K League
Association football league in South Korea From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
K League (Korean: K리그) is South Korea's professional football league. It includes the first division K League 1 and the second division K League 2.[1][2] Clubs competing in the K League have won a record total of twelve AFC Champions League titles, the top continental competition for Asian clubs.[3]
| Organising body | Korea Football Association (1983–1986) K League Federation (1987–1988) Korea Football Association (1989–1994) K League Federation (1994–present) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1983 |
| Country | South Korea |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Divisions | K League 1 K League 2 |
| Number of clubs | 26 |
| Level on pyramid | 1–2 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Korean FA Cup |
| International cup(s) | AFC Champions League Elite AFC Champions League Two |
| Current champions | Ulsan HD (2024) |
| Most championships | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (9 titles) |
| TV partners | JTBC Golf&Sports Sky Sports (South Korea) IB SPORTS |
| Website | www |
| Current: 2025 K League 1 2025 K League 2 | |
History
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Until the 1970s, South Korean football operated two major football leagues, the National Semi-professional Football League and the National University Football League, but these were not professional leagues in which footballers could focus on only football. In 1979, however, the Korea Football Association (KFA)'s president Choi Soon-young planned to found a professional football league,[4] and made South Korea's first professional football club Hallelujah FC the next year.[5] After the South Korean professional baseball league KBO League was founded in 1982, the KFA was aware of crisis about the popularity of football.[6] In 1983, it urgently made the Korean Super League with two professional clubs (Hallelujah FC, Yukong Elephants) and three semi-professional clubs (POSCO Dolphins, Daewoo Royals, Kookmin Bank) to professionalize South Korean football. Then, the Super League accomplished its purpose after existing clubs were also converted into professional clubs (POSCO Atoms, Daewoo Royals) and new professional clubs joined the league. In the early years, it also showed a promotion system by giving qualifications to the Semi-professional League winners. (Hanil Bank in 1984, Sangmu FC in 1985)
However, the number of spectators was consistently decreased despite KFA's effort, and so the professional league, renamed as the Korean Professional Football League, operated home and away system to interest fans since 1987.[7] On 30 July 1994, the Professional League Committee under KFA was independent of the association, and renamed as the "Korean Professional Football Federation". In 1996, South Korean government and the Football Federation introduced a decentralization policy to proliferate the popularity of football nationally in preparation for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which they wanted to host. Several clubs located in the capital Seoul moved to other cities according to the new policy, but this was abolished after only three years and is regarded as a failed policy because it gave up the most populous city in South Korea. In 1998, the league was renamed again as current K League.[8]
It had the current format by abolishing the K League Championship and the Korean League Cup after the 2011 season, and being split into two divisions in 2013. The first division's name was the K League Classic, and the second division's name was the K League Challenge at the time. The fact that both the first and the second divisions had very similar names caused some degree of confusion and controversy.[9] Beginning with the 2018 season, both divisions were renamed the K League 1 and the K League 2 respectively.
In February 2021, an OTT service for international markets called K League TV was officially launched.[10]
Structure
Below K League 1 is the second-tier K League 2, and both form the K League as professional championships. Under them, there are two semi-professional leagues (K3 League and K4 League) and three amateur leagues (K5, K6 and K7 Leagues). At present, promotion and relegation exists within each of the three levels (professional, semi-professional, and amateur) but clubs from K3 and below cannot be promoted to the K League. However, the KFA has announced plans to combine the three promotion-relegation systems into one from 2027.[11]
Since 2021, K League 1 and K League 2 teams have been permitted to field their reserve teams in the K4 League.[12]
Clubs
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Current clubs
K League 1
K League 2
All-time clubs
As of 2025, there have been a total of 37 member clubs in the history of the K League – those clubs are listed below with their current names (where applicable):
- K League's principle of official statistics is that final club succeeds to predecessor club's history and records.
