On the 25th, Korea Press Center’s ‘2024 Future Star Awards Ceremony’, grand prize ‘honor’ for each category
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Park Jeong-woong in basketball, Yang Min-hyuk in soccer, and Jung Woo-ju in baseball, who won the grand prize at the ‘2024 Futures Star Awards’ awards ceremony (from left)./Star News |
[더팩트 | 박순규 기자] The best players and future stars of high school soccer, baseball, and basketball this year gathered in one place.
The ‘2024 Futures Star Awards’ awards ceremony established by Star News to contribute to the development of Korean sports and revitalization of amateur sports (hosted by Star News, sponsored by the Korea Baseball Softball Association, Korea Basketball Association, Players, Gold Ball Park, Sports Toto) It was held at the Korea Press Center press conference hall at 3 p.m. on the 25th. About 100 people attended the event, including the winners and their families, as well as soccer, baseball, and basketball officials and reporters.
The awards ceremony was held following a welcoming speech by Park Jun-cheol, CEO of Star News, congratulatory remarks by Yang Hae-young, Vice President of the Korea Baseball Softball Association, Han Jun-hee, Vice President of the Korea Football Association, and Shin Seok, Director of the Korea Middle and High School Basketball Federation, and a progress report by Kim In-sik, Chairman of the Award Selection Committee (KBO Senior Advisor). The grand prize in the soccer category was won by Yang Min-hyuk, a third-year student at Gangneung Jeil High School, the grand prize in the baseball category was won by Jeong Woo-ju, a third-year pitcher at Jeon High School, and the grand prize in the basketball category was won by Park Jeong-woong, a third-year student at Hongik University High School.
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Winners and attendees are taking commemorative photos at the 2024 Futures Star Awards ceremony (hosted by Star News) held at the Seoul Press Center on the afternoon of the 25th. From the left in the front row, Vice President of the Korea Football Association Jun-hee Han, Vice President of the Korea Football Association Ha Seok-ju, Vice President of the Korea Baseball Softball Association Hae-young Yang, Chairman of the Award Selection Committee In-sik Kim and senior KBO advisory member, Jun-cheol Park, CEO of Star News, Ho-geun Lee, Dongguk University men’s basketball coach, and Shin Seok, Director of the Korea Middle and High School Basketball Federation. Back row, from left, basketball Song Yun-ha, Lee Ga-hyeon, Park Jeong-woong, Eddie Daniel, soccer Son Jeong-beom, Yang Min-hyuk, Kim Hyun-woo, Park Seung-soo, baseball Kim Seong-jun, Jeong Woo-joo, Park Jun-soon, and Jeong Hyun-woo’s mother, Kim Gyu-hee./Star News |
Yang Min-hyuk, who played for Gangwon FC this season, is the best prospect in Korean soccer and has confirmed to join Tottenham in the English Premier League (EPL). Yang Min-hyuk, who debuted in the K-League as a semi-professional player, scored 12 goals and 6 assists in 38 games this year. With Kang Min-hyuk’s outstanding performance, Gangwon FC recorded 19 wins, 7 draws, and 12 losses (64 points), ending the season in second place, the club’s highest ever record. Jung Woo-joo was selected by the Hanwha Eagles as the second overall pick in the 2025 KBO rookie draft. In 23 games in the high school league this year, he posted good results with 5 wins, 1 loss, and an earned run average (ERA) of 1.31. He led Jeonju High School to victory in the Blue Dragon and Phoenix Flag competitions. He boasts a physique of 185 cm tall and 88 kg in weight, and he uses a fast ball in the mid-150 km/h range.
Park Jung-woong received the honor of winning the inaugural grand prize in the basketball category at this Futures Star Awards. Park Jeong-woong is a second-generation basketball player, the son of former professional basketball player Park Seong-bae. He is a forward resource with a height of 192.7cm and has the multiplayer ability to play guard. He led Hongik University High School to a championship in the association championship and a runner-up finish in the federation championship, and also played an active part in the under-18 (U-18) national team.
The Star Award in the soccer category went to Kim Hyun-woo (Yeongdeungpo Technical High School 2), Park Seung-soo (Maetang High School 2), and Son Jeong-beom (Osan High School 2). Kim Hyun-woo is a special multi-player resource who played an active role as a key member of Yeongdeungpo Technical High School’s Geumgangdaegi Championship and 3 gold medal wins this year. He has excellent passing play and is evaluated as having solid fundamentals.
Park Seung-su signed with Suwon Samsung last year and became the youngest semi-professional player in the K League. He debuted on the K League 2 stage this year and played in 14 games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists. Son Jeong-beom is a promising player who has also joined the U-17 national team. He made a strong impression by scoring against Croatia in the 2024 Croatia Friendly Tournament held last September.
