Breaking: Ulsan Hyundai are 2022 K League 1 champions

For the first time in 17 years, Ulsan Hyundai are the champions of K League. The Horangi seal the 2022 Hana 1Q K League 1 title with a game to spare following a 2-1 win over Gangwon FC on Sunday 16th October at Chuncheon Songam Sports Town.

After coming close in 2019, 2020, and 2021 Ulsan Hyundai are the champions of South Korea.

A 2-1 win over Gangwon FC was enough, meaning that Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors already knew their fate heading into the match with Jeju United later in the afternoon.

In Round 37 away to Gangwon FC, Ulsan actually fell behind to a Kim Dae-won penalty in the 65th minute; Vako was adjudged to have fouled Jung Seung-yong.

But Um Won-sang levelled with a superb strike on 74 before Martin Adam completed the turnaround in the 85th.

The 2022 title is Ulsan's third having also been crowned champions of Korea in 1996 and 2005 but it's the first major honour as a manager for Hong Myung-bo. As a player the former defender, Hong won the K League title, an FA Cup, one League Cup and one Asian Club Championship with Pohang Steelers in the early-to-mid 90s, and the J.League Cup with Kashiwa Reysol at the very end of the decade.

Ulsan have won 22 matches of the 37 played this year, drawn nine and lost just five. They're, so far, the league's top scorers with 56 goals and have conceded the fewest goals with just 30.

Ulsan came close to sealing the title last Tuesday afternoon against bitter rivals Pohang Steelers at the Steelyard but a 1-1 draw meant that, with two games to go, the Horangi still needed another point to guarantee it.

Despite fears of another Jeonbuk comeback, the 2-1 win over the Green Warriors in Round 35 put Ulsan eight points clear with three games left.

 That gap was reduced to five again following the Steelyard stalemate and Jeonbuk's win over Gangwon in Round 36.

Had the Horangi won at the Steelyard it would have been the perfect revenge Ulsan have been wanting to exact for years. In 2013, the K League title was decided on the final day thanks to a late Kim Won-il goal for Pohang Steelers against Ulsan in a match that was winner-take-all. 

In 2019, too, with Ulsan seemingly on course for the title, Pohang played spoiler and beat the Horangi 4-1 on the final day to leave the door open for Jeonbuk to win on goals scored.

Ulsan only needed a draw on that cold and rainy December afternoon and even managed to get themselves level at 1-1 after going a goal down but three Steelers goals in the second half, including two in the last two minutes plus stoppage time, piled on the misery for what was then Kim Do-hoon's team.

This time around, though, under the guidance of Hong Myung-bo, the Horangi have managed to claw themselves over the line.

Ulsan finished two points behind Jeonbuk last year, missing out on the title on the final day despite a 2-0 win over Daegu FC.

In 2020, it was a similar situation albeit with a three-point gap as Jeonbuk sealed another K League crown.

In 2019, the title was also decided on the final day but by goals scored with Jeonbuk and Ulsan finishing the season locked on 79 points.

Up next for Ulsan is Jeju United at home on the final day.