Hoping for a Happy Ending to Megawati Hangestri's "Drama" in Korea

If the final matches of the Korean Volleyball League were akin to a drama, Indonesian female volleyball player Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi wishes to achieve a happy ending. To secure that happy ending, she is even willing to play the role of an antagonist who delivers a bitter story to her opponents.

Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi cannot remain immersed in euphoria for long. Just two days after securing a ticket to the finals, Megawati, along with Daejeon Jung Kwan Jang Red Sparks, will immediately begin their journey to claim the championship title of the 2024-2025 Korean Volleyball League, coinciding with the moment of Eid al-Fitr, Monday (31/3/2025).

Megawati and her team will play their first match in the final round against Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders. Red Sparks will first visit the Pink Spiders' home ground at Samsan World Gymnasium, Incheon.

Pink Spiders have the right to host the first two matches because they advanced to the finals as the champions of the regular phase. Only in the next two matches will Red Sparks play on their home ground.

Red Sparks and Pink Spiders will play the final round in a best-of-five format. The team that is entitled to win the title is the first team to win three games out of the total five games played.

With this format, the opportunity for competition to claim the championship title is open to being filled with drama. Moreover, both teams are equally determined to end their title drought in the Korean Volleyball League. Pink Spiders have endured a three-year drought, while Red Sparks have gone even longer, with 13 years.

Aside from being full of drama, Megawati's journey with Red Sparks is certain to be challenging. Not only because they have to play at the opponent's home ground in the first two matches, but also because Red Sparks must face a head-to-head record that favors Pink Spiders.

This season, Pink Spiders performed better in their record against Red Sparks. Pink Spiders won four out of six encounters in the regular round.

I mostly watch happy romantic comedies or melodramas in Korean dramas. I want to end this season with a “happy ending”.

However, Megawati and her teammates were not afraid. Team captain Yeum Hye-seon even emphasized that Red Sparks has the strength of strong teamwork. This is valuable capital to face Pink Spiders.

If the final round match is like a drama, Yeum also confirmed that she is ready to play the role of an antagonist. She does not hesitate to give a bitter ending to the Pink Spiders or Kim Yeon-koung who is nicknamed the Queen of Korean Volleyball.

Kim, who has won numerous titles in Korea, Japan, Türkiye, and various world events, will retire. Kim hopes to end his story on a high note by winning a title with the Red Sparks.

"For the team, I want to be a 'villain' like in a drama. I want to lift the championship trophy with the team," Yeum was quoted as saying by South Korean media, Star News Korea.

Megawati agreed with her captain. “I like the term criminal. We have to be professional. Kim Yeon-koung is my idol. But inside the stadium, she is just part of another team,” she said.

Megawati knows very well that the final round means a lot to her, no matter who her opponent will be. This is the second season for the player from Jember, East Java, to have a career in South Korea. Amidst her future in the “Land of Ginseng” which is still in question, she wants to mark her second season with a high achievement.

Happiness radiated from Megawati after ensuring the Red Sparks won over Suwon Hyundai E&C Hillstate with her hard hit. The mainstay of the Indonesian national team immediately prostrated in gratitude, hugged the coach and teammates, then cried with emotion.

Megawati said that the happiness was not only because she managed to lead the Red Sparks to the final for the first time in 13 years. The 25-year-old player was also grateful, happy, and touched because she was able to overcome the pressure and difficulties to achieve it.

"Alhamdulillah, I'm very happy. Especially me who didn't give up until the end," said Megawati after the final playoff match against Hillstate in an upload on the official Red Sparks Youtube.

Megawati admitted that she was shaky during the first and second sets against Hillstate. According to Megawati, in those two sets, Hillstate was able to learn her game so she had quite a bit of difficulty. Hillstate was able to win the second set.

However, entering the third set, Megawati began to try to focus on her own game. Red Sparks finally won 3-1 (26-24, 12-25, 25-19, 25-20).

"I thought, why should I waver? I'll just play like usual because it's the same. In the third and fourth sets, I finally (thought) the important thing is I just play, let the results be, God will help," he said again.

On a different occasion when interviewed by KOVO (South Korean Volleyball Federation), Megawati said that the victory over Hillstate was very meaningful because it showed that the Red Sparks could learn from their mistakes. The mistake in question was the second match of the playoffs when Megawati lost at home.

Megawati and Red Sparks actually had the chance to advance to the final in just two matches. They had the capital of winning the first match at the opponent's headquarters. This meant that they only had to finish the second match at home to advance to the final. However, that scenario did not work out.

Regardless, Megawati is happy to be part of the Red Sparks and the team's journey to the top. "This is my first time in the finals in this league. Last year, I was only ranked third. Thank you for your hard work, thank you myself for holding on until now," she said again.

"I mostly watch happy romantic comedies or melodramas in Korean dramas. I want to end this season with a happy ending," Megawati said, as quoted by the Chosun daily.

Will Megawati achieve a happy ending in Korea?