Yang Min-hyeok

Last updated

Yang Min-hyeok
240626 FC seoul vs gangweon (yangminhyeog).jpg
Yang with Gangwon FC in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-04-16) 16 April 2006 (age 20) [1]
Place of birth Gwangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) [1]
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
 Westerlo
(on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
Number 47
Youth career
2022–2023 Gangwon FC [note 1]
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2024 Gangwon FC 38 (12)
2025– Tottenham Hotspur 0 (0)
2025 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 14 (2)
2025–2026 → Portsmouth (loan) 15 (3)
2026 → Coventry City (loan) 3 (0)
2026– → Westerlo (loan) 3 (1)
International career‡
2022–2023 South Korea U17 23 (2)
2025– South Korea U23 8 (0)
2025– South Korea 2 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
Asian Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2026 Aichi–Nagoya
AFC U-17 Asian Cup
Runner-up 2023 Thailand
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12 October 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 3 October 2026

Yang Min-hyeok (Korean : 양민혁; born 16 April 2006) is a South Korean footballer who plays as a winger for Belgian Pro League club Westerlo, on loan from Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and the South Korea national team.

Contents

Club career

Gangwon FC

In 2022, Yang joined Gangneung Jeil High School and started to play for the school's football club, an academy of Gangwon FC. Prior to the 2024 season, when he was just one year away from graduating, he was promoted to the senior team. [3] He won the K League Player of the Month award for July 2024, becoming the youngest player to win the award. [4] He was on the list of three nominees for the K League 1 Most Valuable Player award after leading Gangwon to second place. [5] The MVP award was given to league champion Jo Hyeon-woo, but he received the Young Player of the Year award. [6]

Tottenham Hotspur

Yang signed a six-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur on 28 July 2024, to join the club in January 2025, allowing him to complete the 2024 K League 1 season with Gangwon. [7] He spent part of December 2024 at the club's training ground, learning English. [8]

2024–25: Loan to Queens Park Rangers

Yang with Queens Park Rangers signing autographs in March 2025 Yang Min-hyuk 15032025 (8).jpg
Yang with Queens Park Rangers signing autographs in March 2025

On 29 January 2025, Yang joined EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers on loan for the remainder of the season. [9] On 1 February, he made his Championship debut as a substitute in a 2–1 loss to Millwall. [10] On 14 February, he provided his first Championship assist in a 4–0 win over Derby County, where he made his first start. [11] On 29 March, he scored his first Championship goal in a 3–1 loss to Stoke City. [12]

2025–26: Loan to Portsmouth and Coventry

On 8 August 2025, Yang joined fellow Championship club Portsmouth on a season-long loan deal. [13] On 1 October, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with Watford. [14] On 29 December, Yang would be introduced off the bench in the 64th minute in a match against Charlton Athletic. He would go on to score a 98th-minute goal to win the game 2–1, helping Portsmouth beat Charlton Athletic at Fratton Park for the first time since April 2005. [15] [16]

On 6 January 2026, Yang was recalled by Tottenham Hotspur, then loaned out to Championship side Coventry City for the remainder of the season. [17] He left Portsmouth to get more appearances, [18] but it was hard to see him at Coventry, who were in the title race. He played only 29 minutes for Coventry until they secured the league title. [19]

International career

In 2023, Yang played for the South Korea under-17 team at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup and the FIFA U-17 World Cup. [20] On 25 March 2025, Yang made his senior international debut during the second half of a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Jordan. [21]

2026 Asian Games and controversy

Yang was selected for South Korea under-23s for the 2026 Asian Games. He was criticised for being uninfluential in the first three matches by the press, and took a rest on the bench during the 2–1 semi-final win over China. [22] [23] But he supplied a decisive cross converted into the only goal by Eom Ji-sung in the final against Japan, and then received an exemption from compulsory military service as Asian Games gold medalist's special benefit. [23] [24]

In an interview just after the final win, however, Yang said the medal or trophy was really not important and he had set his sights on military exemption. [25] [26] His remark which put individual benefit above responsibility as a national team player caused a huge uproar in South Korea. [27] [28] When apologizing through his Instagram the next day, he reversed his remark and intention, and said he would repay in the stadium. [28] [29] Afterwards, South Korea's National Assembly started to discuss about the abolition of Asian Games gold medalists' exemption from military service. [30] [31] [32]

Career statistics

Club

As of 17 October 2026 [20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] League cup [b] ContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gangwon FC 2024 K League 1 381200———3812
Tottenham Hotspur 2024–25 [33] Premier League 00000000—00
Queens Park Rangers (loan) 2024–25 [33] Championship 142————142
Portsmouth (loan) 2025–26 [34] Championship153—10——163
Coventry City (loan) 2025–26 [34] Championship3010———40
Westerlo (loan) 2026–27 Belgian Pro League 3110———41
Career total7318201000—7618
  1. ↑ Includes FA Cup, Belgian Cup
  2. ↑ Includes EFL Cup

