2025 Season Preview: Gangwon FC | OneFootball

Thanks to a highly successful 2024, which saw Gangwon FC take the top-flight by storm, the Bears come into the new year looking to show they're ready to take on the challenges ahead. With a debut outing in the ACL to come, columnist Nathan Sartain previews what could be a pivotal year for the provincial club.

Last Season

19W - 7D - 12L, 64 Points (2nd place)

What Happened?

After an extremely difficult 2023 season saw Gangwon survive through a promotion/relegation playoff, the Bears defied the odds in 2024 to have a record-breaking year, propelling themselves to second in the table.

It all started to fall into place for Yoon Jong-hwan’s men after an initial slow start, where positive signs were consistently being built on, and confidence was starting to grow despite the team being winless from their opening four matches. In April, Gangwon scored 10 times across their three victories, with 3-0 and 4-1 wins at home to Daegu FC and Incheon United respectively highlighting a far more front-footed approach being favoured by the manager. That, and players like Yago Cariello, Lee Sang-heon and Hwang Mun-ki were starting to hit rich veins of form, while exciting teenager Yang Min-hyuk was breaking through at rapid pace.

In fact, the positivity surrounding Gangwon was beginning to become undeniable. In years gone by, setbacks have, on occasion, really hindered the Bears, either compounding into greater periods of strife, or putting a ceiling on what they’re able to achieve. Even early on in 2024, it felt different, as if a layer of mental steel had been added to the squad.

As such, disappointing defeats to other high-flying teams like Ulsan HD, Gimcheon Sangmu and Pohang Steelers failed to dampen spirits, and Yoon Jong-hwan’s men would soon find themselves on an eight-game unbeaten run from May 5th to June 22nd, with the seven victories in that stretch taking them from a team worth keeping track of, to bonafide title contenders. In particular, away wins against Suwon FC and Daegu FC, which both saw the Bears score late winners, highlighted the relentless work ethic within the team, as well as the flourishing mentality helping to bring these positive results.

So, the good times kept coming. In the summer, as Yang Min-hyuk prepared to sign with Tottenham Hotspur, Gangwon returned to their free-scoring ways, capitalising on the increased attention coming their way as opposed to shying away from it. In a 4-0 win against Jeju, the Bears were entirely dominant, before a 4-2 home victory against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors saw the team again blow away their opposition with clinical resolve. Across those two matches specifically, Gangwon created a cumulative xG total of 4.75, made 61 accurate passes to the final third, and took an impressive average of 19 shots per game.

In due time, Gangwon would head to the top of the table following a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory against Gwangju, but it wasn’t to last. During September, the Bears would go winless (two draws, two losses), returning the advantage in the title race to Ulsan HD - who they had recently been defeated by - and seemingly changing the team’s ambitions going into Final A to ensuring that ACL qualification did not slip.

And, thanks to Yoon Jong-hwan’s switch to a low-block for those final few matches, Gangwon secured a second-place finish, with three 1-0 home victories (against FC Seoul, Gimcheon Sangmu, and Pohang Steelers respectively) aiding the Bears in breaking almost every club record imaginable, from a record-points tally, to their most goals scored in a top-flight season, to a highest-ever K League 1 finish. In short, 2024 was excellent, and seemed to illustrate the potential packed within a freshened-up Gangwon squad.

Notable Moves

Yun Il-lok

Amidst another year of significant transfer business completed by Gangwon, where the significant losses ofYang Min-hyuk and Hwang Mun-ki have had to be addressed, perhaps the most notable move for the club is the departure of manager Yoon Jong-hwan. In his 18 months with the Bears, the 51-year-old initially steadied a shaky ship, then completely rebuilt it into something underpinned with the unwavering belief it could navigate any waters. Losing a manager who took a team from low-scoring relegation contenders to top-scoring title-challengers is always going to take time to adjust from, but in a year where Gangwon will be making their first foray onto the continental stage, they’ll hope they can adapt sooner, rather than later.

Signings wise though, the provincial club have again prioritised a sustainable approach to their recruitment, bringing in players from K League 2 ready for the step-up, and top-flight players in need of a fresh start. On the wing,Kim Min-jun joins from Ulsan HD looking for more regular game time, and to show his flurries of potential can materialise into something more concrete. Positively, the 24-year-old averages (per 90) 2.2 successful dribbles from an attempted 4.59, and tries to be a consistent outlet through his 2.45 progressive runs, and 3.47 touches in the penalty area. To replace Yang Min-hyuk, though, Kim Min-jun will need to heftily increase his 2024 goal contribution total of three (two goals, one assist).

At full-back, Gangwon have dipped into the market to acquire several players, acknowledging how important that area of the pitch has been to their attacking success over the last 12 months. Most notably,Kang Joon-hyuck joins the Bears after a spell with Chungnam Asan, his three goals and five assists last year a pre-built base to replicate as he looks to be Hwang Mun-ki’s more direct replacement. In that vein, the creative defender averaged (per 90) 2.01 crosses, 1.88 dribbles, 3.83 passes to the final third, 2.26 passes to the penalty area, 0.14 xA, 1.93 progressive runs, and 0.86 shot assists.

