From Seoul to Seattle

Junseok Yeo loves basketball because it’s unpredictable.

“You can’t know who is going to win until the last second,” says Yeo, ’26. 

Growing up in Seoul, South Korea, Yeo’s basketball journey began at age 11 when he decided to follow his brother’s footsteps from playing soccer to basketball.

“I was pretty tall, so I thought basketball would be fun,” Yeo says.

The now 6’8” Yeo boasts an impressive career as a basketball forward known for versatility and putting the team first. Prior to collegiate basketball, he led his high school team to the Korean high school national title, attended the NBA Global Academy in Australia and played several seasons for the Korea senior national team. Later, Yeo transferred from Korea University to play two seasons at Gonzaga, where he appeared in 39 games, averaging 2.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in six minutes per game. 

But for his senior season, Yeo chose to play for Seattle University.

“I needed more playing time and I was looking for a school that felt like a family,” Yeo says. “When I visited SU, I could feel right away this was a good environment for me. It felt like a family here.”

An aspect of the Redhawk team that stood out to Yeo were the two other international players from Asian countries: Houran Dan, ’28, from Neimenggu, China, and Yuto Kawashima, ’28, from Gunma, Japan.

“It’s really unique. I’ve never seen players from three different Asian countries playing on the same team,” Yeo says. “They set the tone for me going to SU. I love having them on the team.”

For Yeo, one of the differences playing in Korea vs. the U.S. is the physicality of the game. In Korea, the players are more methodical in the set-up of a play and stick to their role, whereas in the U.S. players transition quickly and run the court more often. Yeo has adapted to both styles of playing, having spent last summer competing for the Korean senior national team in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.

In Yeo’s first season as a Redhawk, he appreciates the relationships he’s built with his coaches, saying, “We’ve got great coaches and staff.” Yeo also had several opportunities to play his former teammates at Gonzaga as the Redhawks are in their first season back in the West Coast Conference.

“The Gonzaga games were standouts for me. It was really great to see my old teammates and play against them,” Yeo says. “It was really memorable.”

As an international player, Yeo has gained a large fanbase with more than 110,000 followers on Instagram. Despite Yeo’s budding fame and personal successes this season, with 28 games played and 12.1 points scoring average, his highlight of the season so far is cheering on his teammate.

“I forgot which game it was, but Yuto got to play a lot and he had his first dunk,” Yeo says. “I got so hyped up.”

When he’s not on the court, Yeo enjoys exploring the Korean food scene in Seattle. A communication major, Yeo values SU’s smaller, discussion-style classes where students can easily ask professors questions. 

Although Yeo is graduating this spring, he has one more year of NCAA eligibility to play basketball and he’s leaving his options open.

“I only think about the season,” Yeo says. “I just do my thing first and then everything will happen later.”