2019 K League 1

Hana 1Q
K League 1
Season2019
Dates1 March – 1 December 2019
ChampionsJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
(7th title)
RelegatedGyeongnam FC
Jeju United
Champions LeagueJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Ulsan Hyundai
FC Seoul
Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Matches played228
Goals scored593 (2.6 per match)
Best PlayerKim Bo-kyung
Top goalscorerAdam Taggart
(20 goals)
Biggest home winGangwon 4–0 Sangju
(9 July 2019)
Biggest away winJeju 0–5 Ulsan
(3 August 2019)
Highest scoringGangwon 5–4 Pohang
(23 June 2019)
Longest winning run5 matches
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Longest unbeaten run18 matches
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Longest winless run20 matches
Gyeongnam FC
Longest losing run5 matches
Gyeongnam FC
Jeju United
Highest attendance32,057
Seoul 4–2 Suwon
(16 June 2019)
Lowest attendance955
Jeju 3–0 Seongnam
(21 September 2019)
Average attendance8,014
← 2018
2020 →

The 2019 K League 1 was the 37th season of the top division of professional football in South Korea since its establishment in 1983, and the seventh season of the K League 1.[1][2] Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were the defending champions.

In the 17th round on 23 June, Pohang Steelers were leading Gangwon FC 4–0 away after 70 minutes, but Gangwon scored five unanswered goals including three in injury time to win 5–4.[3]

Teams

class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2019 K League 1 clubs[4]

General information

Club City/Province Manager Owner(s) Other sponsor(s)
Daegu FC Daegu Brazil Andre Daegu Government DGB Daegu Bank
Gangwon FC Gangwon South Korea Kim Byung-soo Gangwon Provincial Government high1
Gyeongnam FC Gyeongnam South Korea Kim Jong-boo Gyeongnam Provincial Government
Incheon United Incheon South Korea Yoo Sang-chul Incheon Government Shinhan Bank
Incheon International Airport
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Jeonbuk Portugal José Morais Hyundai Motor Company Hummel
Jeju United Jeju South Korea Jo Sung-hwan SK Energy
Pohang Steelers Pohang South Korea Kim Gi-dong POSCO Pohang City Hall
Sangju Sangmu Sangju South Korea Kim Tae-wan Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps
Seongnam FC Seongnam South Korea Nam Ki-il Seongnam Government
FC Seoul Seoul South Korea Choi Yong-soo GS Group
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Suwon South Korea Lee Lim-saeng Cheil Worldwide Samsung Electronics
Maeil Dairies Industry
Ulsan Hyundai Ulsan South Korea Kim Do-hoon Hyundai Heavy Industries Hyundai Oilbank

Stadiums

Daegu FC Gangwon FC Gyeongnam FC Incheon United Jeju United Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
DGB Daegu Bank Park Chuncheon Songam Leports Town Changwon Football Center Incheon Football Stadium Jeju World Cup Stadium Jeonju World Cup Stadium
Capacity: 12,415 Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 20,245 Capacity: 20,891 Capacity: 35,657 Capacity: 42,477
Pohang Steelers Sangju Sangmu Seongnam FC FC Seoul Suwon Samsung
Bluewings 		Ulsan Hyundai
Pohang Steel Yard Sangju Civic Stadium Tancheon Stadium Seoul World Cup Stadium Suwon World Cup Stadium Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium
Capacity: 17,443 Capacity: 15,042 Capacity: 16,146 Capacity: 66,704 Capacity: 44,031 Capacity: 44,102

