The K League Championship was the final competition (play-offs) of the K League season. The K League originally had play-offs after regular seasons, but the name of play-offs was officially decided in 2009. This competition was abolished in 2011.
All K League Championship records from 1984 to 1996 are not included in the current K League official statistics.
Summary Champions Runners-up
Final The winners of two regular stages in four early editions qualified for the two-legged final.
No.SeasonFirst stage winnersSecond stage winners11984 Yukong ElephantsDaewoo Royals21986POSCO AtomsLucky-Goldstar Hwangso31995 Ilhwa ChunmaPohang Atoms41996 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-iSuwon Samsung Bluewings
Play-offs of the top four (1998–2000)
The top four clubs of the regular league qualified for the championship from 1998 to 2000. The first round was played as a single match, and the semi-final was a two-legged tie. The final also consisted of two matches in 1998, but it changed to best-of-three the next year.
No.SeasonRegular first placeRegular second placeRegular third placeRegular fourth place51998 Suwon Samsung BluewingsUlsan Hyundai Horang-iPohang SteelersJeonnam Dragons61999 Suwon Samsung BluewingsBucheon SKJeonnam DragonsBusan Daewoo Royals72000 Anyang LG CheetahsSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaJeonbuk Hyundai MotorsBucheon SK
Play-offs of the top four (2004–2006)
When the regular league was split into two stages again from 2004 to 2006, the top two clubs in the overall table qualified for the championship in addition to two winners. Each semi-final was a single match, and the final comprised two matches.
No.SeasonFirst stage winnersSecond stage winnersTop two of the rest82004 Pohang SteelersSuwon Samsung BluewingsUlsan Hyundai Horang-iJeonnam Dragons92005 Busan IParkSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaIncheon UnitedUlsan Hyundai Horang-i102006 Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaSuwon Samsung BluewingsPohang SteelersFC Seoul
Play-offs of the top six
The K League Championship increased participating clubs to six since 2007. The winners of regular league directly qualified for the final, and the second-placed team qualified for the semi-final. The other four clubs entered the first round, and the winners of the second round advanced to the semi-final. Each match was played as a single match, excluding the two-legged final.
No.SeasonRegular first placeRegular second placeRegular third placeRegular fourth placeRegular fifth placeRegular sixth place112007Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaSuwon Samsung BluewingsUlsan Hyundai Horang-iGyeongnam FCPohang SteelersDaejeon Citizen122008Suwon Samsung BluewingsFC SeoulSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaUlsan HyundaiPohang SteelersJeonbuk Hyundai Motors132009Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsPohang SteelersFC SeoulSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaIncheon UnitedJeonnam Dragons142010FC SeoulJeju UnitedJeonbuk Hyundai MotorsUlsan HyundaiSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaGyeongnam FC152011Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsPohang SteelersFC SeoulSuwon Samsung BluewingsBusan IParkUlsan Hyundai
Finals Numbers in are the numbers of victories, and are not aggregate scores. No.SeasonChampionsAgg.Runners-up1st leg2nd leg3rd leg11984 Daewoo Royals 2–1 Yukong Elephants 1–0 1–1 —21986 POSCO Atoms 2–1 Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso 1–0 1–1 —31995 Ilhwa Chunma 5–4 Pohang Atoms 1–1 3–3 1–0 41996 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 3–2 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 0–1 3–1 —51998 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1–0 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 1–0 0–0 —61999 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2–0 Busan Daewoo Royals 2–1 2–1 Not held72000 Anyang LG Cheetahs 2–0 Bucheon SK 4–1 1–1 Not held82004 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 0–0 Pohang Steelers 0–0 0–0 —92005 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 6–3 Incheon United 5–1 1–2 —102006 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 3–1 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1–0 2–1 —112007 Pohang Steelers 4–1 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 3–1 1–0 —122008 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 3–2 FC Seoul 1–1 2–1 —132009 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3–1 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 0–0 3–1 —142010 FC Seoul 4–3 Jeju United 2–2 2–1 —152011 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 4–2 Ulsan Hyundai 2–1 2–1 —
Appearances By club K League's principle of official statistics is that final club succeeds to predecessor clubs.
Club Apps Seasons Pohang Steelers9 1986, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 Seongnam FC8 1995, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Suwon Samsung Bluewings8 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 Ulsan Hyundai8 1996, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 FC Seoul7 1986, 2000, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors5 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Jeju United4 1984, 1999, 2000, 2010 Jeonnam Dragons4 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009 Busan IPark4 1984, 1999, 2005, 2011 Incheon United2 2004, 2009 Gyeongnam FC2 2007, 2010 Daejeon Citizen1 2007
By city/province K League introduced home and away system in 1987. City/Province Apps Clubs Seasons Pohang Atoms 1 (1995) Pohang Steelers 7 (1998, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011) Suwon Samsung Bluewings 8 (1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011) Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i 5 (1996, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2007) Ulsan Hyundai 3 (2008, 2010, 2011) Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 7 (2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) Seoul 6 Ilhwa Chunma 1 (1995) FC Seoul 5 (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 5 (2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) Jeonnam Dragons 4 (1998, 1999, 2004, 2009) Busan Daewoo Royals 1 (1999) Busan IPark 2 (2005, 2011) Bucheon SK 2 (1999, 2000) Incheon United 2 (2004, 2009) Gyeongnam FC 2 (2007, 2010) Anyang LG Cheetahs 1 (2000) Daejeon Citizen 1 (2007) Jeju United 1 (2010)
By region K League introduced home and away system in 1987. Region Apps City/Province Apps Gyeonggi region(Seoul metropolitan area) 26 Suwon 8 Seongnam 7 Seoul 6 Bucheon 2 Incheon 2 Anyang 1 Yeongnam region(Gyeongsang) 21 Pohang 8 Ulsan 8 Busan 3 Gyeongnam 2 Honam region(Jeolla) 9 Jeonbuk 5 Jeonnam 4 Hoseo region(Chungcheong) 1 Daejeon 1 1 Jeju 1
See also K League K League 1 Korean Super Cup
References
External links Official website
Footcoreen.com Soccerphile.com