I’m not sure if I can ever earn a bigger honor than this'

“I think it was the most special year of my life,” Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae said in a video released by the Korea Football Association (KFA) on Tuesday after winning the KFA Player of the Year award alongside Chun Ga-gram of Hwacheon KSPO

Korea's Kim Min-jae, left, in action during a World Cup qualifer against Singapore at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul on Nov. 16, 2023. [YONHAP]

“I think it was the most special year of my life,” Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae said in a video released by the Korea Football Association (KFA) on Tuesday after winning the KFA Player of the Year award alongside Chun Ga-ram of Hwacheon KSPO.

The award, started in 2010, is a prize conferred to the best Korean player — one male and one female — in a calendar year. This year marks the first time both Kim and Chun have won the award.

“I’m not sure if I can ever earn a bigger honor than this,” Kim said. “I shouldn’t stop here, and I have to work harder to improve, but I think it was still the best season yet,”

Kim's ascension to the throne came at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min, who has won the award seven times and was riding a four-year run before Kim took the title.

Kim edged out Son after showing a stellar performance with Napoli and Bayern Munich in 2023.

He became the first Korean player ever to win Italy's Scudetto last year after joining Napoli for an emphatic 2022-23 campaign, and was also named Serie A’s best defender for the season, facilitating a move to Bayern Munich, where he has played as a regular pick so far this season.

The Bayern defender is also the first defender to win the KFA Player of the Year since Kim Young-gwon in 2015.

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

In the women's category, Chun beat out veteran midfielder Ji So-yun of Suwon FC, who has also won the title seven times. Had Ji won this year, it would have been her third consecutive award.

Korea's Chun Ga-ram, left, dribbles the ball during a 2023 Women's World Cup group stage match against Morocco at Hindmarsh Stadium in Australia on July 31, 2023. [YONHAP]

The Hwacheon midfielder was also a key player for the women’s national team last year, competing in both the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Hangzhou Asian Games.

“I won the Young Player of the Year last year, and I am so honored that I was able to receive the Player of the Year award just a year later. I feel fantastic and extremely grateful to be standing here,” Chun said. “I never imagined that I would win the award.”

Despite having a robust squad led by the likes of Ji and Chun, the Taeguk Ladies saw some disappointing results on the international stage last year, crashing out of the group stage at the World Cup and losing in the quarterfinals at the Asiad.

Her impressive form, however, allowed Hwacheon to finish as WK League runners-up last season — the best finish in club history.

“At the individual level, I still have to focus on a lot of things like developing my cohesive play and tidying up my football, which I think is my objective and mission,” she said.

Chun’s national team teammate Casey Yujin Phair won the Young Player of 2023 award. Phair became the youngest-ever player to debut for Korea at last year’s World Cup at the age of 16 years and 26 days old.

Korea's Casey Yujin Phair in action during a 2023 Women's World Cup group stage match against Colombia at Sydney Football Stadium in Moore Park, Sydney on July 25. [NEWS1]

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.

Korea's Hwang Jae-won shoots during a Hangzhou Asian Games Round of 16 match against Kyrgyzstan at Jinhua Sports Center in China on Sept. 27, 2023. [YONHAP]

FC Seoul manager Kim Gi-dong, who led the Pohang Steelers for the 2023 K League 1 season, won the Manager of the Year Award thanks to winning the 2023 Korean FA Cup and managing a runner-up finish in the K League.

WK League champions Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels manager Kim Eun-sook also won the award with the team’s 11th successive league title last year.

With the award ceremony now over, the men’s national team will have some work to do at the delayed 2023 Asian Cup, set to begin in Qatar on Jan. 12.

Men’s national team regular pick Lee Jae-sung, who attended the awards ceremony held in western Seoul, shared his thoughts about the upcoming tournament.

“We haven’t lifted the Asian Cup for 64 years, but I think now is our chance,” Lee said. “This challenge acts as a motivation for us, and as many people have expectations, we will not be conceited but rather have confidence and do our best every day to win every match and go all the way to claiming victory.”

The men’s team led by Jurgen Klinsmann departed to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday night where they will play a final tune-up match against Iraq on Saturday.

The team will then head to Qatar on Jan. 10 and face Bahrain, Jordan and Malaysia in the Asian Cup group stage. The first group stage game against Bahrain kicks off on Jan. 15.

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