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Suwon Samsung Bluewings may be stuck in second, but the fans are in overdrive

Published: 19 Mar. 2026, 19:50

Suwon Samsung Bluewings supporters throw toilet paper during a match against Paju Frontier FC at Paju Stadium in Paju, Gyeonggi on March 7. [NEWS1]

The once-mighty Suwon Samsung Bluewings may have fallen, but the club is drawing renewed strength from its supporters, louder and more loyal than ever.

The Gyeonggi club took a dramatic tumble from grace three seasons ago. The four-time K League 1 champion and five-time FA Cup winner suffered the ignominy of relegation to K League 2 in 2023 after finishing dead last.

Many expected the club to regroup quickly and return to the top flight the following season. The Bluewings came achingly close in the 2024 campaign, making the promotion playoffs, but failed to find the net in the two-leg head-to-head against Jeju SK.

While the road back has taken longer than anticipated, the club's supporters have been in it for the long haul — and the deep commitment of the fan base was reinforced after the appointment of Lee Jung-hyo as manager, which breathed new life into the side both on the pitch and in the stands.

Lee was received with open arms by the supporters due to his leadership and tactical acumen, which he demonstrated at Gwangju FC. After taking the hot seat at the southwestern K League 2 club in 2022, the side went on to win promotion in his first season. That track record has given Bluewings fans hope.

The energy was palpable on the opening week of the K League season on Feb. 28, when more than 24,000 spectators filled Suwon World Cup Stadium, the highest attendance in both the first and second division for the opening round.

Suwon Samsung Bluewings manager Lee Jung-hyo is seen during a match against Paju Frontier FC at Paju Stadium in Paju, Gyeonggi on March 7. [NEWS1]

The support has carried into away matches as well.

For the match against the new club Paju Frontier FC on March 7, the 4,000-seat away section at Paju Stadium in Gyeonggi sold out in about three minutes after online ticket sales opened. Including fans who entered through general seating areas, the away support from Suwon was estimated at 5,000 to 6,000 people.

That meant Suwon supporters made up roughly half of the crowd of about 12,000.

The number of supporters attending Suwon’s away matches has been steadily rising. The average away attendance fell to 1,845 per game in the 2023 season, when the club finished last in K League 1 and was relegated. The number increased to 2,767 in 2024 and reached 3,234 last year.

Home attendance has also risen from around 11,000 per game in 2022 to roughly 12,000 in 2024.

Suwon Samsung Bluewings players and manager Lee Jung-hyo gesture toward another player to join them in celebrating a win over Seoul E-Land FC at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, GYeonggi on Feb. 28. [NEWS1]

“Supporters who briefly drifted away after the relegation are gradually returning,” said Park Min-kyu, operations team leader for Suwon’s supporters group.

Supporters have transformed the atmosphere in K League 2 stadiums with their elaborate fan culture.

During the home opener, fans welcomed the new manager with a colorful tifo.

In Paju, they created a dramatic stadium atmosphere with a barrage of toilet paper that rained down like ticker tape, intended as a “housewarming gift” for Paju Frontier, which was playing its first-ever home match, inspired by the common present given to new homeowners in Korea.

Suwon’s supporters have made their presence felt in nearly every match.

Suwon Samsung Bluewings players and manager Lee Jung-hyo pose for a photo after a win over Paju Frontier FC at Paju Stadium in Paju, Gyeonggi on March 7. [NEWS1]

“The strength of Suwon’s fan culture built over 30 years is clearly visible,” an official from the K League said. “If the club were in the first division, it would contribute even more to the league’s popularity, but even in the second division, it is playing a major positive role.”

“Suwon’s fan-centered cheering culture could serve as a model for other clubs that focus mainly on results,” the official added.

Total attendance for the K League 2 season, which stood at about 580,000 in 2023, jumped to 900,000 the following year after Suwon joined the league. Last year it rose again to 1.18 million, more than doubling within two years.

“Suwon may be contributing to the league’s popularity, but we do not have the luxury of thinking about that,” supporters club leader Park said. “Our only focus is returning to the first division.”

So far, Lee’s Suwon has opened the season with three straight wins. Tickets for the Round 3 home match against Jeonnam Dragons on Saturday sold 14,000 seats on the first day of sales.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE HAY-JUNE [[email protected]]