Ulsan's 'generation change', Seoul's 'national resources', and Jeonbuk's pursuit of revival...K-League Opens Up
Ulsan's 'generation change', Seoul's 'national resources', and Jeonbuk's pursuit of revival...K-League Opens Up
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The opening of K League 1's 2025 season is just around the corner. Twelve teams are preparing for the championship, from Ulsan Hyundai, which aims to win four consecutive league titles, to FC Anyang, which achieved its first K League 1 promotion.
The K-League 1 will open on Feb. 15. Each team will play a total of 198 regular rounds, 33 matches per team. After the 33rd round of the K-League 1 regular round, the final round will begin. Each team will play five final rounds from 34th to 38th.
From 2022 until last year, Ulsan was the champion of the K-League. Ulsan, which has established a dynasty by winning three consecutive K-League titles, is embarking on a generational change in the upcoming 2025 season, which is unusual for the winning team. In line with Kim Pan-gon's philosophy of pursuing forward pressure and active activities, it has recruited a large number of young players. For example, it boldly rejected "national striker" Joo Min-gyu.
Ulsan added Lee Hee-kyun, Heo Yul and Yoon Jae-seok to its offensive team to fill the gap, and strengthened its midfield by recruiting midfielder Lee Jin-hyun. In the defense, Yoon Jong-kyu, Park Min-seo, Seo Myung-kwan and Lee Jae-ik have undergone a major reorganization to young players in their 20s, aiming for their fourth consecutive victory.
FC Seoul, which is in its second year as head coach Kim Ki-dong, has also started massive strengthening of its capabilities by recruiting national team resources in succession for a solid result. First, it embraces left fullback Kim Jin-su. Seoul will now build a more structured defense team consisting of right back Choi Joon and left back Kim Jin-su. Kim Jin-su, who suffered slump from the second half of the 2024 season, has decided to move to another team under Kim's leadership.
The national team's flanker, Moon Seon-min, also wore a Seoul uniform. With the addition of Moon, Seoul has added the weight of its second-line strikers. Jung Seung-won, the "K-League's representative multiplayer," has also moved to Seoul. The hard worker-style Jung is expected to match the dynamic soccer that Kim pursues. Seoul has successfully upgraded its capabilities by recruiting even veteran defender Lee Han-do.
Jeonbuk Hyundai, which is in desperate need of revival, has appointed Gus Foye, its coach, to announce a fresh start. Foye has proven his leadership in the best leagues in Europe, including the EPL, La Liga, and Ligue 1, and boasts an impressive career as he is mentioned as a candidate for the national team. "I highly appreciated Foye's rich experience and outstanding communication skills," Jeonbuk said, explaining why it was appointed.
Jeonbuk, which recruited the big name coach, brought back Song Bum-keun, the club's franchise star and former goalkeeper from Japan. It also recruited Kim Young-bin, a top K-League center back. However, since there is a lack of additional reinforcement of power afterwards, how much leadership Foyet will exert with existing resources is expected to be the key to the team's performance.
Daejeon is also considered a dark horse. Daejeon has beefed up its power by recruiting Joo Min-gyu and Lim Jong-eun. Jeong Jae-hee, who was in charge of Pohang's side, has also confirmed his plan to go to Daejeon. In addition, Park Kyu-hyun, a European team player with national team experience, is also in the arms. Anyang, which achieved promotion to the top division for the first time in its history, 메이저놀이터 is also notable. It has solidified its squad by recruiting top scorer of the K League 2 in 2024, and "Veteran" Kim Bo-kyung.