2025 K League 1 Season Preview: The four main battlegrounds | OneFootball

Dividing the division up into four main battles - the league title, AFC Champions League qualification, Final A, and relegation - K League United looks at each team's chances ahead of the 2025 K League 1 season.

Title Contenders: A Two-Horse Race?

Ulsan HD

Reigning champions for the last three seasons, Ulsan HD have several objectives this season. The Horangi are aiming to improve their AFC Champions League Elite form and reach the knockout phase of the FIFA Club World Cup, but the very minimum they'll be expected to achieve is a fourth K League 1 title in a row. Ulsan have used the winter transfer window to carry out a generational shift within the playing squad, signing the likes of Lee Jin-hyun, Heo Yool, Lee Hui-gyun, and Seo Myung-kwan. The 2025 K League 1 season will be Kim Pan-gon's first full campaign in charge and he wants his team to dominate matches more. With other teams not quite there yet, their nearest competitors still undergoing rebuilds or in periods of transition, Ulsan will be favourites for the title.

Full season preview: here

FC Seoul

FC Seoul are a team in the midst of a transition period but will be seen as the most equipped to challenge Ulsan HD. Jesse Lingard is the new captain and the club have signed players with a 'win-now' mindset, seeking short-term success - namely Kim Jin-su, Moon Seon-min, and Jeong Seung-won. Seoul are still a top striker away from winning the league but should push Ulsan close. Last year's fourth-place finish and potential ACL qualification marked much-needed progress for this stumbling giant of a football club. Lingard will be seen as the team's key player, perhaps feeling extra goal-scoring responsibility with Iljutcenko gone. The biggest question for the capital club is simply whether they can build on last year and get involved in the title race.

Full season preview: here

AFC Champions League Qualification: Best of the Rest

Pohang Steelers

After a 2024 season filled with ups and downs, Pohang Steelers look to dig their boots into the ground in the constant upstream battle of K League 1. A Korea Cup win to make it two cup triumphs in as many years perhaps masked the disappointing drop-off in the league which ended in a sixth-place finish. It's been a fairly modest transfer window for the Steelers with Juninho Rocha from Chungnam Asan and Kim Beom-su from Ansan Greeners being the only senior incomings. As has been the case for the last few seasons, Oberdan will be key for Pohang with his role in the build-up and moving through the thirds crucial. The biggest question, though, centres on the players' fitness as many had suffered injuries last year - Lee Ho-jae, Han Chan-hee, Oberdan, and Hong Yun-sang. Will there be more 'Tae-ha Drama' this year? Pohang's late goals might just help them reach their goals of a place in the top three or beyond.

Full season preview: here

Gangwon FC

Thanks to a highly successful 2024, Gangwon FC come into the new year looking to show they're ready to take on the challenges ahead. Last year's runners-up have had a busy transfer window as they look to balance domestic competitions with the AFC Champions League Elite. Yang Min-hyeok and Hang Mun-ki have left, as too the manager Yoon Jong-hwan with his assistant Jeong Kyung-ho taking over, but in have come some trusted veterans in Yun Il-lok and Hong Chul, not to mention bright wingers Kim Min-jun and Kang Yun-gu from Ulsan, Chungnam Asan playoff star Kang Jun-hyuck, and defensive midfielder Choi Han-sol - qualityand quantity the apparent theme of the Bears approach. Lee Sang-heon had a career year last season and will be looked upon to produce again this season as Gangwon's key player. The question, though, is what exactly are Gangwon's ambitions? Can they get into a title race again this season, or at least secure ACL qualification for another year?

Full season preview: here

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors look to pull away from a calamitous 2024 and put the unexpected spectre of relegation firmly in the rear-view mirror as they somewhat gratefully prepare for another top-flight K League campaign. Gus Poyet has been tasked with restoring stability and igniting Champions-like performances from a bloated squad of heavy investments that should have something to prove. It has, however, been a quiet transfer window for the Green Warriors. Goalkeeper Song Bum-keun has returned and experienced centre back Kim Young-bin has joined to replace Lee Jae-ik who has joined Ulsan, as well as promising full back Choi Woo-jin to replace an FC Seoul-bound Kim Jin-su. Attacking midfielder Kim Jin-gyu will be seen as the key player after making an impact in the second half of the season once he returned from military service. But the biggest question is, is Gus Poyet the manager to fix things? He has a big job on his hands, steering this juggernaut off the beaten track and back on the road to success again. Cup competitions may get priority but top four should be the minimum for Jeonbuk.

Full season preview: here

Top Six: Safety Sealed Early?

Daejeon Hana Citizen

After two relegation battles, Hwang Sun-hong and his men will be looking to pull away from the lower reaches of the table and secure a top-six finish. Last season's talk of ACL qualification was a tad naive and, ultimately, set the Purples up for a fall. Likewise, any talk of ACL this year would be premature, but with proven K League 1 players such as Joo Min-kyu, Ha Chang-rae, and Jeong Jae-hee arriving, among others, Daejeon have a good squad and will feel confident that a Final A finish is within their reach. The Purples were set up well under Hwang last year, helped by tactics coach Tatsuma Yoshida, playing with an effective press and with two false nines. But there are expected to be tweaks, especially as Hwang now needs to fit all these new players into his system. One player who will be key again this year is Masatoshi Ishida, whose goals and assists helped keep the club up last year. Daejeon should be good to watch again next year and should be good for fifth or sixth, which would represent a first top-division top-half finish since 2007.

