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

Champions0 Runners-up

Final

The winners of two regular stages in four early editions qualified for the two-legged final.

No.SeasonFirst stage winnersSecond stage winners
11984Yukong ElephantsDaewoo Royals
21986POSCO AtomsLucky-Goldstar Hwangso
31995Ilhwa ChunmaPohang Atoms
41996Ulsan Hyundai Horang-iSuwon Samsung Bluewings

Play-offs of the top four (1998–2000)

First roundSemi-finalFinal
Regular second-placed team
First round winners
Regular third-placed team
Regular fourth-placed team
Semi-final winners
Regular first-placed team

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 place
51998Suwon Samsung BluewingsUlsan Hyundai Horang-iPohang SteelersJeonnam Dragons
61999Suwon Samsung BluewingsBucheon SKJeonnam DragonsBusan Daewoo Royals
72000Anyang LG CheetahsSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaJeonbuk Hyundai MotorsBucheon SK

Play-offs of the top four (2004–2006)

Semi-finalsFinal
First stage winners
Overall table winners
Semi-final winners
Semi-final winners
Second stage winners
Overall table runners-up

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 rest
82004Pohang SteelersSuwon Samsung BluewingsUlsan Hyundai Horang-iJeonnam Dragons
92005Busan IParkSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaIncheon UnitedUlsan Hyundai Horang-i
102006Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaSuwon Samsung BluewingsPohang SteelersFC Seoul

Play-offs of the top six

First roundSecond roundSemi-finalFinal
3Regular third-placed team1Regular first-placed team
6Regular sixth-placed team2Regular second-placed teamSemi-final winners
First round winnersSecond round winners
First round winners
4Regular fourth-placed team
5Regular fifth-placed team

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 place
112007Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaSuwon Samsung BluewingsUlsan Hyundai Horang-iGyeongnam FCPohang SteelersDaejeon Citizen
122008Suwon Samsung BluewingsFC SeoulSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaUlsan HyundaiPohang SteelersJeonbuk Hyundai Motors
132009Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsPohang SteelersFC SeoulSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaIncheon UnitedJeonnam Dragons
142010FC SeoulJeju UnitedJeonbuk Hyundai MotorsUlsan HyundaiSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaGyeongnam FC
152011Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsPohang SteelersFC SeoulSuwon Samsung BluewingsBusan IParkUlsan Hyundai

Finals

Numbers in yellow background are the numbers of victories, and are not aggregate scores.

No.SeasonChampionsAgg.Runners-up1st leg2nd leg3rd leg
11984Daewoo Royals2–1Yukong Elephants1–01–1
21986POSCO Atoms2–1Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso1–01–1
31995Ilhwa Chunma5–4Pohang Atoms1–13–31–0 (a.e.t.)
41996Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i3–2Suwon Samsung Bluewings0–13–1
51998Suwon Samsung Bluewings1–0Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i1–00–0
61999Suwon Samsung Bluewings2–0Busan Daewoo Royals2–12–1 (a.e.t.)Not held
72000Anyang LG Cheetahs2–0Bucheon SK4–11–1 (4–2 p)Not held
82004Suwon Samsung Bluewings0–0 (4–3 p)Pohang Steelers0–00–0 (a.e.t.)
92005Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i6–3Incheon United5–11–2
102006Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma3–1Suwon Samsung Bluewings1–02–1
112007Pohang Steelers4–1Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma3–11–0
122008Suwon Samsung Bluewings3–2FC Seoul1–12–1
132009Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors3–1Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma0–03–1
142010FC Seoul4–3Jeju United2–22–1
152011Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors4–2Ulsan Hyundai2–12–1

Appearances

By club

  • K League's principle of official statistics is that final club succeeds to predecessor clubs.
ClubAppsSeasons
Pohang Steelers91986, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
Seongnam FC81995, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Suwon Samsung Bluewings81996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011
Ulsan Hyundai81996, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
FC Seoul71986, 2000, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors52000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Jeju United41984, 1999, 2000, 2010
Jeonnam Dragons41998, 1999, 2004, 2009
Busan IPark41984, 1999, 2005, 2011
Incheon United22004, 2009
Gyeongnam FC22007, 2010
Daejeon Citizen12007

By city/province

  • K League introduced home and away system in 1987.
City/ProvinceAppsClubsSeasons
Pohang8Pohang Atoms1 (1995)
Pohang Steelers7 (1998, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
Suwon8Suwon Samsung Bluewings8 (1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011)
Ulsan8Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i5 (1996, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2007)
Ulsan Hyundai3 (2008, 2010, 2011)
Seongnam7Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma7 (2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
Seoul6Ilhwa Chunma1 (1995)
FC Seoul5 (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Jeonbuk5Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors5 (2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Jeonnam4Jeonnam Dragons4 (1998, 1999, 2004, 2009)
Busan3Busan Daewoo Royals1 (1999)
Busan IPark2 (2005, 2011)
Bucheon2Bucheon SK2 (1999, 2000)
Incheon2Incheon United2 (2004, 2009)
Gyeongnam2Gyeongnam FC2 (2007, 2010)
Anyang1Anyang LG Cheetahs1 (2000)
Daejeon1Daejeon Citizen1 (2007)
Jeju1Jeju United1 (2010)

By region

  • K League introduced home and away system in 1987.
RegionAppsCity/ProvinceApps
Gyeonggi region (Seoul metropolitan area)26Suwon8
Seongnam7
Seoul6
Bucheon2
Incheon2
Anyang1
Yeongnam region (Gyeongsang)21Pohang8
Ulsan8
Busan3
Gyeongnam2
Honam region (Jeolla)9Jeonbuk5
Jeonnam4
Hoseo region (Chungcheong)1Daejeon1
Jeju region[ko]1Jeju1

See also

External links

  • (in Korean)
  • (in French)