The Korea Cup (), formerly the Korean FA Cup, is a national football cup knockout competition of South Korea, held annually by the Korea Football Association (KFA). Before the competition was established in 1996, three similar tournaments named (1935–1940), Korean National Football Championship (1946–2000) and Korean President's Cup (1952–2009) were played. It was renamed Korea Cup in 2024, with the winners qualifying for the AFC Champions League Elite (if they finish top four in the K League 1) or the AFC Champions League Two (if they finish outside the top four in the K League 1).

History The All Joseon Football Championship was founded by the Joseon Football Association (currently KFA) in 1935, during Japanese rule in Korea. It was abolished in 1940 by the Japanese government which entered World War II.大韓蹴球協會 편 『韓國蹴球百年史』라사라, p.163-166, p.220-226.

After the liberation of Korea, the KFA founded the National Football Championship and the President's Cup, entered by many semi-professional clubs and amateur clubs from all over South Korea. They opened in spring and late autumn each. The two competitions declined after the founding of the K League, because professional clubs did not take part in it. There were several attempts to get professional clubs to join the tournament, and it became so successful that in the 1988 and 1989 seasons many top clubs joined the National Championship, temporarily renamed the "FA Cup". However, it soon reverted to semi-professional status in 1990 due to a conflict between the KFA and professional clubs at the time. The professional clubs did not enter the championship after claiming the KFA had neglected to invigorate the K League.

The KFA made the Korean FA Cup separately for every club in 1996. It was renamed the Korea Cup in 2024 to be distinguished from English FA Cup.

Format 1996–2005 The Korean FA Cup took place after the end of the regular K League season, and was usually completed over a short period. Games were played in a single-elimination format, with extra time and penalties if required. K League sides were seeded in the first round of the tournament proper, but all matches were played at neutral venues, such as Gimcheon and Namhae.

2006–present To elevate the status of the tournament, matches were spread throughout the year. The 2006 edition, for example, started in early March, with rounds also held in April, July, August and November. The final was played in December. As in previous years, the competition was contested in a straight knockout format.

Sponsorship Sponsor Season Competition None 1996–1997 FA CupTG Sambo 1998 Sambo Change Up FA Cup 1999 Sambo Computer FA Cup Seoul Bank 2000–2001 Seoul Bank FA Cup 2002 Hana-Seoul Bank FA Cup Hana Bank 2002 2003–2015 Hana Bank FA Cup 2015–2019 KEB Hana Bank FA Cup 2020–2021 Hana Bank FA Cup 2022–2023 Hana 1Q FA Cup 2024–present Hana Bank Korea Cup

Results

Finals Season Champions Score Runners-up1996 Pohang Atoms0–0 Suwon Samsung Bluewings1997 Jeonnam Dragons1–0 Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma1998 Anyang LG Cheetahs2–1 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i1999 Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma3–0 Jeonbuk Hyundai Dinos2000 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2–0 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma2001 Daejeon Citizen1–0 Pohang Steelers2002 Suwon Samsung Bluewings1–0 Pohang Steelers2003 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2–2 Jeonnam Dragons2004 Busan I'Cons1–1 Bucheon SK2005 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors1–0 Hyundai Mipo Dockyard2006 Jeonnam Dragons2–0 Suwon Samsung Bluewings2007Jeonnam Dragons3–2Pohang Steelers3–12008 Pohang Steelers2–0 Gyeongnam FC2009 Suwon Samsung Bluewings1–1 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma2010 Suwon Samsung Bluewings1–0 Busan IPark2011 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma1–0 Suwon Samsung Bluewings2012 Pohang Steelers1–0 Gyeongnam FC2013 Pohang Steelers1–1 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2014 Seongnam FC0–0 FC Seoul2015 FC Seoul3–1 Incheon United2016Suwon Samsung Bluewings2–1 FC Seoul1–2 2017Ulsan Hyundai2–1Busan IPark0–02018Daegu FC2–1 Ulsan Hyundai3–02019Suwon Samsung Bluewings0–0Daejeon Korail4–02020Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors1–1Ulsan Hyundai2–12021Jeonnam Dragons0–1Daegu FC4–3 (a)2022Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2–2FC Seoul3–12023 Pohang Steelers4–2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2024 Pohang Steelers3–1 Ulsan HD2025 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2–1 Gwangju FC

