As of April 14, 2025, Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi has been excluded from the V-League’s “Best 7” selections in South Korea. This phenomenon has made the netizens regret so much. Moreover, they boycotted KOVO (the South Korean Volley Ball federation) by unfollowing. They feel that their idol is also the best. In fact, Megawati has been recognized multiple times for her outstanding performance.
For instance, she was named MVP in the fourth round of the 2024–2025 V-League season, securing 21 out of 31 votes from journalists (TVOne News 21/1/2025), and (SEA. Today, 17/11/2023) Additionally, she was included in the “Best 7” lineup for two consecutive weeks in January 2025 (TVOne News.com, 21/1/2025).
Indonesian volleyball player who defended the Red Sparks team in the South Korean Volleyball League (V-League), again made a brilliant achievement. He was selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) or Best Players fourth round of the 2024-2025 V-League (Radar Surabaya (Tuesday, April 15, 2025).
Megawati’s individual statistics further underscore her excellence. She achieved a 48.06% attack success rate, the highest in V-League history since the 2014–2015 season (NyaringNews, 24/3/2025). Her contributions have been pivotal in Red Sparks’ success, including a 13-match winning streak that set a new club record (AlsiNews, 14/4/2025).
Regarding the upcoming 2025–2026 V-League season, Megawati’s absence from the Asian quota draft is notable. However, this appears to be a personal decision rather than an exclusion by KOVO. Reports indicate that she chose not to enter the draft, possibly to explore other opportunities or take a break (Jakarta Daily, 8/3/2025).
In short, it seems there is no evidence of unfairness or exclusion by KOVO concerning Megawati’s accolades or participation. Her achievements have been duly recognized, and her decisions regarding future participation seem to be self-determined (SindoNews, 14/2/2025)
However, many netizens, especially from Indonesia and even South Korea, have voiced their disappointment over Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi not being included in the final “Best 7” of the V-League 2024–2025 season, despite her stellar performance (RedSpark Megawati Facebook account). The following is a breakdown of possible reasons behind the backlash and why the public might perceive unfairness, even if officially it appears procedural:
First of all, outstanding performance vs. lack of recognition. Megawati had one of the highest attack success rates in V-League history (48.06%) — the best in over a decade. In addition, she earned multiple MVP awards, helped ring Red Sparks to new heights, and was widely acknowledged as a game-changer. Being left out of the final Best 7 list felt like a snub, especially when other players with arguably less impact were chosen.
“How can someone with that kind of performance be overlooked? What more does she need to do?” This is also leading to, firstly, potential bias or systemic oversight. Some speculate that non-Korean players, especially Southeast Asians, may face subtle biases within the system — not overt, but structural. The selection might prioritize marketability, popularity in Korea, or club politics, over pure statistics and contribution. The social media may have the same opinion. “If she were from a more traditionally dominant country, would the result be different?”
It also brings about being lack of transparency in selection criteria. KOVO tends to be suspected of being not always clearly explain how the “Best 7” is chosen — whether it’s journalist voting, fan popularity, stats, or club lobbying. All these should have been informed to public. When a high performer like Megawati is left out without clear explanation, it naturally sparks suspicion.
The possibility can be due to rising Nationalism and Support. Indonesian fans are immensely proud of Megawati, and rightly so — she’s become a national icon in volleyball. Her journey, humility, and breakthroughs in the Korean league have made her a fan favourite, even beyond Indonesia. However, any perceived injustice against her feels personal to many fans, especially the public netizens in the digital society.
However, even if no explicit unfairness is proven, the perception of injustice can be just as powerful, especially when fans feel that their hero was undervalued. Public pressure might not change past outcomes, but it could push for greater transparency and inclusivity in future selections.
Dr. Djuwari is an Associate Professor at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Surabaya (UNUSA) Indonesia. Surabaya, the editor of some research journals in the Philippines and Indonesia. He is also a journalist in some newspapers in Indonesia; the President of International Association of Scholarly Publishers, Editors, and Reviewers (IASPER), a small business owner of Djuw Café.
