The top stars and prospects who shone in 2025 high school baseball, soccer, basketball and volleyball gathered in one place.
The awards ceremony for the '2025 Futures Star Awards' (hosted and organized by Star News; Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC); Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO); Korea Baseball Softball Association; Korea Basketball Association; Korea Volleyball Association; Goldball Park; Crocodile Carrier; Korea Sports Leisure Co., Ltd.), established by Star News to contribute to the development of Korean sports and the activation of amateur athletics, was held on the 24th at the 19th-floor press conference room of the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. About 100 people attended, including award winners, officials from the associations/federations/clubs by sport, and members of the selection committee.
The ceremony began with a welcome address by Park Jun-cheol, CEO of Star News, followed by congratulatory remarks read on behalf of Yoo Seong-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (read by Secretary General Kim Nami), Yang Hae-young, president of the Korea Baseball Softball Association, and Han Jun-hee, soccer commentator for Coupang Play, and a progress report by Kim In-sik, selection committee chairman (KBO senior advisory committee member), after which the awards were presented. The grand prize went to Kim Min-jun (Daegu High School, 3rd year·SSG) in the baseball category and Eddie Danielle (Yongsan High School, 3rd year·Seoul SK) in the basketball category.
Kim Min-jun posted a 10-0 record with a 2.16 ERA on the high school stage this year. He threw a total of 78 2/3 innings, issuing nine walks and recording 104 strikeouts. Kim Min-jun was selected by SSG with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2026 KBO rookie draft held last September. The signing bonus was 270 million won. Kim Min-jun's fastball can reach a top speed of 150 km/h (average speed 147 km/h), and his splitter and slider are cited as strengths.
Eddie Danielle won the Star Award at the '2024 Futures Star Awards' hosted by Star News last year. This time, she earned the honor of winning the grand prize. This year Danielle led Yongsan High School to victory in the 62nd spring national boys and girls basketball federation tournament and the 50th nationwide middle and high school basketball association president's cup. In June, she played a major role in Yongsan High School's championship at the first NBA Rising Stars Invitational held in Singapore. Danielle joined professional basketball (KBL) club Seoul SK this year through the "homegrown designated player" system.
In the baseball category, the Star Award went to Oh Jae-won (Yushin High School, 3rd year·Hanwha), and the Future Star Awards went to Ha Hyun-seung (Busan High School, 2nd year) and Eom Jun-sang (Deoksu High School, 2nd year). Oh Jae-won appeared in 30 high school games this year, batting .438 (134 plate appearances, 105 at-bats, 46 hits) with 1 home run, 14 RBIs, 21 walks, 32 stolen bases and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.195. He was chosen by the Hanwha Eagles with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2026 rookie draft. His signing bonus was 270 million won. His primary position is center field; among amateur outfielders he is top-tier and is considered ready to contribute immediately.
Ha Hyun-seung, with a sturdy frame of 194 cm and 88 kg, played both pitcher and hitter. On the high school stage this year he appeared as a pitcher in 17 games, posting a 6-0 record with a 1.84 ERA. Over 49 1/3 innings he issued 14 walks and struck out 64. As a hitter, he played 26 games and batted .323 (117 plate appearances, 99 at-bats, 32 hits) with 5 home runs, 16 RBIs, 4 stolen bases and 14 walks, recording an OPS of 0.983. He is evaluated as a right-handed pitcher close to being an immediate contributor who has shown steady skill growth and stability.
Eom Jun-sang, who also plays both pitching and hitting, is a pitcher and shortstop boasting a body of 184 cm and 185 kg. As a pitcher this year he appeared in 11 games, posting a 4-2 record with a 0.66 ERA. Over a total of 40 2/3 innings he issued only five walks and recorded 37 strikeouts. As a hitter he appeared in 28 games, batting .344 (96 at-bats, 33 hits) with 2 home runs, 22 RBIs, 28 runs scored and 3 stolen bases, posting an OPS of 0.933. As a pitcher he is praised for his grit, and his fielding and throwing abilities are both considered stable.
In the soccer category, the Star Awards went to Kim Hyun-o (Chungnam Technical High School, 3rd year·Daejeon Hana Citizen) and Park Si-hoo (Sinpyeong High School, 3rd year·Chungnam Asan), and the Future Star Awards went to Park Do-hoon (Hyeonpung High School, 2nd year) and Kim Tae-ho (Gyeongbuk Natural Science High School, 1st year).
Kim Hyun-o won the Star Award with the most support from the selection committee members. Considered a next-generation large forward, Kim Hyun-o played for the U-18 youth team under the Daejeon club (Chungnam Technical High School) and signed a semi-pro contract in February this year, debuting in the K League while still a high school student. In May against FC Anyang he made headlines by scoring in his professional debut at age 17. His K League 1 record this season is 12 games and 1 goal. He also played in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup held last month.
