2025 Korean Cup First Round - 5 Fixtures to look out for

With very little fanfare or publicity, the 2025 Korean Cup begins this weekend with 14 ties divided between Saturday and Sunday. The fixtures are spread across most parts of the country, so here's the full list of the matches and five games to watch if you're in the area. The cup moves to Wednesday nights from the third round.

Of the 28 teams who've made it to this round, 10 are from K3 and all but one (Yeoju FC) are on the road. They host the only all-K3 tie versus Mokpo. 10 clubs represent K4 with the remaining eight from K5. The lowest ranked teams all enjoy home advantage. The matches kick off at either 14:00 or 19:00 but at the time of writing, several were still TBD.

All 14 K League 2 clubs enter in round 2 and with the draw complete as far as the round of 16, the 28 entrants will know who'll they be facing in the next round should they win. And there are some former heavyweight clubs lurking in the long grass; One-time AFC champions Busan IPark will be away in round 2, as will 2021 Korean Cup victors Jeonnam Dragons. But the most intriguing entrant will be K League 2 high fliers Incheon United travelling to either Gimhae or Chuncheon later this month.

Full list of fixtures to the Round of 16. Credit: KFA Instagram page.

It is worth pointing out that whilst Suwon Samsung, Seoul E-Land, and Seongnam FC also enter in the 2nd round, they will not be playing against any of the sides below. Their next opponents are already known.

The draw in total is this:

Saturday:

Yangsan United (K5) vs. Busan Transportation (K3), 14:00.
Pyeongchang United (K4) vs. Yangpyeong FC (K3), 14:00.

Jeonbuk Jeonju OFC (K5) vs. Pyeongtaek Citizen (K4), 14:00.

Yangcheon TNT (K5) vs. Geoje Citizen (K4), 19:00.

Daegu Cheongsol (K5) vs. Pocheon Citizen (K3), TBD.

Seoul Jungang (K4) vs. Paju Citizen (K3), TBD.

Sunday:

Jinju Citizen (K4) vs. Yeoncheon FC (K4), 14:00.

Sejong SA (K4) vs. Ulsan Citizen (K3),14:00.

Dangjin Citizen (K4) vs. Gangneung Citizen (K3), 14:00.

Yeoju FC (K3) vs. Mokpo City (K3), 14:00.

Gwangju Hyochang (K5) vs. Gijang United (K4), 14:00.

Seoul Yongsan Geonyoung (K5) vs. Namyangju (K4), 19:00.

Incheon Seogot (K5) vs. Daejeon Korail (K3), TBD.

Gimhae Jaemics (K5) vs. Chuncheon Citizen (K3), TBD.

[READ: Korean Cup fixtures announced]

1. Yeoju FC (K3) vs. Mokpo City (K3), 14:00.

This tie features two teams from K3 - the only one - so it is reasonable to suggest the standard of football will be higher than in any other fixture in the first round. Yeoju is a small city on the far south-eastern edge of Gyeonggi Province, not from the major Gangwon city of Wonju. The club has won just a single FA Cup game in its short history, against Pocheon Citizen in 2023. Mokpo have been a competitive force in K3 for the last few years, and have made the third round of the cup on one occasion. The victor hosts K2's Bucheon FC 1995 in the next round. 

2. Yangsan United (K5) vs. Busan Transportation (K3), 14:00.

This tie jumped straight off the page when the draw was made. Yangsan is a city just north of Busan, so Transportation won't have far to travel on Saturday afternoon. The home team, whilst strictly amateur, are back-to-back K5 champions and in 2024 they recorded an FA Cup win in the first round, over Sejong from K4. Busan Transportation reached the quarter-finals in 2022, knocking out, first, K2's Gimpo FC and then the defending champions Jeonnam Dragons along the way. Their run was ended by FC Seoul. What makes this fixture more intriguing is the winner will enjoy home advantage in the next round against....yeah, you guessed it...... Busan IPark.

3. Gimhae Jaemics (K5) vs. Chuncheon Citizen (K3), TBD.

Gimhae Jaemics have been one of K5's most competitive clubs in recent years, winning the championship in 2022. They have recorded a solitary cup win in their history, against Seoul FC Together. Chuncheon play in the same sports complex as Gangwon FC but that's where the similarities end. They finished 14 (of 16 teams) in K3 last year, avoiding the relegation playoffs on goal difference. They came very close to humiliating Suwon Samsung in last season's cup run, eventually losing 2-1 in Big Bird. Chuncheon will be heavy favorites to win meaning they'll welcome the mighty Incheon United to their home ground later this month. That'll be a fun return to the area for former Gangwon manager Yoon Jeong-hwan, who's now in the Incheon dugout.

4. Yangcheon TNT (K5) vs. Geoje Citizen (K4), 19:00.

I've only included this match because it'll take place at the wonderful Hyochang Stadium in central Seoul. Hyochang has become the stadium of choice for smaller Seoul-based clubs when they advance in the Cup. Byeoksan Players used the ground last season, and, on Sunday, Seoul Yongsan Geonyoung will entertain Namyangju here. Hyochang opened in 1960 and hosted that year's AFC Asian Cup, won by South Korea. The tournament was made up of just four teams; South Korea, Israel, Republic of China, and South Vietnam. Geoje's squad features a handful of players who are doing their mandatory service, including captain Doo Hyun-suk, a veteran of over 160 appearances for Gwangju FC.

5. Pyeongchang United (K4) vs. Yangpyeong FC (K3), 14:00.

Another club with a short trip to make, Yangpyeong head east to face K4 joint-leaders Pyeongchang United. There's nothing particularly interesting about this game but it might feature Hwang Mun-ki, who is completing his mandatory service at the K4 side. Hwang was one of the best players in K League 1 last season, playing for the free flowing and exciting Gangwon FC. His exceptional form at right back earned the 28-year-old two international caps but he was forced to move to Pyeongchang because there was no space at Gimcheon. The winners will travel to Gyeongnam FC in the next round.