Foreign players

Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team could use four foreign players on the field each game including at least one player from the AFC confederation.[2] Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC player Former players
Daegu FC Brazil Césinha Brazil Edgar Silva Brazil Rildo Japan Tsubasa Nishi Brazil Dário Júnior
Gangwon FC Bosnia and Herzegovina Nemanja Bilbija Cyprus Valentinos Sielis Japan Takahiro Nakazato Serbia Uroš Đerić
Gyeongnam FC Brazil Osman Júnior Netherlands Luc Castaignos Serbia Uroš Đerić Japan Takahiro Kunimoto Brazil Negueba
England Jordan Mutch
Incheon United Bosnia and Herzegovina Gordan Bunoza Montenegro Stefan Mugoša Nigeria Lanre Kehinde Australia Rashid Mahazi Sweden Jiloan Hamad
Vietnam Nguyễn Công Phượng
Jeju United Brazil Magno Cruz Costa Rica Elías Aguilar Nigeria Christian Osaguona Australia Aleksandar Jovanović Brazil Tiago Marques
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Brazil Ricardo Lopes Brazil Samuel Australia Bernie Ibini-Isei Brazil Adriano Michael Jackson
Brazil Tiago Alves
Pohang Steelers Brazil Wanderson Carvalho Russia Stanislav Iljutcenko Serbia Aleksandar Paločević Montenegro Vladan Adžić
Seongnam FC Brazil Éder Martinique Mathias Coureur Brazil Jajá
FC Seoul Spain Osmar Serbia Aleksandar Pešić Uzbekistan Ikromjon Alibaev
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Montenegro Dejan Damjanović Brazil Waguininho Australia Terry Antonis Australia Adam Taggart Bosnia and Herzegovina Elvis Sarić
Ulsan Hyundai Brazil Júnior Negrão Netherlands Dave Bulthuis United States Mix Diskerud Australia Jason Davidson

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[a]
1 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (C) 38 22 13 3 72 32 +40 79 Qualification for Champions League group stage
2 Ulsan Hyundai 38 23 10 5 71 39 +32 79
3 FC Seoul 38 15 11 12 53 49 +4 56 Qualification for Champions League play-off round
4 Pohang Steelers 38 16 8 14 49 49 0 56
5 Daegu FC 38 13 16 9 46 37 +9 55
6 Gangwon FC 38 14 8 16 56 58 −2 50
7 Sangju Sangmu 38 16 7 15 49 53 −4 55
8 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 38 12 12 14 46 49 −3 48 Qualification for Champions League group stage[b]
9 Seongnam FC 38 12 9 17 30 40 −10 45
10 Incheon United 38 7 13 18 33 54 −21 34
11 Gyeongnam FC (R) 38 6 15 17 43 61 −18 33 Qualification for relegation play-offs
12 Jeju United (R) 38 5 12 21 45 72 −27 27 Relegation to K League 2
Source: K League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference; 4) Wins; 5) Head-to-head points
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Teams are split into two groups (Final A and Final B) after each have played 33 matches.
  2. ^ Qualified as champions of FA Cup.

Positions by matchday

  Leaders
  Qualification for Champions League group stage
  Qualification for Champions League play-off round
  Qualification for relegation play-offs
  Relegation to K League 2

Round 1–33

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233
Ulsan Hyundai364311122211122233222211121222211
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors535443311122211111111122212111122
FC Seoul222122233433333322333333333333333
Daegu FC843555544344444444455555664555444
Pohang Steelers111188879108676667777887899999888665
Gangwon FC12977791077865776655544444445444556
Sangju Sangmu111234465557555566678777556677777
Suwon Samsung Bluewings101212101088910988888889766666777766888
Seongnam FC9101011910756799999998999988888999999
Gyeongnam FC479966689101010111010101010101111111111101010101010101010
Incheon United65661112121111121212121212121111121212121212111112111112111111
Jeju United7811121211111212111111101111111212111010101010121211121211121212
Source: K League

Round 34–38

Source: K League

Results

Matches 1–22

Teams play each other twice, once at home, once away.

Home \ Away DGU GWN GNM ICU JJU JHM PHS SJS SFC SEO SSB USH
Daegu FC — 2–2 1–1 2–1 2–0 1–4 3–0 1–0 1–1 1–2 0–0 1–1
Gangwon FC 0–2 — 2–1 1–0 0–1 2–3 5–4 4–0 2–1 1–2 0–2 0–0
Gyeongnam FC 2–1 0–2 — 1–1 2–2 3–3 1–2 1–1 2–1 1–2 3–3 1–3
Incheon United 0–3 1–2 2–1 — 1–1 0–1 0–1 1–2 0–0 0–2 2–3 0–3
Jeju United 1–1 2–4 2–0 1–2 — 0–1 1–1 2–3 1–2 4–2 1–3 1–3
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–1 0–1 4–1 2–0 3–1 — 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–1 1–1 1–1
Pohang Steelers 0–2 1–0 4–1 1–2 1–1 1–1 — 1–2 1–0 0–0 1–0 2–1
Sangju Sangmu 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 4–2 0–3 1–1 — 1–0 1–3 0–2 0–1
Seongnam FC 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–0 1–1 0–0 2–0 1–0 — 0–1 2–1 1–4
FC Seoul 2–1 2–2 2–1 0–0 0–0 2–4 2–0 2–0 3–1 — 4–2 2–2
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 0–0 1–1 0–0 2–1 2–0 0–4 3–0 0–0 1–2 1–1 — 1–3
Ulsan Hyundai 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 2–2 0–1 2–1 2–1 —
Source: K League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 23–33

