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43 seconds before the end of the fourth quarter. Hana One-Q, which was leading 66-65, had a problem. Kim Jong-un, the core of defense and vocal leader, collided with Lee Hae-ran and suffered a major injury, causing his front teeth to curl inward. The atmosphere in the stadium instantly changed, and Hana One-Q lost to Shin E-seul three seconds before the end, giving up a come-from-behind layup.

Kim Jong-un caresses his mouth and says, "While I was sick, I saw the clock first. I had about 40 seconds left. I told the kids, 'I'm okay. Please win.' I kept asking my trainer even though I was doing first aid at the locker. 'Did you win? What happened?' He kept answering me weakly. 'Sister. I lost.' I didn't know it hurt that much until then, and the pain started pouring in from then on. How much does it hurt?' (laughs)

In the morning after taking the lead with three seconds left, Kim had to be confirmed by medical staff. He said it takes at least one month to recover. However, Kim crumpled the note into his pocket and boarded a team bus to Bucheon.

"I was grateful that my broken teeth weren't my joints," Kim replied with a smile. "You know what I've seen for a long time, right? I have a bad knee, surgery on both my ankles, and a disk on my neck and waist. I had only one hard thing on my body, and I laughed thinking it was hurt, too. Don't feel sorry for me. Players are supposed to run like this at this age."

However, the reality was cold despite Kim's fierce battle. Starting with the loss at the Samsung Life Insurance match, which was missed due to injury, Woori Bank lost at the match, BNK lost at the match, and KB lost at the opening four times in a row.

Doesn't it matter that the last-place team for two consecutive seasons loses four consecutive games in the opening round? No, this season's Hana Q had to be different. Hana Q, which gave up its future nomination rights and announced its improvement in constitution by recruiting Kim Jong-un and Kim Si-on, had to be different at this time. The outside gaze was like, "Of course, yes," but Hana Q was actually shaking a little bit internally at this time. I worked so hard in the summer, but Jung-eun came, so why are we still having a meal with other teams?

It was in the locker room at Cheongju Gymnasium on November 17 that the sense of crisis that had swept Hana One Q finally exploded. KB Stars ace Park Ji-soo got off work early due to garbage time with 18 points and 15 rebounds, while Hana One Q ace Jihyun Shin left work early due to five fouls, helplessly watching his fourth consecutive loss from the bench.

After the meeting with the coaching staff after the game, Kim Jong-un left three senior members, Jihyun Shin, Yang In-young and Kim Si-on, in the locker room.

"In our league, where we meet six times in a season, there is something more important than our best. Fighting spirit. Once we get behind in this fighting spirit, we keep looking down on it. But in this game, our senior players didn't open their mouths. Being behind KB? Everybody knows that. But you have to have the fighting spirit to do something to not lose like this."

"I used to criticize only the seniors who sent the young players away. It's these seniors who are creating culture, and I wanted them to play the role that I'm playing on the court. Everybody hates it, but someone else has to do it. I felt sorry for the grown-up players, but they said a lot."

Kim Jong Un's sincerity worked. He finally won his first game in the fourth quarter of the game against Shinhan Bank, 79-65. Jihyun Shin, which was sent off for five fouls in the previous game, played the best game of the season with 17 points and nine assists. Yang In-young had three season-high block shots, and Kim Si-on had the most rebounds with seven rebounds.

"After the game, (Shin) Ji-hyun was preparing for a broadcast interview, and other members came and asked me." Kim Jong-un said, "Is it okay to do a water spray ceremony? I asked, 'What's wrong with that?' and they said they've never done that water spray ceremony before. I always won in the 6th round, so I wasn't in that mood..."

That ordinary daily life that we see several times a week on TV may be a moment that someone has been looking forward to so long.

"I was happy when I joined this team as a rookie, and I was happy when I moved to Woori Bank and won the championship, but now I have another way of happiness." Kim Jong-un, the second highest scorer in women's basketball, says. "I signed a two-year contract, didn't I? How can I tell them what I've learned so far so they can learn faster?" During the rest of the year, I'm worried. They are very obedient, and since they are the old team, there are things like that... "

There are many ways to do mentoring, but among them, Kim decided to share his know-how in the most Kim-like way. Taking out a safety helmet and showing it to the court.

Last season, Kim recorded 3.9 rebounds for Woori Bank. However, as he turned 36 years old after turning one year older, he has 5.0 rebounds in Hana One Q. Block shots increased from 0.4 in last season to 0.9 in this season. The number of free throws per game increased from 1.5, to 2.5. It is not his way to arm in arm next to the court and order only with words. It is Kim's way to tie his chin and demonstrate in person.

"The coach once said that," Kim said while looking up at the banner of the team on the ceiling of the Bucheon Gymnasium. "When I lost in a row last season, I wore a suit to play one day, and it was really hard to put it on. If it were Kim Jong-un during the Hana KEB era in the past, I wouldn't have understood that, but now I think I know what it means."

Kim Jong Un is taking to the court today as well. He holds a safety helmet in one hand and holds the hands of young players in the other hand. That is why Kim Jong Un took the hard path of "Hana One Q," the last place team, last summer.