The 2021 K League 2 was the ninth season of the K League 2, the second-tier South Korean professional football league. The champions and the winners of the promotion play-offs could be promoted to the K League 1.

Hana 1Q
K League 2
Season2021
Dates27 February – 31 October 2021[1]
ChampionsGimcheon Sangmu
(1st title)
PromotedGimcheon Sangmu
Champions LeagueJeonnam Dragons (via Korean FA Cup)
Matches played180
Goals scored435 (2.42 per match)
Best PlayerAn Byong-jun
Top goalscorerAn Byong-jun
(23 goals)
2020
2022

Teams

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Team changes

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Sangju Sangmu was renamed Gimcheon Sangmu and moved its city to Gimcheon before the season.

Relegated from K League 1

Promoted to K League 1

Locations

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Team City/Province Abbreviation
Ansan Greeners Ansan Ansan
FC Anyang Anyang Anyang
Bucheon FC 1995 Bucheon Bucheon
Busan IPark Busan Busan
Chungnam Asan Asan Chungnam Asan
Daejeon Hana Citizen Daejeon Daejeon
Gimcheon Sangmu Gimcheon Gimcheon
Gyeongnam FC Gyeongnam Gyeongnam
Jeonnam Dragons Jeonnam Jeonnam
Seoul E-Land Seoul Seoul E

Stadiums

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Ansan Greeners FC Anyang Bucheon FC 1995 Busan IPark Chungnam Asan
Ansan Wa~ Stadium Anyang Stadium Bucheon Stadium Busan Gudeok Stadium Yi Sun-sin Stadium
Capacity: 35,000 Capacity: 17,143 Capacity: 34,456 Capacity: 12,349 Capacity: 17,376
         
Daejeon Hana Citizen Gimcheon Sangmu Gyeongnam FC Jeonnam Dragons Seoul E-Land
Daejeon World Cup Stadium Gimcheon Stadium Changwon Football Center Gwangyang Stadium Seoul Olympic Stadium
Capacity: 40,535 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 15,074 Capacity: 13,496 Capacity: 69,950
     

Personnel and sponsoring

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Team Manager Kit manufacturer Main sponsor
Ansan Greeners   Kim Gil-sik Kappa Ansan Government
FC Anyang   Lee Woo-hyung Joma Anyang Government
Bucheon FC 1995   Lee Young-min Kappa Bucheon Government
Busan IPark   Ricardo Peres Adidas HDC Group
Chungnam Asan   Park Dong-hyuk Mizuno Asan Government
Daejeon Hana Citizen   Lee Min-sung Astore Hana Financial Group
Gimcheon Sangmu   Kim Tae-wan Kelme Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps
Gimcheon Government
Gyeongnam FC   Seol Ki-hyeon Hummel Gyeongnam Provincial Government
Jeonnam Dragons   Jeon Kyung-jun Puma POSCO
Seoul E-Land   Chung Jung-yong New Balance E-Land

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Managerial changes

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Team Outgoing Manner Date Incoming Date Table
Busan IPark   Lee Ki-hyung (caretaker) Caretaker 25 November 2020   Ricardo Peres 25 November 2020[2] Pre-season

Foreign players

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Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to five per team, including a slot for a player from AFC and ASEAN countries. A team could use four foreign players on the field each game.

Military-owned team Gimcheon Sangmu is not allowed to sign any foreign players.

North Korean player An Byong-jun was deemed as a native player in K League by South Korean nationality law and passport.

Players in bold are players who join midway through the competition.[3]

Team Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC player ASEAN player Former player(s)
Ansan Greeners   Santiago De Sagastizabal   Anderson Canhoto   Róbson Duarte   Go Iwase   Asnawi Mangkualam
FC Anyang   Nilson Júnior   Jonathan Moya   Maxwell Acosty   Ryosuke Tamura
Bucheon FC 1995   Crislan   Wataru Murofushi
Busan IPark   Domagoj Drožđek   Valentinos Sielis   Renato Santos   Ryan Edwards
Chungnam Asan   Alex Sandro   Matheus Alves   Ryohei Michibuchi
Daejeon Hana Citizen   Bruno Baio   Matheus Pato   Masatoshi Ishida   Ikromjon Alibaev   Edinho
Gyeongnam FC   Hernandes   Willyan
Jeonnam Dragons   Alex Martins   Jonathan Balotelli   Samuel Nnamani   Oleg Zoteyev
Seoul E-Land   Nicolás Benegas   William Barbio   Leandro Ribeiro   Yuki Kobayashi

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or qualification
1 Gimcheon Sangmu (C) 36 20 11 5 60 34 +26 71 Promotion to K League 1
2 FC Anyang 36 17 11 8 51 37 +14 62 Qualification for promotion play-offs semi-final
3 Daejeon Hana Citizen 36 17 7 12 53 48 +5 58 Qualification for promotion play-offs first round
4 Jeonnam Dragons 36 13 13 10 38 33 +5 52 Qualification for Champions League group stage
and promotion play-offs first round[a]
5 Busan IPark 36 12 9 15 46 56 −10 45
6 Gyeongnam FC 36 11 10 15 40 45 −5 43
7 Ansan Greeners 36 11 10 15 37 49 −12 43
8 Chungnam Asan 36 11 8 17 38 41 −3 41
9 Seoul E-Land 36 8 13 15 40 39 +1 37
10 Bucheon FC 1995 36 9 10 17 32 53 −21 37
Source: K League Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference; 4) Wins; 5) Head-to-head points
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ Qualified as Korean FA Cup champions.

