2022 K League 1

40th season of the top division of professional football in South Korea

Football league season
Hana 1Q
K League 1
Season2022
Dates19 February – 29 October 2022
ChampionsUlsan Hyundai
(3rd title)
RelegatedGimcheon Sangmu
Seongnam FC
Champions LeagueUlsan Hyundai
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Pohang Steelers
Incheon United
Matches played228
Best PlayerLee Chung-yong
Top goalscorerCho Gue-sung
Joo Min-kyu
(17 goals each)
← 2021
2023 →

The 2022 K League 1, also known as the Hana 1Q K League 1 for sponsorship reasons, was the 40th season of the top division of professional football in South Korea, and the tenth season of the K League 1.

After progressing 33 regular rounds as ever, the league was divided into two groups, the top six and the bottom six, and each team played five matches against other teams in its group.

Teams

Team changes

Relegated to K League 2

  • Gwangju FC

Promoted from K League 2

Locations

The following twelve clubs will compete in the K League 1 during the 2022 season.[1]

Team City/Province Abbreviation
Daegu FC Daegu Daegu
Gangwon FC Gangwon Gangwon
Gimcheon Sangmu Gimcheon Gimcheon
Incheon United Incheon Incheon
Jeju United Jeju Jeju
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Jeonbuk Jeonbuk
Pohang Steelers Pohang Pohang
Seongnam FC Seongnam Seongnam
FC Seoul Seoul Seoul
Suwon FC Suwon Suwon FC
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Suwon Suwon
Ulsan Hyundai Ulsan Ulsan

Stadiums

Jeju United Daegu FC Incheon United
Jeju World Cup Stadium DGB Daegu Bank Park Incheon Football Stadium
Capacity: 29,791 Capacity: 12,415 Capacity: 20,891
Pohang Steelers Suwon FC Seongnam FC
Pohang Steel Yard Suwon Stadium Tancheon Stadium
Capacity: 17,443 Capacity: 11,808 Capacity: 16,146
FC Seoul Ulsan Hyundai Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Seoul World Cup Stadium Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium Suwon World Cup Stadium
Capacity: 66,704 Capacity: 44,102 Capacity: 44,031
Gimcheon Sangmu Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Gimcheon Stadium Jeonju World Cup Stadium
Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 42,477
Gangwon FC
Chuncheon Songam Leports Town Gangneung Stadium
Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 22,333

Personnel and sponsoring

Team Manager Main sponsor Kit manufacturer Other sponsor(s)
Daegu FC South Korea Choi Won-kwon (caretaker) Daegu Government Goal Studio DGB Daegu Bank
AJIN Industrial Co., Ltd.
Gangwon FC South Korea Choi Yong-soo Gangwon Provincial Government Fila Kangwon Land
Gimcheon Sangmu South Korea Kim Tae-wan Republic of Korea Armed Forces
Gimcheon Government 		Kelme
Incheon United South Korea Jo Sung-hwan Incheon Government Macron Shinhan Bank
Incheon International Airport
Jeju United South Korea Nam Ki-il SK Energy Fila
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors South Korea Kim Sang-sik Hyundai Motor Company Adidas
Pohang Steelers South Korea Kim Gi-dong POSCO Puma Pohang Government
Seongnam FC South Korea Chung Kyung-ho (caretaker) Seongnam Government Umbro
FC Seoul South Korea An Ik-soo GS Group Pro-Specs
Suwon Samsung Bluewings South Korea Lee Byung-keun Cheil Worldwide Puma Samsung Electronics
Suwon FC South Korea Kim Do-kyun Suwon Government Hummel
Ulsan Hyundai South Korea Hong Myung-bo Hyundai Heavy Industries Adidas Hyundai Oil Bank

Foreign players

Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to five per team, including a slot for a player from the Asian Football Confederation countries and a slot for a player from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Gimcheon Sangmu FC, being a military-owned team, is not allowed to sign any foreign players. A team could use five foreign players on the field each game, including at least one player from the AFC confederation.

North Korean player An Byong-jun was deemed as a native player in K League by South Korean law and passport.