Teams play every other team once (either at home or away).

Home \ Away DGU GWN GNM ICU JJU JHM PHS SJS SFC SEO SSB USH
Daegu FC — 3–1 1–0 — 2–2 — 0–0 — — — 0–2 —
Gangwon FC — — 2–0 2–2 2–0 3–3 2–1 — — — 1–3 —
Gyeongnam FC — — — — — 1–1 0–1 — 2–0 — 2–0 3–3
Incheon United 1–1 — 1–1 — 0–0 0–0 — — 0–1 — — 3–3
Jeju United — — 1–2 — — — — 1–4 3–0 1–1 — 0–5
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 0–2 — — — 2–2 — — 2–1 1–1 2–0 3–0
Pohang Steelers — — — 5–3 2–1 1–2 — — 1–0 2–1 — 2–1
Sangju Sangmu 1–1 2–1 2–1 2–3 — — 2–1 — — — — —
Seongnam FC 1–2 1–0 — — — — — 1–0 — 1–0 0–0 —
FC Seoul 2–1 0–0 1–1 3–1 — 0–2 — 1–2 — — — —
Suwon Samsung Bluewings — — — 0–1 1–0 — 0–2 1–1 — 1–2 — 0–2
Ulsan Hyundai 1–1 2–0 — — — — — 5–1 1–0 3–1 — —
Source: K League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 34–38

After 33 matches, the league splits into two sections of six teams each, with teams playing every other team in their section once (either at home or away). The exact matches are determined upon the league table at the time of the split.

Relegation play-offs

The promotion-relegation play-offs were held between the winners of the 2019 K League 2 play-offs and the 11th-placed club of the 2019 K League 1.

Busan IPark0–0Gyeongnam FC
Report
Attendance: 8,249
Referee: Kim Dae-yong
Gyeongnam FC0–2Busan IPark
Report
Attendance: 5,397
Referee: Go Hyung-jin

Busan IPark won 2–0 on aggregate and were promoted to the K League 1, while Gyeongnam FC were relegated to the K League 2.

Player statistics

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Australia Adam Taggart Suwon Samsung Bluewings 20
2 Brazil Júnior Negrão Ulsan Hyundai 19
3 Brazil Cesinha Daegu FC 15
Brazil Wanderson Carvalho Pohang Steelers
5 Montenegro Stefan Mugoša Incheon United 14
6 Serbia Uroš Đerić Gangwon FC
Gyeongnam FC 		13
South Korea Kim Bo-kyung Ulsan Hyundai
8 South Korea Park Yong-ji Sangju Sangmu 12
9 Brazil Edgar Silva Daegu FC 11
Brazil Ricardo Lopes Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Source:[5]

Top assist providers

Rank Player Club Assists
1 South Korea Moon Seon-min Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 10
Brazil Cesinha Daegu FC
3 South Korea Kim Bo-kyung Ulsan Hyundai 9
Brazil Wanderson Carvalho Pohang Steelers
5 South Korea Kim Seung-dae Pohang Steelers
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 		8
6 Bosnia and Herzegovina Elvis Sarić Suwon Samsung Bluewings 7
South Korea Kim Tae-hwan Ulsan Hyundai
South Korea Park Chu-young FC Seoul
Brazil Ricardo Lopes Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
10 South Korea Lee Yeong-jae Gyeongnam FC
Gangwon FC 		6
South Korea Jung Seung-yong Gangwon FC
South Korea Go Yo-han FC Seoul

Source:[5]

Awards

Main awards

The 2019 K League Awards was held on 2 December 2019.[6]

