Kim: Of course, this year… Because we could have given up when Yonsei was 16 points ahead of us but we caught up thanks to the KU crowd, who encouraged us. And we could have won but that last shot was denied by the hoop and the game ended as a tie… that’s what made me frustrating—that last shoot. At first, I couldn’t sleep for a few days. I was the one that made the shot so I was stressed out.

 

 

Kim: Our weakness is that until now, a lot of our plays were centered towards (Lee) Jong Hyun and (Kang) Sang Jae. Thus when Jong Hyun wasn’t on the court with us our team was a little unstable. From this year, we are going to practice so that every member on the court can all score well. On the other hand, the strength of our team is that we become united when facing hardships. We become one.

 

 

Kim: I took away the win for the team this year; next year I am going to bring it.

 

 

Kim: Oh, it’s very hard. (Laughs) You can’t overcome that; you just bear it. During this year’s game, I was out on the bench for a few minutes because I had a cramp in my leg. Actually, even before I left the court, my legs were sore with the cramp but I just couldn’t stop because we were only five or six points behind. All I could think of was that I needed to make a shoot. I was impressed with myself too. This was my first time I ever continued to play despite pain. I don’t know exactly why but I just endured it.

 

 

Kim: I am not the kind of style that gets nervous. Rather than being burdened by all the attention, I tend to try my best to enjoy the game itself.

 

 

Kim: Definitely! When the second quarter ended with Yonsei leading by 14 points, our team went to the bench. We thought the game was over but then we heard the cheering of the crowd. So we thought, “No, we are not giving up. Let’s do this,” and we did our best. Personally, I like Minjok eui Aria the best.

 

 

 

Kim: I started playing since I was in elementary school. It was sports day and I was the last runner for my class in the relay. My class was like third but I eventually outran all the others and became first. And there, a basketball coach from my school told me to come play basketball every day after class from then on. At that time I didn’t want to study at all so I naturally started basketball.

 

 

Kim: Well… Since I my position is a guard, there are moments when I make swift attacks or make a three point shoot with only a few seconds left to the game. The roar of the crowd that follows is what I like the most.

 

 

Kim: Number four? (Laughs) There is no special meaning to it actually. When I was a freshman, I wanted to be number five. But (Choi) Seong Won, my colleague, wanted to be five too. So we did paper-scissors-rock and I lost. So that’s why I’ve been number 4 during the last three years.

 

 

Kim: (Jang) Tae Bin and (Yoo) Tae Min. I don’t know why but we are very like-minded. We have a lot of fun.

 

 

Kim: I have always wanted to become a player that earns an annual income of half a billion won. I have always thought that if I become such a player, it would then be okay to quit. Well, if you started something, I believe that you need to set a high goal and try your best until you actually fulfill it. Doing something without any goals or expectations does not mean much. And it’s no fun either. So whenever I feel like I am undergoing a burnout, I try to imagine myself achieving my goal.

 

 

Kim: Hmm… Role model… To me, (Heo) Hoon of Yonsei. We were on the Korean youth representative basketball team together in high school and have known each other since. The thing is, every time I see him, he just gets better and better in basketball. Thus every time I saw Hoon developing himself, I would practice too. I would literally watch him and learn. I think most of my basketball skills today owe much to him.

 

 

Kim: No. (Chuckles) People don’t recognize me. I should practice more. To become a player of half a billion won. I have to try my best.

 

 

Kim: Sprite? Because when you make shoots and everything it feels sparkly.

 

 

Kim: The Ko-Yon Games is a very important experience. Being able to play in front of such a large crowd when you are a university student… that is amazing. It is something to be proud of—something I can brag about. My record is two wins and one tie and if I win next year, it will be three wins and one tie. I can surely be proud that I have never experienced a loss.

 

 

 

Kim: We are always trying our best to win. So if you come and see the game, we will try harder to show you a fun and victorious game.