Kim In-hyeok

Kim In-hyeok was a professional volleyball player in the South Korean volleyball league. He played as a left-wing spiker for the Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs. He was drafted into the professional league in 2017 as a top 3 pick by the Suwon KEPCO Vixtorm, after gaining attention as an ace during his college years at Gyeongsang National University. He showed both notable offensive and defensive skills as a part of the Suwon KEPCO Vixtorm, until he sustained an injury to his left hand. In 2020, he was recruited by the Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs, but he suffered another injury that put him out of all but two games during the 2021-2022 season. Kim In-hyeok was also known to have faced severe malicious comments from netizens and volleyball fans throughout his career, especially about his appearance. He once posted on his Instagram to call out the haters and clarify some misunderstandings about him, such as wearing makeup, being gay, or acting in adult videos. He denied all these rumors and asked the netizens to stop bullying him. He also said that he was tired of ignoring them for the past 10 years. A day before his death, he updated his Instagram with two TikTok videos using filters, and the comment "Goodbye... Goodnight..." He also quoted the lyrics of a song by Lucia, which expressed the feelings of loneliness and despair. He was found dead in his home by the police on February 4, 2022. The investigation revealed no evidence of foul play, and the cause of death was ruled as suicide. His death shocked and saddened the volleyball community and his fans, who expressed their condolences and regret for not being able to support him more. He was 26 years old.