Honours

South Korea U17

South Korea U23

Coventry City

Individual

Notes

  1. ↑ Played for Gangneung Jeil High School  [ ko ], which was an academy of Gangwon FC. [2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Yang Min-Hyeok: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  2. ↑ [강원] ‘만17세 데뷔’ 양민혁, 구단 최연소 출전+공격포인트 기록 (in Korean). K League. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  3. ↑ "Gangwon FC has a rising star in high schooler Yang Min-hyeok". JoongAng Ilbo. 16 May 2024.
  4. 1 2 토트넘 가는 18세 양민혁, K리그 최연소 ‘이달의 선수상’ (in Korean). The Dong-a Ilbo. 21 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  5. ↑ MVP후보가 된 'K고딩'양민혁의 기적 "1년전엔 고등학교에서 동계훈련中이었죠"[K리그 대상 현장인터뷰] (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 조현우가 울먹였다! 16년만 골키퍼 MVP…감독상·영플은 ‘강원 동화 주역’ 윤정환·양민혁 품으로 [K리그 대상 종합]. Naver (in Korean). Sports Seoul. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  7. ↑ "Yang Min-Hyeok to join Spurs from Gangwon FC". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 28 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  8. ↑ "Tottenham: Who is Yang Min-hyeok and is he ready for Spurs?". BBC Sport. 31 December 2024.
  9. ↑ "Yang Min-Hyeok joins QPR on loan". Queens Park Rangers F.C. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "18-year-old Yang Min-hyeok debuts for QPR in 2–1 loss to Millwall". Korea JoongAng Daily. 2 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  11. ↑ "Yang min-hyeok bags first assist in England in big win for QPR". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 17 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  12. ↑ "Stoke City 3–1 Queens Park Rangers: Potters secure empbatic win to ease relegation fears". Sky Sports. 29 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  13. ↑ "Pompey Loan Yang From Spurs". Portsmouth F.C. 8 August 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  14. ↑ "Portsmouth 1–1 Watford: Segecic strike earns Pompey draw with Hornets". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Portsmouth 4–2 Charlton: The last Blues team to beat the Addicks at Fratton Park and where they are now 20-plus years later". Portsmouth News. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  16. ↑ "Portsmouth 2–1 Charlton Athletic: Pompey's Yang Min-hyeok scores dramatic stoppage-time winner". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  17. ↑ "Coventry loan for Yang Min-Hyeok after Pompey recall". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  18. ↑ "Portsmouth Laments Yang Min-hyeok's Early Loan Exit Amid Fan Regret". The Chosun Daily. Osen. 9 January 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "'Poor kid' – Tottenham slammed for 'bonkers' loan decision, just 29 minutes in 3 months". The Spurs Web. 8 April 2026. Retrieved 23 May 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 Yang Min-hyeok at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  21. ↑ "First cap for Yang, assist for Sonny as Korea held by Jordan". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 25 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  22. ↑ 대회 내내 부진했던 양민혁, 결승전서 '금빛' 크로스로 '존재감' 각인 "군대 얘기와 '이등병의 편지', '자극'됐다". Nate (in Korean). Sports Seoul. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  23. 1 2 양민혁, 가장 중요한 순간 발휘된 진가… 그간 부진 씻어낸 한 방 [이민성호 금메달]. Daum (in Korean). Footballist. 3 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  24. 1 2 "Asian Games 2026: Republic of Korea beat Japan to claim fourth consecutive men's football gold". Olympics. 3 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  25. ↑ [팩트체크]'정말 그렇게 말했나' 혼신의 金크로스→병역 설화에 휩싸인 양민혁, 인터뷰 전문 다시 살펴보니.... Naver (in Korean). Sports Chosun. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  26. ↑ "메달이나 트로피, 이런 건 정말 중요하지 않았다...군 면제 하나 봤다" 양민혁, 금메달 딴 뒤 '군면제' 언급 논란. Money Today (in Korean). Osen. 4 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  27. ↑ [취재수첩] 군면제만 바라봤다는 국가대표의 경솔한 언행 (in Korean). The Korea Economic Daily. 6 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  28. 1 2 "'I am sincerely sorry' - Tottenham loanee Yang Min-hyeok issues public apology after military service exemption comments trigger backlash following Asian Games gold". Goal. 6 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  29. ↑ Yang Min-hyeok [@minhyeok47]; (4 October 2026). 안녕하세요. 양민혁입니다. (in Korean). Retrieved 8 October 2026– via Instagram.
  30. ↑ [속보]안철수 "이번 아시안게임부터 군면제 특권 폐기해야" (in Korean). Munhwa Ilbo. 7 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  31. ↑ [2221817] 병역법 일부개정법률안(주호영의원 등 10인) (in Korean). National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. 6 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  32. ↑ "Debate over military exemption reignited in South Korea over Asian Games gold". The Straits Times . 5 October 2026. ISSN   0585-3923 . Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  33. 1 2 "Games played by Yang Min-Hyeok in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  34. 1 2 "Games played by Yang Min-Hyeok in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  35. ↑ "Coventry City 5-1 Portsmouth: Frank Lampard's men secure Championship title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
  36. ↑ 강원 양민혁, K리그 영플레이어상 통산 '최다' 5회 수상. Nate (in Korean). Newsis. 13 November 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  37. ↑ 팀 K리그 22명 선수단 확정.. 린가드, 기성용 부상으로 정호연, 오베르단 대체 선발 (in Korean). K League. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  38. ↑ 프로축구 강원 '슈퍼 루키' 양민혁, 7월 K리그 '이달의 골' 수상. Nate (in Korean). Newsis. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  39. ↑ ‘올해의 선수’는 손흥민, 지소연...양민혁, 김신지는 ‘영플레이어’상 (in Korean). KFA. 31 March 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
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