2022 K League 1

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

Promoted from K League 2

Locations

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

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 Choi Won-kwon (caretaker) Daegu Government Goal Studio DGB Daegu Bank
AJIN Industrial Co., Ltd.
Gangwon FC Choi Yong-soo Gangwon Provincial Government Fila Kangwon Land
Gimcheon Sangmu Kim Tae-wan Republic of Korea Armed Forces
Gimcheon Government 		Kelme
Incheon United Jo Sung-hwan Incheon Government Macron Shinhan Bank
Incheon International Airport
Jeju United Nam Ki-il SK Energy Fila
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Kim Sang-sik Hyundai Motor Company Adidas
Pohang Steelers Kim Gi-dong POSCO Puma Pohang Government
Seongnam FC Chung Kyung-ho (caretaker) Seongnam Government Umbro
FC Seoul An Ik-soo GS Group Pro-Specs
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Lee Byung-keun Cheil Worldwide Puma Samsung Electronics
Suwon FC Kim Do-kyun Suwon Government Hummel
Ulsan Hyundai 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 Former player(s)
Daegu FC Césinha Zeca Daniel Penha Keita Suzuki Edgar
Lamas
Gangwon FC Kevin Höög Jansson Balša Sekulić Galego Dino Islamović
Momchil Tsvetanov
Yuki Kobayashi
Incheon United Elías Aguilar Hernandes Harrison Delbridge Stefan Mugoša
Jeju United Gerso Fernandes Jonathan Ring Oskar Zawada
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Modou Barrow Gustavo Stanislav Iljutcenko
Takahiro Kunimoto
Pohang Steelers Wanderson Alex Grant Manuel Palacios
Moses Ogbu
Seongnam FC Fejsal Mulić Manuel Palacios Miloš Raičković
FC Seoul Osmar Aleksandar Paločević Stanislav Iljutcenko Keijiro Ogawa Ricardo Silva
Ben Halloran
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Dave Bulthuis Elvis Sarić An Byong-jun Manabu Saitō Sebastian Grønning
Suwon FC Lars Veldwijk Murilo Urho Nissilä Lachlan Jackson
Ulsan Hyundai Valeri Qazaishvili Leonardo Martin Ádám Jun Amano Márk Koszta
  1. Did not exist in the regulation of AFC.
  2. Deemed as a native player in K League.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
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

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233
Ulsan Hyundai631111111111111111111111111111111
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors45791111864655323322222222222222222
Pohang Steelers173224433324545455333333333333333
Incheon United452532222243454544555555454444444
Jeju United12109743355432232233444444545555555
Gangwon FC236475778910111010101111109108787778767676
Suwon FC811121210899779101111111088866666666676767
FC Seoul214681011108876677677789978887888888
Daegu FC1098106768101188966766677899991010111111109
Gimcheon Sangmu62535554656779999910910101011101111111010101110
Suwon Samsung Bluewings88108891011111011988881011111111111110111099999911
Seongnam FC101211111212121212121212121212121212121212121212121212121212121212
Source: K League

Round 34–38

Team ╲ Round3435363738
Ulsan Hyundai11111
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors22222
Pohang Steelers33333
Incheon United44444
Jeju United66555
Gangwon FC55666
Suwon FC77777
Daegu FC99888
FC Seoul88999
Suwon Samsung Bluewings1010101010
Gimcheon Sangmu1111111111
Seongnam FC1212121212
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.

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.

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

Top assist providers

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

Hat-tricks

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

Awards

Weekly awards

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 Stefan Mugoša Incheon Jeon Seong-soo Seongnam Hong Myung-bo Ulsan 1
April Stefan Mugoša Incheon Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon Lee Jung-hyo Gwangju 2
May Cesinha Daegu Hwang Jae-won Daegu Nam Ki-il Jeju 1
June Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon Kim Do-kyun Suwon FC 1
July Gustavo Jeonbuk Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon Kim Sang-sik Jeonbuk 1
August Hernandes Incheon Kim Jin-ho Gangwon Jo Sung-hwan Incheon 1
September Modou Barrow Jeonbuk Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon Lee Jung-hyo Gwangju 2
October Cesinha Daegu Hong Si-hoo Incheon Choi Won-kwon Daegu 1
Month Goal of the Month Performance of the Month
Player Club Player Club
February Jun Amano Ulsan —
March Cho Gue-sung Gimcheon —
April Kim Gyeong-min Gimcheon —
May Joo Min-kyu Jeju Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC
June Lee Seung-woo Suwon FC Choi Young-jun Jeju
July Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon Yang Hyun-jun Gangwon
August Kim Hyun Suwon FC Jeon Jin-woo Suwon
September Oh Hyeon-gyu Suwon Sin Jin-ho Pohang
October 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.

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

See also