Lee Jae-young, Lee Da-young reunite on same team for first time in 5 years

Twin sisters and former South Korean national team volleyball players Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young, who left the domestic league following a school bullying controversy, have signed with the same club for the first time in about five years and announced their fresh start on social media.

The 30-year-old twins have each signed with Turan VC of Azerbaijan's women's volleyball Super League and will wear the same uniform in the 2026-2027 season, according to sports industry sources Monday.

It will be the first time the sisters have played on the same team since they were both at PAOK Thessaloniki in Greece in 2021.

Both sisters took to social media to share their feelings ahead of the new challenge.

Lee Jae-young, the older twin, wrote on her social media account Saturday: "There is no perfect timing to start anything — you just have to jump in when it feels like the time. Even if you fail and stumble, that's OK. Starting while still lacking, still imperfect, is real courage."

She added: "So what — let's give it another go. Let's run as fast as the time we've missed. I'll be back soon. I love you all."

Her younger sister Lee Da-young also posted Saturday: "I'm so happy to have had this wonderful opportunity to move to Turan, a great team. I missed you all so much while I was waiting, and it was your support that gave me the strength to get here."

She added: "I went through some tough times with injuries, but I'm truly grateful that you waited for me, believed in me and cheered me on without wavering. I'll repay that support with a strong performance on the court soon. Let's laugh together again and push forward together."

The sisters were among the biggest stars in South Korean women's volleyball when, in 2021, while playing for Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders in the domestic V-League, allegations emerged that they had committed school bullying during their middle school years. The club handed them indefinite suspensions, and the Korea Volleyball Federation stripped them of their national team eligibility.

The twins subsequently joined Greek women's pro volleyball club PAOK Thessaloniki in late 2021, beginning their careers abroad. Lee Jae-young, however, returned home after about a month due to a knee injury and stepped away from the court for an extended period before signing with Japan's SV League club Victoria Himeji last year, returning to play after roughly four years away.

Lee Da-young went on to play for several clubs overseas after PAOK Thessaloniki, including CS Rapid Bucharest in Romania, Volero Le Cannet in France, Panionios GSS in Greece and San Diego Mojo in the United States.