List of South Korean football champions
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The South Korean football champions are the winners of the highest league in South Korean football. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have won ten titles, the record for most titles won.
History
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 National Semi-professional League, but university clubs could not participate at it unlike at the National Football Championship. Instead, they could enter the National University League.
The K League was founded as a professional league with the name of "Super League" in 1983. It was contested between both professional and semi-professional clubs until 1986, and started to accept only professional clubs in 1987. It was renamed as "Football Festival" in 1986, "Korean Professional Football League" in 1987, "Korean League" in 1994, "Professional Football League" in 1996, and current name "K League" in 1998.
The K League was split into two divisions in 2013. The first division was originally named "K League Classic" before being renamed "K League 1" in 2018.
Champions by season
| Season | Competition | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Spring National Semipro League | Keumsung Textile (1) Cheil Industries (1) |
— |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Keumsung Textile (2) | Korea Tungsten | |
| 1965 | Spring National Semipro League | Keumsung Textile (3) Korea Tungsten (1) Korea Electric Power (1) |
— |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Korea Tungsten (2) | Korea Coal Corporation | |
| 1966 | Spring National Semipro League | Seoul Police Department (1) | Korea Electric Power |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Korea Tungsten (3) Seoul Police Department (2) |
— | |
| 1967 | Spring National Semipro League | National Police Department (3) | Ssangyong Cement |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Korea Electric Power (2) | Cheil Industries | |
| 1968 | Spring National Semipro League | Korea Tungsten (4) | Korea Electric Power |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Cheil Industries (2) ROK Army Quartermaster Corps (1) |
— | |
| 1969 | Spring National Semipro League | Korea Electric Power (3) | Korea Tungsten |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Unknown[a] | ||
| 1970 | Spring National Semipro League | Cheil Industries (3) | Korea Tungsten |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Chohung Bank (1) | Korea Trust Bank | |
| 1971 | Spring National Semipro League | Korea Trust Bank (1) | Korea Exchange Bank Korea Housing Bank |
| Autumn National Semipro League | ROK Marine Corps (1) | Korea Trust Bank Chohung Bank | |
| 1972 | Spring National Semipro League | Korea Housing Bank (1) | ROK Marine Corps |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Korea Housing Bank (2) | ROK Marine Corps | |
| 1973 | Spring National Semipro League | ROK Marine Corps (2) | Kookmin Bank |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Korea Trust Bank (2) | ROK Army | |
| 1974 | Spring National Semipro League | Chohung Bank (2) | ROK Army |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Commercial Bank of Korea (1) ROK Army (1) |
— | |
| 1975 | Spring National Semipro League | POSCO FC (1) | ROK Army |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Industrial Bank of Korea (1) | Korea Automobile Insurance | |
| 1976 | Spring National Semipro League | Korea Exchange Bank (1) Korea Trust Bank (3) |
— |
1977 |
National Semipro League | ROK Army (2) | POSCO FC |
| 1978 | Spring National Semipro League | Seoul City (1) ROK Navy (3) |
— |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Korea Automobile Insurance (1) | Seoul City | |
| 1979 | Spring National Semipro League | Industrial Bank of Korea (2) | ROK Army |
| 1980 | Spring National Semipro League | Seoul City (2) ROK Army (3) |
— |
| Autumn National Semipro League | Korea Automobile Insurance (2) ROK Air Force (1) |
— | |
| 1981 | Spring National Semipro League | Daewoo FC (1) | ROK Navy |
| Autumn National Semipro League | POSCO FC (2) | ROK Army | |
1982 |
National Semipro League (Korean League) | POSCO FC (3) | Kookmin Bank |
| K League (Super League) | Hallelujah FC (1) | Daewoo Royals | |
| K League (Super League) | Daewoo Royals (2) | Yukong Elephants | |
| K League (Super League) | Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso (1) | POSCO Atoms | |
| K League (Football Festival) | POSCO Atoms (4) | Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso | |
| K League (Korean Professional Football) | Daewoo Royals (3) | POSCO Atoms | |
| K League (Korean Professional Football) | POSCO Atoms (5) | Hyundai Horang-i | |
| K League (Korean Professional Football) | Yukong Elephants (1) | Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso | |
| K League (Korean Professional Football) | Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso (2) | Daewoo Royals | |
| K League (Korean Professional Football) | Daewoo Royals (4) | Hyundai Horang-i | |
| K League (Korean Professional Football) | POSCO Atoms (6) | Ilhwa Chunma | |
| K League (Korean Professional Football) | Ilhwa Chunma (1) | LG Cheetahs | |
| K League (Korean League) | Ilhwa Chunma (2) | Yukong Elephants | |
| K League (Korean League) | Ilhwa Chunma (3) | Pohang Atoms | |
| K League (Professional Football) | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i (1) | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | |
| K League (Professional Football) | Busan Daewoo Royals (5) | Jeonnam Dragons | |
| K League | Suwon Samsung Bluewings (1) | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i | |
| K League | Suwon Samsung Bluewings (2) | Busan Daewoo Royals | |
| K League | Anyang LG Cheetahs (3) | Bucheon SK | |
| K League | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (4) | Anyang LG Cheetahs | |
| K League | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (5) | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i | |
| K League | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (6) | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i | |
| K League | Suwon Samsung Bluewings (3) | Pohang Steelers | |
| K League | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i (2) | Incheon United | |
| K League | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (7) | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | |
| K League | Pohang Steelers (7) | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma | |
| K League | Suwon Samsung Bluewings (4) | FC Seoul | |
| K League | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (1) | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma | |
| K League | FC Seoul (4) | Jeju United | |
| K League | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2) | Ulsan Hyundai | |
| K League | FC Seoul (5) | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | |
| K League 1 (K League Classic) | Pohang Steelers (8) | Ulsan Hyundai | |
| K League 1 (K League Classic) | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (3) | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | |
| K League 1 (K League Classic) | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (4) | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | |
| K League 1 (K League Classic) | FC Seoul (6) | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | |
| K League 1 (K League Classic) | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (5) | Jeju United | |
| K League 1 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (6) | Gyeongnam FC | |
| K League 1 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (7) | Ulsan Hyundai | |
| K League 1 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (8) | Ulsan Hyundai | |
| K League 1 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (9) | Ulsan Hyundai | |
| K League 1 | Ulsan Hyundai (3) | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | |
| K League 1 | Ulsan Hyundai (4) | Pohang Steelers | |
| K League 1 | Ulsan HD (5) | Gangwon FC | |
| K League 1 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (10) | Daejeon Hana Citizen | |
Statistics
All-time (since 1964)
Titles by club
In South Korea, professional era records are generally accepted.
