'Ulsan Hyundai's Bit Hyun-woo' Cho Hyun-woo was honored as the K League 1 MVP in 2024.
Cho Hyun-woo, who firmly defended Ulsan Hyundai's three consecutive losses, was selected as the best player in the K-League this season at the Hana Bank K-League 2024 Awards. After competing with Yang Min-hyuk (Kangwon FC), who was born in 2006 for the Young Player Award, and Andersson (Suwon FC), who recorded the "20 most attack points", he became the highest shining star.
Each category for the K-League was selected by combining votes from coaches (30%), captains (30%), and media (40%). Eight out of 12 directors, seven out of 12 captains, and 75 out of 116 media chose Cho Hyun-woo. Immediately after winning the Best 11 Goalkeeper category, Hyun-woo 'Light' became the dream of all K Leaguers in the world, as he said.
In his acceptance speech, Cho Hyun-woo bowed his head, saying, `I can't believe the MVP award came to me.'"We thank Hyundai HD Chairman Kwon Oh-gap, CEO Kim Kwang-guk, all the employees, the staff who did their best in the clubhouse, coach Kim Pan-gon, the coaching staff, our best players, and the fans of the 'Cheoyong Warrior"." Cho Hyun-woo then came this far because he had a wife and family. I remember the words my wife always said to me not to be arrogant and to play in a humble manner. Thank you very much and I love you." "It reminds me of Cho Hyun-woo, who was happy playing soccer late while watching just one ball when he was young. Maybe there are many friends who still play soccer with difficulty. Applause poured out when he said he would spend 10 million won in MVP prize money for his friends. It was the dignity of the K-League MVP.
Cho Hyun-woo started 38 games this season and scored at least 40 runs. Ulsan won eight of the 14 games in which Cho Hyun-woo recorded a clean sheet with a 1-0 victory. Cho Hyun-woo was honored as the second MVP in the goalkeeper position in 16 years since Lee Woon-jae (current coach of the Vietnamese national team) when he was at Suwon Samsung in 2008. Ulsan set a record of producing three consecutive MVPs along with three consecutive league losses following Lee Chung-yong in 2022 and Kim Young-kwon last year.
The Coach of the Year Award went to Gangwon FC coach Yoon Jeong-hwan. Coach Yoon, who was talked about under the nickname 'Ködori' when he was active, led a dramatic stay after taking the baton in Gangwon Province during the June 2023 season, and wrote a reversal drama that he was the best-ever runner-up this season. Kim Pan-gon, who took the helm in the middle of the season in Ulsan, and Chung Jung-yong, manager of Gimcheon Sangmu, who led Gimcheon's advance, competed, and Yoon was selected by 7 out of 12 coaches, 7 out of 12 captains, and 89 out of 116 media. It is the first time in four years that a head coach other than the winning team in K League 1 has received the manager's award since the award of third-place Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong in 2020. Please renew the contract! In response to fans' requests, "I love you."
I would like to thank Governor Kim Jin-tae. The owner is the owner of the team who came to all but two home games as a provincial governor. You always trusted me and left it to me. I would like to thank our senior and CEO, Kim Byung-ji. The results of trusting me, supporting, and waiting for me have continued like this. The most important thing is Narsha fans. Thanks to you, I gained strength. It was a great help because many people came not only home but also away. There are so many people to be grateful for, including coaching staff and support staff such as senior coach Chung Kyung-ho. "Our players were desperate. I worked hard and desperately, and I got good results. A good young player named Yang Min-hyuk also came out. It was a great reward for me."
The Young Player Award went to Yang Min-hyuk, as expected. He competed with Hwang Jae-won (Daegu FC) and Hong Yoon-sang (Pohang Steelers), but it was an overwhelming vote. Out of 100, 11 out of 12 coaches scored 92.16 points, 10 out of 12 captains, and 115 out of 116 media photographed Yang Min-hyuk. Yang Min-hyuk started the opening game of this season and started with his first help in 32 seconds in the first half, and recorded the youngest score (17 years, 11 months and 4 days) in history against Gangwon-Gwangju in the second round of the league on March 10. All his goals made history. Throughout the season, he led the history of Gangwon's runner-up with 11 goals and 7 assists and the youngest double-digit goals. Yang Min-hyuk, who will move to Tottenham in the English Premier League next month and share a team-up with Son Heung-min, was the biggest star at the ceremony. Whenever Yang Min-hyuk's name was called, fans cheered from the audience. Gangwon produced its third Young Player, including Kim Ji-hyun in 2019 and Yang Hyun-joon in 2022, and Yang Min-hyuk in 2023, becoming the largest producing club of Young Players along with Pohang (Kubu Yeol, Kim Seung-dae, and Song Min-gyu). Yang Min-hyuk won multiple awards in his debut season with the Best 11 Midfielder category. He mentioned "Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-tae, General Manager Kim Byung-ji, Director Yoon Jung-hwan, Director Gangneung Jeil High School, and Bus Driver" one by one. "I was there because all of these people were there. Thank you again."
In the Best 11 goalkeeper category, MVP Cho Hyun-woo received 9 coaches, 10 captains, and 116 media votes. Lee Myung-jae, Kim Ki-hee (Ulsan), Park Seung-wook (Kimcheon), Hwang Moon-ki (Gangwon) in the defender category, Andersson, Ko Seung-beom (Ulsan), Oberdan (Pohang) Yang Min-hyuk in the midfielder category, and Lee Dong-kyung (Kim Cheon Sang-soo) and Lee Sang-heon (Gangwon FC) from Ulsan Youth in the striker category.
Suwon FC Andersson, who scored the most offensive points (7 goals and 13 assists) in the K League 1, received 'Most Help Award' and Incheon Mugosa, who scored 15 goals, received 'Most Score Award'. Andersson was also nominated for MVP following the Best 11 Midfielder category and the Adidas Point Grand Prize (Special Award), enjoying the 'Best Reward' in his first season in the K League. Andersson, who deeply thanked Suwon FC coach Kim Eun-joong and his colleagues, said, `I will return to Andersson as a stronger player" delivered the promise.
Meanwhile, the K-League 2 MVP went to Mateus, a foreign striker who led Anyang to its first championship and promotion to the first division this season, and the K-League 2 manager award went to Anyang manager Yoo Byung-hoon. "Football came before family" shared his feelings and sincere feelings toward his family. Coach Yoo received overwhelming support from nine votes for the coach, 10 for the captain, and 87 for the media. The best 11 was also Anyang Festival. A total of six players, including Matheus, goalkeeper Kim Da-sol, defender Kim Dong-jin, Lee Chang-yong, Lee Tae-hee and midfielder Kim Jung-hyun, were selected as the best 11. In addition, defender Osmar (Seoul E-Land), midfielder Lewis (Gimpo), Valdivia (Jeonnam), Juninho (Chungnam Asan), and striker Mota (Cheonan) were selected as the best 11 in the league. The K League 2 Young Player Award was won by Seo Jae-min of E-Land in Seoul. The highest score went to Mota (Cheonan), who scored 16 goals and 5 assists in 35 games this season, and the most assists went to 'Anyang MVP'Mateus, who scored 7 goals and 11 assists in 36 games.
