The 2017 K League Challenge was the fifth season of the K League 2, the second-highest division in the South Korean football league system. Champions and winners of the promotion playoffs could be promoted to the K League 1.

Teams

Team changes

Relegated from K League Classic

Promoted to K League Classic

Newly joined

Withdrawn

Locations

Locations of the 2017 K League Challenge clubs

Stadiums

Ansan GreenersFC AnyangAsan MugunghwaBucheon FC 1995Busan IPark
Ansan Wa~ StadiumAnyang StadiumYi Sun-sin StadiumBucheon StadiumBusan Gudeok Stadium
Capacity: 35,000Capacity: 17,143Capacity: 19,283Capacity: 34,545Capacity: 12,349
Daejeon CitizenGyeongnam FCSeongnam FCSeoul E-LandSuwon FC
Daejeon World Cup StadiumChangwon Football CenterTancheon StadiumSeoul Olympic StadiumSuwon Sports Complex
Capacity: 40,535Capacity: 15,500Capacity: 16,146Capacity: 69,950Capacity: 11,808

Personnel and sponsoring

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

TeamManagersKit manufacturerMain sponsor
Ansan GreenersSouth Korea Lee Heung-silKelmeAnsan Government
FC AnyangSouth Korea Kim Jong-pilAstoreAnyang Government
Asan MugunghwaSouth Korea Song Sun-hoPumaAsan Government
Bucheon FC 1995South Korea Jeong Gab-seokAstoreBucheon Government
Busan IParkSouth Korea Cho Jin-hoAdidasHyundai Development Company
Daejeon CitizenSouth Korea Lee Young-ikAstoreDaejeon Government
Gyeongnam FCSouth Korea Kim Jong-booHummelGyeongnam Government
Seongnam FCSouth Korea Park Kyung-hoonUmbroSeongnam Government
Seoul E-LandSouth Korea Kim Byung-sooNew BalanceE-Land
Suwon FCSouth Korea Cho Duck-jeHummelSuwon Government

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.

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Asian Player
Ansan GreenersMontenegro Luka RotkovićUruguay Raúl TarragonaUzbekistan Bahodir Nasimov
FC AnyangBrazil JôBrazil LukianIvory Coast Aubin Kouakou
Bucheon FC 1995Brazil Nilson JúniorBrazil WaguininhoBrazil Rodrigo ParanáUzbekistan Bakhodir Pardayev
Busan IParkBrazil Danny MoraisBrazil RômuloBrazil Léo MineiroJapan Michihiro Yasuda
Daejeon CitizenBrazil Bruno CantanhedeGeorgia (country) Levan ShengeliaRomania Cristian Dănălache
Gyeongnam FCBrazil Alex BrunoBrazil MarcãoCroatia Ivan Herceg
Seongnam FCBrazil Dário JúniorCroatia Marin OršulićSlovakia Filip Hlohovský
Seoul E-LandBrazil Wesley AlexBrazil Daniel LovinhoJapan Tomoki WadaJapan Atsuki Wada
Suwon FCAustralia Bruce DjiteBrazil Pedro CarmonaMontenegro Vladan AdžićAustralia Adrian Leijer

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Gyeongnam FC (C, P)3624756936+3379Promotion to the K League 1
2Busan IPark36191165230+2268Qualification for the promotion playoffs semi-final
3Asan Mugunghwa36159124437+754Qualification for the promotion playoffs first round
4Seongnam FC36131493830+853
5Bucheon FC 199536157145046+452
6Suwon FC361112134248−645
7FC Anyang36109174058−1839
8Seoul E-Land36714154255−1335
9Ansan Greeners36712173654−1833
10Daejeon Citizen36611194160−1929

Positions by matchday

Leaders Qualification for the promotion playoffs

Round 1–18

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718
Gyeongnam FC433111111111111111
Busan IPark412422222222222222
Asan Mugunghwa944245434334333343
Bucheon FC 1995167553345443455434
Seongnam FC988101010101091099777655
Suwon FC121334553566666776
FC Anyang61010877666655444567
Ansan Greeners155666777877899888
Seoul E-Land6999999910788988999
Daejeon Citizen67678888891010101010101010

Round 19–36

Team ╲ Round192021222324252627282930313233343536
Gyeongnam FC111111111111111111
Busan IPark222222222222222222
Asan Mugunghwa344553335555553333
Seongnam FC666445454444334444
Bucheon FC 1995433334543333445555
Suwon FC555666677666677766
FC Anyang777777766777766677
Seoul E-Land9999109888888888888
Ansan Greeners888888999999999999
Daejeon Citizen10101010910101010101010101010101010

Results

Matches 1–18

Home \ AwayANSANYASMBUCBIPDJCGNMSENSELSUW
Ansan Greeners—1–02–12–40–32–13–30–11–23–3
FC Anyang2–1—0–23–10–13–21–22–02–01–2
Asan Mugunghwa1–04–0—2–10–23–11–11–11–01–0
Bucheon FC 19952–06–21–2—1–01–12–20–22–10–1
Busan IPark3–11–11–11–0—2–11–11–23–02–2
Daejeon Citizen1–20–21–10–12–3—0–21–12–14–3
Gyeongnam FC3–02–11–02–11–02–1—1–13–02–0
Seongnam FC0–00–01–01–20–11–01–2—0–20–1
Seoul E-Land1–02–21–14–12–33–30–10–0—0–0
Suwon FC0–43–30–21–01–03–11–10–12–2—

