The Most Famous

SOCCER PLAYERS from South Korea

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This page contains a list of the greatest South Korean Soccer Players. The pantheon dataset contains 21,273 Soccer Players, 131 of which were born in South Korea. This makes South Korea the birth place of the 29th most number of Soccer Players behind Norway, and Chile.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary South Korean Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous South Korean Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of South Korean Soccer Players.

Photo of Cha Bum-kun

1. Cha Bum-kun (b. 1953)

With an HPI of 61.30, Cha Bum-kun is the most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 35 different languages on wikipedia.

Cha Bum-kun (Korean: 차범근; Korean pronunciation: [tɕʰɐbʌmɡɯn] or [tɕʰɐ] [pʌmɡɯn]; born 22 May 1953) is a South Korean former football manager and player. A forward, he was nicknamed Tscha Bum or "Cha Boom" in Germany because of his name and thunderous ball striking ability. He showed explosive pace and powerful shots with his thick thighs. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time. In 1972, Cha had been capped for the South Korea national team as the youngest player of the time at the age of 18. He is the youngest player to ever reach 100 international caps in the world at 24 years and 35 days, and the all-time leading goalscorer of the South Korean national team with 58 goals. After dominating Asian competitions including the 1978 Asian Games, he left for West Germany and played for Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen. He scored a total of 121 goals in two Bundesliga clubs, and won the UEFA Cup with each team. After his retirement, he opened a football academy to develop youth players in South Korea, and managed the national team for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Photo of Son Heung-min

2. Son Heung-min (b. 1992)

With an HPI of 55.69, Son Heung-min is the 2nd most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 65 different languages.

Son Heung-min (Korean: 손흥민; Korean pronunciation: [son.ɣɯŋ.min]; born 8 July 1992) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the South Korea national team. Considered one of the best players in the world, he is known for his speed, finishing, two-footedness, and ability to link play. Born in Chuncheon, South Korea, Son relocated to Germany to join Hamburger SV at 16, making his debut in the Bundesliga in 2010. In 2013, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen for a club record €10 million before signing for Tottenham for £22 million two years later, becoming the most expensive Asian player in history. While at Tottenham, Son became the top Asian goalscorer in both Premier League and Champions League history, and surpassed Cha Bum-kun's record for most goals scored by a Korean player in European competition. In 2019, he became the second Asian in history to reach and start a UEFA Champions League final after compatriot Park Ji-sung. In the 2021–22 season, alongside Mohamed Salah, he won the Premier League Golden Boot award with 23 goals, becoming the first Asian player to win it. In April 2023, he became the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League goals. He is also the club's fifth-highest goalscorer and all-time leader in assists. Son is the third Tottenham player to make 300 Premier League appearances for the club, after Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane. A full international since 2010, Son has represented South Korea at the 2014, 2018, and 2022 FIFA World Cups and is his country's joint top scorer at World Cups, tied with Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan on three goals. Son has also represented South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games, where the team won gold, and the 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023 editions of the AFC Asian Cup; Korea was the runner-up in 2015. Outside of football, Son is viewed as a symbol of national pride in South Korea for his achievements, and has been listed in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 since 2019, where he ranked second in 2023. In June 2022, Son received the Cheongnyong Medal, the highest order of merit for achievement in sports given to a South Korean citizen, for his achievements in football. Son has been credited for having raised the profile of Tottenham Hotspur among South Koreans, with the club's marketing and social media strategy catering extensively to Korean supporters.

Photo of Hong Myung-bo

3. Hong Myung-bo (b. 1969)

With an HPI of 55.66, Hong Myung-bo is the 3rd most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 41 different languages.

Hong Myung-bo (also spelled Hong Myeong-bo, Korean: 홍명보, Hanja: 洪明甫; Korean pronunciation: [hoŋmjʌŋbo]; born 12 February 1969) is a South Korean football manager and former footballer who played as a sweeper. Hong is often considered one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time. He is the current manager of South Korea national team. Hong was a member of the South Korean national team in four FIFA World Cups, and was the first Asian player to play in four consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments. He is also the first Asian player ever to receive the Bronze Ball at the FIFA World Cup. He gained attention after showing his outstanding ability in the FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup competitions. He received some votes in elections for the FIFA World Player of the Year, finishing 21st in 1996 and 17th in 2002. Furthermore, he was also selected for the FIFA 100, Pelé's selection about the 125 greatest living footballers in the world.

Photo of Park Ji-sung

4. Park Ji-sung (b. 1981)

With an HPI of 51.68, Park Ji-sung is the 4th most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 63 different languages.

