The protagonist is Han Hyun-seo (Pohang Steelers).
The Korea Professional Football League noted on the 16th that "Pohang Steelers defender Han Hyun-seo won the 'Player of the Month' award for May in the 2025 season."
The 'Player of the Month' award is given to the most outstanding 'young player' performing in K League 1 each month.
The eligibility criteria for candidates include: ▲ Korean nationality among K League 1 players, ▲ Under 23 years old (born after 2002), and ▲ No more than 3 years from the year of debut in official K League matches (debuted after the 2023 season). Candidates are selected from players who meet these three conditions and played more than half of their team's total playing time in that month. The final winner is determined through discussions and votes by members of the Technical Research Group (TSG) under the Commissioner.
The May Player of the Month award evaluated a total of 7 matches from round 11 to round 17 of K League 1. The candidates included Han Hyun-seo (Pohang), Kim Hyun-jun (Daegu), Seo Myung-kwan (Ulsan), and Lee Seung-won (Gimcheon), among 7 others.
Han Hyun-seo, who made his professional debut this season wearing the Pohang uniform, participated in 6 matches out of the 7 played in May, growing into a key defensive asset for the team. Additionally, Han recorded the highest average score (7.13 points) among the TSG candidates for the May Player of the Month, showcasing calm game management and excellent buildup ability that are not typical for a rookie.
Meanwhile, it has been about 2 years since a player from Pohang won the Player of the Month award, with the last award going to Lee Ho-jae in June of the 2023 season.
Han Hyun-seo, the 'Player of the Month' for May, will be awarded a trophy along with a cash prize.
[Photo] Korea Professional Football League
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