Matches 19–36

Home \ AwayANSANYASMBUCBIPDJCGNMSENSELSUW
Ansan Greeners—2–20–10–20–11–11–01–11–10–0
FC Anyang2–0—1–31–31–20–01–41–32–00–0
Asan Mugunghwa0–02–0—1–10–11–22–30–22–02–1
Bucheon FC 19951–10–03–0—0–21–02–43–21–00–1
Busan IPark3–00–01–11–0—4–21–20–02–12–2
Daejeon Citizen1–12–01–10–10–0—2–11–40–12–0
Gyeongnam FC3–10–13–12–12–04–2—1–02–12–2
Seongnam FC1–01–01–01–11–11–11–3—2–23–0
Seoul E-Land3–32–33–22–22–20–01–01–1—0–0
Suwon FC0–24–00–11–20–13–22–10–03–1—

Promotion playoffs

Bracket

First roundSemi-finalFinal
2Busan IPark3
3Asan Mugunghwa0
3Asan Mugunghwa1
4Seongnam FC0
Busan IPark011 (4)
Sangju Sangmu (p)101 (5)

First round

Asan Mugunghwa1–0Seongnam FC
Jung Sung-min 65'

Semi-final

Busan IPark3–0Asan Mugunghwa
Lee Jung-hyup 32' Lee Dong-jun 81', 90+4'

Final

The promotion-relegation playoffs were held between the winners of the 2017 K League Challenge playoffs and the 11th-placed club of the 2017 K League Classic. The winner on aggregate score after both matches earned entry into the 2018 K League 1.

Busan IPark0–1Sangju Sangmu
Yeo Reum 7'
Sangju Sangmu0–1 (a.e.t.)Busan IPark
Rômulo 16' (pen.)
Penalties
Yeo Reum Sin Jin-ho Lim Chae-min Kim Ho-nam Joo Min-kyu5–4Rômulo Léo Mineiro Lee Dong-jun Ko Kyung-min Lim You-hwan

1–1 on aggregate. Sangju Sangmu won 5–4 on penalties and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.

Player statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1Brazil MarcãoGyeongnam FC22
2Uruguay Raúl TarragonaAnsan Greeners15
3Brazil WaguininhoBucheon FC 199512
4South Korea Jung Won-jinGyeongnam FC10
5South Korea Ko Kyung-minBusan IPark9
South Korea Lee Jeong-hyeopBusan IPark
Romania Cristian DănălacheDaejeon Citizen
South Korea Park Sung-hoSeongnam FC
South Korea Jin Chang-sooBucheon FC 1995
10South Korea Baek Sung-dongSuwon FC8
South Korea Jeong Jae-heeFC Anyang

Top assist providers

RankPlayerClubAssists
1South Korea Chang Hyuk-jinAnsan Greeners13
2South Korea Jung Won-jinGyeongnam FC10
3Brazil Alex BrunoGyeongnam FC8
South Korea Kim ShinBucheon FC 1995
5Japan Atsuki WadaSeoul E-Land FC7
6Brazil RômuloBusan IPark6
South Korea Lee Ho-seokDaejeon Citizen
South Korea Kim ShinBucheon FC 1995
9South Korea Kim Bong-raeSuwon FC5
South Korea Lee Ju-yongAsan Mugunghwa
South Korea Jeong Jae-heeFC Anyang

Attendance

Attendants who entered with free ticket were not counted.

PosTeamTotalHighLowAverageChange
1FC Anyang60,07810,6831,3603,338+82.7%†
2Seongnam FC50,4276,7001,4102,802−58.4%†
3Ansan Greeners48,6358,4059152,702n/a†
4Busan IPark43,3026,3371,0242,406+56.8%†
5Gyeongnam FC39,2737,2787132,182+81.8%†
6Daejeon Citizen38,7875,1361,0322,155−15.2%†
7Suwon FC38,6558,4557112,148−51.0%†
8Asan Mugunghwa35,1887,9337261,955+94.5%†
9Bucheon FC 199535,0477,20901,947−6.4%†
10Seoul E-Land28,9964,5316311,611+22.9%†
League total418,38810,68302,324+54.3%†

Updated to games played on 29 October 2017 Source: Notes: † Team played previous season in K League Classic.

Awards

The 2016 K League Awards was held on 20 November 2017.

