kids encyclopedia robot

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.svg
Full name Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Football Club
전북 현대 모터스 축구단
Founded 1994; 31 years ago (1994)
(as Chonbuk Dinos)
Ground Jeonju World Cup Stadium
Ground Capacity 34,276
Owner Hyundai Motor Company
Chairman Chung Eui-sun
Manager Gus Poyet
League K League 1
2024 K League 1, 10th of 12
Third colours

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC (Korean: 전북 현대 모터스 FC) is a professional football club from Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, South Korea. They play in the K League 1, which is the top football league in South Korea.

Jeonbuk is one of the most successful clubs in South Korea. They have won the K League a record nine times. This includes winning five titles in a row from 2017 to 2021. They have also won the Korean FA Cup five times. On the international stage, Jeonbuk has won the AFC Champions League twice. Their first win was in 2006, making them the first East Asian club to win the tournament since it changed its name in 2003. The club plays its home games at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

Club History

How it Started

The club we know today as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors began in January 1993. It was first called Wansan Pumas. This was the first K League team named after its home city. However, the team struggled to find enough money and went bankrupt.

But people in the area still wanted a football club. So, a local company called Bobae Ltd. stepped in to help. In 1994, the team joined the K League as Chonbuk Buffalo. Unfortunately, they faced money problems again and closed down after the 1994 season.

Later in 1994, South Korea was trying to host the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Hyundai Motors decided to take over the players from Chonbuk Buffalo. They formed a new club called Chonbuk Dinos on December 12, 1994. The K League officially sees Chonbuk Buffalo and Chonbuk Dinos (which later became Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) as different clubs.

Becoming Champions (2005–2021)

For many years, Jeonbuk was not a top team in the K League. They often finished in the middle of the standings. This changed when Choi Kang-hee became manager in July 2005. That same year, in December, Jeonbuk won the Korean FA Cup.

In 2006, Jeonbuk finished 11th in the K League, which was not great. But they surprised everyone by winning their first AFC Champions League title! On their way to the final, they beat strong teams like Japan's Gamba Osaka and China's Shanghai Shenhua. They also defeated South Korean champions Ulsan Horang-i in the semi-finals. In the final, they won 3–2 against Al-Karamah from Syria.

Because they won the AFC Champions League, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors got to play in the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup. They lost their first game 1–0 to América. But they then beat Auckland City 3–0 and finished fifth in the tournament.

In 2009, Jeonbuk became the Korean champions for the first time. They beat Seongnam Ilhwa 3–1 in the K League Championship. They won the league again in 2011, defeating Ulsan Hyundai 4–2 in the final. In 2011, they also reached the AFC Champions League final. However, they lost to Al-Sadd after a penalty shoot-out.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2009 from acrofan
Jeonbuk players signing autographs in their first title winning season
이동국 2020년
Lee Dong-gook is the all-time top scorer for Jeonbuk and the K League

With a lot of support from Hyundai, Jeonbuk built a modern training center called Yulsori Clubhouse in Wanju County in 2013. This support and Choi Kang-hee's exciting playing style helped the club dominate the K League. They won the league titles in 2014 and 2015.

The year 2016 was a mix of good and bad for Jeonbuk. They won their second AFC Champions League title by beating Al-Ain 3–2. But they faced problems in the domestic league. The club was accused of bribing referees through a scout. As a result, they were fined and had nine points taken away from their 2016 league score. This caused their rivals FC Seoul to win the title instead. Even though they were champions of Asia, Jeonbuk was not allowed to play in the 2017 AFC Champions League because of this incident.

Despite the setback, the club continued to be very successful in the K League. They won the next five league titles in a row. They also won the 2020 Korean FA Cup, beating Ulsan over two games. This was their first time winning both the league and the FA Cup in the same year.

Recent Years (2022–Present)

The 2022 season marked a change for Jeonbuk. They lost the league title to their main rivals Ulsan by just three points. However, they did win the 2022 Korean FA Cup. The next year, 2023, was even tougher. The club finished fourth in the 2023 season, which was their lowest league finish since 2008. They also lost to Pohang Steelers in the 2023 final. Because they finished fourth and didn't win the FA Cup, they could not play in the new 2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite tournament.

Jeonbuk's struggles continued into the 2024 season. They finished tenth, which meant they were close to being moved down to a lower league for the first time ever. Luckily, they avoided relegation by beating Seoul E-Land in the play-offs.

In December 2024, Jeonbuk hired Uruguayan manager Gus Poyet. The club hopes he can bring them back to their winning ways. In their first game under Poyet, they beat Thai team Port FC 4–0 in the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two. New player Andrea Compagno scored two goals in that match.

