1. Early Life and Background
Ryang Hyon-ju's early life and educational journey set the foundation for his professional football career, rooted in his identity as a Zainichi Korean.
1.1. Birth and Childhood
Ryang Hyon-ju was born on May 31, 1998, in Hanno, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. As a Zainichi Korean, his background is unique, combining his Japanese birthplace with his Korean heritage, specifically his North Korean nationality which he represents in international football.
1.2. Youth Career and Education
Ryang began his football development at a young age, joining the Vissel Kobe U-12 academy. He later moved to Omiya Ardija U-15, where he played from 2011 to 2013. During his time with Omiya Ardija's junior youth team, he was part of the squad that achieved a historic victory, winning the JFA Premier Cup in 2013, the first time the club had won the tournament.
Following his youth academy tenure, Ryang attended Tokyo Korean High School from 2014 to 2016. While still a student there in the autumn of 2015, he earned a call-up to the U-17 North Korea national team and participated in the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup held in Chile. After high school, he continued his academic and football career at Waseda University, where he played for the university's football club from 2017 to 2020. His height is 68 in (173 cm) and his weight is 168 lb (76 kg), and he is right-footed.
2. Club Career
Ryang Hyon-ju's professional career began in 2021 in Japan, progressing through various clubs in the J.League and Japan Football League (JFL).
2.1. Professional Debut and Early Career
Ryang's professional club career commenced with FC Imabari, a club then competing in the J3 League. His joining was announced on March 3, 2021, just before the start of the 2021 season. He made his professional debut in the J.League on March 14, 2021, in the opening match of the J3 League season against Roasso Kumamoto at Arigato Service. Yume Stadium. Later that year, on September 12, he scored his first J.League goal in a match against Fujieda MYFC, also at Arigato Service. Yume Stadium.
He concluded his tenure with FC Imabari after one year. Following his departure, Ryang participated in the J.League joint tryout held at Fukuda Denshi Arena on December 9, 2021, seeking a new club. On February 11, 2022, he transferred to Tokyo Musashino United FC, which plays in the JFL. During his time at Tokyo Musashino United FC, he made 26 appearances and scored 10 goals in the JFL.
2.2. Veertien Mie
In 2023, Ryang Hyon-ju moved to Veertien Mie, another club in the Japan Football League. His transfer was announced on December 16, 2022. He currently continues to play as a forward for Veertien Mie, wearing the number 41 jersey.
3. National Team Career
Ryang Hyon-ju has represented North Korea at various youth national team levels, showcasing his talent on the international stage.
His international career began with the U-17 North Korea national team in 2015, where he participated in the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. He went on to play for the U-19 North Korea national team, competing in the AFC U-19 Championship 2016. Later, he joined the U-23 North Korea national team, featuring in the football tournament at the 2018 Asian Games and the AFC U-23 Championship 2020.
4. Career Statistics
The following table summarizes Ryang Hyon-ju's professional club career statistics as of his latest updates:
| Year | Club | League | League Apps | League Goals | Emperor's Cup Apps | Emperor's Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Imabari | J3 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2022 | Musashino | JFL | 26 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 10 | |
| 2023 | Mie | JFL | 23 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 3 | |
| 2024 | Mie | JFL | |||||||
| J3 League Totals | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |||
| JFL Totals | 49 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 13 | |||
| Career Totals | 61 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 64 | 14 | |||
His J.League debut occurred on March 14, 2021, in the J3 League's first match against Roasso Kumamoto. His first J.League goal was scored on September 12, 2021, during the J3 League's 18th match against Fujieda MYFC.