The 2023 K League 2, also known as the Hana 1Q K League 2 for sponsorship reasons, was the 11th season of the K League 2, the second-highest division in South Korean football league system.

Hana 1Q
K League 2
Season2023
Dates1 March – 26 November 2023[1]
ChampionsGimcheon Sangmu
(2nd title)
PromotedGimcheon Sangmu
Matches played179
Goals scored452 (2.53 per match)
Best PlayerValdívia
Top goalscorerLuis Mina
(14 goals)
Biggest away winJeonnam 0–5 Gyeongnam
(5 March 2023)
Highest scoringAnsan 3–7 Gimcheon
(22 October 2023)
Longest unbeaten run12 matches
Gimpo FC
Longest winless run20 matches
Cheonan City
Longest losing run7 matches
Cheonan City
2022
2024

Following the regular season, in which each team played each other three times, Gimcheon Sangmu were the champions, gaining direct promotion to K League 1.[2] After three rounds of play-offs, no other teams were promoted at the end of this sesason.[3]

Teams edit

Team changes edit

2022 champions Gwangju FC and play-off winners Daejeon Hana Citizen were promoted to the K League 1, while Seongnam FC and Gimcheon Sangmu were relegated from the top flight.[4]

Cheonan City and Chungbuk Cheongju, which played in the K3 League until 2022, joined the K League and made their professional debuts in the K League 2.

Incoming
  Relegated from K League 1
  Promoted from K3 League
Outgoing
  Promoted to K League 1

Locations edit

Team City/Province Abbreviation
Ansan Greeners Ansan Ansan
FC Anyang Anyang Anyang
Bucheon FC 1995 Bucheon Bucheon
Busan IPark Busan Busan
Cheonan City Cheonan Cheonan
Chungbuk Cheongju Cheongju Chungbuk Cheongju
Chungnam Asan Asan Chungnam Asan
Gimcheon Sangmu Gimcheon Gimcheon
Gimpo FC Gimpo Gimpo
Gyeongnam FC Gyeongnam Gyeongnam
Jeonnam Dragons Jeonnam Jeonnam
Seongnam FC Seongnam Seongnam
Seoul E-Land Seoul Seoul E

Stadiums edit

Ansan Greeners FC Anyang Bucheon FC 1995
Ansan Wa~ Stadium Anyang Stadium Bucheon Stadium
Capacity: 35,000 Capacity: 17,143 Capacity: 34,456
     
Busan IPark Chungnam Asan
Busan Asiad Main Stadium Busan Gudeok Stadium Yi Sun-sin Stadium
Capacity: 53,769 Capacity: 12,349 Capacity: 17,376
     
Cheonan City Chungbuk Cheongju Gimpo FC
Cheonan Stadium Cheongju Stadium Gimpo Solteo Football Stadium
Capacity: 26,000 Capacity: 16,280 Capacity: 5,000
 
Gyeongnam FC Gimcheon Sangmu Seongnam FC
Changwon Football Center Gimcheon Stadium Tancheon Stadium
Capacity: 15,074 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 16,146
     
Jeonnam Dragons Seoul E-Land
Gwangyang Stadium Mokdong Stadium
Capacity: 13,496 Capacity: 15,511
   

Foreign players edit

Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to five per team, including a slot for a player from the AFC and ASEAN countries. Gimcheon Sangmu FC, being a military-owned team, is not allowed to sign any foreign players. A team could use five foreign players on the field each game, including at least one player from the AFC and ASEAN.

Players in bold were registered during the mid-season transfer window.