- Clubs in italics no longer exist.
| No. | Club | Owner(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | POSCO Dolphins (1983–1984) POSCO Atoms (1985–1994) Pohang Atoms (1995–1996) Pohang Steelers (1997–present) |
POSCO |
| 2 | Hallelujah FC (1983–1985) | Shindongah Group |
| 3 | Yukong Elephants (1983–1995) Bucheon Yukong (1996–1997) Bucheon SK (1997–2005) Jeju United (2006–2024) Jeju SK (2025–present) |
SK Energy |
| 4 | Daewoo Royals (1983–1995) Busan Daewoo Royals (1996–1999) Busan I'Cons (2000–2004) Busan IPark (2005–present) |
Daewoo (1983–1999) HDC Group (2000–present) |
| 5 | Kookmin Bank (1983–1984) | Kookmin Bank |
| 6 | Hyundai Horang-i (1984–1995) Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i (1996–2007) Ulsan Hyundai (2008–2023) Ulsan HD (2024–present) |
Hyundai Motor Company (1984–1997) Hyundai Heavy Industries (1998–present) |
| 7 | Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso (1984–1990) LG Cheetahs (1991–1995) Anyang LG Cheetahs (1996–2003) FC Seoul (2004–present) |
LG Group (1984–2004) GS Group (2004–present) |
| 8 | Hanil Bank FC (1984–1986) | Hanil Bank |
| 9[a] | Sangmu FC (1985) | Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps |
| 10 | Ilhwa Chunma (1989–1995) Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma (1996–1999) Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (2000–2013) Seongnam FC (2014–present) |
Ilwha Company (1989–2013) Government of Seongnam (2014–present) |
| 11 | Chonbuk Buffalo (1994) | Bobae Soju |
| 12 | Jeonbuk Dinos (1995–1996) Jeonbuk Hyundai Dinos (1997–1999) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2000–present) |
Hyundai Motor Company Hyunyang Company (1995–1999) |
| 13 | Jeonnam Dragons (1995–present) | POSCO |
| 14 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings (1996–present) | Samsung Electronics (1996–2014) Cheil Worldwide (2014–present) |
| 15 | Daejeon Citizen (1997–2019) Daejeon Hana Citizen (2020–present) |
Dong Ah Group (1997–1998) Chungchong Bank (1997–1998) Dongyang Department Store (1997–1999) Kyeryong Construction Company (1997–2002) Government of Daejeon (2003–2019) Hana Financial Group (2020–present) |
| 16[a] | Gwangju Sangmu (2003–2010) | Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps Government of Gwangju |
| 17 | Daegu FC (2003–present) | Government of Daegu |
| 18 | Incheon United (2004–present) | Government of Incheon |
| 19 | Gyeongnam FC (2006–present) | Government of Gyeongnam Province |
| 20 | Gangwon FC (2009–present) | Government of Gangwon Province |
| 21[a] | Sangju Sangmu (2011–2020) | Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps Government of Sangju |
| 22 | Gwangju FC (2011–present) | Government of Gwangju |
| 23[b] | Police FC (2013) Ansan Police (2014–2015) Ansan Mugunghwa (2016) |
KNP Sports Club Government of Ansan (2014–2016) |
| 24 | Goyang Hi FC (2013–2015) Goyang Zaicro (2016) |
|
| 25 | Chungju Hummel (2013–2016) | Hummel Korea |
| 26 | Suwon FC (2013–present) | Government of Suwon |
| 27 | Bucheon FC 1995 (2013–present) | Government of Bucheon |
| 28 | FC Anyang (2013–present) | Government of Anyang |
| 29 | Seoul E-Land (2015–present) | E-Land Group |
| 30[b] | Asan Mugunghwa (2017–2019) | KNP Sports Club Government of Asan |
| 31 | Ansan Greeners (2017–present) | Government of Ansan |
| 32 | Chungnam Asan (2020–present) | Government of Asan Government of Chungnam Province |
| 33[a] | Gimcheon Sangmu (2021–present) | Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps Government of Gimcheon |
| 34 | Gimpo FC (2022–present) | Government of Gimpo |
| 35 | Cheonan City (2023–present) | Government of Cheonan |
| 36 | Chungbuk Cheongju (2023–present) | Government of Cheongju |
| 37 | Hwaseong FC (2025–present) | Government of Hwaseong |
Champions
Promotion-relegation play-offs
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The K League promotion-relegation play-offs were introduced in 2013 and are contested between the eleventh-placed team of K League 1 and the runners-up of K League 2. The first leg is always played at the second division team's home ground, while the second leg is played at the first division team's home ground. Starting in 2022, another series was added between the tenth-placed team of K League 1 and the third-placed team of K League 2.
