The 2012 K League, officially known as Hyundai Oilbank K-League 2012, was the 30th season of the K League. It was sponsored by Hyundai Oilbank. Since this season, the K League Championship and the Korean League Cup were abolished, and K League introduced the "split system", inspired by Scottish Premier League. After all 16 clubs played 30 matches each under the home and away system, they were split into the group of top eight and the group of bottom eight, playing with each other in a group again.

Teams

2012 K-League is located in South Korea
Locations of the 2012 K League clubs

General information

ClubCityStadium2011 season
Busan IParkBusanBusan Asiad Stadium6th place
Jeonnam DragonsGwangyangGwangyang Football Stadium7th place
Daegu FCDaeguDaegu Stadium12th place
Daejeon CitizenDaejeonDaejeon World Cup Stadium15th place
Gangwon FCGangneung ChuncheonGangneung Stadium Chuncheon Stadium16th place
Gwangju FCGwangjuGwangju World Cup Stadium11th place
Gyeongnam FCChangwonChangwon Football Center8th place
Incheon UnitedIncheonIncheon Football Stadium13th place
Jeju UnitedSeogwipoJeju World Cup Stadium9th place
Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsJeonjuJeonju World Cup StadiumChampions
Pohang SteelersPohangPohang Steel Yard3rd place
Sangju Sangmu PhoenixSangjuSangju Civic Stadium14th place
Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaSeongnamTancheon Sports Complex10th place
FC SeoulSeoulSeoul World Cup Stadium5th place
Suwon Samsung BluewingsSuwonSuwon World Cup Stadium4th place
Ulsan HyundaiUlsanUlsan Munsu Football StadiumRunners-up

Personnel and kits

TeamManagerKit supplierSponsor
Busan IParkSouth Korea An Ik-sooPumaBusan Bank
Jeonnam DragonsSouth Korea Ha Seok-juKelmePOSCO
Daegu FCBrazil Moacir PereiraHummelDaegu Bank
Daejeon CitizenSouth Korea Yoo Sang-chulLottoDaejeon
Gangwon FCSouth Korea Kim Hak-bumMizunoHigh 1 Resort
Gwangju FCSouth Korea Choi Man-heeJomaGwangju Bank
Gyeongnam FCSouth Korea Choi Jin-hanHummelSTX
Incheon UnitedSouth Korea Kim Bong-gilLe Coq SportifShinhan Bank
Jeju UnitedSouth Korea Park Kyung-hoonAstoreSK Energy
Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsSouth Korea Lee Heung-silHummelHyundai i40, Hyundai Santa Fe
Pohang SteelersSouth Korea Hwang Sun-hongKappaPOSCO
Sangju Sangmu PhoenixSouth Korea Park Hang-seoJakoSangju
Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaSouth Korea Shin Tae-yongUhlsportMcCOL
FC SeoulSouth Korea Choi Yong-sooLe Coq SportifXii
Suwon Samsung BluewingsSouth Korea Yoon Sung-hyoAdidasSamsung Smart TV
Ulsan HyundaiSouth Korea Kim Ho-konDiadoraHyundai Oilbank

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoingMannerDateIncomingDateTable
Daegu FCSouth Korea Lee Young-jinSacked31 October 2011Brazil Moacir Pereira2 November 2011Pre-season
Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsSouth Korea Choi Kang-heeSigned for South Korea21 December 2011South Korea Lee Heung-sil21 December 2011
Sangju Sangmu PhoenixSouth Korea Kim Tae-wanCaretaker29 December 2011South Korea Park Hang-seo29 December 2011
Incheon UnitedSouth Korea Huh Jung-mooResigned11 April 2012South Korea Kim Bong-gil13 April 201215th
Gangwon FCSouth Korea Kim Sang-hoResigned1 July 2012South Korea Kim Hak-bum6 July 201214th
Jeonnam DragonsSouth Korea Jung Hae-seongResigned10 August 2012South Korea Ha Seok-ju14 August 201216th

Foreign players

Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team could use four foreign players on the field each game including a least one player from the AFC country.

