first title in 54 years and that she had been top scorer in her first season in Japan.
Source 14 · Newsis (Korean) · Remaining matches cancelled in Japan · opens in a new tabSource 41 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · The 21-year-old attacker who saved a Japanese team with no title in 54 years · opens in a new tabThe Japan V.League named her the most valuable player in the women’s league. It came in her second season in Japan.
Source 15 · MyDaily (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung wins the Japan V.League MVP · opens in a new tabLeft for Istanbul to sign. The contract ran two years on a 1+1 basis that allowed a renewal after one year.
Source 16 · MyDaily (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung leaves, interview · opens in a new tabBeat Cannes of France 3-0 in sets in the final in Baku, Azerbaijan. She scored a game-high 23 points and was named tournament MVP and top scorer.
Source 17 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung wins three prizes at once · opens in a new tabScored 22 points in the bronze-medal match against Japan, which Korea lost. She went home without a medal but was named tournament MVP and top scorer, and the Financial News wrote that it was Korea’s best result since the 1976 Montreal Games.
Source 18 · MyDaily (Korean) · Top scorer Kim Yeon-koung cements her world-star status at the Olympics · opens in a new tabSource 19 · Financial News (Korean) · London Olympics wrap-up · opens in a new tabTaught volleyball to middle school students with Kim Sa-ni and Han Yoo-mi.
Source 20 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung donates her talent to middle schoolers · opens in a new tabBeat China in the final at Songnim Gymnasium in Incheon. It was Korea’s first gold in 20 years, since the 1994 Hiroshima Games.
Source 21 · MyDaily (Korean) · Korean women’s volleyball did it · opens in a new tabShin Dong-A reported that in the 2014-15 Turkish league she led her team to the title and won three awards: MVP, top scorer and best spiker. In 2013-14 she won the CEV Cup and its MVP award.
Source 12 · Shin Dong-A (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung interview · opens in a new tab The article only says the season ended in May, so the date was not confirmed.Lost the quarterfinal against the Netherlands at Maracanãzinho in Rio de Janeiro, ending the tournament.
Source 22 · Seoul Economic Daily (Korean) · [Rio Olympics] A humiliation for the first time in 44 years · opens in a new tabLeft Fenerbahçe in Turkey, where she had played since 2011, and signed a one-year contract with Shanghai. Her management company, INSPO Korea, said she was guaranteed the highest pay ever in Chinese women’s volleyball.
Source 23 · Newsis (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung moves to China on top pay · opens in a new tabLeft China after one season and returned to the Turkish league. Eczacıbaşı officially announced the contract on the 19th Korea time.
Source 24 · MyDaily (Korean) · Kim’s side says she chose honor over money · opens in a new tabCame back to the V-League after 11 years on a one-year contract at a salary of 350 million won.
Source 25 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung confirms her return to Korea · opens in a new tabReceived her fourth regular-season MVP at the 2020-21 awards at the Grand Hyatt Seoul.
Source 26 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung, regular-season MVP after 13 years · opens in a new tabLost the bronze-medal match 3-0 to Serbia at Ariake Arena. It was her second Olympic semifinal, after London.
Source 27 · Sports Hankook (Korean) · Women’s volleyball loses 3-0 to Serbia and finishes fourth · opens in a new tabThe Korea Volleyball Association officially announced her retirement from the national team. It ended a national team career that began in 2005, in her senior year of high school.
Source 28 · MyDaily (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung on retiring from the national team and the Chinese league · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Chosun Ilbo (Korean) · Glorious moments in Nagoya · opens in a new tabIn a video press conference, she said she had been torn between the domestic league and Europe and chose China after hearing the season would be a short two months.
Source 28 · MyDaily (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung on retiring from the national team and the Chinese league · opens in a new tabSigned for 450 million won in salary plus 250 million won in options, the highest figure in the women’s league.
Source 29 · Xportsnews (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung signs with Heungkuk Life for 700 million won a year · opens in a new tabIt was the second unanimous regular-season MVP in pro volleyball history.
Source 30 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung, second unanimous MVP in pro volleyball history · opens in a new tabIt was her second straight regular-season MVP since returning to Korea.
Source 31 · Sports Today (Korean) · V-League awards, Leo and Kim Yeon-koung named MVP · opens in a new tabAfter the match against GS Caltex at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon, she said she would retire at the end of the season. She said she believed one should stop while still able to do more.
Source 32 · OSEN (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung’s “shock retirement announcement” · opens in a new tabLed Heungkuk Life to the combined title by beating the Jung Kwan Jang Red Sparks, ending her playing career. She scored 133 points in the five games of the championship series and received all 31 media votes.
Source 33 · Newsis (Korean) · “Last dance” and finals MVP, Kim Yeon-koung’s title finale · opens in a new tabTook all 31 media votes at the ceremony at the Swiss Grand Hotel in Seoul. The Chosun Ilbo wrote that she won the combined MVP in both her debut season and her retirement season.
Source 34 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung, third unanimous regular-season MVP · opens in a new tabSource 35 · Chosun Ilbo (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung, combined MVP in her debut and retirement seasons · opens in a new tabA variety show in which she leads a team as head coach. The Segye Ilbo reported that the team is a new club made up of released and retired players, among others.
Source 36 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung’s coaching debut gets off to a good start · opens in a new tabSource 41 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · The 21-year-old attacker who saved a Japanese team with no title in 54 years · opens in a new tabAfter Heungkuk Life’s season opener at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon she held an official retirement ceremony, and her No. 10 was permanently retired.
Source 37 · YTN (Korean) · Heungkuk Life wins the V-League opener; Kim Yeon-koung retirement ceremony · opens in a new tabLOVB, the U.S. women’s pro volleyball league, announced on its website that she had joined the new San Francisco team as a co-owner.
Source 38 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung becomes a volleyball team owner · opens in a new tab Some outlets report the announcement as April 2 local time.Received a special award at the Asian Volleyball Confederation gala in Bangkok, Thailand.
Source 39 · Sports Today (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung receives a special award at the first AVC Gala · opens in a new tabTook the posts of chair of the Asian Volleyball Confederation’s Athletes’ Commission and ambassador. Her term begins Sept. 1.
Source 40 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Kim Yeon-koung named AVC Athletes’ Commission chair and ambassador · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2005–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
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Sports · South Korea
Feb 26, 1988 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1988: the year of the event minus 1988, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.21 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.