I’m not sure if I can ever earn a bigger honor than this’ Bayern Munich star

After receiving the KFA Player of the Year title alongside Chun Ga-ram of Hwacheon KSPO, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae stated in a video published by the Korea Football Association (KFA) on Tuesday that “I think it was the most special year of my life.”

Established in 2010, the award recognizes the top Korean player of the year, both male and female. For the first time, Chun and Kim have shared the prize this year.

Kim remarked, “I don’t know if I can ever receive a greater honor than this.” “I think it was still the best season yet, but I should keep going and keep getting better,”

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, who has won the award seven times and was enjoying a four-year run prior to Kim assuming the title, lost out to Kim in his ascent to the top.

After putting on a fantastic show with Napoli and Bayern Munich in 2023, Kim defeated Son.

After joining Napoli for a dominant 2022–23 campaign, he became the first Korean player to win Italy’s Scudetto last year. He was also awarded Serie A’s best defender for the season, which facilitated a move to Bayern Munich, where he has played as a regular pick thus far this season.

Since Kim Young-gwon in 2015, the Bayern defender is also the first defender to be awarded KFA Player of the Year.

“I hope defenders continue to play with more confidence. I think Young-gwon and I showed that defenders can win this kind of award,” Kim remarked.

Chun defeated Suwon FC’s Ji So-yun, a seasoned midfielder who has also won the title seven times, in the women’s division. If Ji had been the winner this year, it would have been her third straight.

The Hwacheon midfielder participated in the Hangzhou Asian Games and the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year, and she was a vital member of the women’s national squad.

“I am really grateful that I was able to win Player of the Year just a year after winning Young Player of the Year the previous year. I’m so happy and appreciative to be standing here,” Chun exclaimed. “I never thought I would be the recipient of the award.”

The Taeguk Ladies had some dismal performances on the international front last year, losing in the Asiad quarterfinals and falling out of the World Cup group stage, despite having a strong lineup lead by players like Ji and Chun.

Hwacheon did, however, record the highest result in club history last season as runners-up in the WK League thanks to her outstanding play.

“I think that’s my goal and mission, but at the individual level, I still have a lot of things to work on, like improving my cohesive play and organizing my football,” the player stated.

Casey Yujin Phair, Chun’s colleague on the national squad, took home the Young Player of 2023 title. At the age of sixteen years and twenty-six days, Phair made his Korea debut at the World Cup, making history as the youngest player to do so.

Daegu FC midfielder Hwang Jae-won was the male winner of the Young Player of 2023 award after winning a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.

Thanks to winning the 2023 Korean FA Cup and leading FC Seoul to a runner-up finish in the K League, manager Kim Gi-dong, who oversaw the Pohang Steelers for the 2023 K League 1 season, was named the Manager of the Year Award recipient.

With the team’s 11th consecutive league title last year, Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels, the WK League champions, also took home the award from manager Kim Eun-sook.

The men’s national team will have some work to do at the postponed 2023 Asian Cup, which is scheduled to start in Qatar on January 12, now that the award ceremony has concluded.

Lee Jae-sung, a regular selection for the men’s national team, gave his opinion on the impending competition while attending the awards event in western Seoul.

“After 64 years, we haven’t lifted the Asian Cup, but I think this is our chance,” Lee remarked. “We are motivated by this challenge, and even though a lot of people have high expectations, we won’t be arrogant; instead, we’ll be confident and work hard every day to win every game and ultimately declare victory.”

The men’s team, captained by Jurgen Klinsmann, left for the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday evening and will face Iraq on Saturday in their last exhibition game.

After that, on January 10, the team will travel to Qatar to play in the Asian Cup group stage against Bahrain, Jordan, and Malaysia. On January 15, the first group stage matchup with Bahrain will begin.