Gimcheon Sangmu are involved in an unlikely title race, a title race in K League 1, meaning Chung Jung-yong’s men could become the first army team to win the top division title in South Korea, and also the first team to win K League 2 and K League 1 in consecutive years.
But even if they don’t, even if Ulsan start to go on a run, if Pohang get their act together again, or FC Seoul stay in form, the fact that Gimcheon are where they are is something to be enjoyed by the neutrals of K League. The players, too, may never experience a title-winning team. Some will have had that experience last year in K League 2 and may likely never experience that with their parent clubs.
But what about the players who don’t make it to Gimcheon? Following Asan Mugunghwa’s disbandment in 2017, there is now only one team in K League that players can join to do their military service and still continue to play professional football. Now, Gimcheon have the pick of every player wanting or needing to do military service, whereas before the army team competed with the police team.
Hwang In-beom, Ju Se-jong, and Lee Myung-joo, for example, opted to go to Asan and not Sangju, the then-army team. The reality for a lot of players now is that it is Gimcheon or nothing K League-wise, and a stint in K4 while also doing a full-time job.
This is what has happened with Seo Young-jae, a former teammate of Lee Jae-sung in Germany at Holsten Kiel, and a player who came through the ranks at Hamburger SV II. He’s also a player who was integral to Daejeon Hana Citizen’s playoff campaigns and ultimate promotion in 2023. Seo joined Daejeon in the summer of 2020 and had, fitness permitting, been a regular at left back right up until the end of the 2023 campaign.
He’s a cultured full back, with excellent technique and the ability to whip balls in from deep with his peach of a left foot. Seo is now on the books of Dangjin Citizen and had to face the indignity, if you could call it that, of facing Daejeon’s B team on his K4 debut. But Dangjin, a team based in Chungcheongnam-do, just across the water from Hwaseong in Gyeonggi-do, play in a stadium that has just one stand, a capacity of 5,000, and a plastic playing surface. But the team are, at least, in the mix for promotion to K3.
K League United spoke to Seo Young-jae to find out more about life in the lower leagues and what it’s like for players who haven’t been chosen by Gimcheon.
Who were your footballing heroes growing up?
Park Ji-sung. When I was in dormitories, I used to get up sneakily in the middle of the night to watch his games. Watching his games really got me excited.
Where did the opportunity to move to Germany come from?
In Hamburg when I’d gone there to watch a Korea U23 team game, I wasn’t playing but then I had some good luck when the left back ahead of me came off injured in the first half I went on in his place and then got an offer to go on trial. When I think about it again now, I put in a really impressive performance to the point where even for me looking at it, it was incredible. After that, I got an offer.
Were you always a left back?
I was a left winger. It’s funny, because when I started high school, I was kept out of the team by another player in the same position and then moved to full back, that’s how I got my position.
What advice would you give to young Korean players moving to Europe? What advice do you wish you had been given before you went?
One: language. Two: language. Three: language. I think it determines how quickly you adapt, including to the culture.
Can you please tell me about your military service application process? When did you first apply? What did you need to do? Why didn’t you go to Gimcheon?
I didn’t make it (into Gimcheon). Two years ago, and then last year again I sent in the forms and if you pass that part then you take a practical test, measuring speed and strength and that sort of thing. I really wanted to go to Gimcheon but unfortunately, it didn’t work out.
How did you feel when you found out you weren’t selected by Gimcheon?
I felt sad, and really worried.
Do you look at some of the players who were picked and think ‘They got picked, why not me?
To be honest, I still do. Sometimes, when I am alone and thinking I get a bit angry. I try not to think about too much and I try to go into training and games with the mindset that I need to improve as possible under the given circumstances.
How do players choose the K4 club they join? Why Dangjin?
There a lot of good players who have played in the K League. I came to Dangjin because I wanted to play good football with good players without my ability suffering too much.
What do you do during the week? How does the system work with having another job?
I start work at nine and finish at six. I work in a nursing home, looking after elderly people with dementia and I train in the evening after work.
What’s it like playing in K4? What’s the standard like?
Tempo-wise, it’s slow. What I felt was that with a team of social workers, there’s definitely an advantage on the pitch. Whether it’s there or not, the ability is different.
What’s it like playing on artificial pitches?
Really hard and they hurt my pelvis. Well, this is the reality I face, so I don’t think much of it. I just get on with it. I think of it as being natural grass, it’s fine.
Has having Park In-hyeok there with you helped?
We’re relying on each other on the pitch and off it and doing well. We eat together a lot.
How often do you train with Dangjin?
It’s similar to a professional team, every day. Since the only training time is in the evening, it’s a bit of a waste of time. It’s also long. Dangjin has a lot of training.
What was it like facing Daejeon’s B team?
I just wanted to win but we were a bit lacking.
There are a lot of K League 1 players currently in K4 as part of their military service, do you think the police team needs to return so there’s a second K League team for players to apply to?
It is needed again. Young players say the same thing. For myself too, you need to continue competing at the highest level.
What happens with your contract at Daejeon? Do you have any guarantees about returning to Daejeon once you’re finished at Dangjin?
I still have one year left on my contract. Once I’m done with my civil service, I’ll go back to Daejeon.
What’s the aim at Dangjin this season? Personally and as a team.
I don’t think it’s easy to try something new as a pro. Professional football is a place to show yourself, so mistakes are not tolerated. Rather than setting a goal here in terms of scores, I think about everything I did well in what I thought I was weak in as a pro and try to improve. As a team, Dangjin puts the National Sports Festival as its first priority.
When you signed for Daejeon in 2020, were there any other clubs interested? Why did you choose Daejeon?
I was only looking at the first division teams as a first priority and I was in contact with some. At that time, Hwang Sun-hong was the manager of Daejeon, and he had been interested in me for a long time when I was in Germany. I wanted to learn from someone who is called a legend in Korean football. So was only looking at Hwang Sun-hong when I signed.
At the time, the return seemed to be about getting ready to do your military service. Was that the main reason you returned to Korea?
Yes, I had to return because of military service and to join Gimcheon you need to be registered with a K League team first.
How big of an impact has the education you had in Germany had on your playing career?
Very big. I started my professional career in Germany and spent five years there. Because of that, I think it’ll have a big impact on me right until the end.
There was playoff heartbreak in those first two seasons at Daejeon, what was it like to play in those playoff games with no fans in 2020 and then in 2021 with cheering not allowed?
I just wanted to hear the fans sing when I played. That’s it.
How did you bounce back from the 2021 defeat? It must have been quite painful to lose like that.
The season finished right after that and we were on holiday. Usually, you’re busy enjoying yourself after the season finishes but for a whole I week I was just at home and all I did was sleep, I think. It was really, really stressful.
How did it feel to win promotion via the playoffs, particularly after what happened the year before?
So good. At the same time, my contract was coming to an end and I needed to go to the army. After winning promotion, the reality of needing to do that hit me and I felt really down.
Do you watch Daejeon games while you can and keep in touch with the players there?
Of course, I still watch and I am still in contact with the players. Every week after games I get messages from players and speak with them over the phone.
