Ulsan HD FC

Ulsan HD FC
Full name Ulsan HD Football Club
울산 HD 축구단
Nickname(s) 호랑이 (Tigers)
Founded 1983 (as Hyundai Horang-i)
Ground Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium
Capacity 37,897
Owner HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
Chairman Chung Mong-joon
Manager Hong Myung-bo
League K League 1
2023 K League 1, 1st of 12 (champions)
Website Club website

Ulsan HD FC (Korean: 울산 HD FC), formerly Ulsan Hyundai FC, is a South Korean professional football club based in Ulsan that competes in the K League 1, the top tier of South Korean football. Founded in 1983 as Hyundai Horang-i, they joined the K League in 1984. Their home ground is Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium. The club is owned by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Ulsan HD have won the league title four times, most recently in 2023, and the Korean FA Cup once, in 2017. At international level, they have won the AFC Champions League twice, in 2012 and 2020.

History

Early years: before Ulsan (1983–1989)

Ulsan Hyundai was established on 6 December 1983 as Hyundai Horang-i, with tiger as its mascot (horangi means tiger in Korean). Their original franchise area was Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. They joined the professional K League from 1984 season. While they finished their debut season as 3rd place, the team's striker Baek Jong-chul became the K League Top Scorer, scoring 16 goals in 28 matches. They won their first professional trophy in 1986, winning the Professional Football Championship, which is the origin of Korean League Cup. From the 1987 season, the club moved their franchise from Incheon and Gyeonggi Province to Gangwon Province. In the 1988 season, they finished the season as the runners-up in the league.

Move to Ulsan and rise to power (1990–1999)

Beginning in the 1990 season, the club moved their franchise to Ulsan, where the headquarters of several branches of owner company Hyundai are located at, from Gangwon Province. Former South Korea's striker Cha Bum-kun took the managerial position in the 1991 season, leading the club to the runners-up position in the league in his debut season. However, he failed to win any trophy and was replaced by Ko Jae-wook after the 1994 season. Under Ko Jae-wook, Ulsan won their second Korean League Cup trophy in 1995, which was his debut season as Ulsan manager. Ulsan won their first ever league title in 1996, beating Suwon Samsung Bluewings 3–2 on aggregate in the championship playoffs. The club then entered a long dry-spell in terms of league trophies, although they won their third Korean League Cup trophy in 1998, beating Bucheon SK 2–1 on aggregate in the finals.

Two Kims era (2000–2013)

2012 AFC Champions League Final at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium

Failure to add a major title for years did affect the team negatively. After the exodus of key players like Kim Hyun-seok and a terrible start in the 2000, manager Ko Jae-wook resigned in the middle of the season.

Kim Jung-nam era: Gangsters of Asia (2000–2008)

Ulsan appointed Kim Jung-nam, who had formerly managed South Korea, as their next manager. They finished as runners-up in 2002 and 2003, and started to emerge as a strong force. In 2005, with the return of two key players, Yoo Sang-chul and Lee Chun-soo, they qualified for the championship playoffs. In the play-off semi-final, they beat Seongnam Ilhwa 2–1, and in the final, they beat Incheon United 6–3 on aggregate, with a hat-trick from Lee Chun-Soo in the first leg. They became the league champions for the second time in their history.

The club also went on to win the A3 Champions Cup in 2006, in which they participated as K League champions. Although they lost their first match in the competition against JEF United Ichihara Chiba 3–2, they beat Dalian Shide 4–0 and Gamba Osaka 6–0 to clinch the trophy. Lee Chun-soo became the competition's top scorer, scoring six goals in three matches. They repeated the merciless attacks in the AFC Champions League that season, beating Al-Shabab 6–0 in the first leg of the quarter-finals. These overwhelming attacks they showed in the season gave Ulsan the nickname "Gangsters of Asia".

Ulsan won the 2007 Korean League Cup, beating FC Seoul 2–1 in the final on 27 June 2007. In 2008, the team changed their official name from Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i to Ulsan Hyundai FC.

Kim Ho-kon era: Iron Mace Football (2009–2013)

Manager Kim Jung-nam stepped down after the 2008 season. Kim Ho-kon, who had managed the South Korea under-23 team that reached the quarter-finals in the 2004 Summer Olympics was appointed as Ulsan's next manager.