Full season preview: here

Gimcheon Sangmu

Now definitely staying in Gimcheon for the next two seasons, Chung Jung-yong and his players can now focus purely on on-the-field matters. They will be looking for more of the same as they head into a second consecutive season in K League 1, following their impressive third-place finish last year. What's interesting about this current Gimcheon side and the timing of its next batch of recruits, is that over 10 new players will join but not until April - including Go Jae-hyun, Kim Joo-chan, Lee Soo-bin, and Jeon Byeong-kwan. Lee Dong-gyeong will be with the squad for most of the season and will be seen as Gimcheon's key player after a superb season in 2024. The goals dried up slightly once he moved to Gimcheon but the on-loan Horangi did manage to get five in 19 outings for the army side. The biggest question facing Gimcheon is simply whether they can match last year's levels. They should, however, be good for a top-six finish.

Full season preview: here

Gwangju FC

Gwangju couldn't quite reach the heights of 2023 last term, ending the season in ninth, but did impress in the AFC Champions League Elite. This season, with some notable arrivals and departures, the biggest question will be about whether manager Lee Jung-hyo can get a tune out of this limited squad. Reis has returned and Asani has stayed, but the club's transfer policy has seemingly been to buff up some rough diamonds with the likes of Park In-hyeok, Kwon Sung-hyun, Park Jeong-in, Yu Je-ho, and Hwang Jae-hwan. Jasir Asani will be the key man for the Griffins and, after being frozen out for most of the first half of last year, made a statement when he was reintroduced to the squad with his performance levels, particularly in the ACL. With Heo Yool, Lee Hui-gyun, and Jeong Ho-yeon gone, and players lacking in top-flight experience coming in, it remains to be seen whether this Gwangju side can stay away from the bottom three but Lee Jung-hyo has worked wonders before.

Relegation Battle: A Fatal Four-Way?

Daegu FC

Daegu FC's top-flight status was only secured via the playoffs after finishing in a disappointing 11th place, and they will, of course, be hoping to look up rather than down this year in what will be coach Park Chang-hyun’s first full season at the helm. Perhaps the biggest signing of the winter so far has been the re-signing of popular midfielder Bruno Lamas, with the Brazilian returning from Busan IPark after playing there for the past three seasons. Elsewhere, left-sided full back Jeong Woo-jae has returned home after five years away and Park Dae-hoon has been signed from Chungnam Asan, having notched two goals against his new side in the first leg of the playoff games. Cesinha is still Daegu's key man, even at 35, netting 13 goals and assisting a further nine last year. The biggest question will be whether Park Chang-hyun is the right man to take the club forward and stay clear of the relegation zone. For the neutrals, Daegu games were often high-scoring and their counterattacking style is seldom ever dull.

Full season preview: here

FC Anyang

FC Anyang shocked K League 2 by topping the table and earning a first-ever promotion to the first division of Korean football last autumn. Avoiding automatic relegation will be their target in 2025. Headline moves include former Premier Leaguer Kim Bo-kyung and Brazilian hitman Bruno Mota, who was unlucky to lose out on the MVP award after scoring 16 goals for a poor Cheonan side. Last season's K League 2 MVP Matheus Oliveira will be their key man again this year with his selflessness in key attacking positions. The biggest question, though, will be whether Anyang are shrinking violets or not and can defend well. Veteran goalkeeper Kim Da-sol will be kept busy but kept 13 clean sheets in 35 matches last year. Anyang are the first team since Suwon FC in 2016 to be playing in K League 1 for the very first time and have the grudge matches with FC Seoul to look forward to in what will be a brave battle against relegation.

Suwon FC

Suwon FC enter the 2025 season under a thick cloud of uncertainty following a raft of key departures in the last six months. Jeong Seung-won has joined FC Seoul but the club have been busy bringing in some fresh foreign imports, Mohamed Ofkir, Leroy Abanda, and Pablo Sabbag as well as a whole host of players from K League 2 but many whom manager Kim Eun-jung has worked with before. Suwon's key player will, again, be Anderson Oliveira. The magic man is a player of such immense quality that even if the rest of the team is struggling, he gives them hope of snatching a point from near-certain defeat. But, is there enough quality to prolong their stay in K League 1? Suwon were among some of the fairytale stories of last year and are the ultimate underdog so there are still plenty of reasons to watch the Castle Park side in 2025. A top-six and even ACL place may be the club, but if the team don't start well, a relegation battle could be on the cards.

Jeju SK

After finishing ninth in 2023, on paper, a seventh-place position in 2024 seems like an improvement. However, with the most defeats in the league last season, and the worst goal difference, the Islanders will be aiming for a better 2025. It is no surprise, then, to see that Jeju SK have bolstered their defence with the signings of Jang Min-kyu, Kim Jae-woo, and Kim Ryun-seong as well as promising midfielder Oh Jae-hyeok. Other notable incoming include experienced left-sided player Yoo In-soo from Gangwon and striker Park Dong-jin from FC Seoul. The team's key player will be robust striker Yuri Jonathan, who'll be looking to add more goals to his game after a decent tally of 10 last year. After Final B finishes in recent seasons, it's time for Jeju to pull away from the bottom six and look at reaching Final A. That'll be the target for Kim Hak-bum and his players this season but there are question marks over whether there's enough quality for the team to be consistent.