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3AFC playerFormer player(s)
Busan IParkBrazil Éder BaianoBrazil FágnerBrazil José MotaAustralia Matt McKay
Jeonnam DragonsAustralia Matt SimonBrazil HenanBrazil Lúcio FlávioAustralia Robert CornthwaiteBrazil Leléco
Daegu FCBrazil DinélsonBrazil LeandrinhoBrazil Matheus
Daejeon CitizenBelgium Kevin OrisBrazil Alessandro LopesBrazil Alex TerraJapan Yuta BabaBrazil Leozinho
Gangwon FCBosnia and Herzegovina Muhamed DžakmićBrazil WeslleyRomania Ianis ZicuJapan Yusuke ShimadaRussia Denis Laktionov
Gwangju FCBrazil João PauloMontenegro Bogdan MilićBrazil Adriano Chuva
Gyeongnam FCBrazil CaíqueBrazil RoniColombia Wilmar JordánAustralia Luke DeVere
Incheon UnitedAlbania Sokol CikalleshiBrazil IvoBrazil Paulo JúniorAustralia Nathan BurnsBrazil Ferdinando
Jeju UnitedBrazil Júnior SantosBrazil JairBrazil Renan MarquesAustralia Adrian MadaschiBrazil Robert
Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsBrazil EninhoBrazil LeonardoChile Hugo DroguettAustralia Alex WilkinsonBrazil Luiz Henrique China Huang Bowen
Pohang SteelersGhana Derek AsamoahSerbia Zoran RendulićRomania Ianis Zicu
Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaBrazil Éverton SantosBrazil Jael FerreiraColombia Javier ReinaAustralia Brendan HamillBrazil Héverton Serbia Vladimir Jovančić Australia Sasa Ognenovski
FC SeoulBrazil AdilsonColombia Mauricio MolinaMontenegro Dejan DamjanovićJapan Sergio Escudero
Suwon Samsung BluewingsBrazil Éverton CardosoNorth Macedonia Stevica RistićMontenegro Dženan RadončićAustralia Eddy Bosnar
Ulsan HyundaiBrazil MaranhãoBrazil RafinhaColombia Julián Estiven VélezJapan Akihiro Ienaga

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1FC Seoul (C)4429967642+3496Qualification for the Champions League
2Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors44221398249+3379
3Pohang Steelers44238137247+2577
4Suwon Samsung Bluewings442013116151+1073
5Ulsan Hyundai441814126052+868
6Jeju United441615137156+1563
7Busan IPark441314174051−1153
8Gyeongnam FC44148225060−1050
9Incheon United441716114640+667
10Daegu FC441613155556−161
11Jeonnam Dragons441314174760−1353
12Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma441410204756−952
13Daejeon Citizen441311204667−2150
14Gangwon FC44147235768−1149
15Gwangju FC (R)441015195767−1045Relegation to the K League Challenge
16Sangju Sangmu Phoenix (R)4476312974−4527Withdrawal

Positions by matchday

Leaders Qualification for the Champions League Relegation to the K League Challenge

Round 1–30

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
FC Seoul753153334443211133322222221211
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors324687555566443211111111112122
Suwon Samsung Bluewings411312111121122322233443444333
Ulsan Hyundai432443333314555555444334333444
Pohang Steelers121011875776889799778887677777655
Busan IPark12101115109997655666666666766665566
Jeju United246531222232334444555555556777
Gyeongnam FC18101313131114131414141311111111999999989910108
Incheon United151515141514151515151515151616161614151412121111111010889
Daegu FC7138768810107788778877788889889910
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma1191412141512119101071010810910101010101010101111111111
Jeonnam Dragons9141391111131312111110981091011111111111314151516151512
Daejeon Citizen161616161616161616161616161514151313131516161616141615131213
Gwangju FC4742266689911111312121212121314141415161412121314
Sangju Sangmu Phoenix1210710912141213131212121415131415161615151513121213141415
Gangwon FC96811121010811121313141213141516141213131212131314161616

Round 31–44

Team ╲ Round3132333435363738394041424344
FC Seoul11111111111111
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors22222222222222
Pohang Steelers55554444433433
Suwon Samsung Bluewings44433333344344
Ulsan Hyundai33345555555555
Jeju United77776766666666
Busan IPark66667677777777
Gyeongnam FC88888888888888
Incheon United99999999999999
Daegu FC1010101010111010101010101010
Jeonnam Dragons1312131313131313131212111111
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma1111111111101111111111121212
Daejeon Citizen1213121212121212121313131313
Gangwon FC1616151515151414141515141414
Gwangju FC1414141414141515151414151515
Sangju Sangmu Phoenix1515161616161616161616161616

