Is it Son Seo-yeon, the "second Kim Yeon-koung," or Park Seo-yoon, the 194th-cm national team captain, aiming for a second consecutive win? Who will be the star of the 2026 Future Star Award [2026 Futures Star Awards]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Two major prospects who will lead the future of Korean women's volleyball are competing for the "Future Star Award" in the volleyball category at the 2026 Futures Star Awards. Attention is focused on whether it will be Son Seo-yeon (16, Sunmyeong Girls' High School), known as the "second Kim Yeon-koung" and who has made a strong impact on the world stage, receiving her first award, or Park Seo-yoon (17, Jungang Girls' High School), a 194-cm tall middle blocker, achieving a second consecutive win.

The ceremony for the "2026 Futures Star Awards," now in its fifth year (hosted and organized by StarNews, sponsored by the Korea Sports & Olympic Committee, the National Sports Promotion Foundation, the Korea Baseball & Softball Association, the Korea Basketball Association, the Korea Volleyball Federation, and Korea Sports Leisure Co., Ltd.), will be held at 3 p.m. on the 26th in the press conference room on the 19th floor of the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul.

The most notable candidates for the volleyball category's Future Star Award are Son Seo-yeon and Park Seo-yoon. Although their positions and playing styles differ, they share the commonality of having served as central figures on age-group national teams from a young age and being evaluated as the future of Korean women's volleyball. Park Seo-yoon was also the recipient of this award last year.

Son Seo-yeon, an outside hitter standing 181 cm tall, has successively made a strong impact on Asian and world stages since last year. In November last year, at the 2025 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Under-16 Women's Asian Volleyball Championship held in Amman, Jordan, she led the national team to Korea's first championship win in 45 years as captain. After scoring a total of 141 points to become the top scorer, she also swept the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Best Outside Hitter awards.

Her momentum did not wane after advancing to high school. In March last, she contributed to Sunmyeong Girls' High School's victory in the women's high school division at the National Middle and High School Spring Volleyball League, and left an even more powerful impression at the 2026 International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Under-17 Women's World Championship held in Chile in August.

As captain of the U-17 women's national team, Son Seo-yeon racked up a total of 179 points across nine matches, including 153 offensive points, 15 blocking points, and 11 service aces. With an average of 19.89 points per match, she tied for second place in tournament scoring. Korea also won all five matches in the group stage, defeated the Philippines in the Round of 16, and finished sixth overall, confirming its competitiveness on the world stage. Son Seo-yeon also recorded a team-high 20 points in the fifth-place playoff against Italy.

Opposing her is Park Seo-yoon, who has already proven the value of the Future Star Award once before. A middle blocker with an overwhelming height of 194 cm and quick movements relative to her stature, Park received the Future Star Award last year while still a first-year high school student. Park, who was already named to the U-19 and U-21 national teams at the time, has grown into a more complete player this year by developing not only her height but also her movement attacks, quick attacks, and mobility.

In particular, her growth shown on the national team stood out. Park Seo-yoon served as captain of Korea at the 2026 AVC Under-18 Asian Championship held in Thailand last July, leading the team to its first runner-up finish in 19 years. She was also named to the tournament's Best 7. While she had been in a position of following her seniors last year, this year she became a leader directly guiding her teammates. Competing against tall players of similar stature on the international stage, she has also improved her blocking and attacking skills.

She also had a strong presence at her school. Although Jungang Girls' High School lost consecutively to Sunmyeong Girls' High School in the finals of the March Spring League and the May National Category Championship, they met Sunmyeong Girls' High School again in the final of the IBK Industrial Bank of Korea Cup National Middle and High School Volleyball Tournament last August, defeating them 3-1 in sets to claim their first national tournament victory of the season. Park Seo-yoon contributed to the revenge by handling the height from the middle position.

Coincidentally, the two players competing for the Future Star Award also faced each other multiple times this year at their respective schools for championship trophies. Son Seo-yeon, an 181-cm outside hitter, leads with overwhelming scoring power and international stage experience, while Park Seo-yoon, a 194-cm middle blocker, possesses height rarely seen domestically, improved mobility, and national team captaincy experience.

Most recently, they faced each other at the 2026 Ansan KYK High School Volleyball Championship, hosted by the KYK Foundation where Kim Yeon-koung (38) serves as a Lee (President). Meeting in the final, Jungang Girls' High School led by Park Seo-yoon defeated Sunmyeong Girls' High School led by Son Seo-yeon to win the championship.

Will it be Son Seo-yeon's first award after rising from the top of Asia to the upper echelons of World Championship scoring? Or will it be Park Seo-yoon's second consecutive win, returning having grown another level since receiving the Future Star Award a year ago? It remains to be seen which of the two prospects representing the future of Korean women's volleyball will become the star of this year's Future Star Award.

■ Date: October 26, 2026 (Mon), 3 p.m.

■ Location: Press Conference Room, 19th Floor, Korea Press Center (124 Sejong University-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul)

■ Awardees: Baseball/Soccer/Volleyball/Basketball/Golf/Skateboarding/Artistic Gymnastics, a total of 10 people across 7 sports (2 Grand Prizes, 6 Star Awards, 2 Future Star Awards)

■ Selection Committee for Awardees

Former national team head coach Kim In-sik (Seon Jeong-wi (Director)), Cha Myeong-ju, Gi Ryeok-hyang-sang (Chairman) of the Korea Baseball & Softball Association (KBSA), Jung Min-hyuk, Head of the Scouting Team for the Hanwha Eagles, Kwon Do-young, Manager of the Scouting Team for the Kiwoom Heroes

Han Jun-hee, Commentator for Coupang Play, Son Seung-jun, Full-time Instructor for the Korea Football Association, Kwon Oh-gyu, Technical Director for Bucheon FC, Jung Jae-yoon, Scout for Jeonbuk Hyundai

■ Host/Organizer: StarNews

■ Sponsors: Korea Sports & Olympic Committee, National Sports Promotion Foundation, Korea Baseball & Softball Association, Korea Basketball Association, Korea Volleyball Federation, Korea Sports Leisure Co., Ltd., Palseok Mijin

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original