Team Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 AFC player ASEAN player[a] Former player(s)
Ansan Greeners   Thiago Henrique   Wandrew   Gabriel Honório
FC Anyang   Yago   Bruno Paraíba   Laércio   Jonathan Moya
  Andrigo
Bucheon FC 1995   Nilson   Gabriel Ramos   Jucie Lupeta   Kazuki Takahashi   Leonardo Kalil
Busan IPark   Bruno Lamas   Fessin   Franklin Mascote
Cheonan City   Bruno Mota   Damir Šovšić   Paulo Henrique   Vũ Minh Hiếu   Nguyễn Cảnh Anh   Rodolfo
  Axel Bakayoko
Chungbuk Cheongju   Paulinho   Jorge Luiz   Peter Makrillos   Kogileswaran Raj
Chungnam Asan   Róbson Duarte   Raphael Utzig   Wilinton Aponzá
Gimpo FC   Pablo González   Juninho Rocha   Luis Mina
Gyeongnam FC   Guilherme Castro   Gleyson   Léo Ceará   Mirandinha
Jeonnam Dragons   Leonard Pllana   Valdívia   Leo Mikić   Yuhei Sato   Asnawi Mangkualam   Robin Simović
Seongnam FC   Christy Manzinga   Denilson   Gabriel Honório   Patrick Flottmann
Seoul E-Land   Ronan   Bruninho   Tsubasa Nishi   Nguyễn Văn Toàn
  Renan Peixoto
  1. ^ Did not exist in the regulation of AFC.

League table edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or qualification
1 Gimcheon Sangmu (C, P) 36 22 5 9 71 37 +34 71 Promotion to K League 1
2 Busan IPark 36 20 10 6 50 29 +21 70 Qualification for promotion play-offs final round
3 Gimpo FC 36 16 12 8 40 25 +15 60 Qualification for promotion play-offs second round
4 Gyeongnam FC 36 15 12 9 54 42 +12 57 Qualification for promotion play-offs first round
5 Bucheon FC 1995 36 16 9 11 45 35 +10 57
6 FC Anyang 36 15 9 12 58 51 +7 54
7 Jeonnam Dragons 36 16 5 15 55 56 −1 53
8 Chungbuk Cheongju 36 13 13 10 37 42 −5 52
9 Seongnam FC 36 11 11 14 43 50 −7 44
10 Chungnam Asan 36 12 6 18 39 46 −7 42
11 Seoul E-Land 36 10 5 21 36 54 −18 35
12 Ansan Greeners 36 6 7 23 40 72 −32 25
13 Cheonan City 36 5 10 21 33 62 −29 25
Source: K League Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goals scored; 3) Goal difference; 4) Wins; 5) Head-to-head points
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Positions by matchday edit

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

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839
Gimcheon Sangmu323676221322236655322111111112222222221
Busan IPark156433554555642122134634322221111111112
Gimpo FC1145555432111113566666455434654444433333
Gyeongnam FC511212313244465313211223243435555655544
Bucheon FC 19951292144796766354444555566666543333344455
FC Anyang534321145433521231443342555366778788776
Jeonnam Dragons12131011888898888109998877777777788867867667
Chungbuk Cheongju16779910111212121211111111101111910989878877686576888
Seongnam FC3798676686777777810101198989999999999991099
Chungnam Asan9121210111097799910910101199101111101010101010111110111110101091010
Seoul E-Land71011121211111011111010988877788101111111111111010111010111111111111
Ansan Greeners97891012121210101111121212121212121212121212121212121212121212121213131312
Cheonan City71113131313131313131313131313131313131313131313131313131313131313131312121213
Source: K League
Notes: The match between Chungnam Asan and Chungbuk Cheongju on matchday 26 (13 August) was postponed to 14 October.