| Season | K League 1 | Aggregate | K League 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Gangwon FC | 2–4 | Sangju Sangmu | 1–4 | 1–0 |
| 2014 | Gyeongnam FC | 2–4 | Gwangju FC | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| 2015 | Busan IPark | 0–3 | Suwon FC | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| 2016 | Seongnam FC | 1–1 (a) | Gangwon FC | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| 2017 | Sangju Sangmu | 1–1 (5–4 p) | Busan IPark | 1–0 | 0–1 (a.e.t.) |
| 2018 | FC Seoul | 4–2 | Busan IPark | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| 2019 | Gyeongnam FC | 0–2 | Busan IPark | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| 2020 | Not held[a] | ||||
| 2021 | Gangwon FC | 4–2 | Daejeon Hana Citizen | 0–1 | 4–1 |
| 2022 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 2–1 | FC Anyang | 0–0 | 2–1 (a.e.t.) |
| Gimcheon Sangmu | 1–6 | Daejeon Hana Citizen | 1–2 | 0–4 | |
| 2023 | Gangwon FC | 2–1 | Gimpo FC | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Suwon FC | 6–4 | Busan IPark | 1–2 | 5–2 (a.e.t.) | |
| 2024 | Daegu FC | 6–5 | Chungnam Asan | 3–4 | 3–1 (a.e.t.) |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 4–2 | Seoul E-Land | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
Records and statistics
K League officially includes records of K League 1, K League 2 and Korean League Cup in its statistics.
- As of 25 November 2020[13]
| Category | Record holder | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances |  Kim Byung-ji |
706 |
| Goals | Lee Dong-gook |
228 |
| Assists | Yeom Ki-hun |
110 |
| Clean sheets | Kim Byung-ji |
229 |
| Longest goal | Kwon Jung-hyuk |
85 m |
| Fastest goal | Bang Seung-hwan |
00:11 |
| Fastest assist | Lee Jae-sung |
00:18 |
Restriction of foreign players
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At the inception of the K League in 1983, only two Brazilian players made rosters. At the time, rules allowed each club to have three foreign players and that the three could also play simultaneously in a game. From the 1996 season, each team had five foreign players among whom three could play in a game at the same time. Since 1999, foreign goalkeepers are banned from the league because South Korean clubs excessively employed foreign goalkeepers after watching Valeri Sarychev's performances at that time.[14] In 2001 and 2002, the limit on foreign players was expanded to seven but only three could play in a game at the same time. The limit was lowered to five in 2003, four in 2005, and three in 2007. Since 2009, the number of foreign players went back up to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. Between 2020 and 2024, Southeast Asian players could be registered under the ASEAN Quota.[15]
| Season | Lineup | Squad | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–1993 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1994 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1995 | 3 | 3 | |
| 1996–2000 | 3 | 5 | The number of foreign goalkeepers' appearances was limited in 1997 and 1998, and their employment is being banned since 1999.
|
| 2001–2002 | 3 | 7 | Temporary operation due to frequent call-ups of the World Cup team. |
| 2003–2004 | 3 | 5 | |
| 2005 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2006–2008 | 3 | 3 | |
| 2009–2019 | 3+1 | 3+1 | +1 AFC player |
| 2020–2024 | 3+1+1 | 3+1+1 | +1 AFC player +1 ASEAN player; only used by K League 2 since 2023. |
| 2023–2024 | 3+1 | 5+1 | +1 AFC player; only used by K League 1. |
| 2025–present | 4 | 5 or 6 | K League 1 teams can register six foreign players each in their squads, while K League 2 teams can register five. |
Relocation of clubs
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In early years, the hometowns of K League clubs were determined,[16] but they were pointless in substance because the clubs played all K League matches by going around all stadiums together. The current home and away system is being operated since 1987. The clubs were relocated from provinces to cities in 1990, but clubs are currently based in their area regardless of province and city since 1994. In 1996, the decentralization policy was operated. In result 3 clubs based in Seoul were relocated. Since 1996, it is obligatory for all clubs to include hometown name in their club name.