The Star Award in the baseball category went to Hyeonwoo Jeong (Deoksu High School senior, pitcher), Park Jun-soon (Deoksu High School senior, infielder), and Kim Seongjun (Gwangju Jeil High School senior, pitcher). Hyunwoo Jeong joined Kiwoom Heroes as the first overall pick in the 2025 KBO Rookie Draft. In this year’s high school league, he appeared in 16 games and recorded 8 wins, no losses, and an average ERA of 0.75. He led Deoksu High School to two consecutive wins in national competitions (E-Mart Cup, Golden Lion Cup).
Park Jun-soon played in 34 games in this year’s high school tournament, posting a batting average of 0.442 (50 hits in 113 at-bats), 5 home runs, 33 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.250. He was selected 6th overall in the first round of the rookie draft and wore the uniform of the Doosan Bears. Kim Seong-jun, the only sophomore winner in baseball, is already being mentioned as the biggest pick in next year’s rookie draft. This year, he appeared in 14 games as a pitcher at the high school stage, recording 3 wins, 1 loss, and an ERA of 2.65, and as a batter, in 28 games, he had a batting average of 0.307 (31 hits in 101 at-bats), 1 home run, 8 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.831.
The Star Award winners in the basketball category were Song Yun-ha (Sookmyung Girls’ High School 3-KB), Eddie Daniel (Yongsan High School 2), and Lee Ga-hyeon (Supia Girls’ High School 2). Song Yun-ha is the center who led Sookmyung Girls’ High School to two wins this year. His strength, combined with his tall height of 180cm, is considered his strength. She was selected for the U-18 national team and scored double digits (13 points) in the match against Australia at the ‘2024 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) U-18 Women’s Asia Cup’ last June. He began his professional career by being selected by Cheongju KB as the 5th overall pick in the WKBL draft.
Daniel, a 192cm tall forward, is a promising player who has stood out since his days at the SK youth club. He was an ace player at Yongsan Middle School and is currently showing great success at Yongsan High School. He plays a key role in the U-18 national team. He was recently selected as one of FIBA’s ‘Nine U-18 Players to Watch’.
Lee Ga-hyun is receiving high expectations as Asia’s top prospect, having been invited to the NBA Basketball Without Borders camp last August. With a height of 180cm, he can play center and forward. He is evaluated as having high speed, excellent shooting, and the ability to break through. After playing for the U-16 national team, he was also selected for the U-18 national team.
At this award ceremony, the winner selection committee, comprised of experts and practitioners, held in-depth discussions to ensure fair evaluation. In the soccer category, Ha Seok-joo, vice president of the Korea Football Association, Han Jun-hee, vice president of the Korea Football Association, Noh Su-jin, director of the Korea Football Association, FC Seoul scout Jeong Jae-yoon, and Pohang Steelers scout Bae Seul-gi participated in selecting the winners.
In the baseball category, ‘national manager’ Kim In-sik, KBO senior advisory member, Lee Gwang-yeol, Korea Baseball Softball Association Performance Improvement Committee chairman, Park Jang-hee, Doosan Bears chief scout, and Lotte Giants scout team leader Kim Pung-cheol served as selection committee members. In the basketball category, Dongguk University men’s coach Lee Ho-geun, Yongsan High School coach Lee Se-beom, Korea Middle and High School Basketball Federation director Shin Seok (Yongsan Middle School coach), Korea Middle and High School Basketball Federation director Kim Young-min (Chuncheon Girls’ High School coach), and Baek Ji-eun, Dankook University women’s coach, selected the winners.
The grand prize winners for soccer, baseball, and basketball each received a trophy and a sports goods exchange voucher worth 3 million won, while the three Star Award winners from each sport received a trophy and a sports goods exchange voucher worth 1 million won.
Star News established a new ‘Amateur Star Award’ in 2022 and awarded four high school baseball players. In 2023, the name was changed to the ‘Futures Star Awards’ and the soccer category was added, giving awards to a total of 8 players. This year, awards were given to 12 players in a total of 3 sports, including basketball.
◆ 2024 Futures Star Awards Ceremony
■ Date: 3:00 PM, Monday, November 25, 2024
■ Location: Press conference room on the 19th floor of the Korea Press Center
■ Winners (12) and prizes
Grand Prize: Yang Min-hyuk (Gangneung Jeil High School senior) – trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 3 million won
Star Award: Kim Hyun-woo (Yeongdeungpo Technical High School 3rd year), Park Seung-soo (Maetang High School 2nd year), Son Jeong-beom (Osan High School 2nd year) – trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 1 million won each
Grand Prize: Jeong Woo-joo (Jeon High School 3) – trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 3 million won
Star Award: Hyeonwoo Jeong (Deoksu High School 3rd year), Park Jun-sun (Deoksu High School 3rd year), Kim Seongjun (Gwangju Jeil High School 2nd year) – trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 1 million won each
Grand Prize: Park Jeong-woong (Hongdae Bus High School 3) – trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 3 million won
Star Award: Song Yun-ha (Sookmyung Girls’ High School 3-KB), Eddie Daniel (Yongsan High School 2), Lee Ga-hyeon (Supia Girls’ High School 2) – trophy, sports goods exchange voucher worth 1 million won each
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