Park Si-hoo signed a semi-pro contract in May, the first in Chungnam Asan club history. A left-sided attacker with U-17 national team experience, he played eight K League 2 matches this season and scored two goals. He is praised for his speed, dribbling, shooting and link-up play. Future Star Award winner Park Do-hoon is a goalkeeper who played as a starter at the recent 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup and led a group-stage unbeaten progression for the first time in 10 years. He has extensive trust from U-17 national team coach Baek Ki-tae, with 22 appearances (19 goals conceded) for the U-17 team. Kim Tae-ho is the only recipient among the soccer awardees who belongs to a regular high school team rather than a professional club's youth setup; born in 2009 and a first-year student, he already plays as a starter for his team and is regularly selected for the U-16 national team, marking him as a candidate for next year's FIFA U-17 World Cup.
In the basketball category, the Star Award went to Lee Ga-hyun (Supia Girls' High School, 3rd year·Incheon Shinhan Bank) and the Future Star Award went to Yoon Ji-won (Kyungbock High School, 2nd year). Lee Ga-hyun won the Star Award for the second consecutive year. She led Supia Girls' High School in Gwangju to four championships this year. She also helped Korea finish ninth at the U-19 women's basketball world cup this year. In the Woori Basketball League (WKBL) rookie draft this year she was chosen with the first overall pick and will wear the Incheon Shinhan Bank uniform. Yoon Ji-won, together with her twin brother Yoon Ji-hoon, led Kyungbock High School to titles in the association president's cup national middle and high school basketball tournament, the 55th autumn national middle and high school basketball federation tournament, and the 106th National Sports Festival this year.
In the volleyball category, the Star Awards went to Bang Kang-ho (Jecheon Industrial High School, 3rd year·Korea Electric Power Corporation) and Lee Ji-yoon (Jungang Girls' High School, 3rd year·Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC); award accepted by her father Lee Jong-hyun), and the Future Star Award went to Park Seo-yoon (Jungang Girls' High School, 1st year). They stood tall as the inaugural winners in the newly established volleyball category this year.
Outside hitter Bang Kang-ho, standing 198 cm tall, led Jecheon Industrial High School to the Iksan Jewel Cup title. He also played for age-level national teams and helped the U-19 world championship team reach the quarterfinals. With those performances, he was selected first overall by Suwon Korea Electric Power Corporation in the rookie draft. Another Star Award winner, Lee Ji-yoon, played for the U-19 and then the U-21 national teams; she led Jungang Girls' High School to victories at the Iksan Jewel Cup and the National Sports Festival, proving her presence and was chosen first overall to wear the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) uniform. Future Star Award winner Park Seo-yoon is a first-year high school middle blocker who already stands 194 cm tall. She was selected for the U-19 national team from middle school and is also active on the U-21 team, contributing to championships in the spring federation tournament, national club championships, the Iksan Jewel Cup and the National Sports Festival.
For this fourth annual ceremony, a selection committee composed of experts and practitioners held in-depth discussions to ensure fair judging. In the baseball category, the selection included "national manager" Kim In-sik, KBO senior advisory committee member, Cha Myung-joo, chairman of the Korea Baseball Softball Association performance improvement committee, Jung Min-hyuk, head of Hanwha's scouting team, and Hyun Cheol-min, partner of SSG's scouting team.
In the soccer category, the selection committee included Han Jun-hee, Coupang Play commentator; Lee Jang-kwan, chairman of the Korea Football Association's technical development committee; Son Seung-jun, full-time U-18 coach for the Korea Football Association; Jung Jae-yoon, FC Seoul scout; and Lee Jong-min, Daejeon Hana Citizen scout.
In the basketball category, the selection included Kim Hwa-sun, vice president of the Korea Basketball Association; Sung Jung-a, director of the Korea Basketball Association; Lee Ho-geun, Dongguk University coach; Ahn Deok-su, director of the Korea Basketball Association and secretary general of the Women's Korean Basketball League; and Shin Seok, director of the Korea Middle and High School Basketball Federation. In the volleyball category, the selection included Choi Tae-woong, youth director of the Korea Volleyball Association; Cho Gil-hyun, executive director of the Korea Middle and High School Volleyball Federation; Kim Young-rae, head coach of the Korea Expressway Corporation; and Shin Young-soo, coach of Korean Air.
The grand prize winners received 3 million won, Star Award winners received vouchers for sports equipment and a carrier set, and Future Star Award winners received vouchers for sports equipment.
Star News established the 'Amateur Star Awards' in 2022 and presented awards to four high school baseball players. In 2023 it renamed the awards the 'Futures Star Awards' and added soccer, presenting awards to a total of eight players. Last year, basketball was added as well, and 12 players from three sports received awards. This year volleyball was added, and 14 winners were selected across four sports.
<2025 Futures Star Awards> ceremony
■ date and time: Nov. 24, 2025 (Mon) 3 p.m.
■ location: Korea Press Center press conference room
■ awardees and prizes (total 14)
◇ baseball
◇ soccer
◇ basketball
◇ volleyball
■ selection committee
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