All the facts and details about Kim Young-gwon, the South Korean footballer

All the facts and details about Kim Young-gwon, the South Korean footballer

Claudia Kogi
updated at February 6, 2024 at 11:15 AM
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Kim Young-gwon is a South Korean-based football player who plays for Ulsan Hyundai and the South Korea national football team. He earlier played for the Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande and J1 League for Gamba Osaka. He has been a topic of interest following his impressive stats since debuting.

Kim Young-gwon in 2024
Kim Young-gwon looks on during the AFC Asian Cup Round of 16 match against Saudi Arabia at Education City Stadium on 30 January 2024 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. Photo: Zhizhao Wu (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Kim debuted his football career when he joined FC Tokyo in 2010 and later switched to Omiya Ardija, where he remained until 2012. Thanks to his impressive soccer stats, the South Korean national has garnered significant fan bases across social media platforms.

Kim Young-gwon's profile summary

Full name

Kim Young-gwon

Date of birth

27 February 1990

Age

33 years as of January 2024

Place of birth

Jeonju, Jeonbuk, South Korea

Nationality

South Korean

Ethnicity

Asian

Marital status

Married

Spouse

Park Se-jin

Children

Kim Ri-a and Kim Ri-hyeon

Profession

Professional soccer player

Position

Centre-back

Current team

Ulsan Hyundai and the South Korea national football team

Net worth

$1 million - $5 million

Social media

Instagram, X (Twitter)

How old is Kim Young-gwon?

The South Korean national, Kim Young-gwon (age 33 years as of January 2024), was born on 27 February 1990 in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, South Korea.

Kim Young's facts
Top 5 facts about Kim Young-gwon. Photo: Matthew Ashton (Modified by author)
Source: Original

Kim Young-gwon's career stats

Kim debuted in the soccer scene when he joined J1 League side FC Tokyo in January 2010. He then made his professional debut match in March 2020 against Gamba Osaka. He scored his first goal for FC Tokyo in June 2010 in a match against Kyoto Sanga FC. He completed his first season, having played 23 league matches.

Omiya Ardija

In December 2010, Kim was transferred to Omiya Ardija, where he played for two seasons, making 40 appearances. Unfortunately, he did not score any goals.

Guangzhou Evergrande

In July 2012, the South Korean professional soccer player signed a four-year deal with the Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande for a reported transfer fee of approximately $2.5 million. He then played his first match during the 2012 Chinese FA Cup semifinals.

After his contract expired in 2016, the soccer player extended his contract until 2018, and after the termination of the agreement, he went ahead and signed with Gamba Osaka. He played 76 matches and scored one goal before moving to Ulsan Hyundai, Kim Young-gwon's current team.

Kim Young (in red) in action
Kim Young (L) in action during the international friendly match between South Korea and Uruguay at Seoul World Cup Stadium on 28 March 2023 in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Chung Sung-Jun
Source: Getty Images

Kim Young-gwon's awards and achievements

The player has displayed impressive accolades since he debuted in the soccer scene. Here are some of his awards and achievements.

  • (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) Chinese Super League Team of the Year
  • (2015) EAFF Championship Best Defender
  • (2015) Korean FA Player of the Year
  • (2020) J1 League Fans' Best XI
  • (2022,2023) K League 1 Best XI
  • (2023) K League 1 Most Valuable Player

Kim Young-gwon's net worth and salary

The South Korean professional soccer player has an estimated net worth ranging between $1 million and $5 million, according to various sources such as Popular Net Worth. He primarily earns his income from his soccer endeavours. And while the league's estimated average annual wage is allegedly $478,030, the player is said to make over $1 million while playing for K League.

Latest news

Here is some of the latest news about the South Korean professional soccer player currently engrossed in the Asian Cup in Doha.

Kim Young promises an error-free match in Doha, Qatar

Kim is eager to prevent a recurrence of the mistakes committed by South Korea in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 group stage when they face Saudi Arabia in the Round of 16, saying,

We know we have underperformed, and for that, we have paid the price. We are disappointed to have not finished in pole position in our group and are very keen to bounce back.
But despite the obstacles, there is immense excitement in the squad as it is our first knockout stage game. We have prepared very well and will hopefully come out with a positive result.
Kim Young-gwon
Young-gwon celebrates after scoring the team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match against Portugal on 2 December 2022 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. Photo: Stuart Franklin
Source: Getty Images

Trivia

Kim made his football career debut in 2010 and has since been on the soccer scene. Here are some interesting facts about the South Korean professional athlete.

1. How tall is Kim Young-gwon?

The professional soccer player stands at 6 feet 1 inch, equivalent to 186 centimetres, and weighs 172 pounds or 78 kilograms. He has dark brown hair and eyes.

2. What position does Kim Young-gwon play?

As of January 2024, he mainly plays the centre-back position. In the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Kim was the regular centre defender of South Korea's under-20 team, where he scored a goal.

3. Does Kim Young-gwon have a wife?

The South Korean sensational athlete is married to his long-term girlfriend, Park Se-jin, a renowned Instagram model who has been featured in various magazines such as Bling, Allure, High Cut, and Boggle. The two tied the knot in December 2014 and have been blessed with two kids, Kim Ri-a and Kim Ri-hyeon.

4. Is Kim on Instagram?

As of 6 February 2024, Young-gwon has accumulated 137,000 followers on his verified Instagram profile. On X (Twitter), he has 46.5 followers.

Final word

Having begun his football career in 2010 with FC Tokyo, Kim Young-gwon has since been a vital asset in every team he signs with. His contribution to the soccer world has impacted many young players aspiring to be professional football players. Nevertheless, he is one celebrity who prefers to maintain a low profile, especially on matters regarding his personal life.

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Authors
Claudia Kogi photo
Claudia Kogi
Claudia Kogi is a Kenyan content creator with over 3 years of experience. Claudia joined Sportsbrief.com as a writer in January 2022, covering sports and relatable content.