2024 Futures Star Awards' Gangneung Jeilgo Yang Minhyuk for the grand prize in the soccer category
Nov 25, 2024
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The '2024 Futures Star Awards' award ceremony (hosted by and sponsored Star News, sponsored by the Korea Baseball Softball Association, Korea Basketball Association, Players, Gold Ball Park, and Sports Toto) was held at the press conference hall of the Korea Press Center at 3 p.m. on the 25th. More than 100 people attended the event, including winners and their families, as well as soccer, baseball and basketball officials and reporters.
The award ceremony was held following a welcoming speech by Park Joon-chul, CEO of Star News, Vice Chairman of the Korea Baseball Softball Association, Han Joon-hee, Vice Chairman of the Korea Football Association, Shin-seok, director of the Korea Middle and High School Basketball Federation, and a report by Kim In-sik, chairman of the Korea Baseball Organization's award selection committee. The grand prize in the soccer category was won by Yang Min-hyuk, a third-year student at Gangneung Jeil High School, Jung Woo-joo, a third-year high school pitcher, and Park Jung-woong, a third-year student at Hongdae High School, respectively.
Yang Min-hyuk, who played for Gangwon FC this season, is the best prospect in Korean soccer who has confirmed his joining of Tottenham in the English Premier League (EPL). Yang Min-hyuk, who made his K-League debut as a semi-professional, scored 12 goals and six assists in 38 games this year. With Kang Min-hyuk's strong performance, Gangwon FC ended the season with 19 wins, 7 draws and 12 losses (64 points), the highest record in the club's history.
Jung Woo-joo was selected by the Hanwha Eagles as the second overall pick in the 2025 KBO Rookie Draft. In 23 high school league games this year, he had a good record of 5 wins and 1 loss with an ERA of 1.31. He led Jeon high school to victory in the Cheongryonggi and Bonghwangdaegi competitions. It boasts a physique condition of 185cm in height and 88kg in weight and uses a fast ball in the mid-150km/h range.
Park Jung-woong received the honor of being the first grand prize in the basketball category at the Futures Star Awards. Park Jung-woong is a former professional basketball player Park Sung-bae's son. It is a forward resource of 192.7 centimeters in height and has multiplayer capabilities that can also be played by guards. He led Hongik University High School to the long-term championship of the association and the runner-up of the president of the federation, and also played in the U-18 national team.
The soccer star award went to Kim Hyun-woo (Yeongdeungpo Technical High School 3), Park Seung-soo (Matan High School 2), and Son Jung-beom (Osan High School 2), respectively. Kim Hyun-woo is a special multiplayer resource who has been a key member of the three gold medals, including Yeongdeungpo Technical High School's Diamond Stand victory this year. It is evaluated as having excellent pass play and solid basic skills.
Park Seung-soo signed with Suwon Samsung last year and became the youngest semi-professional player in the K League. He made his K League 2 debut this year and played in 14 games, scoring one goal and two assists. Son is also a promising player who joined the U-17 national team. In the 2024 Croatia friendly held in September, he made a strong impression by scoring against Croatia.
Chung Hyun-woo (Deok High School 3, Pitcher), Park Joon-soon (Deok High School 3, Infielder), and Kim Sung-joon (Gwangju Il High School 2, Pitcher) won the Star Award in the baseball category. Chung Hyun-woo joined the Kiwoom Heroes as the first overall player in the 2025 KBO Rookie Draft. In this year's high school league, he pitched in 16 games and marked an eight-win, unbeaten ERA of 0.75. He led Deoksu to his second consecutive victory in the national competition (E-Mart-bae, Golden Lion).
Park Joon-soon played in 34 games at this year's high school competition and posted a batting average of 0.442 (50 hits in 113 times at bat) and a five-homer, 33-run OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.250. He wore a uniform for the Doosan Bears as the sixth overall pick in the first round of the rookie draft. Kim Sung-joon, the only second-year winner in the baseball category, is already considered the biggest fish in next year's rookie draft. He pitched in 14 games as a pitcher at the high school this year, recording a 3-1 record with a 2.65 ERA and a batting average of 0.307 (31 hits in 101 at-bats) with one homer, eight RBIs and an OPS of 0.831, respectively, in 28 games as a batter.
