As a youth, Korolyuk played in the 1990
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from
Moscow. Korolyuk was drafted 141st overall by the
San Jose Sharks in
1994 NHL entry draft, from
PHC Krylya Sovetov. Three years later, he jumped to the
NHL, making the opening night roster for the Sharks. However, he spent the majority of
that season playing in the
American Hockey League. Differences with then-head coach
Darryl Sutter caused Korolyuk to be a contract hold-out at the start of the
2000–01 NHL season. He would eventually play 70 games for the Sharks that season. Korolyuk only played 32 games the
next season and left the team after continued problems with Sutter. He played all of 2002–03 with
Ak Bars Kazan. While playing in
Russia, Sutter was fired, paving the way for his return to the Sharks in
2003–04. Playing primarily on the second line with
Alyn McCauley and
Nils Ekman, Korolyuk posted a career-high 37 points. That would be his final season in the NHL, however, as Korolyuk returned to Russia during the
2004–05 NHL lockout. On 1 October 2006, his rights were traded to the
New Jersey Devils, along with
Jim Fahey, for
Vladimir Malakhov and a first-round draft pick. Later
that season, Korolyuk became interested in an NHL return and requested to Devils management that his rights be traded back to the Sharks. His request was granted and the Sharks re-acquired him 16 February 2007 for a third-round draft pick, only to have the trade voided six days later when Korolyuk did not report for his physical in the allotted time period. Korolyuk continued his playing career in the
Kontinental Hockey League, playing for
HC Vityaz,
Atlant Mytishchi,
SKA St. Petersburg,
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl,
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk,
Metallurg Magnitogorsk and
HC Yugra. ==Career statistics==