Groundhopping the Seoul Metropolitan Area; a 'hopper's dream location

The middle of September sees the first 16:30 kick-off since the sweltering Korean summer got underway, and by October there'll be an even greater variety of start times as Autumn envelopes the country. Visiting Seoul in early or late season is the perfect time to maximize your chances of double-headers and to fill out your weekend with football.

The Seoul region might not carry the same reputation as, say, London, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, and Tokyo for the volume of top-class teams, history, or football culture, but as someone who's been in Seoul for 15 years, the experience is brilliant and the number of clubs, right through the divisions, is as good as you'll see in most corners of the world.

Added to that, cheap football tickets, world-class transport links, a complete lack of violence at games, and a great variety in stadiums - from the 2002 World Cup behemoths to the local civic ground - there's nothing Korea lacks. The only problem, right now, is the summer is prolonged, hot, and woefully humid.

It is unlikely too many tears will be shed when August disappears. As every football player on the podcast has told us recently, this is the hottest and most humid month they've ever experienced. Nathan Oduwa told me you never get a second wind during a match. Shin Jae-won admitted he didn't want to come off the bench for a Cup game. Fejsal Mulic explained the advantages of the wet towels that have been adopted during the cooling breaks.

One club employee recently confided that he fears for the players' safety this month. Grim. There's no getting away from the fact that this extended heatwave is testing the very limits of their physical health and we can only hope they are getting all the medical and S&C help they need.

[READ: K League United adds the groundhopping page]

But it isn't just the players who'll be happy when September comes. With the late kickoff times, there's no option of a doubleheader, and the maximum number of games you'll get to, after an exhausting day's traveling, is two over a weekend. But that's all about to change. Just like the early part of the season, there are usually three kick-off slots reserved on Saturday and Sunday. And with the sheer number of clubs from K League 1 to K4 playing in the Seoul Metrolotian region, the region is a paradise for any groundhopper.

Seoul Jungang FC in K4. All photos from @groundhopkoreafc

Extraordinarily, given its size and population, only one team in K League 1 plays in Seoul, but there are two more in the surrounding region. A second professional team in the capital, creating a North vs. South Han River derby would be brilliant, but despite claims by Seoul E-Land fans to propel their club into some level of importance - "SEOUL IS BLUE" - there's only room for one team in the capital. That could change if E-Land are promoted, but when they hosted their big neighbors from Sangam in a Cup game this season, interest levels were very low.

Incheon United and Suwon FC are other top-flight clubs sharing the capital region. Seoul Jungang FC and Seoul Nowon United are basically amateur organizations in K4. I've yet to witness the lesser-known Seoul derby but there'll be plenty of time next season.

Several clubs are competing in the Seoul metropolitan area (combining the city of Seoul and its surrounding province, Gyeonggi-do).

K League 1: FC Seoul, Incheon United, and Suwon FC (3).

K League 2: Ansan Greeners, Bucheon FC 1995, FC Anyang, Gimpo FC, Seongnam FC, Seoul E-Land, and Suwon Samsung (7)*.

K3: Hwaseong FC, Paju Citizen, Pocheon Citizen, Siheung Citizen, Yangpyeong FC, and Yeoju FC (5).

K4: Pyeongtaek Citizen, Seoul Jungang FC, and Seoul Nowon United (3).

Incheon Stadium is widely regarded as one of the finest in the land.

[READ: Is Incheon Stadium the best in Korea?]

That's 18 clubs in the city and province and as the asterisks after Suwon Samsung indicates, there are a further two clubs on the Seoul subway line that are also an option, but I'll keep this to the borders of Gyeonggi-do.

 18 new teams is 18 new mediums as no ground sharing exists between any of these clubs.

The distances between some of these clubs are so short, you can either comfortably, or just about, hop from one ground to another without missing a minute of football. This is especially true in southern Gyyeonggi-do, where half the teams named above are on, or near, Seoul's Line 1.

For example, Suwon Samsung are 3.3 km south of Suwon FC. I did this double header late last season when both clubs were fighting relegation. FC Seoul to Seoul E-Land is 6 km as the crow flies, or 10,000₩ by taxi. This is another double-header I've done on the same day. FC Anyang are eight stops from Ansan Greeners on the same line. Bucheon and Seoul E-Land are separated by just 11 km. There are direct buses from Anyang to Suwon and Seongnam. It goes on and on.

[READ: Stadiums of Seoul Metro Area, ranked!]

Bucheon Stadium has added temporary stands so watching games from the original structure is unusual.

This is an example weekend in late September of multiple games in a short period.

Tuesday, September 24. Seoul E-Land vs. FC Anyang, Mokdong. 19:30.

Wednesday, September 25. Bucheon FC vs. Seongnam, Bucheon. 19:30.

Saturday, September 28. FC Anyang vs. Chungnam Asan, Anyang.  16:30

Sunday, September 29. FC Seoul vs. Suwon FC, Seoul World Cup Stadium. 16:30

Total distance: 59 km.

[READ: Stadium of K League 2, ranked!]

Suwon Samsung, Ansan Greeners, and Pocheon Citizen will also be at home during that period.

By October, two games on the same day will become possible, especially if you include the WK League.

Welcome to football in the Seoul capital region. Don't be turned off by the apparent lack of football talent, the empty seats, or the running traacks. Ttracksl region is an easy and safe option to gobble up grounds, earn Futbology badges, and impress your followers on Instagram with the insanely wonderful floodlight.

Please check out @groundhopkoreafc on Instagram for a wide range of photos and videos.