Women's volleyball coach acknowledges gap with Japan, vows to beat Thailand for bronze

South Korea women's volleyball head coach Cha Sang-hyun acknowledged a clean defeat after his team failed to overcome Japan in the semifinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Speaking to reporters after a 0-3 (20-25, 22-25, 16-25) loss to Japan at Park Arena Komaki in Aichi Prefecture on Monday, Cha said the gap had to be recognized. "Japan played with precision," he said. "We lost the match, but our players never gave up until the end — I want to give them credit for that."

South Korea competed closely with Japan — a team that has risen to world-class standing — in every set, yet could not take a single one, with each set remaining contested until the final moments.

Korea held firm and refused to fold easily, but could not clear the final hurdle and ultimately fell 0-3.

"Japan was serving with an intensity that made it nearly impossible to receive," Cha said. "We tried to find a way through, but it wasn't enough. We need to prepare better going forward and close the gap — I'll be thinking hard about that."

On his decision to deploy outside hitter Lee Ye-rim of Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) from the second set onward, Cha said the team's serve reception had broken down and they could not find a way out. "I brought in Lee, who has solid fundamentals, hoping to turn the momentum around, but it wasn't enough to fully overcome the situation," he said.

The team faces Thailand in the bronze-medal match Wednesday, with a chance to claim South Korea's first Asian Games medal in women's volleyball since the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games eight years ago. Thailand won the Asian Championship last month and secured a direct berth to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, then narrowly lost to China in a full-set semifinal on Monday.

"The schedule at this tournament has been extremely tight," Cha said. "Our players have been holding up well. Wednesday's match is the last one, so we'll give everything we have."

He added that Thailand's three-pronged attack line was powerful and their starting setter experienced. "To break down Thailand's set plays, we need to execute our serves well," he said. "One way or another, we'll neutralize them and create a smooth attacking flow."