Positions by matchday

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  Leaders, promotion to K League 1
  Qualification for promotion play-offs semi-final
  Qualification for promotion play-offs first round

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536
Gimcheon Sangmu496877868577875432132111111111111111
FC Anyang245986431112332211211344322222222222
Daejeon Hana Citizen248321112233213344455433233333333333
Jeonnam Dragons632564223321121123323222444444444444
Busan IPark10710458786756446555544555667777555555
Gyeongnam FC8109910101099888764677777766556655666666
Ansan Greeners424235445644557866666678888888778777
Chungnam Asan6837436779999999991099887775566887888
Bucheon FC 199586769991010101010101010101010910101010101010109101010109999
Seoul E-Land11111235446568878888899999910999910101010
Source: K League

Results

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Matches 1–18

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Home \ Away ASG AYG BCN BSI CNAS DJC GCS GNM JND SUE
Ansan Greeners 3–2 2–2 2–3 1–0 1–0 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–1
FC Anyang 1–2 2–0 2–1 2–1 0–1 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0
Bucheon FC 1995 0–1 0–0 0–2 1–0 1–2 0–0 1–1 1–1 1–1
Busan IPark 1–1 4–5 1–1 0–0 4–1 2–1 2–3 0–1 0–3
Chungnam Asan 0–2 2–2 0–1 4–0 3–1 1–2 2–1 0–1 0–0
Daejeon Hana Citizen 0–0 1–2 4–1 1–2 1–1 1–2 2–1 1–1 2–1
Gimcheon Sangmu 3–0 0–0 1–0 1–0 3–1 1–1 1–2 1–1 2–0
Gyeongnam FC 1–1 1–2 3–0 1–2 2–1 1–2 1–2 0–2 0–0
Jeonnam Dragons 2–0 0–1 0–2 1–2 0–0 1–2 2–1 1–0 3–0
Seoul E-Land 1–0 1–2 4–0 0–1 0–1 0–1 4–0 1–1 1–1
Source: K League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 19–36

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Home \ Away ASG AYG BCN BSI CNAS DJC GCS GNM JND SUE
Ansan Greeners 1–0 1–2 1–1 0–1 0–2 0–1 3–1 1–1 0–3
FC Anyang 1–1 4–1 1–1 1–0 1–2 2–2 0–0 1–1 2–1
Bucheon FC 1995 4–3 0–1 0–0 0–0 4–2 0–1 2–3 1–2 0–3
Busan IPark 4–0 1–3 0–1 2–1 1–1 0–6 1–0 0–1 1–1
Chungnam Asan 0–1 0–2 1–0 3–2 3–4 1–2 2–1 0–0 2–1
Daejeon Hana Citizen 4–1 3–1 1–1 3–1 1–0 1–4 1–0 2–1 0–2
Gimcheon Sangmu 1–0 2–4 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–1 0–0 3–1 3–1
Gyeongnam FC 0–2 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–3 0–2 3–3
Jeonnam Dragons 2–3 1–2 1–2 2–0 0–3 0–0 2–2 0–0 1–0
Seoul E-Land 0–0 0–1 1–2 1–2 1–3 2–1 0–0 1–1 1–1
Source: K League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Promotion play-offs

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The first round was contested between the third and fourth-placed teams, and the runners-up directly advanced to the second round. When the first and second round matches were finished as draws, their winners were decided on the regular season rankings without extra time and penalty shoot-outs. The winners of the second round competed with eleven-placed team of the K League 1 in the two-legged final for a K League 1 spot of the next season.

Bracket

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First round Semi-final Final
           
2 FC Anyang 1
3 Daejeon Hana Citizen 3
3 Daejeon Hana Citizen 0
4 Jeonnam Dragons 0
Daejeon Hana Citizen 1 1 2
Gangwon FC 0 4 4

First round

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Daejeon Hana Citizen0–0Jeonnam Dragons
Report
Attendance: 1,982
Referee: Ahn Jae-hoon

Semi-final

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FC Anyang1–3Daejeon Hana Citizen
Jonathan Moya   12' Report Park Jin-sub   32'
Bruno Baio   69', 85'
Attendance: 2,789
Referee: Park Byung-jin

Final

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Gangwon FC4–1Daejeon Hana Citizen
Lee Jong-hyeon   17'

Gangwon FC won 4–2 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.