Park Ji-sung (Korean: 박지성; Korean pronunciation: [pak̚.t͈ɕi.sʌŋ]; born 30 March 1981) is a South Korean former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in the South Korean capital Seoul, Park is one of the greatest and most successful Asian players in football history, having won 19 trophies in his career. He is the first Asian footballer to win the UEFA Champions League, play in a UEFA Champions League final, and win the FIFA Club World Cup. Park was able to play anywhere across the midfield and was noted for his exceptional fitness level, discipline, work ethic and off-the-ball movement. His remarkable endurance levels earned him the nickname "Three-Lung" Park. Park began his football career in his native South Korea and played for the Myongji University team before moving to Japan to play for Kyoto Purple Sanga. After Park's national team manager Guus Hiddink moved back to the Netherlands to manage PSV Eindhoven, Park followed him to the Dutch side a year later. He won two Eredivisie titles, a KNVB Cup and a Johan Cruyff Shield in Eindhoven before his talents were recognised by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as PSV reached the semi-finals of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League. Park signed for Manchester United for a fee of around £4 million in July 2005, and in his time at United won 11 trophies, including four Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. He moved to Queens Park Rangers in 2012 after seven years with Manchester United. However, an injury-interrupted season with QPR, combined with the club's relegation, led to Park rejoining PSV on loan for the 2013–14 season, following which he retired due to a knee injury. As a member of the South Korea national team, Park won 100 caps and scored 13 goals. He was a member of the team that finished fourth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and also represented his nation at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. At the World Cup, he was named man of the match four times, the most of any Asian player, and is currently South Korea's joint all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with three goals alongside Ahn Jung-hwan and Son Heung-min, having scored in three consecutive tournaments.

Photo of Huh Jung-moo

5. Huh Jung-moo (b. 1955)

With an HPI of 50.80, Huh Jung-moo is the 5th most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 25 different languages.

Huh Jung-moo (Korean: 허정무; Hanja: 許丁茂; born 13 January 1955) is a former South Korean football player and manager.

Photo of Ahn Jung-hwan

6. Ahn Jung-hwan (b. 1976)

With an HPI of 49.42, Ahn Jung-hwan is the 6th most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 34 different languages.

Ahn Jung-hwan (Korean: 안정환; RR: An Jeong-hwan, Korean pronunciation: [ɐnd͡ʑʌŋɦwɐn] or [ɐn] [t͡ɕʌŋɦwɐn]; born 27 January 1976) is a South Korean television personality and former professional footballer. A versatile forward known for his technical skills and clutch goalscoring, Ahn represented South Korea at three FIFA World Cups, notably scoring a golden goal against Italy in 2002. Following his retirement, Ahn transitioned into a successful career in broadcasting, becoming a popular football commentator and television host. He is also recognised for his philanthropic endeavors.

Photo of Hwang Sun-hong

7. Hwang Sun-hong (b. 1968)

With an HPI of 48.81, Hwang Sun-hong is the 7th most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 29 different languages.

Hwang Sun-hong (born 14 July 1968) is a South Korean former football player and current manager of the South Korea national under-23 football team and manager of Daejeon Hana Citizen. He was the most notable South Korean striker in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Photo of Kim Min-jae

8. Kim Min-jae (b. 1996)

With an HPI of 48.39, Kim Min-jae is the 8th most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  Her biography has been translated into 37 different languages.

Kim Min-jae (Korean: 김민재; born 15 November 1996) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the South Korea national team. After starting out at semi-professional club Gyeongju KHNP for half a year, Kim went on to play for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, where he won two K League 1 titles for two years before transferring to Beijing Guoan in 2019. After two-and-half years at the Chinese Super League, he joined Süper Lig side Fenerbahçe in 2021, and Serie A side Napoli in 2022. He was considered one of the best defenders in the world, when helping Napoli win a Serie A title in the 2022–23 season. Then, in July 2023, he moved to Bayern Munich for €50 million, making him the most expensive Asian player of all time. Kim is a South Korean international, having progressed from under-20 onwards. He represented the national team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and two editions of the AFC Asian Cup.

Photo of Myung Rye-hyun

9. Myung Rye-hyun (b. 1926)

With an HPI of 48.28, Myung Rye-hyun is the 9th most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Myung Rye-hyun (Korean: 명례현; born 14 April 1926) is a North Korean football player and manager. Myung was the manager of the North Korea national football team in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, when they became the first Asian team to reach the second round of the World Cup.

Photo of Shin Tae-yong

10. Shin Tae-yong (b. 1970)

With an HPI of 48.16, Shin Tae-yong is the 10th most famous South Korean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Shin Tae-yong (Korean: 신태용, Hanja: 申台龍; born 11 October 1970) is a South Korean former professional footballer and manager who is the current manager of Indonesia national football team. He is the first man to win the AFC Champions League (Asian Club Championship) as both player and manager, having won the 1995 tournament as a player and the 2010 tournament as a manager with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. He is also considered one of Indonesia's best national football team coaches.

People

Pantheon has 161 people classified as South Korean soccer players born between 1926 and 2001. Of these 161, 159 (98.76%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living South Korean soccer players include Cha Bum-kun, Son Heung-min, and Hong Myung-bo. The most famous deceased South Korean soccer players include Choi Dae-shik, and Chung Hae-won. As of April 2024, 30 new South Korean soccer players have been added to Pantheon including Myung Rye-hyun, Kim Jung-nam, and Cho Kwang-rae.

Living South Korean Soccer Players

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Deceased South Korean Soccer Players

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Newly Added South Korean Soccer Players (2024)

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