Song Yoon-ha (Sookmyung Girls' High School 3-KB), Eddie Daniel (Yongsan High School 2), and Lee Ga-hyun (Sufia Girls' High School 2) were selected as the winners of the star award in the basketball category. Song Yoon-ha is the center that led Sookmyung Girls' High School to win two gold medals this year. Power, which is 180cm tall, is considered a strength. He was selected for the U-18 national team and scored a double-digit score (13 points) against Australia in June of the '2024 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) U-18 Women's Asia Cup'. He started his professional career by being drafted by Cheongju KB with the 5th overall pick in the WKBL draft.
Forward Daniel, who is 192cm tall, is a rising star who has stood out since his days at the SK Youth Club. He was an ace in Yongsan Middle School, and is currently active in Yongsan High School. He plays a key role in the U-18 team. It was recently selected as the FIBA's "Nine Under-18 Players to Watch". Lee Ga-hyun is expected to be the top prospect in Asia, being invited to a basketball camp without borders in the NBA in August. You can move between the center and the forward based on your height of 180cm. It is evaluated as having fast speed, excellent shooting, and breaking through ability. After playing for the U-16 national team, he was also selected for the U-18 national team.
At the awards ceremony, the winners' selection committee, consisting of experts and practitioners, held in-depth discussions for fair screening. In the soccer category, Ha Seok-joo, vice chairman of the Korea Football Association, Han Joon-hee, director of the Korea Football Association, Noh Soo-jin, director of the Korea Football Association, Jung Jae-yoon, FC Seoul Scouts, and Bae Seul-gi, Pohang Steelers Scouts participated in the selection of winners.
In the baseball category, KBO Senior Advisory Committee member Kim In-sik and Lee Kwang-yeol, chairman of the Korea Baseball Softball Association's performance improvement committee, Doosan Bears Senior Scout Park Jang-hee, and Lotte Giants Scout Team Leader Kim Poong-chul served as the selection committee members. In the basketball category, Dongkuk University men's coach Lee Ho-geun, Yongsan High School coach Lee Se-beom, Shin-seok, director of the Korea Middle and High School Basketball Federation (Yongsan Middle School coach), Kim Young-min, director of the Korea Middle and High School Basketball Federation (Chuncheon Girls' High School coach), and Dankook University women's coach Baek Ji-eun selected the winners.
The winners of the Soccer, Baseball and Basketball Awards were given a trophy and a sports goods exchange ticket worth 3 million won, respectively, while the Star Award, which is three people per event, was given a trophy and a sports goods exchange ticket worth 1 million won.
Star News awarded four high school baseball players by establishing the 「Amateur Star Awards」 in 2022. In 2023, it changed its name to 'Futures Star Awards' and added a football event to deliver the award to a total of eight players. This year, 12 players were awarded prizes in a total of three sports, including basketball events.
<2024 Futures Star Awards Ceremony>
■ Date and time: November 25, 2024 (Monday) at 3:00 p.m
■ Venue: 19th floor press conference hall, Korea Press Center
■ Winners (12) and injuries
Grand Prize: Yang Min-hyuk (Gangneung Jeil High School 3rd grade) - Trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 3 million won
Star Award: Kim Hyun-woo (Yeongdeungpo Technical High School 3), Park Seung-soo (Matan High School 2), Son Jeong-beom (Osan High School 2) - Trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 1 million won each
Grand Prize: Jung Woo-ju (Jeongo High School 3) - Trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 3 million won
Star Award: Jeong Hyeon-woo (Deoksu High School 3), Park Jun-soon (Deoksu High School 3), Kim Seong-jun (Gwangju Il High School 2) - Trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 1 million won each
Grand Prize: Park Jung-woong (Hongdaebu High School 3) - Trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 3 million won
Star Award: Song Yoon-ha (Sookmyung Girls' High School 3-KB) Eddie Daniel (Yongsan High School 2) Lee Ga-hyun (Sufia Girls' High School 2) - Trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 1 million won each
■ a member of the selection committee
■ Host/Host: Star News
■ Sponsor: Korea Baseball Softball Association, Korea Basketball Association, Players, Gold Ball Park, Sports Toto
sisyphe@sportschosun.com
