Historic K League season kicks off and promises much
Ulsan Hyundai winger Gustav Ludwigson, front, celebrates with his teammate Ataru Esaka after scoring the game-winning goal during the K League 1 match against Jeonbuk Hyundai at Munsu Stadium in Ulsan, Saturday. / Yonhap
By John Duerden
The K League started in 1983 as five teams looked to make history: Hallelujah FC, the eventual winner, Daewoo Royals, Yukong Elephants, POSCO Dolphins and Kookmin Bank. More than three decades later, the 2023 campaign started with a meeting of last season's top two. Defending champion Ulsan Horangi defeated Jeonbuk Motors 2-1.
Asia's first professional league has been through a lot since it all started amid much fanfare more than three decades ago. What never changes, however, is the sense of excitement and optimism when it all kicks off whether it is the five teams from 1983 or the 12 that make up the current top tier of Korea's professional football.
In 2023, those top two teams will play each other three times before the league is split, after 33 games, into two mini-groups of six: the top half go into the championship group and the other six go into the relegation zone group. They then play the other five in their respective groups to determine the team that wins the title and those that may drop down into the second tier.
It's fair to say that relegation is not something that Ulsan nor Jeonbuk have to think about. Anything other than a top-two finish would be a disappointment.
There were almost 30,000 fans in UIsan to watch the champion kick off its title defense, the biggest crowd in the entire league since the pandemic hit.
Song Min-kyu gave Jeonbuk an early lead, but Um Won-sang and then new Swedish player Gustav Ludwigson got the goals to give Ulsan the win and a great start to the season.
"I think the players did a tremendous job pulling out this important victory," Ulsan head coach Hong Myung-bo said. "After we won the title last year, motivation could be an issue for us. But coming from behind to win the opening match will be huge. I think we showed how much we've grown as a team."
Ulsan may have won the title last season but lost out to Jeonbuk in the three preceding years. It means that beating the team from Jeonju is a great way to start the season though there are still 37 games left to play and lots of twists and turns to come.
FC Seoul has struggled in recent seasons but got off to a good start this time around with a 2-1 win over the much-improved Incheon United. Suwon Bluewings is another fallen giant and was close to relegation last time around. A 1-0 loss to Gwangju FC will not improve the mood of the team's passionate fan base.
On Sunday, Pohang Steelers, the team that has usually looked the closest to challenging the duopoly of Ulsan and Jeonbuk, came back from a goal down to defeat Daegu FC 3-2 thanks to two late goals.
In the battle of the two promoted teams, Daejeon Citizen defeated Gangwon FC 2-0 to enjoy a great start to the season. Elsewhere Jeju United and Suwon FC drew 0-0. They were not the most exciting games and perhaps not the most exciting start to a season but 40 years have shown that there is always a long way to go.