The South Korean football champions are the winners of the highest league in South Korean football, which is currently the K League 1.

Since the league turned professional in 1983, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have won nine titles, the record for most titles won. Seongnam FC have won the league seven times, followed by FC Seoul on six occasions, and Pohang Steelers with five titles. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are also the only team that won the title for five consecutive seasons.

National Semi-professional League (1964–1982)

  • Before a professional football league was founded in South Korea, there was a semi-professional league held twice a year. South Korean companies, banks and militaries' football clubs qualified for the Semi-professional League, but university clubs didn't participate in it unlike the National Football Championship. Instead, they could enter the National University League.
Season Champions Runners-up Most Valuable Player Top goalscorer
1964 Spring Keumsung Textile (1)
Cheil Industries (1)		 — Unknown Unknown
Autumn Keumsung Textile (2) Korea Tungsten Unknown Unknown
1965 Spring Keumsung Textile (3)
Korea Tungsten (1)
Korea Electric Power (1)		 — Unknown Unknown
Autumn Korea Tungsten (2) Korea Coal Corporation Unknown Unknown
1966 Spring Seoul Police Department (1) Korea Electric Power Unknown Unknown
Autumn Korea Tungsten (3)
Seoul Police Department (2)		 — Unknown Unknown
1967 Spring National Police Department (3) Ssangyong Cement Unknown Unknown
Autumn Korea Electric Power (2) Cheil Industries Unknown Unknown
1968 Spring Korea Tungsten (4) Korea Electric Power Unknown Unknown
Autumn Cheil Industries (2)
ROK Army Quartermaster Corps (1)		 — Unknown Unknown
1969 Spring Korea Electric Power (3) Korea Tungsten Unknown Unknown
Autumn Unknown[lower-alpha 1]
1970 Spring Cheil Industries (3) Korea Tungsten Unknown Unknown
Autumn Chohung Bank (1) Korea Trust Bank Unknown Unknown
1971 Spring Korea Trust Bank (1) Korea Exchange Bank
Korea Housing Bank		 Unknown Unknown
Autumn ROK Marine Corps (1) Korea Trust Bank
Chohung Bank		 Unknown Unknown
1972 Spring Korea Housing Bank (1) ROK Marine Corps Unknown South Korea Kim Jae-han (8)
Autumn Korea Housing Bank (2) ROK Marine Corps Unknown Unknown
1973 Spring ROK Marine Corps (2) Kookmin Bank Unknown Unknown
Autumn Korea Trust Bank (2) ROK Army South Korea Jeong Kang-ji South Korea Choi Nak-seon (3)
1974 Spring Chohung Bank (2) ROK Army South Korea Jeong Dong-hwan South Korea Jang Chang-ho (?)
Autumn Commercial Bank of Korea (1)
ROK Army (1)		 — South Korea Han Woong-su South Korea Shin Dong-min (9)
1975 Spring POSCO FC (1) ROK Army South Korea Lee Yi-woo South Korea Park Su-deok (11)
Autumn Industrial Bank of Korea (1) Korea Automobile Insurance South Korea Kim Jin-kook South Korea Jo In-jae (7)
1976 Spring Korea Exchange Bank (1)
Korea Trust Bank (3)		 — South Korea Cha Bum-kun South Korea Yoon Young-woon (5)
Autumn Ceased
1977
 Single ROK Army (2) POSCO FC South Korea Baek Joong-cheol South Korea Yoo Geon-su (12)
1978 Spring Seoul City (1)
ROK Navy (3)		 — South Korea Son Jong-seok South Korea Park Dae-je (5)
South Korea Lee Gwang-seon (5)
Autumn Korea Automobile Insurance (1) Seoul City South Korea Lee Kang-jo South Korea Park Byung-chul (3)[lower-alpha 2]
South Korea Lee Kang-min (3)[lower-alpha 2]
South Korea Shin Dong-min (3)[lower-alpha 2]
1979 Spring Industrial Bank of Korea (2) ROK Army South Korea Seo Deok-man Unknown
Autumn Ceased[lower-alpha 3]
1980 Spring Seoul City (2)
ROK Army (3)		 — South Korea Park Chang-sun South Korea Lee Tae-yeop (5)
Autumn Korea Automobile Insurance (2)
ROK Air Force (1)		 — South Korea Moon Da-yong South Korea Choo Jong-su (3)
South Korea Yoo Jae-hong (3)
1981 Spring Daewoo FC (1) ROK Navy South Korea Choi Gyeong-sik South Korea Kang Sang-gil (5)
Autumn POSCO FC (2) ROK Army South Korea Kim Chul-soo South Korea Lee Jung-il (4)
South Korea Park Chang-sun (4)
South Korea Ha Deok-yoon (4)
1982
 Single POSCO FC (3) Kookmin Bank South Korea Park Chang-sun South Korea Lee Tae-yeop (13)
  1. ↑ There is an article about the second round of Autumn season,[1] but no record after that. It might be stopped because of many international football matches.
  2. 1 2 3 Not awarded officially.
  3. ↑ All South Korean sports events were ceased at that time because of president's assassination on 26 October 1979.[2]

