Korean Cup Third Round - 5 fixtures to look out for

The Korean Cup takes centre stage this midweek with 12 ties to be decided on Wednesday. Several K League 1 clubs make their entrance. After a raft of second division sides were sent packing in the previous round, there are some surprising names in action this week.

Match 31: Siheung Citizen (K3) vs. Hwaseong FC (K League 2).

The winner of Match 31 plays Gangwon FC away.

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Match 32: Gangneung FC (K3) vs. Daejeon Hana Citizen (K League 1).

Match 33: Jeonbuk Hyundai (K League 1) vs. Ansan Greeners (K League 2).

The winner of Match 32 hosts the winner of Match 33.

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Match 34: Gimpo FC (K League 2) vs. Cheonan City FC (K league 2).

The winner of Match 34 plays Pohang Steelers at home.

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Match 35: Sejong (K4) vs. FC Anyang (K League 1).

Match 36: Daegu FC (K League 1) vs. Gimhae FC 2008 (K3).

The winner of Match 35 hosts the winner of Match 36.

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Match 37: Daejeon Korail (K3) vs. Namyangju Citizen (K4).

The winner of Match 37 plays FC Seoul at home.

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Match 38: Busan Transportation (K3) vs. Suwon FC (K League 1).

Match 39: Gwangju FC (K League 1) vs. Gyeongju KHNP (K3).

The winner of Match 38 hosts the winner of Match 39.

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Match 40: Incheon United (K League 2) vs. Pyeongchang United (K4).

The winner of Match 40 plays Ulsan HD away.

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Match 41: Bucheon FC 1995 (K League 2) vs. Jeju SK (K League 1).

Match 42: Gimcheon Sangmu (K League 1) vs. Suwon Samsung Bluewings (K League 2).

The winner of Match 41 hosts the winner of Match 42.

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[LISTEN: KLU's Team of the Decade]

#5 Busan Transportation (K3) vs. Suwon FC (K League 1).

Busan Transportation knocked out Busan IPark at their shared home ground of Gudeok in an epic second round encounter. That followed a first round win away to Yeom Ki-hun's Yangsan United. Every game from here on in is a free shot for Transportation and it is possible Suwon will take their eye off this fixture because they have more pressing issues in the league. Suwon finally notched their first victory of 2025, beating Gimcheon Sangmu 3-2 on Saturday. They are still bottom of the table (on goals scored) but only two points from safety. Busan also registered their first league win of the season, beating Mokpo FC 3-1. 

#4 Gangneung FC (K3) vs. Daejeon Hana Citizen (K League 1).

Surprise early-season pacesetters Daejeon Hana are heading to the east coast to face K3's Gangneung FC. The hosts are 13th in the 15-team K3 after two wins and two draws from their opening four matches. Gangneung did open with back-to-back losses so they have stopped the rot. They reached the third round thanks to a 2-1 win in Dangjin followed by a 1-0 victory, at home, over Chungnam Asan. Daejeon won the cup in 2001 but their recent record is terrible - they haven't made the quarters since 2012. However, Daejeon are three points clear at the top of K League 1. At the weekend, they squandered a 2-0 lead in Sangam to draw 2-2. 

#3 Bucheon FC 1995 (K League 2) vs. Jeju SK (K League 1).

Jeju SK have endured a very difficult start to 2025 with pressure mounting on veteran manager Kim Hak-beom. The Islanders are in the bottom three, amassing eight points from their opening eight matches. There were signs of improvement last weekend when Jeju were four minutes from a famous victory in Jeonju. This tie sees Jeju return to Bucheon, a satellite city of Seoul. The club now competing as Jeju SK were once Bucheon SK until February 2006. As a result, this is known as the Relocation Derby. Wednesday will be the first cup meeting between the sides but they have met in K League 2, with Jeju winning all three matches. Bucheon have made a good start to 2025.

#2 Sejong (K4) vs. FC Anyang (K League 1).

Anything other than an away victory would be a major surprise but this is a midweek trip Anyang will not be looking forward to. Sejong caused one of the shocks of the 2nd round, dumping out 2021 champions Jeonnam Dragons. In the first round, they hammered Ulsan Citizen of K3. Just like the other lower tier teams, Sejong haven't started the season well. In fact, they've been awful, losing four and drawing once to sit bottom of the table. Anyang are competing in K League 1 for the very first time and have started reasonably well despite a 2-1 defeat in Pohang at the weekend. Their cup pedigree is weak even though Anyang were regularly strong at K League 2 level for a decade.

[READ: All changes at FC Anyang this year]

#1 Daegu FC (K League 1) vs. Gimhae FC 2008 (K3).

Gimhae FC just lost top spot in K3 after a then-perfect start to the season. The blow of that 3-1 loss to Gyeongju will perhaps be overshadowed by a lovely trip north to Daegu and a night out in one of the best stadiums in Korea. Normally, you'd say this is where their adventure ends but Daegu are in turmoil. They narrowly avoided relegation last winter, started 2025 with a blast, and then embarked on a massive downward spiral. At the time of writing, Daegu are managerless following Park Chang-hun's decision to step down. However unlikely it may be, an away victory would be incredible. A bit like Suwon FC above, attention might be elsewhere.