Fans and Rivalries

Supporters

Jeonbuk is the most popular football team in South Korea. It is the second most popular sports team overall, after the Kia Tigers baseball team. The club has over two million fans from all over the country, especially from the Honam region. They also have almost half a million followers on TikTok. This number grew a lot because of former player Cho Gue-sung, who became famous internationally after scoring two goals for South Korea in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The club's main fan group is called the Mad Green Boys. They sit in the North Stand of the stadium.

Jeonbuk fans at Jeonju WCS
Mad Green Boys in a home league game in 2024

Rivalries

Seoul Area Clubs

Jeonbuk has strong rivalries with FC Seoul (called the Jeonseol Match) and Suwon Samsung Bluewings (called Gongseongjeon). These two clubs are the most popular football teams in the Seoul Metropolitan Area. The rivalry between these three teams also reflects the business competition between their parent companies: Hyundai, LG, and Samsung. These are three of the biggest business groups in South Korea. Their rivalry was most intense in the 2010s, when Jeonbuk became dominant while Seoul and Suwon faced challenges.

Seoul vs. Jeonbuk
Jeonbuk away supporters at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in 2025

On May 3, 2025, Jeonbuk fans set a new record for away attendance. Over 7,600 Jeonbuk fans traveled to watch their team play against Seoul. This shows how strong their rivalry is.

Hyundai Derby

Since the late 2010s, Jeonbuk's biggest league rival has become Ulsan HD. Ulsan started to challenge Jeonbuk's dominance in the league. They finally ended Jeonbuk's five-year winning streak in 2022. Matches between these two big teams are now seen as the most important derby in the country. In 2025, all 32,560 seats at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium were sold out for the first time ever for a game against Ulsan. Jeonbuk won that match 3–1.

Even though both clubs have "Hyundai" in their names, their parent companies are legally separate businesses.

International Rivalry

In the 2010s, Jeonbuk had an intense international rivalry with Chinese team Guangzhou Evergrande. They played each other often in the AFC Champions League. Both teams were the strongest in their own leagues and often met in continental competitions. Many South Korean players and staff helped Guangzhou win against Jeonbuk and other Asian teams. This was because Guangzhou and other Chinese Super League teams used their large budgets to attract talented players from South Korea.

Guangzhou closed down in 2025, so this rivalry no longer exists.

Home Stadium and Training

Jeonju World Cup Stadium at the 2002 FIFA World Cup
Jeonju World Cup Stadium during the 2002 FIFA World Cup

Jeonbuk has played its home games at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium since 2002. The stadium was finished in 2001 and can hold 34,276 fans. Before this, their home ground was the Jeonju Sports Complex Stadium. Jeonbuk also has a reserve team, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors N, which plays at the Wanju Public Stadium in nearby Wanju County.

Jeonbuk fans at K4 match
Fans supporting Jeonbuk's reserve team at the Wanju Public Stadium

Jeonbuk owns one of the most modern training facilities in Asia. It's called the Yulsori Clubhouse and is located in Bongdong-eup, Wanju. This advanced training center is designed like those used by top European clubs. It has a large hydrotherapy room, indoor and outdoor training fields, private sleeping rooms, a gym, and a cafeteria.

Players

Current Squad

As of July 17, 2025
No. Position Player
1 South Korea GK Kim Jeong-hoon
2 South Korea DF Kim Young-bin
3 South Korea DF Choi Woo-jin
4 South Korea MF Park Jin-seob (captain)
5 Portugal MF João Gamboa
8 South Korea MF Han Kook-young
9 Brazil FW Tiago Orobó
10 South Korea FW Song Min-kyu
11 South Korea MF Lee Seung-woo
13 South Korea MF Kang Sang-yoon
14 South Korea MF Jeon Jin-woo
15 South Korea FW Sung Jin-young
16 South Korea FW Park Jae-yong
17 South Korea MF Jin Tae-ho
18 South Korea DF Lee Jun-ho
21 Ghana MF Patrick Twumasi
22 South Korea MF Kwon Chang-hoon
23 South Korea DF Kim Tae-hwan
24 South Korea DF Park Kyu-min
25 South Korea DF Choi Chul-soon
26 South Korea DF Hong Jeong-ho
27 South Korea MF Lee Kyu-dong
28 South Korea MF Lee Yeong-jae
29 South Korea DF Kim Jun-yeong
No. Position Player
31 South Korea GK Song Bum-keun
34 South Korea FW Um Seung-min
36 South Korea MF Jang Nam-ung
39 South Korea FW Kang Hyun-jong
47 South Korea DF Yun Ju-young
50 South Korea DF Hwang Jung-gu
51 South Korea GK Lee Han-gyeol
63 South Korea MF Han Seok-jin
64 South Korea DF Kim Soo-hyung
66 South Korea DF Seo Jeong-hyeok
70 South Korea DF Lee Jae-jun
72 South Korea DF Hwang Seung-jun
73 South Korea MF Kim Min-jae
77 South Korea DF Kim Tae-hyun
81 South Korea GK Jeon Ji-wan
88 South Korea MF Yun Hyun-seok
90 South Korea FW Jeong Sang-woon
91 South Korea GK Gong Si-hyeon
94 South Korea DF Yeon Je-un
96 Italy FW Andrea Compagno
97 South Korea MF Kim Jin-gyu
98 South Korea FW Lim Jun-hwi
99 South Korea FW Kim Chang-hoon
South Korea DF Jeong Tae-wook