Continuing, veteran additionsYun Il-lok and Hong Chul can also be deployed on the flanks, with the latter an experienced left-back trusted to provide some leadership in the defence following the departures of Kim Young-bin and Yun Suk-young, as well as continue to show the kind of qualities which led to averages (per 90) last season of 2.49 crosses, 0.78 progressive runs, 3.58 interceptions, and 6.92 passes to the final third. For Yun Il-lok, however, he may be shifted from the right-back role he was given at Ulsan, and perhaps slot in where the departing Yu In-soo, who could often be used as both a wing-back and winger during the course of any given match, found his feet. For the 32-year-old still has plenty to offer in attacking phases of play, averaging last year (per 90) 0.77 shot assists, 1.92 crosses, 1.25 dribbles, 1.98 progressive runs, and 0.54 shots.

Also intriguing is the addition of defensive midfielderChoi Han-sol. It’s a fair signing to make all things considered, given Gangwon conceded an average of 1.47 goals per game in 2024, despite an overall xGA tally of 45.71 (which would equal an average of 1.2 goals conceded). But the 25-year-old does offer more than just a layer of defensive protection, and last year averaged (per 90) 5.5 passes to the final third, 7.33 recoveries, 3.31 interceptions, all in addition to a relatively impressive three goals and two assists.

Key Player

Lee Sang-heon

Throughout 2024, Lee Sang-heon was ever-present in Gangwon’s high points. With 13 goals and eight assists, the 26-year-old was the team’s most prolific contributor too, able to adapt his game to turn into a more creative-minded forward when his own goalscoring touch wasn’t as clinical. With a knack for vital offerings - braces in away wins at Gimcheon Sangmu, Incheon United and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, and a hat-trick of assists in a 3-1 victory at home to Suwon FC - he’s a reliable game winner, something Jung Kyung-ho needs in his debut season as a manager.

In terms of Lee Sang-heon’s all-round game, he’s a positive-thinking forward by nature, averaging last season (per 90) two shots, 3.04 dribbles, 1.3 progressive runs, 2.51 touches in the penalty area, and 0.79 shot assists. So, it’ll come as no surprise that in 2025, Gangwon’s most productive striker in years will continue to be key.

Young Player to Watch

Shin Min-ha

Although he might not be as outwardly flashy as wingers Yang Hyun-jun or Yang Min-hyuk, centre-back Shin Min-ha is a prospect more than deserving of being awarded the now-coveted 47 jersey at Gangwon. With the full backing of a club which is starting to pride itself on developing future stars, the 19-year-old is set to improve on the impressive impressions he left in largely cameo appearances during 2024, and establish himself as a regular top-flight starter. After all, Shin Min-ha firmly proved he was ready for greater playing time in last season’s final round against Pohang Steelers, where he made nine recoveries, 10 interceptions, won six of his seven defensive duels, and was unafraid of involving himself in the buildup phase with 58 accurate passes. In summary, keep your eyes on this young centre-back, as he may just prove to be stalwart Kim Young-bin’s replacement.

Biggest Question

What are Gangwon's 2025 ambitions?

Now, the challenge for Gangwon is to maintain, or come as close as possible to maintaining, the standards they set for themselves last year. Of course, it’d be harsh to put such lofty projections on new manager Jung Kyung-ho, and say that a title race can become the new normal for the Bears, but it’s also reasonably fair to say that last year showed what proactive tactics, a culture built on confidence, and smarter recruitment can do for a team, and by the same token its fanbase.

Still, what are the expectations then? In pre-season, it appeared the club wanted to continue building a system based around being on the front-foot, comfortable in possession and able to press high, yet with an increase in workload, can they sustain form in the same way as before? It’s almost impossible to put a definite marker on what would constitute success for the Bears in 2025 - as mentioned before, asking to again push for the K League 1 title and strongly compete in ACL could seem like a stretch, but at the same time aiming for a comfortable mid-table finish and a respectable enough outing in continental competition is arguably a tad conservative - though it’s fair to assert that landing in Final A come regular season’s end could certainly go a long way in validating that Jung Kyung-ho’s young squad are no one-season wonders.

And it’s ultimately there where people can find agreeable middle ground. Gangwon should continue to prioritise things like developing young players, playing attacking football, and pushing to compete with the best in the country as far up the league table as possible. But they should also understand the value of patience, and take a long-term approach to their strategy which means putting the platforms in place for the club to more consistently compete in-and-around Final A, appear on the continental stage, and refuse to panic when, as is always going to happen in football, downturns in form arise. If 2024 was the year Gangwon put themselves on the proverbial map, 2025 should be about carving out an identity that can last, and refining the characteristics that allowed them to make such drastic leaps forward in the first place.

Entertainment Value

If there’s anything Gangwon did deliver in every game of 2024, it was entertainment. Scoring 62 goals, and anchored by eye-catching players like Yang Min-hyuk, Hwang Mun-ki, Lee Sang-heon, and Lee Gi-hyuk, the Bears were consistently the team most fun to watch in K League 1, their front-footed approach serving up plenty for fans to enjoy after they’d become accustomed to seeing a more defensive-minded, counter-attacking system. And, while obviously some key contributors are no longer here, the Bears will want to retain their aesthetically-pleasing approach to football now that it’s brought measurable benefits, and as such could well again be the type of team neutrals can appreciate, fans can wholeheartedly support, and players can find self-assurance within.