Results edit

Matches 1–26 edit

Home \ Away ASG AYG BCN BSI CNC CBCJ CNAS GCS GIM GNM JND SNM SUE
Ansan Greeners 1–1 0–2 1–2 2–1 0–2 1–0 2–3 2–3 1–1 1–0 0–3 1–2
FC Anyang 1–1 2–2 0–3 1–1 1–0 3–0 2–0 1–2 2–4 2–0 2–1 1–1
Bucheon FC 1995 1–0 2–4 0–0 1–1 0–0 2–1 0–3 2–0 2–0 5–2 1–0 0–1
Busan IPark 0–0 2–1 0–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 3–1 0–0 0–0 1–0 2–3 1–0
Cheonan City 1–1 0–4 0–3 2–3 2–2 0–1 0–2 0–2 2–3 1–3 3–2 0–0
Chungbuk Cheongju 3–0 2–1 0–4 1–1 2–1 0–4 0–2 0–0 0–2 3–1 0–0 2–1
Chungnam Asan 1–0 2–3 1–0 1–1 1–0 3–2 1–2 0–1 2–2 3–3 2–0 2–0
Gimcheon Sangmu 3–2 0–0 4–1 2–1 4–1 0–0 3–2 0–2 0–2 2–1 4–0 4–0
Gimpo FC 0–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 4–0 1–2 1–1 2–1 0–0 1–2 0–0 0–0
Gyeongnam FC 3–1 3–2 1–0 1–2 2–1 2–2 2–1 0–2 0–0 0–2 2–2 1–2
Jeonnam Dragons 5–2 0–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 3–0 2–1 1–0 0–2 0–5 2–2 3–3
Seongnam FC 2–1 1–2 0–1 1–3 2–0 3–2 0–0 2–2 0–0 1–1 2–1 1–2
Seoul E-Land 4–1 1–2 2–0 1–2 3–2 2–3 0–0 0–1 0–1 1–2 0–1 1–2
Source: K League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 27–39 edit

Home \ Away ASG AYG BCN BSI CNC CBCJ CNAS GCS GIM GNM JND SNM SUE
Ansan Greeners 2–3 1–2 0–1 0–1 3–7 1–1
FC Anyang 0–1 2–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 3–0
Bucheon FC 1995 1–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 4–1 1–0
Busan IPark 2–0 2–1 0–0 1–1 2–0 3–0
Cheonan City 1–1 1–0 0–0 1–3 0–0 3–1
Chungbuk Cheongju 2–1 0–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 0–1
Chungnam Asan 4–3 1–2 2–0 0–1 0–1 1–0
Gimcheon Sangmu 4–1 3–1 0–0 4–0 2–0 1–0
Gimpo FC 3–0 2–3 1–0 0–1 2–1 2–1
Gyeongnam FC 4–2 0–1 1–1 1–1 2–3 0–2
Jeonnam Dragons 3–2 3–0 1–3 3–0 2–1 0–0
Seongnam FC 0–2 2–2 0–1 2–0 1–0 2–4
Seoul E-Land 3–4 2–1 0–3 1–3 1–0 0–2
Source: K League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Promotion play-offs edit

The first round was contested between the fourth and fifth-placed teams, and its winners played the third-placed team in 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 and the runners-up competed with the tenth and eleventh-placed team of the K League 1, respectively, in the final round for the K League 1 spots of the next season. Each match of the final round was a two-legged tie.

Bracket edit

First round Second round Final 1
           
3 Gimpo FC 2
4 Gyeongnam FC 1
4 Gyeongnam FC 0
5 Bucheon FC 1995 0
Gimpo FC 0 1 1
Gangwon FC 0 2 2
Final 2
Busan IPark 2 2 4
Suwon FC (a.e.t.) 1 5 6

First round edit

Second round edit

Gimpo FC2–1Gyeongnam FC
Won Ki-jong   36'
Solteo Football Field, Gimpo

Final round edit

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Gimpo FC 1–2 Gangwon FC 0–0 1–2
Busan IPark 4–6 Suwon FC 2–1 2–5 (a.e.t.)
Gimpo FC0–0Gangwon FC
Report
Attendance: 3,736
Referee: Jeong Dong-sik
Gangwon FC2–1Gimpo FC
Vitor Gabriel   51', 76' Report Cho Sung-gwon   59'
Attendance: 10,130
Referee: Lee Dong-jun

Gangwon FC won 2–1 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.


Busan IPark2–1Suwon FC
Bruno Lamas   85' (pen.), 90+9' (pen.) Report Jang Jae-woong   43'
Attendance: 4,047
Referee: Ko Hyung-jin
Suwon FC5–2 (a.e.t.)Busan IPark
Report
Attendance: 6,987

Suwon FC won 6–4 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.

