The Republic of Korea won the bronze medals at the Asian Men's Championship in Fukuoka and secured participation in the 2027 World Championship in Poland.
In the match for third place, the Koreans defeated Australia 3:2 (16:25, 25:18, 22:25, 25:18, 15:9), after trailing twice in sets.
Australia started stronger and took the first set 25:16. The Republic of Korea responded with 25:18, but the Australians again took the lead after 25:22 in the third. The Koreans managed to equalize with 25:18 and sent the match to a tie-break, where they imposed their will with 15:9.
The stakes in the small final were double. In addition to the bronze medals, the winner also received a quota for the 2027 World Championship in Poland. Thus, the Republic of Korea finished the tournament on the podium and secured a place at the next World Championship.
Statistics show where the Koreans found the path to the comeback. Australia had a significant advantage in blocking, but the Republic of Korea compensated with a much more effective attack.

The difference came mostly from the attack. The Koreans neutralized Australia's blocking advantage and finished the match with eight more points than their opponent. The most effective player in the match was Subong Ho with 28 points. Lorenzo Pope scored 23 for Australia, Sungin Lim added 15 for the winners, and D'Arcy finished with 14.

The Koreans had two of the three top-scoring volleyball players in the match, with Subong Ho's performance being particularly crucial for the win. South Korea also recorded 67 digs in defense against Australia's 60. In receptions, the Australians had more recorded actions – 91 against 83, while in setting, the indicator was 127:120 in favor of the Koreans. The 3:2 victory brought South Korea not only the bronze medals in Fukuoka but also the most important prize from the small final – a spot among the participants in the 2027 World Championship in Poland.

photo: volleyballworld.com