| Club | Champions | Runners-up | Seasons won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 10 | 3 | 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2025 |
| Pohang Steelers | 8 | 6 | 1975, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2007, 2013 |
| Seongnam FC | 7 | 3 | 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006 |
| FC Seoul | 6 | 5 | 1985, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2012, 2016 |
| Ulsan HD | 5 | 10 | 1996, 2005, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Busan Daewoo Royals | 5 | 3 | 1981, 1984, 1987, 1991, 1997 |
| Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 4 | 4 | 1998, 1999, 2004, 2008 |
| Korea Tungsten | 4 | 3 | 1965 (2), 1966, 1968 |
| ROK Army | 3 | 5 | 1974, 1977, 1980 |
| ROK Navy | 3 | 3 | 1971, 1973, 1978 |
| Korea Electric Power | 3 | 2 | 1965, 1967, 1969 |
| Korea Trust Bank | 3 | 2 | 1971, 1973, 1976 |
| Cheil Industries | 3 | 1 | 1964, 1968, 1970 |
| Keumsung Textile | 3 | 0 | 1964 (2), 1965 |
| National Police Department | 3 | 0 | 1966 (2), 1967 |
| Korea Housing Bank | 2 | 1 | 1972 (2) |
| Chohung Bank | 2 | 1 | 1970, 1974 |
| Seoul City | 2 | 1 | 1978, 1980 |
| Korea Automobile Insurance | 2 | 1 | 1978, 1980 |
| Industrial Bank of Korea | 2 | 0 | 1975, 1979 |
| Jeju United | 1 | 5 | 1989 |
| Korea Exchange Bank | 1 | 1 | 1976 |
| ROK Army Quartermaster Corps | 1 | 0 | 1968 |
| Commercial Bank of Korea | 1 | 0 | 1974 |
| ROK Air Force | 1 | 0 | 1980 |
| Hallelujah FC | 1 | 0 | 1983 |
Professional era (since 1983)
Titles by club
In accordance with the official K League policy, the current clubs inherit the history and records of the predecessor clubs.[2]
| Club | Champions | Runners-up | Seasons won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 10 |
3 |
2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2025 |
| Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma | 7 |
3 |
1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006 |
| FC Seoul | 6 |
5 |
1985, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2012, 2016 |
| Ulsan HD | 5 |
10 |
1996, 2005, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Pohang Steelers | 5 |
5 |
1986, 1988, 1992, 2007, 2013 |
| Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 4 |
4 |
1998, 1999, 2004, 2008 |
| Busan Daewoo Royals | 4 |
3 |
1984, 1987, 1991, 1997 |
| Jeju United | 1 |
5 |
1989 |
| Hallelujah FC | 1 |
0 |
1983 |
Titles by city/province
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 has been in use since the 1987 season.
| City/Province | Titles | Clubs | Seasons won |
|---|---|---|---|
10 |
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 10 (2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2025) | |
7 |
Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso | 1 (1990) | |
| FC Seoul | 3 (2010, 2012, 2016) | ||
| Ilhwa Chunma | 3 (1993, 1994, 1995) | ||
5 |
Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i | 2 (1996, 2005) | |
| Ulsan Hyundai | 2 (2022, 2023) | ||
| Ulsan HD | 1 (2024) | ||
4 |
POSCO Atoms | 2 (1988, 1992) | |
| Pohang Steelers | 2 (2007, 2013) | ||
| 4 | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 4 (1998, 1999, 2004, 2008) | |
| 4 | Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma | 4 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006) | |
2 |
Daewoo Royals | 1 (1991) | |
| Busan Daewoo Royals | 1 (1997) | ||
| 1 | Daewoo Royals | 1 (1987) | |
| 1 | Yukong Elephants | 1 (1989) | |
| 1 | Anyang LG Cheetahs | 1 (2000) |
Titles by region
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 has been in use since the 1987 season.
| Region | Titles | Cities/Provinces | Titles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gyeonggi region (Seoul metropolitan area) |
17 | Seoul | 7 |
| Seongnam | 4 | ||
| Suwon | 4 | ||
| Anyang | 1 | ||
| Incheon–Gyeonggi | 1 | ||
| Yeongnam region (Gyeongsang) |
12 | Ulsan | 5 |
| Pohang | 4 | ||
| Busan | 2 | ||
| Busan–Gyeongnam | 1 | ||
| Honam region (Jeolla) |
10 | Jeonbuk | 10 |