Band 5 Bulletin: FC Seoul Lead the Way into the World Cup Break

Ross Davis puts us in the know with all things K League before the league breaks for the World Cup

The last five games of the K League season have been squeezed into a frantic two-week spell as the league heads into its seven-week World Cup break. FC Seoul have managed to maintain their lead at the top, although the gap has been cut to six points after reigning champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors rediscovered their rhythm. Elsewhere, Ulsan HD FC, Pohang Steelers and Gangwon FC have all collected more points than the leaders during that stretch.

The latter in particular have been in outstanding form, remaining unbeaten since facing FC Seoul at the end of April and suffering just two other defeats this season. It is not only the results catching attention either, with Gangwon FC turning heads through their high-intensity, energetic football. The 2024 runners-up have set the standard for pressing in the league, recording the lowest PPDA at 7.53, with FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors the next closest at 9.75 and 9.67 respectively.

The provincial club head into the break off the back of an impressive win over second-placed Ulsan HD FC and look like genuine dark horses for the second half of the season if they can maintain that momentum. Standouts Lee Gi-hyeok and Kim Dae-won have particularly impressed, with the former earning a surprise call-up to Hong Myung-bo’s 26-man Korea World Cup squad. The versatile 25-year-old received his first senior call-up since 2022, having earned just a single cap during the East Asian Football Championship.