Statistics edit

Top goalscorers edit

Rank Player[5] Team Goals
1   Luis Mina Gimpo FC 16
2   Valdívia Jeonnam Dragons 14
3   Cho Young-wook Gimcheon Sangmu 13
  Gleyson Gyeongnam FC
  Jorge Luiz Chungbuk Cheongju
6   An Jae-jun Bucheon FC 1995 11
7   Won Ki-jong Gyeongnam FC 10
  Bruno Lamas Busan IPark
  Bruno Mota Cheonan City
10   Yun Ju-tae Ansan Greeners 9

Top assist providers edit

Rank Player[5] Team Assists
1   Valdívia Jeonnam Dragons 14
2   Joo Hyeon-woo FC Anyang 9
3   Andrigo FC Anyang 8
  Bruno Lamas Busan IPark
5   Yago FC Anyang 7
  Leonard Pllana Jeonnam Dragons
7   Mo Jae-hyeon Gyeongnam FC 6
8 10 Players 5

Awards edit

Weekly awards edit

Monthly awards edit

Month Manager of the Month
Manager Club Division
February/March   Hong Myung-bo Ulsan Hyundai 1
April   Ko Jeong-woon Gimpo FC 2
May   Nam Ki-il Jeju United 1
June   Lee Jung-hyo Gwangju FC 1
July   Jo Sung-hwan Incheon United 1
August   Choi Yun-kyum Chungbuk Cheongju 2
September   Park Jin-sub Busan IPark 2
October–December   Chung Jung-yong Gimcheon Sangmu 2

Annual awards edit

The 2023 K League Awards was held on 4 December 2023.[6]

Award Winner Club
Most Valuable Player   Valdívia Jeonnam Dragons
Young Player of the Year   An Jae-jun Bucheon FC 1995
Top goalscorer   Luis Mina Gimpo FC
Top assist provider   Valdívia Jeonnam Dragons
Manager of the Year   Ko Jeong-woon Gimpo FC
Position Best XI
Goalkeeper   Koo Sang-min (Busan)
Defenders   Choi Jun
(Busan)
  Lee Sang-min
(Gimcheon)
  Lee Han-do
(Busan)
  Kim Dong-jin
(Anyang)
Midfielders   Mo Jae-hyeon
(Gyeongnam)
  Won Du-jae
(Gimcheon)
  Valdívia
(Jeonnam)
  Kim Jin-gyu
(Gimcheon)
Forwards   Jorge Luiz (Chungbuk Cheongju)   Luis Mina (Gimpo)

Attendance edit

Attendants who entered with free ticket were not counted.

Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Seoul E-Land 65,109 7,266 1,350 3,617 +213.2%
2 Busan IPark 64,587 13,340 1,306 3,588 +144.4%
3 Gyeongnam FC 59,612 7,547 820 3,312 +261.6%
4 FC Anyang 54,484 6,003 1,539 3,027 +93.7%
5 Bucheon FC 1995 53,737 6,103 1,380 2,985 +137.7%
6 Chungbuk Cheongju 45,177 7,035 762 2,510 n/a
7 Chungnam Asan 39,852 7,546 515 2,214 +47.4%
8 Gimpo FC 38,911 3,121 1,164 2,162 +74.6%
9 Seongnam FC 37,744 7,789 647 2,097 +11.0%
10 Jeonnam Dragons 37,321 4,890 1,032 2,073 +91.9%
11 Gimcheon Sangmu 21,305 2,825 359 1,184 −22.2%
12 Ansan Greeners 21,164 4,173 385 1,176 +1.7%
13 Cheonan City 20,818 3,299 566 1,157 n/a
League total 559,794 13,340 359 2,392 +76.4%

Source: K League
Notes:
Team played previous season in K League 1.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ 2023시즌 K리그2 일정 발표, 3·1절 킥오프 (in Korean). K League. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Gimcheon Sangmu FC earn promotion to top division in S. Korean football". The Korea Herald. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  3. ^ Paik, Ji-hwan (9 December 2023). "Suwon FC, Gangwon secure first division survival in promotion-relegation playoffs". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  4. ^ Yoo, Jee-ho (29 October 2022). "Daejeon earn promotion to top division in S. Korean football". Yonhap News. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Record". K League.
  6. ^ [IS 잠실] ‘14골·14도움 맹폭’ 전남 발디비아, K리그2 MVP 영예 안았다(종합). Naver.com (in Korean). Edaily. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.

External links edit