Lee Da-young
Overview
Lee Da-young (born October 15, 1996) is a South Korean volleyball player whose position is setter. Together with her twin sister Lee Jae-young, she played for Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders and grew into a star representing the women's volleyball world. However, in 2021, after her involvement in school violence was revealed, she was permanently expelled by the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO), and afterward moved to overseas leagues to continue her career.
Main Content
Childhood and Growth
Lee Da-young was born in 1996 in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. As an identical twin, she showed talent in volleyball from a young age along with her older sister Lee Jae-young. The two sisters attended the same school and trained together in the volleyball club, drawing attention for their outstanding teamwork. Da-young was recognized for her precise sets and game management as a setter, while Jae-young played as an outside hitter with powerful attacks; together they became known as the "twin volleyball sisters."
In 2014, during high school, she was first selected for the national team, and afterward stood out in international competitions such as the 2015 World Junior Championship.
Professional Career
In the 2015 KOVO Rookie Draft, Lee Da-young was selected by Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders as the 1st overall pick in the first round. In the same draft, her older sister Lee Jae-young was selected 2nd overall, and the two sisters entered the professional league side by side.
From her debut season, Lee Da-young played as the starting setter and led the team to a regular season championship and a runner-up finish in the Championship Final. In particular, during the 2017-18 season, she received the Best Setter Award in the setter category and was nominated for the Most Valuable Player Award, earning recognition for her skills. She continued to play as a key player for Heungkuk Life and contributed to the team's top-tier results. Her career statistics over seven seasons included 178 matches and more than 5,000 sets.
She also played for the national team, participating in the 2018 Asian Games and the 2019 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Cup. In 2019, she was selected as the starting setter for the national team and coordinated the team's offense in international competitions. However, there was controversy during the selection process for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics national team, including suspicions of misconduct.
School Violence Controversy and Permanent Expulsion
In February 2021, allegations that Lee Da-young had been involved in school violence during middle and high school were posted on online communities. People presumed to be victims testified that they had suffered continuous verbal abuse, physical assault, and extortion from the Lee sisters during their school days. As the allegations spread, the two sisters immediately issued public apologies, and their former team, Heungkuk Life, decided to withdraw their contract renewals and release them.
After holding an investigation committee and confirming the facts, the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) issued indefinite suspensions to Lee Da-young and Lee Jae-young in March 2021. Later, in February 2022, KOVO confirmed permanent expulsions for both players. This was recorded as the first case in South Korean professional sports history in which perpetrators of school violence were permanently expelled, causing a major stir.
During this process, Lee Da-young expressed psychological distress and indicated her intention to retire, but ultimately decided to continue her career.
Overseas League Challenges
No longer able to play domestically, Lee Da-young joined PAOK Thessaloniki in the Greek league in late 2021. She played there for one season and contributed to a runner-up finish in the Greek Cup. In the 2022-23 season, she transferred to Galatasaray in Turkey. However, adapting in Turkey was not easy, and her contract ended after just one season.
From 2023, she moved to Budapest Vermenbudda in the Hungarian league. She also played as the starting setter in the Hungarian league, helping the team compete for a top spot. As of the 2024-25 season, Lee Da-young is reportedly playing matches across both the Hungarian league and the Central European league.
Latest Developments
As of 2024, Lee Da-young continues her career in overseas leagues without returning to the domestic stage. Since KOVO's permanent expulsion remains in effect, she cannot return to South Korean professional volleyball. However, because the suspension is not at the level of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), there are no restrictions on contracting with overseas teams.
In January 2024, she was selected for the Hungarian league All-Star Game, showing that she maintains good form. In March of the same year, she ranked first overall in the set category in the Hungarian first division, proving she remains a competitive setter.
In 2025, news of her overseas league activities continues to be reported intermittently. In interviews, Lee Da-young has said, "Starting over in a new environment after leaving Korea allowed me to grow as a player. If the opportunity ever comes, I would like to work as a coach who can help younger players." However, given the reactions of the school violence victims and domestic public opinion, a return still appears difficult, and she is expected to continue her life abroad.
Related Topics
- [[Lee Jae-young]]
- [[South Korea women's national volleyball team]]
- [[School violence and eligibility of sports players]]
- [[Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders]]
- [[KOVO]]