K League (1983–2012)

  • Professional and semi-professional clubs competed together between 1983 and 1986. Since 1987, only professional clubs competed in the league.
  • The league was initially called Super League. It was renamed as Football Festival in 1986, Korean Professional Football League in 1987, Korean League in 1994, Professional Football League in 1996, and K League in 1998.
Season Champions Runners-up Most Valuable Player Top goalscorer
Hallelujah FC (1) Daewoo Royals South Korea Park Sung-hwa South Korea Park Yoon-ki (9)
Daewoo Royals (2) Yukong Elephants South Korea Park Chang-sun South Korea Baek Jong-chul (16)
Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso (1) POSCO Atoms South Korea Han Moon-bae Thailand Piyapong Pue-on (12)
POSCO Atoms (4) Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso South Korea Lee Heung-sil South Korea Chung Hae-won (10)
Daewoo Royals (3) POSCO Atoms South Korea Chung Hae-won South Korea Choi Sang-kook (15)
POSCO Atoms (5) Hyundai Horang-i South Korea Park Kyung-hoon South Korea Lee Kee-keun (12)
Yukong Elephants (1) Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso South Korea Noh Soo-jin South Korea Cho Keung-yeon (20)
Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso (2) Daewoo Royals South Korea Choi Jin-han South Korea Yoon Sang-chul (12)
Daewoo Royals (4) Hyundai Horang-i South Korea Chung Yong-hwan South Korea Lee Kee-keun (16)
POSCO Atoms (6) Ilhwa Chunma South Korea Hong Myung-bo South Korea Lim Keun-jae (10)
Ilhwa Chunma (1) LG Cheetahs South Korea Lee Sang-yoon South Korea Cha Sang-hae (10)
Ilhwa Chunma (2) Yukong Elephants South Korea Ko Jeong-woon South Korea Yoon Sang-chul (21)
Ilhwa Chunma (3) Pohang Atoms South Korea Shin Tae-yong South Korea Roh Sang-rae (15)
Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i (1) Suwon Samsung Bluewings South Korea Kim Hyun-seok South Korea Shin Tae-yong (18)
Busan Daewoo Royals (5) Jeonnam Dragons South Korea Kim Joo-sung South Korea Kim Hyun-seok (9)
Suwon Samsung Bluewings (1) Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i South Korea Ko Jong-soo South Korea Yoo Sang-chul (14)
Suwon Samsung Bluewings (2) Busan Daewoo Royals South Korea Ahn Jung-hwan Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Saša Drakulić (18)
Anyang LG Cheetahs (3) Bucheon SK South Korea Choi Yong-soo South Korea Kim Do-hoon (12)
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (4) Anyang LG Cheetahs South Korea Shin Tae-yong Brazil Sandro Cardoso (13)
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (5) Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i South Korea Kim Dae-eui Portugal Edmilson (14)
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (6) Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i South Korea Kim Do-hoon South Korea Kim Do-hoon (28)
Suwon Samsung Bluewings (3) Pohang Steelers Brazil Nádson Brazil Mota (14)
Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i (2) Incheon United South Korea Lee Chun-soo Brazil Leandro Machado (13)
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (7) Suwon Samsung Bluewings South Korea Kim Do-heon South Korea Woo Sung-yong (16)
Pohang Steelers (7) Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma Brazil Tavares Brazil Cabore (17)
Suwon Samsung Bluewings (4) FC Seoul South Korea Lee Woon-jae Brazil Dudu (15)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (1) Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma South Korea Lee Dong-gook South Korea Lee Dong-gook (20)
FC Seoul (4) Jeju United South Korea Kim Eun-jung South Korea Yoo Byung-soo (22)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2) Ulsan Hyundai South Korea Lee Dong-gook Montenegro Dejan Damjanović (23)
FC Seoul (5) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Montenegro Dejan Damjanović Montenegro Dejan Damjanović (31)

