'Shin Yubin Donates KRW 50 Million' KTTA AWARDS 2026, MVP Lim Jong-hoon and Lee Sang-soo's First Model Award

*This content was translated by AI.

Im Jong-hoon (29, Korea Exchange), who made remarkable achievements in last year's world competition, was selected as the MVP of the Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA) in 2025. Along with him, his partner Shin Yoo-bin (22, Korean Air), who reached the top of the mixed doubles world, donated to the youth, adding warmth.

The Korea Table Tennis Association (Chairman Lee Tae-sung) held 'KTA AWARDS 2026' at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul Grand Ballroom on the 9th.

About 300 players, leaders, and association officials attended the event, which encouraged table tennis players who contributed to the development of Korean table tennis throughout 2025. The slogan was "Wave the Next," which contains the wish and purpose of "Wave achieved with everyone creates a new wave of Korean table tennis."

Im Jong-hoon (Korea Exchange) won the MVP award, the highest honor on the day. Im Jong-hoon performed consistently on the international stage last year. He won the WTT Finals mixed doubles with his partner Shin Yu-bin, and the first non-Chinese man to win the Grand Smash (US in July) men's doubles with Ahn Jae-hyun. This is Lim Jong-hoon's first MVP award. Previously, he won three Outstanding Player Awards in 2021, 2023, and 2024.

However, Im Jong-hoon was unable to participate in the awards ceremony to participate in WTT star contenter Chennai, which will open on the 10th in India. Instead, his wife Hong Ye-rim attended and said, "I am truly grateful for such a big and honorable award. In the future, I will repay you by doing my best with responsibility so that I can raise the status of Korean table tennis."

The Outstanding Player Award went to Shin Yoo-bin, who also showed a steady performance on the international stage, and Oh Jun-sung (Korea Exchange), the men's singles champion at the last all-around championship. Shin Yoo-bin, who received the Most Valuable Player Award in 2023 and 2024, also showed great presence with his consistent performance representing Korean table tennis on the international stage.

At the end of the award ceremony, Shin Yu-bin delivered a 50 million won youth table tennis development fund to the Korean Elementary School Table Tennis Federation with its sponsor, Yohemite CEO Lee Jae-sun. Oh Jun-sung (19) is still a junior, but he is already writing the history of lifting two overall championship trophies.

In the group and leadership category, Daejeon Dongsan Middle School, which won seven national-scale competitions last year, won the Best Group Award and Director Cha Hyung-yoon (Daejeon Dongsan Middle School) won the Best Leader Award, respectively, proving the competitiveness of the school-centered fostering system. Lee Jung-geum and Kim Young-joo received the referee award.

In the special category, the Rookie of the Year award (Choi Ji-wook and Heo Ye-rim) and the Popularity Award (Jang Woo-jin and Lee Jae-chul) were awarded, and the merit award and the appreciation plaque went back to officials from provincial associations and federations and sponsoring organizations across the country to shed light on the importance of Korean table tennis administration and support base.

Lee Tae-sung, president of the Korea Table Tennis Association, said, "There is a flow of table tennis. There is a narrative and a cool and fierce story is completed in the end of winning and losing. And one story is made when everyone is together, including players, leaders and referees, executives, spectators who heat the stadium with hot support, and family shouts," he began. Everyone's efforts should be respected, and the achievements made must be celebrated. All of you here today are the stars of the day," he said.

At the awards ceremony, there was also a time to remember the late reporter Ahn Sung-ho, who has been a photojournalist for the table tennis magazine [Monthly Table Tennis] for 30 years and recorded major moments of Korean table tennis. The late reporter Ahn Sung-ho traveled to numerous domestic and foreign sites and recorded the history of the event by capturing the sweat and emotion of the players on camera. A special award was awarded in honor of long-standing dedication and contribution. His wife Kim Myung-ae and daughter Ahn Eun-ho were together with their hearts.

