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Kwak Seung-seok, who supported the era of the Korean Air dynasty, delivered his long-term goal.

Korean Air's Dodram 2023-2024 V-League ended with a happy ending, writing new history. In the championship match, the Korean Air defeated OK Financial Group 3-0 overall, achieving the first record of four consecutive combined wins. It was a season when the Korean Air dynasty, which had already taken root since the last three consecutive combined wins, was expanding its branches even further.

And Kwak Seung-seok has always been on the wing of that magnificent dynasty. He is neither the captain of Korean Air nor the main striker. However, Kwak's defense, which stretches his arms around the sixth spot and succeeds in a neat dig, greatly contributes to leading Korean Air to one of the most threatening counterattack capabilities in the league. His sharp pipes and seasoned hacking attacks are also his specialty.

"The Spike" met Kwak Seung-seok, a veteran who has led Korean Air to win four consecutive championships with various weapons, at the Korean Air Training Center in Yongin on Tuesday. "After winning the championship, I participated in team get-togethers several times and went to award ceremonies. Other than those times, I focused on raising children (laughs). I am spending time with my family," he said.

Afterwards, he talked about various things with Kwak. The first topic we talked about was the fourth consecutive championship. "As soon as the 2022-23 season ended, everyone was interested in winning the fourth championship in a row. It was the same not only for us but also for the outside," Kwak said, looking back on the past, "Actually, I felt various pressures from him. There was pressure from other teams trying to stop us no matter what, but also pressure from within the team to achieve our goal unconditionally. Nevertheless, I am glad that I finally achieved that goal. It is a valuable result," he said about his difficult times and rewarding ending.

It wasn't just the psychological pressure that bothered Kwak. The injury of himself and his teammates was also a major obstacle. "I kept asking (Jung) Ji-seok when the hell he was coming. He also said that he was pretending to be sick because he wanted to rest when he was not sick." Honestly, he thought he would be able to come back soon. Still, our team was able to endure that time because of its solid depth. "From Mark Espeho (registered name Espeho) to Han-yong and Lee (Lee)jun did their part," he said.

Notably, Kwak Seung-seok said of Jeong, who spent the most time with him while Jung was away, "Han was really good. He must have been really nervous from the opening game, but he was good to people and imprinted himself on people. Thank you very much. We also talked a lot together. We could increase our winning percentage by keeping Han alive somehow. Of course, it is more comfortable to play with Ji-seok, but I prepared a lot with him to win no matter who he played with, and I think he enjoyed the process well."

Whether playing with Jung or Jeong, Kwak has always been at the center of the receiving and defense sectors. This was his role not only during this season but also throughout the Korean Air dynasty. When asked if there is anything he emphasizes in defense and receiving, Kwak said, "In receiving, the most important thing is not to concede serve in the space between players. When it comes to defense, the coach gives them autonomy. He tells me to do as I please. However, because of the defense system as a team, there are areas where I cannot control myself. I cannot control myself freely. I feel like I would actually get cursed at if I did so."

Afterwards, Kwak also mentioned his injury. "Injuries were the main reason for the slight drop in overall record compared to last season. There were also difficulties during the recovery period. As the performance did not come my way due to the aftermath of the injury, I experienced more replacements than other seasons," he said, citing his injury as the cause. "But that is all. It may be just my opinion, but I don't think my pure skills were a problem in itself, except for the injury," he said, expressing confidence in his continued skills.

Based on his confidence that he displayed in person and his performance on the court, Kwak is still a key player of Korean Air. However, Kwak, who was 31 when he won his first championship title, has turned 37 years old. No one's time can last forever, and now Kwak is starting to think about the end of his career little by little. "When I clap, I always think about whether I should leave or endure until the end. Now, I talk little by little with my wife about this," he said, frankly expressing his concern about the end of his career.

However, Kwak seemed to have come to an internal conclusion on this issue to some extent. "I want to try until the end until I am told to leave the team (laughs). Of course, it will be possible only when I maintain performance, but personally, I want to do that. Whenever I have an interview, I always say that I want to become the essential presence of the team. Until the end of my volleyball career, I will try to be that player. I will continue to grow more and maintain my good skills," he said, expressing his determination to increase the value of his existence to the end.

As such, Gwak Seung-seok, the king's wing, dreams of completing the latter half of his career as a sign of existence. That's why he eagerly prepares for his upcoming 15th season. He told his fans, "I hope fans will enjoy this moment when new history has been written. My players and I will prepare well for next season. I will see you again in the stadium with a better appearance," he said in his 15th invitation.