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🇰🇷 South Korea /Sports

Basketball Coach Lee Sang-min to Appear on 'You Quiz on the Block'

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Basketball coach Lee Sang-min will appear on the TV show 'You Quiz on the Block' on June 8.
  • Lee, who previously hesitated to appear on entertainment programs due to camera shyness, decided to participate after persistent persuasion.
  • After winning the championship in his first season as coach for KCC, he aims for a 'grand slam' by winning both the regular season and the championship.

Lee Sang-min, a celebrated figure in Korean basketball, is set to make a rare television appearance on the popular variety show 'You Quiz on the Block.' The episode is scheduled to air on June 8.

I get nervous in front of the camera. I try to avoid being in front of it unless it's related to basketball.

— Lee Sang-minIn a previous interview with Hankyoreh, Lee Sang-min explained his reluctance to appear on entertainment programs.

Known for his past reluctance to engage with entertainment programs, Lee had previously cited camera shyness, stating in an interview with Hankyoreh last season, "I get nervous in front of the camera. I try to avoid being in front of it unless it's related to basketball." Despite receiving numerous offers since becoming the coach for Busan KCC, he had turned them all down, including an earlier invitation from 'You Quiz on the Block.' His decision to finally appear this time reportedly came after considerable persuasion from those around him.

Despite his on-court persona, Lee is known to be quite talkative and humorous off the court, even enjoying Chinese dramas and recalling actors' names with ease. His coaching career has been marked by significant success. In his debut season with KCC, he led the team to a championship after they entered the playoffs as the sixth seed. This achievement followed a successful playing career where he was a key figure in the "Oppa" fan clubs that fueled a basketball boom during his university days. He led his teams to three championship wins before retiring.

Failure experienced for a long time was helpful.

— Lee Sang-minReflecting on his championship win with KCC.

As a coach, however, his path to a championship was longer. He led Seoul Samsung for approximately seven seasons, reaching the championship finals only once in the 2016-2017 season. Reflecting on his championship win with KCC, he attributed his success to his past experiences with failure. Having achieved his dream of winning a championship as a coach, Lee now sets his sights on a "grand slam," aiming to win both the regular season and the championship.

I will aim for a grand slam (regular season first + championship).

— Lee Sang-minStating his future goals after achieving a championship as a coach.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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