‘Answer the call, Seongnam FC’?
In the toughest times since its inception, a fallen franchise can’t be resurrected if it maintains a “we were really good in our prime, but we can’t do anything about it now” mentality.
“Do you hear me? If you do, respond”. That’s what the last episode of the popular TVN drama “Answer Me Series” said. It’s a line that sends a message to the viewers, nostalgic and reminiscent of a time that can never come back. It’s a phrase that Seongnam FC fans will always hold close to their hearts. With the rapid rise in popularity of the K-League, there are probably very few people who remember Seongnam as a ‘famous team’.
Seongnam is the second-largest team in the K League 1 (including all first divisions) in terms of all-time wins. Fans who have been following the K League in recent years may know that Jeonbuk Hyundai is in first place, but they may be surprised to learn that Seongnam is in second place. Not Ulsan HD, Pohang Steelers, FC Seoul, or Suwon Samsung, but Seongnam.
Its predecessor, Seongnam Ilhwa, was a top-performing team in the 2000s. Many legends have played for the club, and they’ve won seven first division titles. They also won the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) twice, proving that they were the best club in Asia beyond Korea.
Seongnam’s fortunes changed when its parent company pulled out. The club was on the brink of extinction, but was saved by the city of Seongnam, which declared it a civic club. Despite the change in funding, the team won the 2014 FA Cup (now the Korea Cup) and qualified for the ACL. Despite relegation, the team bounced back to play in the K League 1.
Compared to the old days of Seongnam Ilhwa, the civic club left a lot to be desired, but it was still going strong. After finishing at the bottom of the K League 1 in the 2022 season, they were relegated and fell out of the public eye.
Over the next two years, Seongnam went downhill. They started the 2023 season in ninth place and finished the year in ninth place. The club started the 2024 season with the highest investment in K-League 2, but after just three games, the club fired the head 안전놀이터 coach. Choi Chul-woo took over as acting head coach, but he failed to turn things around, and Seongnam is currently in 13th place in the bottom of the K League 2.
Two seasons of vertical decline have tarnished Seongnam’s reputation. This is a shame considering the team’s history and tradition as the second all-time winner of the K League 1 title, and the fact that they are based in Seongnam, a city of nearly 1 million people (currently 910,000) with good transportation and infrastructure in close proximity to Seoul. Even in the past, when they were in the K League Challenge (now K League 2), they finished 4th and 2nd respectively. In other words, even when they were in the second division, they weren’t as good as they are now. They got out of the second division after two seasons, which is now a long shot (then leader Asan Mugunghwa was declared ineligible for promotion and second-place Seongnam was promoted automatically).
Seongnam is going through its worst period since the club’s inception. Despite various marketing efforts, attendance and interest are down. Past glories are indeed past glories. The echoes of the “Answer Me Series” actors’ lines in the final episode, nostalgic for a time that will never return, fill Tancheon Stadium.
In an effort to turn things around, Seongnam has held meetings with disgruntled and distrustful supporters and held an open search for a new manager. It will take a concerted effort from the club, the fans, the players, and the staff to turn things around and have a chance of getting out of the worst period in their history. Of course, there’s still a lot of season left, and a miraculous winning streak could put them in the playoffs, but for now, it looks like Seongnam needs to focus more on stabilizing and rebuilding for the long term.