 |
| Ulsan Hyundai manager Hong Myung-bo is tossed in the air by his players after winning their K League 1 match against Gangwon FC to secure the championship at Songam Sports Town in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, Oct. 16. / Yonhap |
By John Duerden
It has been a very interesting few days for South Korean football. On Sunday, finally, Ulsan Horangi ditched its title as Asia's chokers by winning the K-League title, their first championship since 2005. The Tigers have been in pole position since the start of this campaign but unlike the situation on the last day in the last three seasons, the team did not throw it away.
Needing just a point in the penultimate game of the campaign, Ulsan came from behind to defeat Gangwon FC 2-1 and the celebrations started in the city of Chuncheon, which saw the players throw coach Hong Myung-bo into the air.
"Getting over this hump has not been easy," Hong said after the game. "It just takes so much extra effort to overcome the kind of mental blocks that we had. I want Ulsan to be the K League leader in every aspect. We don't just want to throw money at expensive players. I want to build a contender with a strong foundation."
Hong said that it was one of the best football experiences of his life and for a man who played 136 times for South Korea, captained the 2002 World Cup semi-final reaching team, won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics as head coach and then led the Taeguk Warriors to the 2014 World Cup, that is quite a statement.
Ulsan has been champions of Asia two times as has Jeonbuk Motors who finished second. The same can be said of Seongnam FC, the team that has finished bottom of the 12-team league and will play in the second tier next year.
It was hoped that next year would see the Asian Cup held on Korean soil for the first time since 1960. The Korea Football Association (KFA) had thrown its hat into the ring after China relinquished hosting rights in May due to Beijing's zero-COVID policy. There was disappointment in Seoul however as Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup, was given the tournament on Monday by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
"On behalf of the AFC and the Asian football family, I want to congratulate the Qatar Football Association on being awarded the hosting rights of the upcoming edition of the AFC Asian Cup," said AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. We must also thank the Football Association of Indonesia and the Korea Football Association for outlining their intentions to stage the tournament."
The KFA was unhappy with the decision. Qatar hosted as recently as 2011 and the 2019 tournament took place in neighboring United Arab Emirates. It is probable that the 2027 edition will go to Saudi Arabia. "It has not been held in Korea, an Asian football powerhouse for 63 years, and in terms of rotation and regional balance, it was a reasonable order to hold it in East Asia," the KFA said according to AFP.
"Unexpectedly, however, we had to face tough competition as Qatar jumped into the bid with its abundant financial, human and material base." He added, "It is judged that the unconventional offensive and support of Middle Eastern countries trying to take the lead in Asian football also influenced the situation."
The statement was an unusual move that demonstrated the disquiet felt in some quarters caused by the influence of West Asian nations in Asian football. Yet there is something that nobody else in the continent has and that is Son Heung-min. Later on Monday, Son finished 11th in the Ballon d'Or, the prize given out to the best player of the year. It is the highest place ever achieved by an Asian player. French striker Karim Benzema won for the first time in his career.
It was just another week in Korean football.
![[VIDEO] Filipina K-pop idol and K-drama actress react to stereotypes about the Philippines](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/230201chantyjoyce2web_5891a49058fb1.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[ANALYSIS] New order prevails in global battery industry](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/97f0a86072474a07bd1c388f4cfe0ff5.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Saudi Arabia seeks greater cooperation with Korea in NEOM](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/d8bcecac20a6465e8e44da2796041c64.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[Video] How Koreans' favorite convenience store foods are made in factories](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/230206_gs_4cb7fa5bc3856.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Tati Gabrielle, actress of Korean, African-American descent, feels proud of her heritage](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/d2f45162b11d4965a7168093560f59e3.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