Players on Loan

No. Position Player
South Korea DF Ahn Hyeon-beom (at Suwon FC)
South Korea DF Jin Si-woo (at Gwangju FC)
South Korea DF Kim Ha-jun (at Seoul E-Land)
South Korea MF Lee Soo-bin (at Gimcheon Sangmu for military service)
No. Position Player
South Korea MF Maeng Seong-ung (at Gimcheon Sangmu for military service)
South Korea FW Jeon Byung-kwan (at Gimcheon Sangmu for military service)
South Korea FW Lee Dong-jun (at Gimcheon Sangmu for military service)
South Korea FW Park Ju-yeong (at Hwaseong FC)

Club Staff

Coaching Team

  • First team manager: Uruguay Gus Poyet
  • First team coaches: Argentina Mauricio Taricco, Uruguay Diego Poyet, South Korea Jung Jo-gook
  • Goalkeeping coach: South Korea Hwang Hee-hoon
  • Fitness coach: Greece Panagiotis Voulgaris
  • N team manager: South Korea An Dae-hyun
  • N team coaches: South Korea Kim Kwang-suk, South Korea Jung Boo-sun, South Korea Woo Jung-ha

Source: Official website

Support Team

  • Team doctor: South Korea Song Ha-heon
  • Physiotherapist: Brazil Gilvan Oliveira
  • Medical trainers: South Korea Kim Byeong-seon, South Korea Lee Gyu-yeol, South Korea Noh Sang-keun
  • N team medical trainer: South Korea Park Jeong-hun
  • Analyst: South Korea Lee Sun-gu
  • N team analyst: South Korea Park Jun-wan
  • Kit manager: South Korea Choi Jae-hyeok
  • Interpreters: South Korea Kim James Min-su, South Korea Pyo Seok-hwan

Source: Official website

Club Achievements

Domestic Titles

  • K League 1
    • Winners (9): 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
    • Runners-up (3): 2012, 2016, 2022
  • Korean FA Cup
    • Winners (5): 2000, 2003, 2005, 2020, 2022
    • Runners-up (3): 1999, 2013, 2023
  • Korean League Cup
    • Runners-up (1): 2010
  • Korean Super Cup
    • Winners (1): 2004
    • Runners-up (2): 2001, 2006
  • Korean President's Cup
    • Runners-up (1): 1999 (reserve team)

International Titles

  • AFC Champions League
    • Winners (2): 2006, 2016
    • Runners-up (1): 2011
  • Asian Cup Winners' Cup
    • Runners-up (1): 2002

Managers

No. Name From To Season(s)
1 South Korea Cha Kyung-bok 1994/11/26 1996/12/05 1995–1996
2 South Korea Choi Man-hee 1996/12/06 2001/07/18 1997–2001
C South Korea Nam Dae-sik 2001/07/19 2001/10/03 2001
3 South Korea Cho Yoon-hwan 2001/10/04 2005/06/12 2001–2005
C South Korea Kim Hyung-yul 2005/06/13 2005/07/10 2005
4 South Korea Choi Kang-hee 2005/07/04
2013/06/28
2011/12/21
2018/12/02
2005–2011
2013–2018
C South Korea Lee Heung-sil 2012/01/05 2012/12/12 2012
C Brazil Fábio Lefundes 2012/12/20 2013/06/01 2013
C South Korea Shin Hong-gi 2013/06/25 2013/06/27 2013
5 Portugal José Morais 2018/12/03 2020/12/06 2019–2020
6 South Korea Kim Sang-sik 2020/12/22 2023/05/04 2021–2023
C South Korea Kim Do-heon 2023/05/04 2023/06/08 2023
7 Romania Dan Petrescu 2023/06/09 2024/04/06 2023–2024
C South Korea Park Won-jae 2024/04/07 2024/05/26 2024
8 South Korea Kim Do-heon 2024/05/27 2024/12/16 2024
9 Uruguay Gus Poyet 2024/12/24 present 2025–

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Football Club para niños

  • List of football clubs in South Korea
kids search engine
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.