Cho Hyun-woo was the best star in the K League.
The Korea Professional Football Federation held an award ceremony for Hana Bank’s K League 2024 at the Seodaemun Swiss Grand Hotel in Seoul on the 29th.
Cho Hyun-woo, the gatekeeper who led Ulsan HD to its third consecutive victory, was the one where the players who showed the best performance in the K-League received the most attention.
Cho Hyun-woo proudly lifted the MVP award with a total of 90 votes out of 140 votes, including 8 for the coach, 7 for the captain, and 75 for the media.
Cho Hyun-woo, who moved to Ulsan in 2020, is now a representative player of Korea beyond the K-League. He led Ulsan to its third consecutive victory this season and established a new dynasty, and he is now showing brilliant performances in the Korean national soccer team led by head coach Hong Myung-bo.
Like his nickname “Bit Hyun-woo,” Cho showed brilliant performances. Cho contributed the most to Ulsan’s victory this season. As a goalkeeper, he allowed 40 runs and recorded 14 clean sheets in all 38 matches. He was named the MVP twice and the best 11th round.
And he won the MVP that he wanted so much. It is also Ulsan’s third consecutive year of producing MVP. Cho Hyun-woo became the winner of this year’s award after Lee Chung-yong in 2022 and Kim Young-kwon last year.
It is the first time in 16 years that a goalkeeper position has won the MVP award since Lee Woon-jae in 2008. Cho was also thrilled.
Cho Hyun-woo lifted the trophy and said, “I can’t believe the MVP award that I’ve only imagined came to me. Above all, I’m grateful that it’s an award given by the fans,” and I was able to come this far because I have my wife and daughters. When I was young, I was a child who loved soccer. I’ve been playing soccer hard, and I’ll use the prize money I received today for those friends.”
Cho, who was emotional, said in a press conference after the event, “There is no way not to receive this award next year, either. I want to be more of a help to my team next year,” adding, “I have lived only looking at soccer even when I was young. As a child, I thought that I want to become a player who can become a dream for someone someday. I want to be a help to players who continue to play soccer in tough environments.”
The MVP prize money is 10 million won. “I’ve been talking to my wife and family for a long time. I’ve been thinking about donating, but I’m glad that I can make this happen by winning the MVP award today,” Cho said.
Regarding the goalkeeper’s position, he said, “Goalkeepers are not a position that can attract much attention. There are many good goalkeepers in the K-League. I learned from articles that a goalkeeper has won the honor for the first time in 18 years. However, I think this is the beginning. I expect better goalkeepers to come out in the future.”
The MVP went to Ulsan, but both the Young Player and Coach of the Year awards went to Gangwon Province. Gangwon FC’s “high school rookie” Yang Min-hyuk won the Young Player Award, and Yoon Jung-hwan, who led the sensation, won the Coach of the Year Award.
Yang, who was nominated along with Hwang Jae-won (Daegu FC) and Hong Yoon-sang (Porang Steelers), won 136 votes out of 140 votes, including 11 for coaches, 10 for captains, and 115 for media. He proudly won the Young Player Award, boasting the most overwhelming vote share among individuals.
Yang, who debuted as a pro this season, was born in 2006 and is 19 years old. Yang, who showed his true value from the opening game, is the No. 1 contributor who led Gangwon to the runner-up.
Gangwon, which showed better-than-expected performance this year, has made a new history, and Yang Min-hyuk has become the best player by breaking all the youngest records, including goals, goals, and business trips, with the team.
This season, Yang Min-hyuk has scored 12 goals and 6 assists in all games. He has accumulated 18 offensive points. Yang Min-hyuk, a former Gangwon Youth player who debuted as a semi-professional contractor, signed a rare professional contract in June and confirmed his transfer to Tottenham in July amid a lot of interest.
Yang Min-hyuk, who was on Young Player, said, “I’m honored and happy to receive the Young Player Award. Thank you to everyone who helped me come here today.”
“I am grateful to all the coaches, including team owner Kim Jin-tae, CEO Kim Byung-ji, coach Yoon Jung-hwan, head coach Jeong Kyung-ho, bus drivers, restaurant mothers, parents, brothers, and sisters. I really want to say I love you. I was able to stand here with the help of all these people,” he said with humility.
Coach Yoon received even support with seven votes for the coach, seven for the captain, and 89 for the media. After taking office in Gangwon Province in June last year during the season, he dramatically stayed in the playoff, and made history as runner-up this season by creating a sensation in Gangwon Province.
This season, Gangwon reported its late first win in five rounds, but gradually rose in a fierce gust and became a team competing for the championship with Ulsan. Although it remained a disappointing runner-up, it had a historic year for the club, and Yoon Jung-hwan was at the center of it. 안전놀이터
Manager Yoon Jeong-hwan said, “It is an honor to receive such a big award. We were able to cheer up thanks to fans of Narsha (Kangwon’s official supporters). All of us were very supportive in away matches as well. It was a great boost. We all poured 120 percent of our money into this year. Thank you.”