Results

Matches 1–30

Home \ AwayBIPJNDDGUDJCGWNGWJGNMICUJJUJHMPHSSSPSICSEOSSBUSH
Busan IPark—0–02–03–11–01–21–01–21–10–00–00–01–00–00–01–0
Jeonnam Dragons2–3—0–33–10–02–23–10–01–02–33–40–00–10–31–10–1
Daegu FC2–11–0—1–12–01–12–31–02–01–51–02–11–21–10–01–0
Daejeon Citizen0–10–12–2—0–32–11–10–20–30–10–12–20–10–22–10–0
Gangwon FC1–23–42–00–2—0–00–32–11–10–11–20–31–21–21–41–2
Gwangju FC0–26–02–21–21–1—0–10–03–20–31–11–01–21–22–20–1
Gyeongnam FC2–00–14–13–00–22–1—0–03–10–20–12–32–00–10–03–2
Incheon United0–01–01–02–12–01–10–0—0–03–31–11–00–03–20–20–1
Jeju United5–26–02–04–14–20–23–13–1—1–30–12–11–23–32–10–0
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors0–01–12–30–12–15–25–31–23–3—2–02–03–20–03–02–1
Pohang Steelers2–21–04–20–01–21–00–12–12–31–0—0–13–11–05–00–1
Sangju Sangmu Phoenix1–21–21–11–22–10–11–01–02–10–31–2—0–30–10–33–4
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma0–11–10–00–31–24–22–01–01–10–00–21–1—2–31–10–1
FC Seoul6–02–02–02–03–23–22–13–11–12–12–12–01–0—0–21–1
Suwon Samsung Bluewings1–03–21–02–23–04–10–33–11–10–32–03–12–12–0—2–1
Ulsan Hyundai2–11–01–12–01–22–12–10–12–21–13–12–23–02–23–2—

Matches 31–44

Home \ AwayBIPGNMJJUJHMPHSSEOSSBUSH
Top eight Home \ Away BIP GNM JJU JHM PHS SEO SSB USH Busan IPark — 0–0 1–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 0–1 0–1 Gyeongnam FC 1–0 — 0–0 2–1 0–4 0–3 0–0 1–2 Jeju United 2–1 2–0 — 0–1 2–1 1–2 2–1 2–2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3–0 2–1 0–0 — 0–3 1–1 3–1 3–3 Pohang Steelers 0–2 3–3 1–1 3–2 — 5–0 3–0 3–1 FC Seoul 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 3–2 — 1–1 3–1 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2–1 2–1 2–1 1–1 1–2 1–0 — 0–0 Ulsan Hyundai 2–2 3–1 0–0 1–3 0–1 1–2 0–0 — Source: Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.Bottom eight Home \ Away JND DGU DJC GWN GWJ ICU SSP SIC Jeonnam Dragons — 2–2 3–1 0–0 1–1 0–0 2–0 2–0 Daegu FC 0–1 — 4–1 2–2 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–0 Daejeon Citizen 1–0 1–0 — 5–3 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 Gangwon FC 2–3 3–0 5–1 — 1–0 2–1 2–0 0–1 Gwangju FC 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 — 1–1 2–0 2–3 Incheon United 0–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 3–2 — 2–0 0–0 Sangju Sangmu Phoenix 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 — 0–2 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2–2 0–2 1–2 0–1 3–4 1–2 2–0 — Source: Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Busan IPark—0–01–22–21–10–20–10–1
Gyeongnam FC1–0—0–02–10–40–30–01–2
Jeju United2–12–0—0–12–11–22–12–2
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors3–02–10–0—0–31–13–13–3
Pohang Steelers0–23–31–13–2—5–03–03–1
FC Seoul2–11–01–01–03–2—1–13–1
Suwon Samsung Bluewings2–12–12–11–11–21–0—0–0
Ulsan Hyundai2–23–10–01–30–11–20–0—
Home \ AwayJNDDGUDJCGWNGWJICUSSPSIC
Jeonnam Dragons—2–23–10–01–10–02–02–0
Daegu FC0–1—4–12–22–02–22–01–0
Daejeon Citizen1–01–0—5–31–11–12–01–1
Gangwon FC2–33–05–1—1–02–12–00–1
Gwangju FC1–01–11–11–1—1–12–02–3
Incheon United0–02–11–02–13–2—2–00–0
Sangju Sangmu Phoenix0–20–20–20–20–20–2—0–2
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma2–20–21–20–13–41–22–0—

Player statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1Montenegro Dejan DamjanovićFC Seoul31
2South Korea Lee Dong-gookJeonbuk Hyundai Motors26
3Brazil JairJeju United18
Colombia Mauricio MolinaFC Seoul18
5Belgium Kevin OrisDaejeon Citizen16
South Korea Kim Eun-jungGangwon FC16
6Romania Ianis ZicuGangwon FC15
Brazil EninhoJeonbuk Hyundai Motors15
8Brazil Júnior SantosJeju United14
9Brazil MaranhãoUlsan Hyundai13
South Korea Kim Shin-wookUlsan Hyundai13