Titles by club

Awards Most Valuable Player Season Player Club1996 Cho Jin-ho Pohang Steelers1997 Kim Jung-hyuk Jeonnam Dragons1998 Kang Chun-ho Anyang LG Cheetahs1999 Park Nam-yeol Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma2000 Park Sung-bae Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2001 Kim Eun-jung Daejeon Citizen2002 Seo Jung-won Suwon Samsung Bluewings2003 Edmilson Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2004 Kim Yong-dae Busan I'Cons2005 Milton Rodríguez Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2006 Kim Hyo-il Jeonnam Dragons2007 Kim Chi-woo Jeonnam Dragons2008 Choi Hyo-jin Pohang Steelers2009 Lee Woon-jae Suwon Samsung Bluewings2010 Yeom Ki-hun Suwon Samsung Bluewings2011 Cho Dong-geon Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma2012 Hwang Ji-soo Pohang Steelers2013 Shin Hwa-yong Pohang Steelers2014 Park Jun-hyuk Seongnam FC2015 Yojiro Takahagi FC Seoul2016 Yeom Ki-hun Suwon Samsung Bluewings2017 Kim Yong-dae Ulsan Hyundai2018 Cesinha Daegu FC2019 Ko Seung-beom Suwon Samsung Bluewings2020 Lee Seung-gi Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2021 Jeong Jae-hee Jeonnam Dragons2022 Cho Gue-sung Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors2023 Kim Jong-woo Pohang Steelers2024 Kim In-sung Pohang Steelers2025 Park Jin-seob Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Top goalscorer Only goals since the round of 16 count in the rankings (the round of 32 until 2019, and the third round between 2020 and 2024). If multiple players become top goalscorers, the player who has played the fewest matches receive the award. If still tied, the player with fewer minutes played receive the award. Until 2015, a maximum of two players could become co-winners of the award, and it was not presented when three or more players became top goalscorers. Until 2019, the award was not presented when no one scored more than three goals (two goals until 2007).

Season Player Club Goals1996 Denis Laktionov Suwon Samsung Bluewings 41997 Roh Sang-rae Jeonnam Dragons 61998 Kim Jong-kun Ulsan Hyundai 51999 Choi Yong-soo Anyang LG Cheetahs 52000 Cezinha Jeonnam Dragons 42001 Kim Eun-jung Daejeon Citizen 4 Choi Sung-kuk Korea University2002 Not awarded20032004 Wang Jung-hyun FC Seoul 5 Jung Jo-gook FC Seoul2005 Milton Rodríguez Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 62006 Jang Nam-seok Daegu FC 32007 Not awarded2008 Kim Dong-chan Gyeongnam FC 62009 Stevica Ristić Pohang Steelers 52010 Ji Dong-won Jeonnam Dragons 5 Índio Jeonnam Dragons2011 Go Seul-ki Ulsan Hyundai 42012 Not awarded20132014 Kaio Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 42015 Not awarded2016 Adriano Michael Jackson FC Seoul 52017 Not awarded2018 Cesinha Daegu FC 52019 Yeom Ki-hun Suwon Samsung Bluewings 52020 Gustavo Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 42021 Park Hee-seong Jeonnam Dragons 42022 Heo Yong-joon Pohang Steelers 42023 Gustavo Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 52024 Jeong Jae-hee Pohang Steelers 42025 Goo Bon-cheul Gangwon FC 2

References

External links Official website South Korea – List of Cup Winners at RSSSF