K League 1 (2013–present)

  • The K League was split into two divisions in 2013.
  • The first division was originally named K League Classic, and was renamed K League 1 in 2018.
Season Champions Runners-up Most Valuable Player Top goalscorer
Pohang Steelers (8) Ulsan Hyundai South Korea Kim Shin-wook Montenegro Dejan Damjanović (19)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (3) Suwon Samsung Bluewings South Korea Lee Dong-gook Brazil Júnior Santos (14)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (4) Suwon Samsung Bluewings South Korea Lee Dong-gook South Korea Kim Shin-wook (18)
FC Seoul (6) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors South Korea Jung Jo-gook South Korea Jung Jo-gook (20)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (5) Jeju United South Korea Lee Jae-sung Brazil Johnathan (22)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (6) Gyeongnam FC Brazil Marcão Brazil Marcão (26)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (7) Ulsan Hyundai South Korea Kim Bo-kyung Australia Adam Taggart (20)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (8) Ulsan Hyundai South Korea Son Jun-ho Brazil Júnior Negrão (26)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (9) Ulsan Hyundai South Korea Hong Jeong-ho South Korea Joo Min-kyu (22)
Ulsan Hyundai (3) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors South Korea Lee Chung-yong South Korea Cho Gue-sung (17)
Ulsan Hyundai (4) Pohang Steelers South Korea Joo Min-kyu (17)

Statistics

All-time (1964–present)

  • In South Korea, professional era records are generally accepted.

Titles by club

  • Clubs in green background are extant.
  • Clubs in bold are competing in the K League.
  • The asterisk means co-winners.
Club Single league Spring season Autumn season Total
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 9 (2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) — — 9
Pohang Steelers[lower-alpha 1] 6 (1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2007, 2013) 1 (1975) 1 (1981) 8
Seongnam FC[lower-alpha 2] 7 (1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006) — — 7
FC Seoul[lower-alpha 3] 6 (1985, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2012, 2016) — — 6
Busan IPark[lower-alpha 4] 4 (1984, 1987, 1991, 1997) 1 (1981) — 5
Ulsan HD[lower-alpha 5] 4 (1996, 2005, 2022, 2023) — — 4
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 4 (1998, 1999, 2004, 2008) — — 4
Korea Tungsten — 2 (1965*, 1968) 2 (1965, 1966*) 4
ROK Army 1 (1977) 1 (1980*) 1 (1974*) 3
Keumsung Textile — 2 (1964*, 1965*) 1 (1964) 3
National Police Department[lower-alpha 6] — 2 (1966, 1967) 1 (1966*) 3
Korea Electric Power — 2 (1965*, 1969) 1 (1967) 3
Cheil Industries — 2 (1964*, 1970) 1 (1968*) 3
Korea Trust Bank — 2 (1971, 1976*) 1 (1973) 3
ROK Navy[lower-alpha 7] — 2 (1973, 1978*) 1 (1971) 3
Korea Housing Bank — 1 (1972) 1 (1972) 2
Chohung Bank — 1 (1974) 1 (1970) 2
Industrial Bank of Korea — 1 (1979) 1 (1975) 2
Seoul City — 2 (1978*, 1980*) — 2
Korea Automobile Insurance — — 2 (1978, 1980*) 2
Hallelujah FC 1 (1983) — — 1
Jeju United[lower-alpha 8] 1 (1989) — — 1
ROK Army Quartermaster Corps — — 1 (1968*) 1
Commercial Bank of Korea — — 1 (1974) 1
Korea Exchange Bank — 1 (1976*) — 1
ROK Air Force — — 1 (1980*) 1
  1. ↑ Including POSCO FC and POSCO Atoms
  2. ↑ Including Ilhwa Chunma and Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
  3. ↑ Including Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso and Anyang LG Cheetahs
  4. ↑ Including Daewoo FC, Daewoo Royals, and Busan Daewoo Royals
  5. ↑ Including Hyundai Horang-i, Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i, and Ulsan Hyundai
  6. ↑ Including Seoul Police Department
  7. ↑ Including ROK Marine Corps
  8. ↑ Including Yukong Elephants

