2019 K League 1


The 2019 K League 1 was the 37th season of the top division of professional football in South Korea since its establishment in 1983 as K League, and the second season under its current name, the K League 1.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were the defending champions.

Promotion and relegation

Teams relegated to the 2019 K League 2
Teams promoted from the 2018 K League 2
The following twelve clubs will compete in the K League 1 during the 2019 season.
ClubCity / AreaManagerJoinedOwner / Sponsor
Daegu FC Daegu Andre2002–Owner : Government of Daegu, Citizen Stockholder
Sponsors: DGB Daegu Bank
Gangwon FC Gangwon Kim Byung-soo2009–Owner : Government of Gangwon, Citizen Stockholder
Sponsors: high1
Gyeongnam FC Gyeongsangnam-do Kim Jong-boo2008–Owner : Government of Gyeongsangnam-do, Citizen Stockholder
Incheon United Incheon Yoo Sang-Chul2004–Owners : Government of Incheon, Citizen Stockholder
Sponsors: Shinhan Bank, Incheon International Airport
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Jeonbuk José Morais1995–Owner : Hyundai Motor Company in Hyundai Motor Group
Sponsors: Hyundai Motor Company, Hummel
Jeju United Jeju Jo Sung-hwan1983–Owner : SK Energy in SK Group
Sponsors: SK enclean
Pohang Steelers Pohang Kim Gi-dong1983–Owner : POSCO
Sponsors: POSCO, Pohang City Hall
Sangju Sangmu Sangju Kim Tae-wan2011–Owner : Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps
Seongnam FC Seongnam Nam Ki-il1988–Owner : Government of Seongnam, Citizen Stockholder
FC Seoul Seoul Choi Yong-soo1984–Owner : GS Group
Sponsors: GS Shop
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Suwon Lee Lim-saeng1996–Owner : Cheil Worldwide in Samsung
Sponsors: Samsung Electronics, Maeil Dairies Industry
Ulsan Hyundai Ulsan Kim Do-hoon1984–Owner : Hyundai Heavy Industries in Hyundai Heavy Industries Group
Sponsors: Hyundai Oil Bank, Hyundai Heavy Industries

Stadiums

Daegu FCGangwon FCGyeongnam FCIncheon UnitedJeju UnitedJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
DGB Daegu Bank ParkChuncheon Songam Leports TownChangwon Football CenterIncheon Football StadiumJeju World Cup StadiumJeonju World Cup Stadium
Capacity: 12,415Capacity: 20,000Capacity: 20,245Capacity: 20,891Capacity: 35,657Capacity: 42,477
Pohang SteelersSangju SangmuSeongnam FCFC SeoulSuwon Samsung
Bluewings		Ulsan Hyundai
Pohang Steel YardSangju Civic StadiumTancheon StadiumSeoul World Cup StadiumSuwon World Cup StadiumUlsan Munsu Football Stadium
Capacity: 17,443Capacity: 15,042Capacity: 16,146Capacity: 66,704Capacity: 43,959Capacity: 44,102

Foreign players

Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team could use four foreign players on the field each game including at least one player from the AFC confederation.
Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3AFC Player
Daegu FC Césinha Edgar Rildo Tsubasa Nishi
Gangwon FC Nemanja Bilbija Valentinos Sielis Takahiro Nakazato
Gyeongnam FC Osman Luc Castaignos Uroš Đerić Takahiro Kunimoto
Incheon United Gordan Bunoza Stefan Mugoša Lanre Kehinde Rashid Mahazi
Jeju United Magno Cruz Elías Aguilar Christian Osaguona Aleksandar Jovanović
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Ricardo Lopes Samuel Rosa Bernie Ibini-Isei
Pohang Steelers Wanderson Stanislav Iljutcenko Aleksandar Paločević
Seongnam FC Éder Mathias Coureur
FC Seoul Osmar Aleksandar Pešić Ikromjon Alibaev
Suwon Samsung Bluewings Dejan Damjanović Waguininho Terry Antonis Adam Taggart
Ulsan Hyundai Júnior Negrão Dave Bulthuis Mix Diskerud Jason Davidson

League table

Positions by matchday







Round 1–22

Round 23–38

Split rounds are from round 34 to round 38

Results

Matches 1–22

Teams play each other twice, once at home, once away.
Pohang Steelers were leading Gangwon FC 4-0 away after 70 minutes, but Gangwon scored 5 unanswered goals to win 5-4.