Main awards

Best XI

PositionPlayerClub
GoalkeeperSouth Korea Lee Bum-sooGyeongnam FC
DefendersSouth Korea Choi Jae-sooGyeongnam FC
South Korea Park Ji-sooGyeongnam FC
Croatia Ivan HercegGyeongnam FC
South Korea Woo Joo-sungGyeongnam FC
MidfieldersSouth Korea Jung Won-jinGyeongnam FC
South Korea Hwang In-beomDaejeon Citizen
South Korea Moon Ki-hanBucheon FC 1995
South Korea Bae Ki-jongGyeongnam FC
ForwardsBrazil MarcãoGyeongnam FC
South Korea Lee Jeong-hyeopBusan IPark

Player of the Round

RoundPlayerClub
Round Player Club 1 South Korea Lee Jung-hyup Busan IPark 2 South Korea Heo Beom-san Busan IPark 3 South Korea Kim Eun-sun Asan Mugunghwa 4 South Korea Cho Seok-jae FC Anyang 5 South Korea Kim Min-kyun FC Anyang 6 South Korea Lee Jung-hyup Busan IPark 7 South Korea Jeong Jae-hee FC Anyang 8 South Korea Kim Min-kyun FC Anyang 9 South Korea Lee Seung-hyun Suwon FC 10 South Korea Kim Min-kyun FC Anyang 11 Uruguay Raúl Tarragona Ansan Greeners 12 Brazil Marcão Gyeongnam FC 13 Brazil Marcão Gyeongnam FC 14 South Korea Lim Sang-hyub Busan IPark 15 South Korea Lee Kyu-seong Busan IPark 16 Romania Cristian Dănălache Daejeon Citizen 17 South Korea Kim Shin Bucheon FC 1995 18 Brazil Danny Morais Busan IParkRound Player Club 19 South Korea Baek Sung-dong Suwon FC 20 South Korea Lee Seung-hyun Suwon FC 21 South Korea Go Myeong-seok Bucheon FC 1995 22 South Korea Kim Dong-chan Seongnam FC 23 South Korea Hwang In-beom Daejeon Citizen 24 South Korea Jung Won-jin Gyeongnam FC 25 Brazil Marcão Gyeongnam FC 26 South Korea Choi Oh-baek Seoul E-Land 27 South Korea Choi Oh-baek Seoul E-Land 28 South Korea Ko Kyung-min Busan IPark 29 South Korea Kim Chan-hee Daejeon Citizen 30 South Korea Kim Hyun Asan Mugunghwa 31 Brazil Marcão Gyeongnam FC 32 South Korea Kim Kyeong-min Busan IPark 33 Brazil Marcão Gyeongnam FC 34 South Korea Ryu Won-woo Bucheon FC 1995 35 South Korea Jeong Hyeon-cheol Gyeongnam FC 36 South Korea Baek Sung-dong Suwon FC
1South Korea Lee Jung-hyupBusan IPark
2South Korea Heo Beom-sanBusan IPark
3South Korea Kim Eun-sunAsan Mugunghwa
4South Korea Cho Seok-jaeFC Anyang
5South Korea Kim Min-kyunFC Anyang
6South Korea Lee Jung-hyupBusan IPark
7South Korea Jeong Jae-heeFC Anyang
8South Korea Kim Min-kyunFC Anyang
9South Korea Lee Seung-hyunSuwon FC
10South Korea Kim Min-kyunFC Anyang
11Uruguay Raúl TarragonaAnsan Greeners
12Brazil MarcãoGyeongnam FC
13Brazil MarcãoGyeongnam FC
14South Korea Lim Sang-hyubBusan IPark
15South Korea Lee Kyu-seongBusan IPark
16Romania Cristian DănălacheDaejeon Citizen
17South Korea Kim ShinBucheon FC 1995
18Brazil Danny MoraisBusan IPark
RoundPlayerClub
19South Korea Baek Sung-dongSuwon FC
20South Korea Lee Seung-hyunSuwon FC
21South Korea Go Myeong-seokBucheon FC 1995
22South Korea Kim Dong-chanSeongnam FC
23South Korea Hwang In-beomDaejeon Citizen
24South Korea Jung Won-jinGyeongnam FC
25Brazil MarcãoGyeongnam FC
26South Korea Choi Oh-baekSeoul E-Land
27South Korea Choi Oh-baekSeoul E-Land
28South Korea Ko Kyung-minBusan IPark
29South Korea Kim Chan-heeDaejeon Citizen
30South Korea Kim HyunAsan Mugunghwa
31Brazil MarcãoGyeongnam FC
32South Korea Kim Kyeong-minBusan IPark
33Brazil MarcãoGyeongnam FC
34South Korea Ryu Won-wooBucheon FC 1995
35South Korea Jeong Hyeon-cheolGyeongnam FC
36South Korea Baek Sung-dongSuwon FC

Manager of the Month

MonthManagerClubDivision
MarchSouth Korea Jo Sung-hwanJeju UnitedK League Classic
AprilSouth Korea Kim Jong-booGyeongnam FCK League Challenge
MaySouth Korea Choi Yun-kyumGangwon FCK League Classic
JuneSouth Korea Choi Kang-heeJeonbuk Hyundai MotorsK League Classic
JulySouth Korea Seo Jung-wonSuwon Samsung BluewingsK League Classic
AugustSouth Korea Hwang Sun-hongFC SeoulK League Classic
SeptemberSouth Korea Kim Do-hoonUlsan HyundaiK League Classic
OctoberBrazil AndréDaegu FCK League Classic

See also

External links

  • (in Korean)