Award Winner Club
Most Valuable Player South Korea Kim Bo-kyung Ulsan Hyundai
Top goalscorer Australia Adam Taggart Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Top assist provider South Korea Moon Seon-min Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Young Player of the Year South Korea Kim Ji-hyeon Gangwon FC
Manager of the Year Portugal José Morais Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Best XI

Position Winner Club
Goalkeeper South Korea Jo Hyeon-woo Daegu FC
Defenders South Korea Hong Chul Suwon Samsung Bluewings
South Korea Hong Jeong-ho Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
South Korea Lee Yong Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
South Korea Kim Tae-hwan Ulsan Hyundai
Midfielders South Korea Moon Seon-min Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
South Korea Kim Bo-kyung Ulsan Hyundai
Brazil Cesinha Daegu FC
Brazil Wanderson Carvalho Pohang Steelers
Forwards Australia Adam Taggart Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Brazil Júnior Negrão Ulsan Hyundai

Source:[6]

Monthly awards

Month Player of the Month Manager of the Month Goal of the Month
Player Club Manager Club Division Player Club
March Brazil Cesinha Daegu FC South Korea Choi Yong-soo FC Seoul K League 1 South Korea Kim Dae-won Daegu FC
April South Korea Kim Jin-hyuk Daegu FC Portugal José Morais Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors K League 1 South Korea Yeom Ki-hun Suwon Samsung Bluewings
May South Korea Kim Shin-wook Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors South Korea Cho Deok-je Busan IPark K League 2 Serbia Aleksandar Pešić FC Seoul
June South Korea Cho Jae-wan Gangwon FC South Korea Park Jin-sub Gwangju FC K League 2 South Korea Cho Jae-wan Gangwon FC
July Australia Adam Taggart Suwon Samsung Bluewings South Korea Kim Do-hoon Ulsan Hyundai K League 1 Brazil Éder Seongnam FC
August Brazil Wanderson Carvalho Pohang Steelers Portugal José Morais Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors K League 1 South Korea Lee Soo-bin Pohang Steelers
September Brazil Júnior Negrão Ulsan Hyundai South Korea Kim Gi-dong Pohang Steelers K League 1 South Korea Kim Ji-hyeon Gangwon FC
October South Korea Moon Seon-min Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors South Korea Park Jin-sub Gwangju FC K League 2 South Korea Moon Seon-min Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
November South Korea Kim Gi-dong Pohang Steelers K League 1 South Korea Kim Jin-su Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Player of the Round

Attendance

Attendants who entered with free ticket are not counted.

Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 FC Seoul 324,162 32,057 7,719 17,061 +47.6%†
2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 278,738 20,637 10,044 13,937 +16.9%†
3 Daegu FC 203,951 12,172 8,247 10,734 +205.1%†
4 Ulsan Hyundai 184,148 19,011 1,568 9,692 +28.8%†
5 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 168,024 24,019 3,353 8,843 +31.8%†
6 Incheon United 161,593 18,541 4,879 8,505 +92.0%†
7 Pohang Steelers 161,134 14,769 2,486 8,481 +13.3%†
8 Seongnam FC 105,950 11,238 2,421 5,576 +132.3%†
9 Gyeongnam FC 73,646 7,252 1,034 3,876 +23.0%†
10 Jeju United 66,741 6,034 955 3,708 +14.7%†
11 Gangwon FC 54,331 5,823 1,732 2,860 +110.9%†
12 Sangju Sangmu 44,702 6,278 1,161 2,353 +78.5%†
League total 1,827,120 32,057 955 8,014 +47.2%†

Updated to games played on 1 December 2019
Source: K League
Notes:
† Teams that played previous season in K League 2.

See also

References

  1. ^ "2019 K League News Letter". K League. Archived from the original on 2020-06-29. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  2. ^ a b "South Korean football news, opinions, match previews and score predictions". K League United.
  3. ^ "South Korea » K League 1 2019 » 17. Round » Gangwon FC - Pohang Steelers 5:4". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  4. ^ "K League club profiles" (in Korean). K League.
  5. ^ a b "Data center - Official records - Recording room - K League 1 records - Individual record table" (in Korean). K League Data Portal. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  6. ^ a b 김보경, K리그1 MVP 영예…전북 모라이스 감독상. Naver (in Korean). KBS. 2 December 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2020.