Professional era (1983–present)

Titles by club

Titles won by club (%)

  Jeonbuk – 9 (22%)
  Seongnam – 7 (17%)
  Seoul – 6 (14.6%)
  Pohang – 5 (12.2%)
  Busan – 4 (9.8%)
  Suwon – 4 (9.8%)
  Ulsan – 4 (9.8%)
  Others – 2 (4.9%)

  • In accordance with the official K League policy, the current clubs inherit the history and records of the predecessor clubs.[3]
Club Champions Runners-up Winning seasons Runners-up seasons
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
9
3
 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 2012, 2016, 2022
Seongnam FC[lower-alpha 1]
7
3
 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006 1992, 2007, 2009
FC Seoul[lower-alpha 2]
6
5
 1985, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2012, 2016 1986, 1989, 1993, 2001, 2008
Pohang Steelers[lower-alpha 3]
5
5
 1986, 1988, 1992, 2007, 2013 1985, 1987, 1995, 2004, 2023
Ulsan HD[lower-alpha 4]
4
10
 1996, 2005, 2022, 2023 1988, 1991, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
4
4
 1998, 1999, 2004, 2008 1996, 2006, 2014, 2015
Busan IPark[lower-alpha 5]
4
3
 1984, 1987, 1991, 1997 1983, 1990, 1999
Jeju United[lower-alpha 6]
1
5
 1989 1984, 1994, 2000, 2010, 2017
Hallelujah FC
1
0
 1983 —
Jeonnam Dragons
0
1
 — 1997
Incheon United
0
1
 — 2005
Gyeongnam FC
0
1
 — 2018
  1. ↑ Including Ilhwa Chunma and Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
  2. ↑ Including Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso, LG Cheetahs, and Anyang LG Cheetahs
  3. ↑ Including POSCO Atoms and Pohang Atoms
  4. ↑ Including Hyundai Horang-i, Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i, and Ulsan Hyundai
  5. ↑ Including Daewoo Royals and Busan Daewoo Royals
  6. ↑ Including Yukong Elephants and Bucheon SK

Titles by city/province

  • In early years, hometowns of K League clubs were determined, but they were pointless in substance because the clubs played games by going around all stadiums together.
  • The current home and away system is being operated since the 1987 season.
City/Province Titles Clubs
9
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Seoul 7 FC Seoul (1990, 2010, 2012, 2016)
Ilhwa Chunma (1993, 1994, 1995)
4 Pohang Steelers (1988, 1992, 2007, 2013)
4 Ulsan HD (1996, 2005, 2022, 2023)
4 Suwon Samsung Bluewings (1998, 1999, 2004, 2008)
4 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006)
2 Busan Daewoo Royals (1991, 1997)
1 Daewoo Royals (1987)
1 Yukong Elephants (1989)
1 Anyang LG Cheetahs (2000)

Titles by region

  • In early years, hometowns of K League clubs were determined, but they were pointless in substance because the clubs played games by going around all stadiums together.
  • The current home and away system is being operated since 1987 season.
Region Titles City/Province Clubs
Gyeonggi region
(Seoul Capital Area)		 17 Seoul (7) FC Seoul (1990, 2010, 2012, 2016)
Ilhwa Chunma (1993, 1994, 1995)
Seongnam (4) Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006)
Suwon (4) Suwon Samsung Bluewings (1998, 1999, 2004, 2008)
Anyang (1) Anyang LG Cheetahs (2000)
Incheon–Gyeonggi (1) Yukong Elephants (1989)
Yeongnam region
(Gyeongsang)		 11 Pohang (4) Pohang Steelers (1988, 1992, 2007, 2013)
Ulsan (4) Ulsan HD (1996, 2005, 2022, 2023)
Busan (2) Busan Daewoo Royals (1991, 1997)
Busan–Gyeongnam (1) Daewoo Royals (1987)
Honam region
(Jeolla)
9
 Jeonbuk (9) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ 陸軍,一毛를 零封. Naver.com (in Korean). Kyunghyang. 16 August 1969. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
    2. ↑ 11월의 스포츠. Naver.com (in Korean). Kyunghyang. 1 November 1979. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
    3. ↑ "The Official K League Annual Report" (in Korean). K League editorial division.
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