The award ceremony also created a touching scene. Lee Sang-soo (current coach of Samsung Life Insurance's women's team) and Seo Hyo-won (current coach of the women's team) who have been playing for the national team for a long time and have supported the international competitiveness of Korean table tennis said goodbye on the official stage. The two players were given a special commemorative figure along with a plaque of appreciation.

The most eye-catching category at the ceremony was the model award newly established this year. The association selected 200 electors from among the players, leaders, and referees registered with the association to give a special award to the main character who can be an example to all players. The prize money was also 10 million won, which is more than the grand prize of the best player.

The first protagonist was Lee Sang-soo, who was also the protagonist of the retirement ceremony. Lee Sang-soo, who became the main character of the first model award, said, "I really didn't know I would receive it. That's why it's more glorious. I will try to be a more exemplary person to my juniors as much as the name of the award," he said.

The following is the details of the KTTA AWARDS 2026 winners.

▽ Competition Division (27)

▶Best Player Award = Lim Jong-hoon (Korea Exchange)

▶ Outstanding Player Award (2) = Shin Yoo-bin (Korean Air), Oh Jun-sung (Korea Exchange)

▶Best Group Award = Daejeon Dongsan Middle School (male)

▶ Best Organization Award (11) = Daejeon Dongmun Elementary School (male), Songjeong Elementary School (male), Seatakgu Academy U12 (female), Cheongyang Military Table Tennis Association U15 (female), Daejeon Dongsan High School (male), Hwaseong Urban Innovation Corporation U18 (female), Sangseo High School (female), Gyeonggi National University (male), Incheon National University (female), Samsung Life Insurance (female), Korea Exchange (male)

▶Best Leader Award = Cha Jong-yoon (Daejeon Dongsan Middle School)

▶Excellent Leader Award (11) = Kim Yong-soo (coach at Dongmun Elementary School), Lee Dong-hyun (coach at Song Jeong-cho), Choi Jeong-min (coach at Seatakgu Academy), Lee Soo-bin (coach at Cheongyang-gun Table Tennis Association), Choi Joo-sung (coach at Daejeon Dongsan High School), Kim Jung-cheol (coach at Hwaseong Urban Innovation Corporation U18), Kim Kyung-min (coach at Sangseo High School), Lee Jae-wook (coach at Kyunggi University), high official

Hee (Coach of Incheon National University), Chae Yoon-seok (Coach of Samsung Life Insurance), and Yoon Sang-joon (Coach of Korea Exchange)

▶ Judgment Award (2) = Lee Jung-geum, Kim Young-joo

▽ Distinguished Service and Special Sector (21)

▶ Gongro-sang (15) = Kang Sung-joon (senior vice president of the Seoul Table Tennis Association), Lee Jung-hee (executive director of the Busan Table Tennis Association), Jin Mi-deok (vice-chairman of the Gwangju Table Tennis Association), Kwon Oh-shin (vice-chairman of the Daejeon Table Tennis Association), Choi Sang-min (vice-chairman of the Ulsan Table Tennis Association), Yoo Hye-jeong (vice-chairman of the Sejong Table Tennis Association), Kim Hong-gu (vice-chairman of the Chungcheongbuk-do Table Tennis Association), Jang Jong-ho (vice-chairman of the Chungcheongbuk-do Table Tennis Association), Shin Dong-

▶Special Prize = The late Ahn Seong-ho (former monthly table tennis photographer)

▶ Popularity Award (2) = Jang Woo-jin (professional sports), Lee Jae-cheol (living sports)

▶New Impression (2) = Choi Ji-wook (Great Advertising), Heo Ye-rim (Hwaseong Urban Innovation Corporation)

▶ Model Award = Lee Sang-soo (Samsung Life Insurance, retired)

▽ Other segments (6)

▶Thank you plaque = Shin Chang-jae (CEO of Kyobo Life Insurance), Son Young-hwa (Chairman of Haengchon Academy, School Corporation), Han Byeong-hong (President of Hwaseong City Corporation), Park Ran-joo (CEO of Tagro), Lee Sang-soo (retired), and Seo Hyo-won (retired).

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*This content was translated by AI.