Statistics

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Top goalscorers

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Rank Player[4] Club Goals
1   An Byong-jun Busan IPark 23
2   Jonathan Moya FC Anyang 13
  Park Chang-joon Bucheon FC 1995
4   Willyan Gyeongnam FC 11
  Jonathan Balotelli Jeonnam Dragons
6   Hernandes Gyeongnam FC 10
7   Masatoshi Ishida Daejeon Hana Citizen 9
  Park Dong-jin Gimcheon Sangmu
  Kim Ryun-do Ansan Greeners
10   Cho Gue-sung Gimcheon Sangmu 8
  Lee Jong-ho Jeonnam Dragons
  Park Jeong-in Busan IPark
  Róbson Duarte Ansan Greeners
  Kim In-kyun Chungnam Asan

Top assist providers

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Rank Player[4] Club Assists
1   Joo Hyeon-woo FC Anyang 8
2   Leandro Ribeiro Seoul E-Land 7
3   Park Tae-jun FC Anyang 6
  Baek Sung-dong Gyeongnam FC
  Lee Sang-min Ansan Greeners
6   Kim Seung-seob Daejeon Hana Citizen 5
  Lee Hyeon-sik Daejeon Hana Citizen
8 9 players 4

Awards

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Weekly awards

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Monthly awards

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Month Manager of the Month
Manager Club Division
March   Kim Sang-sik Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1
April   Lee Woo-hyung FC Anyang 2
May   Park Kun-ha Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1
June   Kim Tae-wan Gimcheon Sangmu 2
July   Jo Sung-hwan Incheon United 1
August   Hong Myung-bo Ulsan Hyundai 1
September   Lee Byung-keun Daegu FC 1
October   Nam Ki-il Jeju United 1
November   An Ik-soo FC Seoul 1

Annual awards

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The 2021 K League Awards was held on 18 November 2021.

Award Winner Club
Most Valuable Player   An Byong-jun Busan IPark
Young Player of the Year   Kim In-kyun Chungnam Asan
Top goalscorer   An Byong-jun Busan IPark
Top assist provider   Joo Hyeon-woo FC Anyang
Manager of the Year   Kim Tae-wan Gimcheon Sangmu
Position Best XI
Goalkeeper   Gu Sung-yun (Gimcheon)
Defenders   Choi Jun
(Busan)
  Joo Hyeon-woo
(Anyang)
  Jung Seung-hyun
(Gimcheon)
  Seo Young-jae
(Daejeon)
Midfielders   Masatoshi Ishida
(Daejeon)
  Park Jin-seop
(Daejeon)
  Kim Hyeon-uk
(Jeonnam)
  Kim Kyung-jung
(Anyang)
Forwards   Jonathan Moya (Anyang)   An Byong-jun (Busan)

Controversies

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On 12 December 2021, Gangwon FC and Daejeon Hana Citizen faced one another in the second leg of the Promotion-relegation play-offs, with the latter team finding himself in advantage after winning the first leg 1–0. Played at Gangneung Stadium, Gangwon's home soil, the match saw the hosts secure a 4–1 comeback victory and maintain their spot in K League 1. However, the game was marred by a series of incidents, occurring between the first and the second half. After Han Kook-young had scored Gangwon's third goal in the 31st minute, the ball boys around the stadium reportedly started to delay giving the ball back to Daejeon players, an event that happened multiple times during the match and was possibly meant to waste time in favour of the hosts: the fans in the away sector reacted furiously, with some of them throwing plastic bottles in direction of one of the ball boys. The game still went ahead, as six minutes of extra time were added at the end of the second half. The K League administration decided to open an official investigation on the controversial events.[5][6]

When asked to talk about the incidents, Gangwon's director Lee Young-pyo originally dismissed them, pointing out that similar instances were already common in European football, but later apologized, saying that he felt "direct responsibility" for the "unsmooth match" and promising that he would work so that Gangwon FC would become "a mature club" in the future.[5] Meanwhile, on December 21, just hours before K League's final disciplinary meeting took place, the Daejeon board released an official response to the matter, stating that there was "clear evidence of the game delays being intentional and organized", as well as noticing that such acts violated the league's Code of Ethics for fair play and respect.[5][7]

In the end, the league's administration decided to keep the final score unchanged: however, Gangwon FC was fined 30 million South Korean Won (US$25,000) for the episodes of time wasting, whereas Daejeon Hana Citizen was fined 2 million South Korean Won (US$1,677) for their fans' behavior towards one of the ball boys.[5][6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ [공식발표] K리그2, 2월 27일 개막..경남vs안양으로 스타트 (in Korean). InterFootball. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  2. ^ "OFFICIAL | Busan IPark have appointed ex-Casa Pia manager Ricardo Peres as a new manager of the team". Twitter.com. Korea Football News. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  3. ^ "2021 K League 2 Foreign Players" (in Korean). K League. February 2022. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Record". K League. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Neat, Paul (21 December 2021). "Gangwon FC fined for Playoff Final "ballboy controversy"". K League United. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b Lee, Seok-moo (21 December 2021). '볼보이 고의 지연 논란' 강원FC, 제재금 3천만원..."구단 책임 커". Naver (in Korean). Edaily. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  7. ^ Kim, Myeong-seok (21 December 2021). "강원 볼보이 논란, 누군가 지시 없이는 불가능" 대전, 철저한 진상조사 요구. Naver (in Korean). Starnews Korea. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
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