Former Manchester United, Newcastle, and Crystal Palace stars are among the extremely talented footballers who are undeniably too gifted to be playing in South Korea’s professional league.
The K-League is one of the most competitive football divisions in Asia and numerous prominent figures have made a significant impact in the league over the past few decades.
Here are five players who stood out as we reviewed the squad lists of every club in the South Korean top division.
Jesse Lingard
Beginning with the most evident choice, Lingard’s career had stagnated significantly by the time he joined FC Seoul last year.
This is a man who scored in an FA Cup final to claim the trophy for Manchester United, played a crucial role for England at the 2018 World Cup and put on impressive displays in the Premier League while on loan at West Ham.
A month into his team, J-Lingz faced public criticism from his manager, Kim Gi-dong, who accused him of lacking effort and physicality.
He’s now back on the job and boasts six goals for the K-League. That’s more like it.
Ki Sung-yeung
Paired with Lingard is Ki Sung-yeong, Swansea’s 2015 Player of the Year and a highly respected Premier League player with over 110 caps for South Korea.
Ki made his entry into European football with Celtic in 2010 after launching his professional career at FC Seoul, but is most notably remembered for his six-year tenure with the Swans where he won the League Cup.
Spells later played at Newcastle and Mallorca before returning to Seoul in 2020, where he remains as the team’s respected veteran.
Ji Dong-won
‘He’s hit the ball around the goalkeeper… HE’S SCORED IT!’
Manchester City ultimately claimed the Premier League title for the first time in the 2011-12 season, but they were caught off guard by Sunderland’s Ji in a move that stands out as one of the league’s most underappreciated moments and one of Martin Tyler’s most notable commentaries.
Most of the South Korean striker’s European career took place primarily in Germany, even though he gained iconic Premier League experience, but he returned to South Korea to play for FC Seoul in 2021 and has since moved to FC Suwon at the age of 32, beginning in 2024.
Lee Chung-yong
This baller, who started his professional career in Seoul, went on to have a remarkable career in the European football scene, earning a spot among The Times’ top 50 most promising young players in football back in 2009.
He is particularly remembered for his tenure at Bolton Wanderers, but the winger also excelled during a key period at Crystal Palace, earning a consistent spot in the Premier League lineup.
He wrapped up his European career in the 2. Bundesliga with VfL Bochum, before returning to his homeland in 2020 with Ulsan Hyundai.
The player had a crucial role during the 2022 K League season, in which they helped their team secure the championship. They also received the MVP award and were included in the league’s best eleven for their outstanding performance.
Won-sang Um
One of the most promising players of his generation from Korea is Won, who has yet to compete outside of his home country, but as a winger, he possesses clever feet and a keen sense of finding the goal.
His best goalscoring season was achieved in 2022, scoring 15 goals in 41 matches for Ulsan HD, and the 25-year-old has earned eight caps for South Korea. He may be suitable for roles in the Eredivisie or the Belgian Pro League.