Top assist providers

RankPlayerClubAssists
1Colombia Mauricio MolinaFC Seoul19
2Brazil EninhoJeonbuk Hyundai Motors13
3South Korea Lee Seung-giGwangju FC12
4Brazil Júnior SantosJeju United11
5South Korea Kim Hyeung-bumDaejeon Citizen10
6Chile Hugo DroguettJeonbuk Hyundai Motors9
Brazil JairJeju United9
8South Korea Hwang Jin-sungPohang Steelers8
South Korea Park Sung-hoPohang Steelers8
South Korea Go Seul-kiUlsan Hyundai8
South Korea Hwang Il-suDaegu FC8

Awards

Main awards

AwardWinnerClub
Most Valuable PlayerMontenegro Dejan DamjanovićFC Seoul
Top goalscorerMontenegro Dejan DamjanovićFC Seoul
Top assist providerColombia Mauricio MolinaFC Seoul
Rookie of the YearSouth Korea Lee Myung-jooPohang Steelers
FANtastic PlayerMontenegro Dejan DamjanovićFC Seoul
Manager of the YearSouth Korea Choi Yong-sooFC Seoul
Special AwardSouth Korea Kim Yong-daeFC Seoul
South Korea Kim Byung-jiGyeongnam FC
Best RefereeSouth Korea Choi Myung-yong—
Best Assistant RefereeSouth Korea Kim Yong-soo—
Team of the YearFC Seoul
Fair Play AwardUlsan Hyundai
Youth Team of the YearPungsaeng Middle School (Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma)

Source:

Best XI

PositionWinnerClub
GoalkeeperSouth Korea Kim Yong-daeFC Seoul
DefendersBrazil AdilsonFC Seoul
South Korea Jung In-whanIncheon United
South Korea Kwak Tae-hwiUlsan Hyundai
South Korea Kim Chang-sooBusan IPark
MidfieldersColombia Mauricio MolinaFC Seoul
South Korea Ha Dae-sungFC Seoul
South Korea Hwang Jin-sungPohang Steelers
South Korea Lee Keun-hoUlsan Hyundai
ForwardsSouth Korea Lee Dong-gookJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Montenegro Dejan DamjanovićFC Seoul

Source:

Attendance

Due to the match-fixing scandal that involved 40 current and former players in the previous year, there was a massive decline in attendance the following season.[when?] The scandal continued to have an effect on the league's attendance for several seasons thereafter.

Attendance by club

PosTeamTotalHighLowAverageChange
1FC Seoul451,04550,7877,27820,502−26.2%†
2Suwon Samsung Bluewings445,82045,1929,22720,265−16.3%†
3Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors225,26120,7654,05110,239−32.1%†
4Pohang Steelers193,68216,8664,0768,804−35.6%†
5Ulsan Hyundai163,92125,3951,1077,451−51.2%†
6Daegu FC150,26921,7505367,156+10.5%†
7Jeju United143,69916,9109786,532+41.7%†
8Daejeon Citizen93,23110,1601,8424,440−68.8%†
9Busan IPark88,3449,5379294,016−44.5%†
10Incheon United81,77917,662823,894−48.5%†
11Gangwon FC64,6236,9321,2413,077−47.4%†
12Jeonnam Dragons63,7187,0401,4903,034−47.7%†
13Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma61,2786,7255882,918−57.4%†
14Gwangju FC60,38310,7117132,875−67.3%†
15Sangju Sangmu Phoenix42,3005,7101,0632,820−66.6%†
16Gyeongnam FC51,7845,7458842,354−74.0%†
League total2,168,60650,787827,045−37.6%†

Updated to games played on 2 December 2012 Source:

Top matches

RankDateHomeScoreAwayVenueAttendanceRoundDay of week
118 August 2012FC Seoul0–2Suwon Samsung BluewingsSeoul World Cup Stadium50,78728Saturday
25 May 2012FC Seoul2–1Pohang SteelersSeoul World Cup Stadium45,98211Saturday
31 April 2012Suwon Samsung Bluewings2–0FC SeoulSuwon World Cup Stadium45,1925Sunday
43 October 2012Suwon Samsung Bluewings1–0FC SeoulSuwon World Cup Stadium43,35234Wednesday
54 November 2012FC Seoul1–1Suwon Samsung BluewingsSeoul World Cup Stadium40,51038Sunday
620 May 2012Suwon Samsung Bluewings2–1Ulsan HyundaiSuwon World Cup Stadium37,51913Sunday
728 May 2012FC Seoul3–1Incheon UnitedSeoul World Cup Stadium31,15614Monday
813 May 2012Suwon Samsung Bluewings4–1Gwangju FCSuwon World Cup Stadium29,01912Sunday
925 March 2012FC Seoul2–1Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsSeoul World Cup Stadium25,8114Sunday
1024 June 2012FC Seoul1–1Ulsan HyundaiSeoul World Cup Stadium25,65317Sunday

See also

External links