2025 Season Review: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

The Gus Poyet whirlwind has passed through Jeonju, silencing doubters, delivering silverware, and leaving the K League scrambling in its wake. As winter sets in, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors fans are left reflecting on a season that restored belief. Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened, as this was the season the Green Warriors returned in full, unforgiving force.

What Went Well

Given the uncertainties that come with the appointment of any new manager, further compounded by the reality check from the previous season’s flirtation with relegation, expectations for a side of Jeonbuk’s stature were set considerably low heading into the 2025 campaign. The aim was to be competitive, ideally achieve a Champions League berth, but, most importantly, restore some faith in their support. What they got with Gus Poyet, was something far more than they could have hoped for. 

The Uruguayan manager set his sights on sensibilities. No bold claims of a title charge, but a promise that, given a few months, the fans would see his vision of the football he felt this squad could achieve. A late winner against Gimcheon Sangmu in an improved-attacking display on the opening day set the tone, and from there, Poyet’s side rarely looked back.

Some brief hiccups occurred during those opening weeks, yet once a winning eleven was found, the Green Warriors went from strength to strength, running up a 26 unbeaten run across league and cup with a rarely altered starting lineup. For the first time since Choi Kang-hee and the Days of Dakgong, Jeonbuk had a clear attacking identity and were seemingly feared by the opposition once more. Poyet’s side claimed the title in Round 33, the last group of fixtures before Final A, and the biggest gripe was that they could have done it even sooner. 

[LISTEN: The K League United Awards 2025]

The club’s historic tenth K League crown was then followed up with a victory over Gwangju FC in the Korea Cup Final, making it the second time the North Jeolla side had achieved the feat of a domestic double. A fitting return to form for a side once seen as an unstoppable force in Korean football, and the perfect send-off for one-club man Choi Chul-soon, who chose to retire from professional football with 16 team titles to his name and as one of Korea’s most decorated footballing talents.

What Didn't Go Well

In a season where everything seemingly went so right, it could not have ended more abruptly. No sooner had the ticker tape been swept away following the Korea Cup Final, Gus Poyet announced he was walking away from the position after just a season in charge. The difficult decision was made to show solidarity with his assistant, Mauricio Taricco, who had been handed a five-match suspension and a 20 million KRW fine by the K League following an alleged racist gesture reported by referee Kim Woo-sung in their Round 36 clash against Daejeon Hana Citizen. 

In a passionate defence published on the Jeonbuk website, Taricco stated how he felt ignored by league authorities despite a thorough explanation, and subsequently chose to resign as a result of the ruling. The club vowed to support him through the appeal process, yet the appeal was ultimately dismissed by K League.

With the governing bodies unwilling to entertain further explanation and doubling down over a decision that was viewed by the club and supporters as unfair, the K League’s newly-crowned Manager of the Year stepped down, having felt disillusionment with both the league and its referees. Poyet leaves Jeonbuk in high regard with both the club and its support, and an enhanced managerial reputation, all while shining a spotlight on the overused tactics of the division's clubs, the league's refereeing officials and the K League itself, potentially making the move for any overseas manager in the near future far less enticing.

OFFICIAL | Jeonbuk Hyundai manager Gus Poyet has resigned.

The club confirmed they attempted to retain him, but explained that assistant coach Taricco's departure proved to be the decisive factor in Poyet's decision. pic.twitter.com/Hmsb2Q8sQv

— Korea Football News (@KORFootballNews) December 8, 2025

On the pitch, the exit from the AFC Champions League Two at the hands of Sydney FC would perhaps be the lowlight from an otherwise positive campaign. With the focus on avoiding relegation in 2024, Jeonbuk’s B side (now N Side) had been offloaded the task of handling Asia’s second-tier club competition and had quietly navigated their way through the groups and into the knockout stages with ease. With Poyet newly in charge, a solid showing in the Round of 16 against Port FC built up hopes of an early trophy and last-minute access to this year’s Champions League Elite. However, poor pitch conditions at Jeonju World Cup Stadium led to the first “home” leg being played some 160 km north of Jeonju midweek before then being unable to overturn the deficit a week later in Australia. It was likely too soon into the Poyet project to prove achievable, but it remains a missed opportunity from an otherwise momentous season.

Young Player of the Year

Kang Sang-yoon

Amongst the final nominees for the league’s official awards, Kang Sang-yoon has had a season to remember at Jeonbuk, forging his way to not only be the side’s under-22 player of choice, but one of its strongest options in central midfield. 

