The South Korean football champions are the winners of the highest league in South Korean football, which is currently the K League 1.
Since the league turned professional in 1983, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have won nine titles, the record for most titles won. Seongnam FC have won the league seven times, followed by FC Seoul on six occasions, and Pohang Steelers with five titles. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are also the only team that won the title for five consecutive seasons.
Before a professional football league was founded in South Korea, there was a semi-professional league held twice a year. South Korean companies, banks and militaries' football clubs qualified for the Semi-professional League, but university clubs didn't participate in it unlike the National Football Championship. Instead, they could enter the National University League.
^There is an article about the second round of Autumn season,[1] but no record after that. It might be stopped because of many international football matches.
^Park Byung-chul, Lee Kang-min, and Shin Dong-min became top goalscorers with three goals each, but the award was not presented officially.
^All South Korean sports events were ceased at that time because of president's assassination on 26 October 1979.[2]
Professional and semi-professional clubs competed together between 1983 and 1986. Since 1987, only professional clubs competed in the league.
The league was initially called Super League. It was renamed as Football Festival in 1986, Korean Professional Football League in 1987, Korean League in 1994, Professional Football League in 1996, and K League in 1998.
In early years, hometowns of K League clubs were determined, but they were pointless in substance because the clubs played games by going around all stadiums together.
The current home and away system is being operated since the 1987 season.
In early years, hometowns of K League clubs were determined, but they were pointless in substance because the clubs played games by going around all stadiums together.
The current home and away system is being operated since 1987 season.