Home > Sports > Volleyball

Former V League star Lee Jae-yeong joins Japanese side Victoryna Himeji

Published: 22 Jul. 2025, 15:40

Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders outside hitter Lee Jae-yeong celebrates during a V League match against Daejeon KGC in Incheon on Feb. 20, 2020. [YONHAP]

Former Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders outside hitter Lee Jae-yeong has joined Victoryna Himeji in Japan's SV.League, making her return to the court nearly four years after being forced to halt her career due to an alleged school bullying scandal.

Himeji announced on Monday through their social media that the club has signed Lee.

"She is an outside hitter with world-class attacking and defensive skills," the club said in a statement.

Himeji competes in the women's first division of the SV League, consisting of two divisions. Based in Himeji near Osaka, the team finished sixth on the 14-team table last season.

Avital Selinger, who led both the Israeli men's national team and the Dutch women's national squad, serves as the head coach.

A Himeji official reportedly visited Korea earlier this year to assess Lee's skills, before finalizing a deal. She signed the contract on a lower salary than other foreign players in the Japanese league, as she had had a long hitaus from the court.

Lee emerged as a talent during her high school days and joined the Pink Spiders in the Korean V League as a top draft pick in the 2014-15 season.

Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders outside hitter Lee Jae-yeong attacks during a V League match against the Hwaseong IBK Altos in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi on Nov. 27, 2020. [YONHAP]

She won the Rookie of the Year award in her debut season and won the MVP of the regular season in 2017 and 2019, in addition to leading the Pink Spiders to the regular season and championship titles in the 2018-19 campaign.

But she and her twin sister Lee Da-yeong were both forced to leave the V League after being embroiled in a scandal in February 2021, when former middle school teammates accused them of being bullies when in school, listing 21 allegations, including claims that one of the sisters had threatened them with a knife.

Lee Jae-yeong joined Greek team PAOK Thessaloniki later in 2021, but ended the 2021-22 season early due to a knee injury.

She attempted to return to the V League by joining the Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers in 2022, but failed to materialize a deal after facing backlash from the Korean public.

She indicated her potential retirement in July last year by saying on her social media, "Please support the second chapter of my life."

But she has decided to giver her career another chance.

"It has been my dream since I was a child to play in Japan,” she said through Himeji's media team. “I sincerely reflect on what happened in the past. I was unsure whether I could continue playing volleyball. Nothing can replace volleyball for me.

"I am grateful to the team for giving me another chance, and I will do my best to contribute to the team."

Himeji will start their 2025-26 season with a match against Osaka Marvelous on Oct. 10.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]