South Korea’s premier winter leagues launch their 2026–2027 campaigns this weekend as volleyball player Kang So-hui and basketball player Kang Lee-sul begin their pursuit of domestic titles.
Opening Weekend Schedules for Volleyball and Basketball
The 2026–2027 V-League season officially opens on Oct. 31 with a doubleheader across two cities. The men’s division begins at 2:00 p.m. at Incheon Gyeyang Gymnasium, featuring a match between Korean Air and Hyundai Capital. At 4:00 p.m., the women’s division gets underway at Seoul’s Jangchung Gymnasium with a matchup between GS Caltex and Korea Expressway Corporation.
Teams across both genders will contest a total of 6 rounds during which each team plays 36 matches, running through April 2, 2027. The V-League postseason is scheduled from April 5 to April 22, 2027. Meanwhile, the Women’s Korean Basketball League (WKBL) tips off its season on Nov. 1 at 4:00 p.m. at Cheongju Gymnasium, where Cheongju KB and Busan BNK face off.
League Expansion and Regular Season Format Changes
The WKBL enters its 2026–2027 campaign under a newly expanded format. The regular season will expand to seven rounds for the first time since the 2018–2019 season. Six member clubs will each play 35 games before the regular season concludes on March 9, 2027. The WKBL playoffs are set to begin on March 13, 2027.
Contract Milestones and Scoring Goals for Kang So-hui
Korea Expressway Corporation outside hitter Kang So-hui enters the season as the league’s highest-paid women’s player. Her annual salary totals 800 million won, maintaining the top earning spot she secured last season. During the previous campaign, she recorded 421 total points with a 38.45% attack success rate, earning a spot on the season ‘Best 7’ outside hitter team.
Kang warmed up for the new campaign by scoring 40 points across 4 matches during the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) Cup. She is currently in the final year of a three-year, 2.4-billion-won contract with Korea Expressway Corporation. Every season, my goal is the unified championship,
Kang said. I will try my best to maintain good performance until the end of the season.
The 29-year-old’s performance remains central to Korea Expressway Corporation’s title ambitions.
Chasing 900 Three-Pointers and a New Team for Kang Lee-sul
In the WKBL, forward Kang Lee-sul prepares for her first season with Woori Bank after signing a four-year contract in May with an annual value of 420 million won. Kang, who helped South Korea win a gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, has led the league in three-point field goals made for three consecutive seasons.
The 32-year-old is closing in on a milestone. She has accumulated 894 career three-pointers and is attempting to reach 900. The previous youngest mark belongs to former BNK coach Byun Yeon-ha, who reached the figure at 33 years and 11 months, while Kim Young-ok holds the record for fewest games at 416 appearances.
Media and fan projections place Kang among the leading candidates for the Most Valuable Player award. The important thing is winning the championship,
Kang said. MVP comes naturally as a result.
Next Scheduled Fixtures
Korea Expressway Corporation travels to face GS Caltex at Jangchung Gymnasium on Oct. 31 at 4:00 p.m. Woori Bank opens its WKBL schedule following the league’s opening night clash between Cheongju KB and Busan BNK on Nov. 1 at 4:00 p.m.
Related reading
