Kim Kee-hee

This article is about a footballer. For the archer, see Kim Ki-hee.

Kim Kee-hee
Kim in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-07-13) 13 July 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Busan, South Korea
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre back, Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Ulsan Hyundai
Number 44
Youth career
2005–2007 Bukyeong High School
2008–2010 Hongik University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2013 Daegu FC 29 (2)
2012–2013 → Al-Sailiya (loan) 20 (0)
2013–2015 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 80 (0)
2016–2017 Shanghai Shenhua 45 (2)
2018–2019 Seattle Sounders FC 59 (0)
2020– Ulsan Hyundai 61 (1)
International career‡
2011–2012 South Korea U23 5 (2)
2012–2017 South Korea 23 (0)
Medal record
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 October 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 October 2017
Kim Kee-hee
Hangul
김기희
Hanja
金基熙
Revised RomanizationGim Gihui
McCune–ReischauerKim Kihŭi
In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.

Kim Kee-hee (Korean: 김기희; Korean pronunciation: [kim.ɡi.ɦi] or [kim] [ki.ɦi]; born 13 July 1989) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Ulsan Hyundai. He can also be fielded as a defensive midfielder. Kim has played for teams in the K-League, Qatar Stars League, Chinese Super League and Major League Soccer. He has also represented South Korea at the national level.

Club career

Daegu

Kim initially played University League at Hongik University from 2008 to 2010. Kim was then drafted in the second round of the 2011 K-League draft by Daegu FC.[2] Kim made his professional debut on 5 March 2011, playing the full 90 minutes of Daegu's opening game of the 2011 K-League season against Gwangju FC, which ended in a 2–3 loss for Daegu FC.[3]

Loan to Al-Sailiya

On 26 September 2012, Kim joined the newly promoted Qatar Stars League club Al-Sailiya on a loan deal.[4]

Jeonbuk Hyundai

Kim joined fellow K-League side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2013 and would help the team to win two successive K-League titles.

Shanghai Shenhua

On 19 February 2016, Kim moved to Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for a reported transfer fee of US$6 million. Kim's agent had described the deal as the "biggest transfer in Korean history".[5] On 5 March 2016, he made his debut for the club in a 1–1 draw against Yanbian Funde.

Seattle Sounders FC

On 27 February 2018, Kim was signed by Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer using targeted allocation money.[6]

Ulsan Hyundai

On 26 February 2020, Kim was signed by Ulsan Hyundai of K League 1.

International career

In 2011, Kim was selected for the South Korea U-23 national team that participated in the 2012 King's Cup, an annual tournament held in Thailand.[7]

In 2012, Kim won the bronze medal with South Korea U-23 in the 2012 London Olympics, which was the first Olympic medal ever in Korean football history, and he was granted exemption to two years of mandatory military service like the rest of the team.[8][9]

Honours

Club

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Shanghai Greenland Shenhua
Seattle Sounders FC
Ulsan Hyundai

International

South Korea U-23
South Korea

Individual

Career statistics

As of 15 October 2022[11]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Others Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Others Total
2011 Daegu FC K League 1 12 0 0 0 2 0 - - - - 14 0
2012 17 2 0 0 0 0 - - - - 17 2
Qatar League Cup QNB Cup Asia Others Total
2012–13 Al-Sailiya SC Qatar Stars League 20 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - 20 0
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Others Total
2013 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors K League 1 19 0 3 1 - - 0 0 - - 22 1
2014 28 0 1 0 - - 7 0 - - 36 0
2015 33 0 1 0 - - 8 1 - - 42 1
China PR League FA Cup CSL Cup Asia Others Total
2016 Shanghai Shenhua Chinese Super League 30 0 3 0 - - - - - - 33 0
2017 15 1 1 1 - - 1 0 - - 17 2
United States League Open Cup League Cup North America Others Total
2018 Seattle Sounders FC Major League Soccer 29 0 0 0 - - 2 0 1[a] 0 32 0
2019 30 0 0 0 - - - - 4[a] 0 34 0
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Others Total
2020 Ulsan Hyundai K League 1 12 0 2 0 - - 8 1 - - 22 1
2021 36 1 2 0 - - 8 0 2[b] 1 48 2
2022 13 0 2 0 - - 0 0 - - 15 0
Career total 294 4 15 2 2 0 34 2 7 1 352 9
  1. ^ a b Appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs
  2. ^ Appearances in 2020 FIFA Club World Cup

References

  1. ^ "Kim Keehee". K League. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  2. ^ "2011 대구FC 드래프트 안재훈(건국대) 등 9명 선발". Daegu FC (in Korean). 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Gwangju vs. Daegu 3 - 2". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Kim joins Al Sailiyah" (in Korean). Qatar Stars League. 26 September 2012. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Shenhua signs Kim as its Asian player". ShanghaiDaily.com. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  6. ^ "Sounders FC signs South Korean defender Kim Kee-hee". Seattle Sounders FC. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Olympic Team Squad for King's Cup (at Thailand, 26/12/2011)". Korean Football Association. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Footballer to Be Spared Military Service Despite IOC Probe". The Chosun Ilbo. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  9. ^ "Medal instead of military service". The Hankyoreh. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  10. ^ "Seattle Sounders are 2019 MLS Cup champions: Rave Green win second MLS title". Major League Soccer. 10 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  11. ^ "Kim, Ki-Hee". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 15 December 2016.