Gangwon FC has a rising star in high schooler Yang Min-hyuk

Gangwon winger Yang Min-hyuk, 18, is displaying notable form to contribute to the club's solid run in the K League 1, all while finishing up his final year of high school.

Gangwon FC midfielder Yang Min-hyuk dribbles the ball during a K League 1 match against Daejeon Hana Citizen at Chuncheon Songam Sports Town in Gangwon on May 11. [GANGWON FC]

Gangwon FC, who struggled in the K League 1 last season and barely survived relegation, has a new look as one of the highest-scoring teams on the table — thanks partly to a teen.

An 18-year-old winger is displaying notable form to contribute to Gangwon's solid run in Korea's top tier football league, all while finishing up his final year of high school.

The teenage rookie is Yang Min-hyuk, who plays as a regular pick for Gangwon after joining the senior club in January from the youth program. He was 17 years old when the 2024 season began in March and turned 18 last month.

Yang only needed one game to leave his mark on the team, making his K League 1 debut as the youngest player to do so for Gangwon at 17 years 10 months and 15 days in a match against Jeju United on March 2, recording an assist to salvage a 1-1 draw.

Since then, he has continued to make an impact on the team — albeit occasionally — scoring his first goal for Gangwon against Gwangju FC on March 10 and going to score No. 2 against the Pohang Steelers on May 1 and most recently against Daejeon Hana Citizen on May 11.

Gangwon FC winger Yang Min-hyuk celebrates during a K League 1 match against Gwangju FC at Gwangju Football Stadium in Gwangju on March 10. [GANGWON FC]

His first goal also made him the youngest player to score a goal for Gangwon, as well as the youngest player to do so in the K League 1.

Twelve games into the season, Yang has three goals and two assists — the second assist coming from a fixture against Incheon United on April 21 — under his belt.

All of this comes while he is still in high school.

Yang is still a student at Gangneung Jeil High School in Gangwon where he studies in the morning until he joins his team training in the afternoon.

“When I miss one-on-one chances, my school buddies ask me why I can’t score and stuff,” Yang said during an interview earlier in the month with Korean broadcaster JTBC, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily.

Being still in school, however, does not seem to significantly impact his performance on the pitch, as he has displayed a convincing performance in the league that allowed Gangwon to sit in fifth place on the 12-team table as of Thursday.

He makes agile movements on the sides of the pitch and breaks through defense with footwork, in addition to making tidy touches that allow him to maintain the flow of his team’s build-ups.

When challenged by multiple defenders at the same time, he does not panic and maintains his style of play.

During a game against Incheon on April 21, Yang did not lose the ball despite being in front of defenders but made a back heel pass to Hwang Mun-ki, who recorded an assist for Kim Yi-seok.

Being able to penetrate to the center of the pitch and record shots is another visible forte.

Yang’s goal against Gwangju on March 10 displayed exactly that strength, where he found space outside the center of the penalty box while dribbling and slotted in the ball.

Yang’s playing style is similar to Manchester City's Phil Foden, a versatile player who can dribble and contribute to fast build-ups with pace. The two also have the same shirt number at their respective teams: 47.

Yang’s potential earned him recognition even before his Gangwon debut, as he made U-17 caps in the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup where Korea finished as runners-up and booked a ticket to the 2023 U-17 World Cup.

Korea's Yang Min-hyuk dribbles the ball during a U-17 Asian Cup match against Afganistan in Thailand on June 19, 2023. [YONHAP]

He has yet to receive a duty call for the U-20 squad.

Improving his stamina could allow Yang to rise to bigger prominence. He gets tired easily and displays less agility as minutes on the pitch add up.

Cohesion with his teammates has been good, with Gangwon having scored the second most goals at 22 in 12 matches with him in the squad.

“Just because I’m young, I don’t see myself as a different player. We are all players after all,” Yang Min-hyuk said. “Senior players always tell me to play confidently, but don’t be too cocky.”

Maintaining his current form could see him moving onto greener pastures like former Gangwon winger Yang Hyun-jun, who joined Celtic last year after an impressive performance in the K League.

The remainder of the 2024 season will see if Yang Min-hyuk can keep up his momentum and prove that his form is not a fluke. As for Gangwon, this season is a chance to show that they have overcome last season’s wobble that pushed them to the relegation zone.

With Gangwon having scored a contrastingly higher amount of goals so far this season — 22 goals in 12 matches compared to 30 goals in 38 games last season — the team is already on that trajectory.

Yang’s play alongside forward Lee Sang-heon, who has scored the most goals in the league at eight in 12 matches, will also be something to watch for through the rest of the season.

Gangwon will be back in action against defending champions Ulsan HD on Sunday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]