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.
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. After three rounds of play-offs, no other teams were promoted at the end of this season.
Teams Team changes 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.
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 Gimcheon Sangmu Seongnam FC Promoted from K3 League Cheonan City Chungbuk Cheongju+ Outgoing Promoted to K League 1 Gwangju FC Daejeon Hana Citizen
Locations
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 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 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 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 Teixeira 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
League table
Positions by matchday
Results Matches 1–26
Matches 27–39
Promotion play-offs 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 teams 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
First round
Second round
Final round
Gangwon FC won 2–1 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.
Suwon FC won 6–4 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.
Statistics Top goalscorers RankPlayerTeamGoals 1 Luis MinaGimpo FC 16 2 ValdíviaJeonnam Dragons 14 3 Cho Young-wookGimcheon Sangmu 13 GleysonGyeongnam FC Jorge TeixeiraChungbuk Cheongju 6 An Jae-junBucheon FC 1995 11 7 Won Ki-jongGyeongnam FC 10 Bruno LamasBusan IPark Bruno MotaCheonan City 10 Yun Ju-taeAnsan Greeners 9
Top assist providers RankPlayerTeamAssists 1 ValdíviaJeonnam Dragons 14 2 Joo Hyeon-wooFC Anyang 9 3 AndrigoFC Anyang 8 Bruno LamasBusan IPark 5 YagoFC Anyang 7 Leonard PllanaJeonnam Dragons 7 Mo Jae-hyeonGyeongnam FC 6 8 10 Players 5
Awards Weekly awards
RoundPlayer of the Round Player Club1 Jorge TeixeiraChungbuk Cheongju2 Guilherme CastroGyeongnam FC3 ValdíviaJeonnam Dragons4 Luis MinaGimpo FC5 Christy ManzingaSeongnam FC6 Park Jae-yongFC Anyang7 Luis MinaGimpo FC8 Park Se-jikChungnam Asan9 An Jae-junBucheon FC 199510 Pablo GonzálezGimpo FC11 Kim Min-junGimcheon Sangmu12 Lee Jung-binBucheon FC 199513 Chang Hyuk-jinChungbuk Cheongju14 Kim ChanBusan IPark15 An Jae-junBucheon FC 199516 Jorge TeixeiraChungbuk Cheongju17 Jorge TeixeiraChungbuk Cheongju18 Kim Jeong-hyunFC Anyang19 GleysonGyeongnam FC20 GleysonGyeongnam FC
RoundPlayer of the Round Player Club21 Jin Seong-ukSeongnam FC22 ValdíviaJeonnam Dragons23 Paulo HenriqueCheonan City24 Gabriel HonórioSeongnam FC25 Cho Young-wookGimcheon Sangmu26 Lee Joon-sukGimcheon Sangmu27 Ha NamJeonnam Dragons28 Gabriel HonórioSeongnam FC29 Luis MinaGimpo FC30 Juninho RochaGimpo FC31 Yoo Ji-haJeonnam Dragons32 Moon Jung-inSeoul E-Land33 Jung Chi-inGimcheon Sangmu34 Kang Hyun-mukGimcheon Sangmu35 Leonard PllanaJeonnam Dragons36 Choe Byeong-chanGimcheon Sangmu37 ValdíviaJeonnam Dragons38 Park Tae-yongJeonnam Dragons39 An Jae-junBucheon FC 1995
Monthly awards
MonthManager of the MonthManagerClubDivisionFebruary/March Hong Myung-boUlsan Hyundai1April Ko Jeong-woonGimpo FC2May Nam Ki-ilJeju United1June Lee Jung-hyoGwangju FC1July Jo Sung-hwanIncheon United1August Choi Yun-kyumChungbuk Cheongju2September Park Jin-subBusan IPark2October–December Chung Jung-yongGimcheon Sangmu2
Annual awards The 2023 K League Awards was held on 4 December 2023.
AwardWinnerClubMost Valuable Player ValdíviaJeonnam DragonsYoung Player of the Year An Jae-junBucheon FC 1995Top goalscorer Luis MinaGimpo FCTop assist provider ValdíviaJeonnam DragonsManager of the Year Ko Jeong-woonGimpo FC
PositionBest XIGoalkeeper 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 Teixeira (Chungbuk Cheongju) Luis Mina (Gimpo)
Attendance Attendants who entered with free ticket were not counted.
See also 2023 in South Korean football 2023 Korean FA Cup
References
External links Official website 2023 K League Technical Report (Archived)