Player Profiles: Jung Ho-yeon and Seol Young-woo

The Next Two K League Stars to Europe?

Jan 22, 2024

Much has been made of the links from West Ham United to Ulsan HD’s and South Korean international Seol Young-woo of late. However, he is not the only K League rising star who has garnered attention from Europe. Fellow Asian Games gold medalist Jung Ho-yeon has attracted interest from Copenhagen and once more Celtic over the course of the January transfer window.

Both players having won the gold with South Korea last October are crucially military exempt, meaning they don’t need to fulfill their 18-month long service before the age of 27. For Seol, 25, as an overaged player at that tournament it was even more important and has opened up a possibility of a move abroad after initially being on the Gimcheon Sangmu, the army side in the K League, list for the 2024 season.

Jung played a more crucial role than Seol did at the Asian Games and was a key part of the Gwangju FC side that earned promotion to the K1 in 2022 and then took the league by storm finishing in the dizzy heights of 3rd and qualifying for the Asian Champions League for the first time.

So what kind of players are they?

Image from Korea Professional Football Federation

Age: 23 (28/09/2000)

Number: 14

Position: CM (no.8)

Club: Gwangju FC

Nationality: South Korean

Jung had a spectacular 2023 season, playing over 3,000 minutes in his first year in the top tier, winning a gold medal at the Asian Games with his country, and topping it off by winning the Young Player of Year for the K League. The majority of his votes came from half of the captains within the league so his impact has been felt around the league by his fellow professionals. He scored 2 goals and recorded 4 assists among his 34 appearances were important contributions to his side’s highest ever K1 finish.

Style

Jung has excellent awareness of space and is very good at receiving the ball under pressure; in Gwangju’s possession based approach he has been vital in their build-up play. His scanning before receiving the ball stands out among other K League players with the number of scans and quality of scan important factors in his ability to receive the ball and keep it.

He is aggressive in the press as well, which forms the main part of Gwangju’s defensive strategy and this was also very evident in South Korea’s journey to the final of the Asian Games and ultimate triumph. He averaged 6.26 defensive duels per game in the 2023 K League season, with a success rate of 56%. and made 4.26 counterpressing recoveries per 90.

Footage courtesy of Wyscout - 25th November 2023 Jeonbuk 2-0 Gwangju - aggressiveness

On the ball Jung has a good range of passing and capable with either foot though he is right footed. The majority of his passes are short range and can be a bit conservative with his final third presence something that is still developing and improving.

Footage courtesy of Wyscout - 3rd September 2023 Ulsan 0-2 Gwangju - through ball weak foot

Jung is a similar player to Hong Hyun-seok who has earned a place in the national team recently and is a regular starter at K.A.A Gent in the Belgian league. The 23 year old Korean looks ready to make the move to Europe, although current manager Lee Jung-hyo has said he still needs to develop more. Perhaps mind-games to get Jung to stay until at least the summer. Interest this window from Celtic and FC Copenhagen shows that he is on the radar of European teams and it won’t be long before he makes the jump.

Seol Young-woo

Age: 25 (05/12/1998)

Number: 66

Position: RB/LB

Club: Ulsan HD

Nationality: South Korean (10 caps)

Seol has a wealth of experience under his belt and has been a regular at Ulsan since the age of 21. Seol started out as a winger before being converted to a full back capable of playing on either side. His flexibility in positioning makes him a useful tool for any side, as is being shown at the 2023 Asian Cup, where he is fulfilling both left and right full back roles for South Korea in the two group games so far. At 25 and with the military question mark now answered - it is the right time for Seol to test himself in Europe. A big jump to West Ham might be just that but the international experience he is now gaining and the adaptation he has shown throughout his career makes it a jump not a leap.

Style

Like most modern day full backs, attacking play is essential and Seol’s early days as a winger comes through in his general play. Seol is a key part to Ulsan’s attacks and support in wide areas. Like Jung, Seol grabbed 4 assists in the 2023 K League season and has become adept and getting to the byline on either side and providing dangerous situation for his team. Seol ranked 3rd in the league last season for crossing accuracy with 46.46% success rate on 66 deliveries. His ability to cut inside from the left when playing left back also saw him grab 3 goals last season, his largest contribution to goals and assists in his career.

Footage courtesy of Wyscout - 8th July2023 Pohang 0-1 Ulsan - Byline Assist Left Side

Footage courtesy of Wyscout - 27th August 2023 FC Seoul 2-2 Ulsan - Byline Cutback Right Side

His 6 foot frame provides him with the platform to win his aerial duels at full back with a 52.08% success rate last season. His fitness levels are amongst the best in the league and he has a very good track record of avoiding injuries

Defensively he has improved in his duels and positioning after some initial weaknesses when he first changed his position. He still can be outmuscled a little too easily by physical players, as was evident for South Korea in their 2-2 draw with Jordan at the 2023 Asian Cup.

Seol is similar player to Kieran Tierney and has all the attributes to play in Europe. The Asian Cup in Qatar will likely to be the final scouting ground for which interested European teams will decide whether to make their move or perhaps wait until the Summer window.

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