Korea’s '2024 Athlete of the Year': "Cinematic Sniper" Kim Ye-ji, Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, and the No. 1 Spot Goes to…

Badminton player An Se-young has topped the sports category in the '2024 Athlete of the Year' survey, surpassing Son Heung-min, Kim Ye-ji, and coach Hong Myung-bo. On December 26, job platform Incruit announced the results, with An securing 23.9% of the votes.

The primary reason for An’s selection was her strong values and beliefs (28.7%). After winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, An gained attention for exposing systemic corruption within the Korean Badminton Association.

An highlighted issues such as inadequate injury management and the association’s irresponsible behavior. Her statements prompted the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to investigate, uncovering misconduct, including embezzlement and negligence, by chairman Kim Taek-gyu and others.

Other Top Contenders

2nd Place: Son Heung-min (15.4%):

Son Heung-min, captain of the South Korean national soccer team, has set numerous records as the highest-scoring Asian player in both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. A Ballon d’Or Top 30 nominee and FIFA FIFPro World XI Top 55 candidate, Son continues to make history.

In the 2021–2022 Premier League season, he became the first Asian player to win the Golden Boot and was named to the PFA Team of the Year. He also achieved milestones such as 100 Premier League goals, 200 career goals, and the FA Cup top scorer title while holding the record for most assists in Tottenham’s history.

3rd Place: Kim Ye-ji (12.2%):

Shooter Kim Ye-ji gained global attention during the Paris Olympics, winning silver in the 10m air pistol. Her composed demeanor and chic expression captivated audiences, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who shared her performance on social media, suggesting she be cast in an action movie.

CNN described her as “a cinematic sniper,” while NBC listed her among the top 10 stars of the Paris Olympics. Post-Olympics, Kim became a sought-after figure, working as a model for Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga and serving as Tesla Korea’s first ambassador. She was also recognized as one of BBC’s “100 Women of the Year” and named among The New York Times’ “63 Inspiring People of the Year.”

Other Rankings

4th: Esports player Faker (11.3%)

5th: Table tennis player Shin Yu-bin (8.1%)

6th: Baseball player Kim Do-young (7.4%)

7th: National soccer team coach Hong Myung-bo (4.9%)

8th: Fencer Oh Sang-wook (4.9%)

9th: Miscellaneous (2.9%)

10th: High jumper Woo Sang-hyuk (1.9%)

Broadcasting and Entertainment

In the entertainment category, BLACKPINK’s Rosé claimed the top spot with 19.2% of the votes. Her duet with Bruno Mars, APT., achieved global success. Actor Jung Woo-sung followed with 19.0%, and NewJeans ranked third with 16.3%, dominating the 20s demographic with 24.0%.

Economy and Business Leaders

Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin led the business category with 29.6%, fueled by her disputes with HYBE. Chef Paik Jong-won secured second place with 23.1%, followed by Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong at 9.7%. Men predominantly chose Paik (25.5%), while women favored Min (41.1%).

Top Issues of the Year

The martial law controversy was the most significant issue of 2024, cited by 84.4% of respondents. Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature followed at 45.0%, with Trump’s re-election at 36.1%. The junior doctors’ strike ranked fourth with 34.3%.

The survey, conducted from December 12 to 18, involved 1,315 Incruit members, with a margin of error of ±2.63% at a 95% confidence level.