Players in bold were registered during the mid-season transfer window.

Team Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC player ASEAN player[a] Former player(s)
Daegu FC Brazil Césinha Brazil Zeca Brazil Daniel Penha Japan Keita Suzuki Brazil Edgar
Brazil Lamas
Gangwon FC Sweden Kevin Höög Jansson Montenegro Balša Sekulić Brazil Galego Montenegro Dino Islamović
Bulgaria Momchil Tsvetanov
Japan Yuki Kobayashi
Incheon United Costa Rica Elías Aguilar Brazil Hernandes Australia Harrison Delbridge Montenegro Stefan Mugoša
Jeju United Guinea-Bissau Gerso Fernandes Sweden Jonathan Ring Poland Oskar Zawada
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors The Gambia Modou Barrow Brazil Gustavo Russia Stanislav Iljutcenko
Japan Takahiro Kunimoto
Pohang Steelers Brazil Wanderson Australia Alex Grant Colombia Manuel Palacios
Nigeria Moses Ogbu
Seongnam FC Serbia Fejsal Mulić Colombia Manuel Palacios Montenegro Miloš Raičković
FC Seoul Spain Osmar Serbia Aleksandar Paločević Russia Stanislav Iljutcenko Japan Keijiro Ogawa Brazil Ricardo Silva
Australia Ben Halloran
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Netherlands Dave Bulthuis Bosnia and Herzegovina Elvis Sarić North Korea An Byong-jun[b] Japan Manabu Saitō Denmark Sebastian Grønning
Suwon FC South Africa Lars Veldwijk Brazil Murilo Finland Urho Nissilä Australia Lachlan Jackson
Ulsan Hyundai Georgia (country) Valeri Qazaishvili Brazil Leonardo Hungary Martin Ádám Japan Jun Amano Hungary Márk Koszta
  1. ^ Did not exist in the regulation of AFC.
  2. ^ Deemed as a native player in K League.

League table

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[a]
1 Ulsan Hyundai (C) 38 22 10 6 57 33 +24 76 Qualification for Champions League group stage
2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 38 21 10 7 56 36 +20 73
3 Pohang Steelers 38 16 12 10 52 41 +11 60
4 Incheon United 38 13 15 10 46 42 +4 54 Qualification for Champions League play-off round
5 Jeju United 38 14 10 14 52 50 +2 52
6 Gangwon FC 38 14 7 17 50 52 −2 49
7 Suwon FC 38 13 9 16 56 63 −7 48
8 Daegu FC 38 10 16 12 52 59 −7 46
9 FC Seoul 38 11 13 14 43 47 −4 46
10 Suwon Samsung Bluewings (O) 38 11 11 16 44 49 −5 44 Qualification for relegation play-offs
11 Gimcheon Sangmu (R) 38 8 14 16 45 48 −3 38
12 Seongnam FC (R) 38 7 9 22 37 70 −33 30 Relegation to K League 2
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference; 4) Wins; 5) Head-to-head points
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league was split into two groups, the top six and the bottom six.

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

Source: K League

Round 34–38

Source: K League

Results

Matches 1–22

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

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

Matches 23–33

Teams played each other once, either at home or away.

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

Matches 34–38

Teams played each other once, either at home or away.

Final A

Home \ Away GWN ICU JJU JHM PHS USH
Gangwon FC — 0–0 — — — 1–2
Incheon United — — 3–1 — 1–1 0–3
Jeju United 1–2 — — 1–2 — —
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–0 2–1 — — 3–1 —
Pohang Steelers 1–0 — 1–2 — — 1–1
Ulsan Hyundai — — 1–2 2–1 — —
Source: K League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Final B

Home \ Away DGU GCS SNM SEL SSB SWN
Daegu FC — 1–1 — — — 2–1
Gimcheon Sangmu — — 1–1 — 1–3 —
Seongnam FC 4–4 — — — 0–2 —
FC Seoul 2–3 1–1 0–1 — — —
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1–2 — — 0–0 — 3–0
Suwon FC — 2–2 2–1 0–2 — —
Source: K League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Relegation play-offs