Matches 23–33

Teams play every other team once.

Matches 34–38

After 33 matches, the league splits into two sections of six teams each, with teams playing every other team in their section once. The exact matches are determined upon the league table at the time of the split.

Final A

Final B

Promotion-relegation playoffs

The promotion-relegation playoffs were held between the winners of the 2019 K League 2 Playoff and the 11th-placed club of the 2019 K League 1.

First leg

Second leg

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Adam TaggartSuwon Samsung Bluewings20
2 Júnior NegrãoUlsan Hyundai19
3 CesinhaDaegu FC15
3 WandersonPohang Steelers15
5 Stefan MugošaIncheon United14
6 Uroš ĐerićGangwon FC / Gyeongnam FC13
6 Kim Bo-kyungUlsan Hyundai13
8 Park Yong-jiSangju Sangmu12
9 EdgarDaegu FC11
9 Ricardo LopesJeonbuk Hyundai Motors11

Top assists

RankPlayerClubAssists
1 Moon Seon-minJeonbuk Hyundai Motors10
1 CesinhaDaegu FC10
3 Kim Bo-kyungUlsan Hyundai9
3 WandersonPohang Steelers9
5 Kim Seung-daePohang Steelers / Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors8
6 Elvis SarićSuwon Samsung Bluewings7
6 Kim Tae-hwanUlsan Hyundai7
6 Park Chu-youngFC Seoul7
6 Ricardo LopesJeonbuk Hyundai Motors7
10 Lee Yeong-jaeGyeongnam FC / Gangwon FC6
10 Jung Seung-yongGangwon FC6
10 Go Yo-hanFC Seoul6

Attendance

Awards

Most Valuable Player of The Round

MVPClub
1 CesinhaDaegu FC
2 Ricardo LopesJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
3 Kim Seung-daePohang Steelers
4 Adam TaggartSuwon Samsung Bluewings
5 Kim Jin-hyukDaegu FC
6 Aleksandar PešićFC Seoul
7 Kim In-sungUlsan Hyundai
8 Kim Hyeon-ukGangwon FC
9 Kim Tae-hwanUlsan Hyundai
10 Kim Seung-daePohang Steelers
11 Park Chu-youngFC Seoul
12 WandersonPohang Steelers
13 Kim Shin-wookJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
14 Moon Seon-minJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
15 Park Chu-youngFC Seoul
16 OsmarFC Seoul
17 Cho Jae-wanGangwon FC
18 Jung Jo-gookGangwon FC
19 Kim Ji-hyeonGangwon FC

MVPClub
20 Yun Il-lokJeju United
21 Jo Hyeon-wooDaegu FC
22 Hong Jeong-hoJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
23 Kim Bo-kyungUlsan Hyundai
24 Kim Bo-kyungUlsan Hyundai
25 Kim Hyo-giGyeongnam FC
26 Adam TaggartSuwon Samsung Bluewings
27 WandersonPohang Steelers
28 Stefan MugošaIncheon United
29 Kim Ji-hyeonGangwon FC
30 WandersonPohang Steelers
31 Stefan MugošaIncheon United
32 Ryu Seung-wooSangju Sangmu
33 Lee Gwang-hyeokPohang Steelers
34 Lee Hyeon-sikGangwon FC
35 Júnior NegrãoUlsan Hyundai
36 Kim Bo-kyungUlsan Hyundai
37 CesinhaDaegu FC
38 Son Jun-hoJeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Monthly Awards

Season Awards

The 2019 K League Awards was held on 2 December 2019.

K League Most Valuable Player


2019 K League 1 Best XI

PositionPlayerClub
Goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-wooDaegu FC
Defender Hong ChulSuwon Samsung Bluewings
Defender Hong Jeong-hoJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Defender Lee YongJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Defender Kim Tae-hwanUlsan Hyundai
Midfielder Moon Seon-minJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Midfielder Kim Bo-kyungUlsan Hyundai
Midfielder CesinhaDaegu FC
Midfielder WandersonPohang Steelers
Forward Adam TaggartSuwon Samsung Bluewings
Forward Júnior NegrãoUlsan Hyundai

K League Manager of the Year