Kim Ho-kon did not enjoy Ulsan fans' full support for his first few seasons at the club, mainly because of his defensive tactical style and unsatisfying outcomes. The 2011 season was a dramatic changeover; Ulsan won their fifth Korean League Cup, beating Busan IPark 3–2 in the final. Ulsan also finished the season as runners-up in the K League that season. Their unique style of having many players pushing forward in counterattacks earned them the nickname "Iron mace football".

In 2012, the club won the AFC Champions League, defeating Al-Ahli 3–0 in the final on 10 November. In the run up to the final, Ulsan went on an unbeaten run throughout the twelve games of the competition, winning nine consecutive games and scoring 27 goals in the process.

Players

Current squad

As of 23 July 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK KOR Jo Su-huk
3 DF KOR Jang Si-young
5 DF KOR Lim Jong-eun
8 MF SWE Darijan Bojanić
9 FW HUN Martin Ádám
10 MF GEO Valeri Qazaishvili
11 FW KOR Um Won-sang
13 DF KOR Lee Myung-jae (vice-captain)
14 MF KOR Lee Dong-gyeong
15 DF KOR Jung Seung-hyun (captain)
16 MF KOR Kim Sung-joon
17 MF SWE Gustav Ludwigson
18 FW KOR Joo Min-kyu
19 DF KOR Kim Young-gwon
21 GK KOR Jo Hyeon-woo
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 MF KOR Kim Min-hyeok
23 DF KOR Kim Tae-hwan
24 MF KOR Lee Kyu-seong (vice-captain)
26 DF KOR Cho Hyun-taek
27 MF KOR Lee Chung-yong
28 GK KOR Seol Hyun-bin
29 MF KOR Hwang Jae-hwan
30 MF KOR Kang Yun-gu
31 MF JPN Ataru Esaka
36 MF KOR Lee Jae-uk
44 DF KOR Kim Kee-hee
66 DF KOR Seol Young-woo
77 GK KOR Min Dong-hwan
91 FW KOR Park Chu-young
96 FW KOR Kim Ji-hyeon

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF KOR Kim Tae-hyeon (to Vegalta Sendai)
— DF KOR Lee Jae-won (to Cheonan City)
— DF KOR Lee Sang-hyeok (to Gimpo FC)
— DF KOR Oh In-pyo (to Suwon FC)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF KOR Won Du-jae (to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service)
— MF KOR Yun Il-lok (to Gangwon FC)
— FW KOR Kim Do-hyeon (to Chungbuk Cheongju)
— FW KOR Kim Min-jun (to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service)

Managers

No. Name From To Season(s) Honours
1 Moon Jung-sik 1983/07/12 1986/04/22 1984–1986
C Cho Chung-yun 1986/04/22 1986/12/?? 1986 Professional Football Championship
2 1986/12/?? 1987/12/30 1987
3 Kim Ho 1987/12/30 1990/11/19 1988–1990
4 Cha Bum-kun 1990/11/23 1994/11/27 1991–1994
5 Ko Jae-wook 1994/11/30 2000/06/12 1995–2000 1995 Korean League Cup
1996 K League
1998 Korean League Cup
C Chung Jong-soo 2000/06/12 2000/08/21 2000
6 Kim Jung-nam 2000/08/22 2008/12/25 2000–2008 2005 K League
2007 Korean League Cup
7 Kim Ho-kon 2008/12/26 2013/12/04 2009–2013 2011 Korean League Cup
2012 AFC Champions League
8 Cho Min-kook 2013/12/06 2014/12/01 2014
9 Yoon Jung-hwan 2014/12/01 2016/11/14 2015–2016
10 Kim Do-hoon 2016/11/21 2020/12/20 2017–2020 2017 Korean FA Cup
2020 AFC Champions League
11 Hong Myung-bo 2020/12/24 2021– 2022 K League 1
2023 K League 1