The tenth-placed team and the eleventh-placed team played against the play-offs winners and the runners-up of the K League 2, respectively, in the relegation play-offs.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
FC Anyang 1–2 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 0–0 1–2 (a.e.t.)
Daejeon Hana Citizen 6–1 Gimcheon Sangmu 2–1 4–0
FC Anyang0–0Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Report
Attendance: 4,863
Referee: Kim Jong-hyeok
Suwon Samsung Bluewings2–1 (a.e.t.)FC Anyang
Report Acosty 55'
Attendance: 12,842
Referee: Lee Dong-jun

Suwon Samsung Bluewings won 2–1 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.

Daejeon Hana Citizen2–1Gimcheon Sangmu
Report Mun Ji-hwan 22'
Attendance: 8,545
Referee: Lee Dong-jun
Gimcheon Sangmu0–4Daejeon Hana Citizen
Report
Attendance: 2,918
Referee: Kim Jong-hyeok

Daejeon Hana Citizen won 6–1 on aggregate and was promoted to K League 1, while Gimcheon Sangmu was relegated to K League 2.

Statistics

Top goalscorers

Cho Gue-sung, who appeared in less matches than Joo Min-kyu, won the top goalscorer award.[2]

Rank Player[3] Club Goals
1 South Korea Cho Gue-sung Gimcheon Sangmu
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 		17
South Korea Joo Min-kyu Jeju United
3 Montenegro Stefan Mugoša Incheon United 14
South Korea Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC
5 The Gambia Modou Barrow Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 13
South Korea Go Jae-hyeon Daegu FC
South Korea Oh Hyeon-gyu Suwon Samsung Bluewings
8 Brazil Césinha Daegu FC 12
South Korea Um Won-sang Ulsan Hyundai
South Korea Kim Dae-won Gangwon FC

Top assist providers

Rank Player[3] Club Assists
1 South Korea Lee Ki-je Suwon Samsung Bluewings 14
2 South Korea Kim Dae-won Gangwon FC 13
3 South Korea Sin Jin-ho Pohang Steelers 10
4 Brazil Zeca Daegu FC 7
South Africa Lars Veldwijk Suwon FC
South Korea Joo Min-kyu Jeju United
Guinea-Bissau Gerso Fernandes Jeju United
South Korea Lee Yeong-jae Gimcheon Sangmu
South Korea Cho Young-wook FC Seoul
10 The Gambia Modou Barrow Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 6
Brazil Césinha Daegu FC
South Korea Um Won-sang Ulsan Hyundai

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date
South Korea Joo Min-kyu Jeju United Gimcheon Sangmu 3–1 8 May 2022
Montenegro Stefan Mugoša Incheon United Gangwon FC 4–1 22 June 2022

Awards

Weekly awards

Round Player of the Round
Player Club
1 South Korea Lim Sang-hyub Pohang Steelers
2 Japan Jun Amano Ulsan Hyundai
3 South Korea Jeong Jae-hee Pohang Steelers
4 South Korea Cho Gue-sung Gimcheon Sangmu
5 Brazil Edgar Daegu FC
6 South Korea Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC
7 South Korea Park Soo-il Seongnam FC
8 South Korea Sin Jin-ho Pohang Steelers
9 South Korea Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC
10 Bosnia and Herzegovina Elvis Sarić Suwon Samsung Bluewings
11 South Korea Um Won-sang Ulsan Hyundai
12 South Korea Lee Chang-min Jeju United
13 South Korea Jeon Jin-woo Suwon Samsung Bluewings
14 South Korea Jeong Jae-hee Pohang Steelers
15 South Korea Joo Min-kyu Jeju United
16 Japan Takahiro Kunimoto Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
17 Montenegro Stefan Mugoša Incheon United
18 South Korea Kim Dae-won Gangwon FC
19 South Korea Kim Seung-dae Pohang Steelers
Round Player of the Round
Player Club
20 South Korea Heo Yong-joon Pohang Steelers
21 South Korea Jung Jae-yong Suwon FC
22 South Korea Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon FC
23 Colombia Manuel Palacios Seongnam FC
24 Hungary Martin Ádám Ulsan Hyundai
25 South Korea Park Soo-il Seongnam FC
26 Serbia Fejsal Mulić Seongnam FC
27 South Korea Kim Hyun Suwon FC
28 South Korea Jeon Jin-woo Suwon Samsung Bluewings
29 South Korea Sin Jin-ho Pohang Steelers
30 Brazil Zeca Daegu FC
31 The Gambia Modou Barrow Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
32 South Korea Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC
33 South Korea Kim Young-bin Gangwon FC
34 Brazil Césinha Daegu FC
35 Hungary Martin Ádám Ulsan Hyundai
36 Brazil Césinha Daegu FC
37 Hungary Martin Ádám Ulsan Hyundai
38 South Korea Cho Gue-sung Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Monthly Awards