| Club | National tour system (1983–1986) | Home and away system (1987–present) |
|---|---|---|
| Pohang Steelers | Daegu–Gyeongbuk (1983) | Daegu–Gyeongbuk → Pohang (1988[a]) |
| Jeju SK | Seoul–Incheon–Gyeonggi (1983) → Seoul (1984) | Seoul → Incheon–Gyeonggi (1987) → Seoul (1991) → Bucheon (2001[b]) → Jeju (2006) |
| Busan IPark | Busan–Gyeongnam (1983) | Busan–Gyeongnam → Busan (1989[c]) |
| Ulsan HD | Incheon–Gyeonggi (1984) → Incheon–Gyeonggi–Gangwon (1986) | Gangwon (1987) → Ulsan (1990) |
| FC Seoul | Chungnam–Chungbuk (1984) | Chungnam–Chungbuk → Seoul (1990) → Anyang (1996) → Seoul (2004) |
| Seongnam FC | — | Seoul (1989) → Cheonan (1996) → Seongnam (2000) |
| Gimcheon Sangmu[d] | — | Gwangju (2003) → Sangju (2011) → Gimcheon (2021) |
| Asan Mugunghwa[e] | — | Unlocated[f] (2013) → Ansan (2014) → Asan (2017) |
- Bucheon Yukong decided Bucheon as its new city in 1996, but played its home matches at Mokdong Stadium located in Mok-dong, Seoul until 2000, because Bucheon Stadium was under construction during that time.
- Police FC, Ansan Police, and Asan Mugunghwa are separate legal entities according to K League. Officially not relocated and re-founded as a new civil club named Chungnam Asan, in 2019.
Awards
Annual awards
Hall of Fame
| Year | Inductee | Category | Clubs | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Choi Soon-ho | Stars | POSCO Atoms (1983–1987, 1991) Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso (1988–1990) |
[17] |
| 2023 | Hong Myung-bo | Stars | Pohang Steelers (1992–1997, 2002) | [17] |
| 2023 | Shin Tae-yong | Stars | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (1992–2004) | [17] |
| 2023 | Lee Dong-gook | Stars | Pohang Steelers (1998–2002, 2005–2006) Gwangju Sangmu (2003–2005) Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (2008) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2009–2020) |
[17] |
| 2023 | Kim Jung-nam | Leaders | Yukong Elephants (1985–1992) Ulsan Hyundai (2000–2008) |
[17] |
| 2023 | Park Tae-joon | Honors | Pohang Steelers Jeonnam Dragons |
[17] |
Sponsorship
| Sponsor | Season | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| None | 1983–1993 | Korean Professional Football League |
| Hite | 1994–1995 | Hite Cup Korean League |
| Rapido | 1996–1997 | Rapido Cup Professional Football League |
| Hyundai Group | 1998 | Hyundai Cup K-League |
| Hyundai Securities | 1999 | Buy Korea Cup K-League |
| Samsung Electronics | 2000 | Samsung DigiTall K-League |
| POSCO | 2001 | POSCO K-League |
| Samsung Electronics | 2002 | Samsung PAVV K-League |
| 2003–2008 | Samsung Hauzen K-League | |
| None | 2009 | K-League |
| Hyundai Motor Company | 2010 | Sonata K League |
| Hyundai Oilbank | 2011–2016 | Hyundai Oilbank K League |
| Hana Bank | 2017–2018 | KEB Hana Bank K League |
| 2019–present | Hana 1Q K League |
See also
References
External links
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