After spending the previous season on loan at Suwon FC as one of their key components, Kang initially returned to Jeonbuk as a potential backup option, with the young player slot being handed to the newly signed Choi Woo-jin instead. However, once handed his place in the eleven by Poyet, Kang never relinquished his grip, finishing the season with 42 appearances and four assists across all competitions. Kang has also found himself on the fringes of the Korea National Team, having already become irreplaceable at the youth levels, and looks set to head into a World Cup Year looking to obtain the attention of Hong Myung-bo and his coaching staff.

Team MVP

Park Jin-seop

Handed the captaincy, Jeonju-born and Jeonbuk fan Park Jin-seop started the season as he meant to go on, scoring the opener against Gimcheon Sangmu and signalling to supporters that 2025 was not to be a repeat of the season prior. Park began the season as part of the backline, but with Hong Jeong-ho finally fully fit and the experience of newly-signed Kim Young-bin also offering more than competence at centre-back, Poyet chose to move Park back into his favoured defensive midfield role, which was immediately met with an upturn in form and the start of the club’s lengthy unbeaten run.

Park offered calmness and solidity in the centre of the field, allowing the talents of Kim Jin-gyu and Kang Sang-yoon to shine with confidence and without consequence. The captain also proved pivotal from set pieces and helped his team to the title with a contribution of five goals and four assists across three competitions, plus continued callups to the Taeguk Warriors, which has him pushing himself into contention for a spot on the plane to North America next summer.

It was a campaign that has drawn Park plaudits across the division and seemingly beyond it as rumours circulate of a potential transfer to Chinese Super League outfit Zhejiang FC in the coming weeks. Should he choose to exit, it could prove an immediate and considerable challenge to the club’s new coaching staff.

Most Disappointing Player

Lee Seung-woo

In almost a perfect season for the side, any player selection here is overly harsh, including the eventual choice of Lee Seung-woo.

Lee’s selection is due to his lack of starting appearances, though. Appointed vice-captain and seemingly a first-choice pick at the beginning of the campaign, his substitution in Jeonbuk’s early-season defeat to Ulsan HD marked the start of his role as an impact player from the bench, a tag he would have hoped to have shaken off, having suffered something similar the season prior. Combined with Jeon Jin-woo’s blistering form at the time, it looked as if the 27-year-old’s fate was cemented for another campaign.

However, it should be noted that, while his efforts on the pitch amounted to just four goals and an assist across all competitions, his contributions off it justified the decision to offer him a leadership position in the first place. He often appeared as the glue holding the younger talents together and, with a more involved role on the pitch towards the end of the year, including the winning goal in the Korea Cup Final, Lee may well be of greater importance to Jeonbuk in 2026.

Most Important Decision of the Off-Season

Can Chung Jung-yong get it right in the transfer market?

Arguably, Jeonbuk’s board have already undertaken the most important post-season decision, acting swiftly to appoint Gus Poyet’s replacement in Gimcheon Sangmu head coach Chung Jung-yong. Chung comes highly rated after leading the military side to consecutive third-placed finishes in the top flight after winning K League 2 at a canter in 2023. With little choice in player recruitment and control in retention, Chung has had to oversee two full team transitions, yet has managed to maintain momentum and motivation in recruits who may have been forgiven if they had seen their selection as a mere obligation.

[READ: Chung Jung-Yong appointed Head Coach of Jeonbuk]

Having also guided Korea’s youth sides to the AFC U19 Championship and World Cup U20 Final in 2018 and 2019, respectively, Chung’s stock at the KFA is also high, and now being handed the position at the K League Champions may prove to be the final decisive step before an eventual National Team appointment in the future. Furthermore, his relationship with youth talents who are now entering their prime could offer some sway in navigating a transfer market he has not had to deal with for the last three seasons.

Despite being a force to be reckoned with in 2025, Jeonbuk’s squad is entering the first stages of required overhaul, something that may only be further exposed with the burden of Champions League Elite football and a repositioned Korea Cup later this season. Gus Poyet’s preferred backline of Kim Tae-hwan (36), Kim Young-bin (34), Hong Jeong-ho (36) and Kim Tae-hyeon (29) boasts an average age of 33.75 and, with Park Jin-seop's rumoured exit and Choi Chul-soon’s retirement, the division’s best defence is suddenly looking vulnerable at the back. Whether Chung dips into the market for reinforcements or brings through talents from Jeonbuk’s much-touted N Squad, getting this decision right will prove crucial in ensuring his tenure commences positively.