Month Player of the Month Young Player of the Month Manager of the Month
Player Club Player Club Manager Club Div.
February/March Montenegro Stefan Mugoša Incheon South Korea Jeon Seong-soo Seongnam South Korea Hong Myung-bo Ulsan 1
April Montenegro Stefan Mugoša Incheon South Korea Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon South Korea Lee Jung-hyo Gwangju 2
May Brazil Cesinha Daegu South Korea Hwang Jae-won Daegu South Korea Nam Ki-il Jeju 1
June South Korea Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC South Korea Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon South Korea Kim Do-kyun Suwon FC 1
July Brazil Gustavo Jeonbuk South Korea Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon South Korea Kim Sang-sik Jeonbuk 1
August Brazil Hernandes Incheon South Korea Kim Jin-ho Gangwon South Korea Jo Sung-hwan Incheon 1
September The Gambia Modou Barrow Jeonbuk South Korea Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon South Korea Lee Jung-hyo Gwangju 2
October Brazil Cesinha Daegu South Korea Hong Si-hoo Incheon South Korea Choi Won-kwon Daegu 1
Month Goal of the Month[a] Performance of the Month
Player Club Player Club
February Japan Jun Amano Ulsan —
March South Korea Cho Gue-sung Gimcheon —
April South Korea Kim Gyeong-min Gimcheon —
May South Korea Joo Min-kyu Jeju South Korea Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC
June South Korea Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC South Korea Choi Young-jun Jeju
July South Korea Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon South Korea Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon
August South Korea Kim Hyun Suwon FC South Korea Jeon Jin-woo Suwon
September South Korea Oh Hyeon-gyu Suwon South Korea Sin Jin-ho Pohang
October South Korea Um Won-sang Ulsan —
  1. ^ Officially known as the "G Moment Award".

Annual awards

The 2022 K League Awards was held on 24 October 2022.[4]

Award Winner Club
Most Valuable Player South Korea Lee Chung-yong Ulsan Hyundai
Young Player of the Year South Korea Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon FC
Top goalscorer South Korea Cho Gue-sung Gimcheon Sangmu
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Top assist provider South Korea Lee Ki-je Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Manager of the Year South Korea Hong Myung-bo Ulsan Hyundai
Position Best XI
Goalkeeper South Korea Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan)
Defenders South Korea Kim Tae-hwan
(Ulsan) 		South Korea Park Jin-seop
(Jeonbuk) 		South Korea Kim Young-gwon
(Ulsan) 		South Korea Kim Jin-su
(Jeonbuk)
Midfielders South Korea Lee Chung-yong
(Ulsan) 		Brazil Cesinha
(Daegu) 		South Korea Sin Jin-ho
(Pohang) 		South Korea Kim Dae-won
(Gangwon)
Forwards South Korea Joo Min-kyu (Jeju) South Korea Cho Gue-sung (Gimcheon, Jeonbuk)

See also

References

  1. ^ "K League Official Club Profiles Page".
  2. ^ '최종전서 16·17호골' 조규성, 주민규 제치고 '역전 득점왕' (in Korean). JoongAng Ilbo. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "K League / Record". K League.
  4. ^ 울산 이청용 K리그 '최고의 별'... 홍명보는 감독상 영예 (종합). Naver (in Korean). Starnews Korea. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.

External links

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