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K League-leading Jeonbuk eye final berth at top national tournament

Published: 19 Aug. 2025, 16:48

Lee Seung-woo of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors celebrates with teammates after scoring the defining goal against FC Anyang at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Aug. 8. [NEWS1]

As they close in on a title in the top domestic football league, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will also try to book a trip to the final of the biggest national tournament starting this week.

Jeonbuk will host fellow K League 1 side Gangwon FC in the first leg of the semifinals of the Korea Cup at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 200 kilometers south of Seoul.

The second leg will be at Gangwon FC's home in the eastern town of Gangneung at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 27.

The away goals rule will not apply, and if the teams are tied in the aggregate score after two matches, they will go to extra time and, if necessary, the penalty shootout.

Jeonbuk have all but secured the K League 1 title. With a dozen matches left, they are leading the 12-club competition with 60 points, 17 ahead of their closest pursuer, Gimcheon Sangmu FC.

Jeonbuk are undefeated in their past 25 matches in all competitions. Gangwon FC was the last club to beat Jeonbuk, and their 1-0 win in K League 1 action came on March 9.

Since then, Jeonbuk have put up 17 wins and five draws in the K League 1 and three wins at the Korea Cup.

Of the four semifinalists, Jeonbuk are the only team to have even played in a Korea Cup final. They won the national title in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2020 and 2022. With another title this year, Jeonbuk will tie Pohang Steelers for the most titles in Korea Cup history with six.

Lee Seung-woo of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors dribbles the ball against FC Seoul during the clubs' quarterfinal match of the Korea Cup at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on July 2. [YONHAP]

The other semifinal matchup will pit Gwangju FC of the K League 1 against Bucheon FC of the second-tier K League 2. The opening leg is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gwangju World Cup Stadium in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, followed by the second leg at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 27 at Bucheon Stadium in Bucheon, just west of the capital.

This is Gwangju FC's second straight appearance in the Korea Cup semifinals. Last year, they lost to Ulsan HD FC in the semifinals, but they knocked Ulsan out of the quarterfinals this year.

Gwangju FC won their most recent league match on Sunday, beating Daejeon Hana Citizen 2-0 to snap a four-match winless skid.

Bucheon FC, the only K League 2 club left standing, will play in their first Korea Cup semifinals since 2016. They have eliminated two K League 1 opponents, Jeju SK FC and Gimcheon Sangmu, en route to the last four.

Bucheon FC are the first K League 2 side to go this deep into the Korea Cup since Jeonnam Dragons won the tournament in 2021.

Yonhap