Kits

Kit suppliers

Honours

Domestic

League

Cups

  1. Reserve team

International

Season-by-season records

Domestic record

Season Division Tms. Pos. FA Cup
1984 1 8 3 —
1985 1 8 4 —
1986 1 6 6 —
1987 1 5 4 —
1988 1 5 2 —
1989 1 6 6 —
1990 1 6 5 —
1991 1 6 2 —
1992 1 6 3 —
1993 1 6 3 —
1994 1 7 4 —
1995 1 8 2 —
1996 1 9 1 Semi-final
1997 1 10 3 Quarter-final
1998 1 10 2 Runners-up
1999 1 10 6 Semi-final
2000 1 10 10 Quarter-final
2001 1 10 6 Semi-final
2002 1 10 2 Quarter-final
2003 1 12 2 Semi-final
2004 1 13 4 Semi-final
2005 1 13 1 Round of 16
2006 1 14 5 Round of 32
2007 1 14 4 Quarter-final
2008 1 14 3 Quarter-final
2009 1 15 8 Round of 32
2010 1 15 5 Round of 16
2011 1 16 2 Semi-final
2012 1 16 5 Semi-final
2013 1 14 2 Round of 16
2014 1 12 6 Round of 16
2015 1 12 7 Semi-final
2016 1 12 4 Semi-final
2017 1 12 4 Winners
2018 1 12 3 Runners-up
2019 1 12 2 Round of 32
2020 1 12 2 Runners-up
2021 1 12 2 Semi-final
2022 1 12 1 Semi-final
2023 1 12 1 Quarter-final
Key
  • Tms. = Number of teams
  • Pos. = Position in league

AFC Champions League record

All results list Ulsan's goal tally first.

Season Round Opposition Home Away Agg.
2006 Group F Tokyo Verdy 1–0 2–0 1st
Quarter-final Al-Shabab 6–0 1–0 7–0
Semi-final Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–4 3–2 4–6
2009 Group E Nagoya Grampus 1–3 1–4 3rd
Newcastle Jets 0–1 0–2
Beijing Guoan 1–0 1–0
2012 Group F Beijing Guoan 2–1 3–2 1st
FC Tokyo 1–0 2–2
Brisbane Roar 1–1 2–1
Round of 16 Kashiwa Reysol 3–2 — —
Quarter-final Al-Hilal 1–0 4–0 5–0
Semi-final Bunyodkor 2–0 3–1 5–1
Final Al-Ahli 3–0 — —
2014 Group H Western Sydney Wanderers 0–2 3–1 3rd
Kawasaki Frontale 2–0 1–3
Guizhou Renhe 1–1 1–3
2017 Play-off Kitchee 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p) 		— —
Group E Kashima Antlers 0–4 0–2 3rd
Brisbane Roar 6–0 3–2
Muangthong United 0–0 0–1
2018 Group F Melbourne Victory 6–2 3–3 2nd
Kawasaki Frontale 2–1 2–2
Shanghai SIPG 0–1 2–2
Round of 16 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1–0 0–3 1–3
2019 Play-off Perak 5–1 — —
Group H Sydney FC 1–0 0–0 1st
Shanghai SIPG 1–0 0–5
Kawasaki Frontale 1–0 2–2
Round of 16 Urawa Red Diamonds 0–3 2–1 2–4
2020 Group F FC Tokyo 1–1 2–1 1st
Shanghai Shenhua 3–1 4–1
Perth Glory 2–0 2–1
Round of 16 Melbourne Victory 3–0
Quarter-final Beijing Guoan 2–0
Semi-final Vissel Kobe 2–1 (a.e.t.)
Final Persepolis 2–1
2021 Group F Viettel 3–0 1–0 1st
BG Pathum United 2–0 2–0
Kaya–Iloilo 2–1 3–0
Round of 16 Kawasaki Frontale 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(3–2 p)
Quarter-final Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3–2 (a.e.t.)
Semi-final Pohang Steelers 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–5 p)
2022 Play-off Port 3–0
Group I Kawasaki Frontale 3–2 1–1 3rd
Johor Darul Ta'zim 1–2 1–2
Guangzhou 3–0 5–0
2023–24 Group I BG Pathum United 3–1 3–1 2nd
Kawasaki Frontale 2–2 0–1
Johor Darul Ta'zim 3–1 1–2
Round of 16 Ventforet Kofu
  1. Matches were played at neutral venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with "home" and "away" used for administrative purposes.

See also