South Korean women's volleyball national team member Lee Da-hyun is drawing growing attention in Japan after a standout performance against the Japanese squad.
According to Japanese outlet THE ANSWER on the 24th, the South Korean women's national team lost to Japan 0-3 (31-33, 19-25, 20-25) in their second Group C match at the 2026 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship, held in Tianjin, China, on the 23rd.
South Korea, ranked 26th in the world, sits well below Japan at No. 6, but showed strong form, including a tight deuce battle in the first set.
Middle blocker Lee Da-hyun stood out in particular. She blocked an attack by Japanese hitter Yoshino Sato in the first set, then continued to unsettle Japan's defense with quick attacks and high contact points. Lee finished the match with 11 points and two blocks.
The outlet said Lee appeared to leave a strong impression on Japanese fans as well, citing reactions posted online. According to the report, Japanese internet users wrote comments such as "She's a good player. Competition for the middle blocker position looks set to intensify," "She's really beautiful. She looks like an actress," "Lee Da-hyun is amazing," and "She's becoming the biggest wall in Korea."
Born in 2001, Lee was selected second overall in the first round of the Korea Volleyball Federation women's rookie draft for the 2019-2020 season and joined Hyundai Engineering & Construction. She later moved to Heungkuk Life Insurance as a free agent ahead of the 2025-2026 season. Next season, she will play in Japan's SV League. Japanese women's volleyball club NEC Red Rockets officially announced her signing in July.
