1. Overview
Kim Hyun-su (김현수Gim HyeonsuKorean, born February 14, 1973) is a South Korean former footballer and current football coach. Throughout his playing career, he primarily served as a defender for Chunnam Dragons and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, achieving significant success in domestic competitions and the AFC Champions League. After retiring as a player, he transitioned into coaching, working with various clubs and youth teams, and is currently a coach for Cheonan City FC. This article details Kim Hyun-su's life from his early education, his professional playing career at both club and international levels, and his subsequent coaching roles.
2. Early life and education
Kim Hyun-su was born on February 14, 1973. He completed his foundational education at An-yang Middle School and An-yang Technical High School. He then pursued higher education at Yonsei University, where he played football from 1991 to 1994. Due to his similar facial appearance, he earned the nickname 'Turtle' (거북이GeobugiKorean).
3. Playing Career
Kim Hyun-su had a professional playing career spanning over a decade, making notable contributions at both the club and international levels. He was known for his defensive prowess and played a key role in several successful campaigns.
3.1. Club Career
Kim Hyun-su began his professional club career in 1995 with Chunnam Dragons. During his initial tenure with the Dragons, he contributed to the team's achievements, including a K League runner-up finish in 1997 and winning the Korean FA Cup in the same year. He also helped the team reach the finals of the Adidas Cup in 1997 and the Daehan Fire Cup in 2000, where they finished as runners-up in both competitions. In 1998, he undertook his mandatory military service, playing for Sangmu on loan until 1999 before returning to Chunnam Dragons.
At the end of the 2002 season, Kim Hyun-su moved to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. With Jeonbuk, he continued his successful career, contributing to two more Korean FA Cup victories in 2003 and 2005. He also won the Korea Super Cup in 2004, though the team was a runner-up in the same competition in 2006. A significant achievement came in 2006 when he helped Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors win the AFC Champions League, which subsequently led to the team's first appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Kim Hyun-su officially announced his retirement on November 9, 2008, during the halftime of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' K League 26th round home match against Gyeongnam FC. At the time of his retirement, he expressed a desire to continue his involvement in football as a coach with Jeonbuk.
Throughout his K League career, Kim Hyun-su accumulated significant statistics across various competitions. The following table summarizes his club appearances and goals:
| Year | Club | League | Apps | Goals | FA Cup | Goals | League Cup | Goals | AFC CL | Goals | Total | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Chunnam Dragons | K League | 20 | 1 | - | 6 | 0 | - | 26 | 1 | ||
| 1996 | 15 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | - | 20 | 0 | ||||
| 1997 | 14 | 0 | - | 16 | 0 | - | 30 | 0 | ||||
| 2000 | 7 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | ||||
| 2001 | 9 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | - | 17 | 0 | ||||
| 2002 | 22 | 1 | - | 8 | 0 | - | 30 | 1 | ||||
| 2003 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | K League | 42 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 46 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | 29 | 0 | |||
| 2006 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | ||
| 2007 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 17 | 0 | |||
| Career Total | 214 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 305 | 4 | ||
3.2. International Career
Kim Hyun-su began his international career by being selected for the South Korea U-23 national team in 1994. He made 28 appearances for the U-23 squad. He participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics as part of the South Korean team.
He later represented the senior national team, making 7 appearances. He was a member of the squad for the 1998 Asian Games. His A-match debut for the senior national team came on November 22, 1998, in a match against the China national team during the Korea-China Annual Match.
4. Coaching Career
After his retirement as a player, Kim Hyun-su transitioned into football coaching. He served as a trainer for his former club, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, from 2009 to 2013. Following his departure from Jeonbuk, he moved to Incheon United FC, where he also worked as a trainer in 2014.
From 2015 to 2021, Kim Hyun-su was deeply involved in the youth system of Chunnam Dragons, the club where he began his playing career. His roles included:
- Coach for Gwangyang Jecheol High School (Jeonnam Dragons U-18) from 2015 to 2016.
- Senior coach for the Jeonnam Dragons first team in 2017.
- Coach for Gwangyang Jecheol Middle School (Jeonnam Dragons U-15) from 2018 to 2019.
- Returning to coach Gwangyang Jecheol High School (Jeonnam Dragons U-18) from 2020 to 2021.
As of 2023, Kim Hyun-su is serving as a senior coach for Cheonan City FC in the K League 2.
5. Honours
Kim Hyun-su received several individual and club honours throughout his career.
5.1. Individual Honours
- K League Defender of the Year: 2001
- K League Contribution Award: 2008
5.2. Club Honours
Chunnam Dragons
- K League: Runner-up (1997)
- Korean FA Cup: Winner (1997)
- Adidas Cup: Runner-up (1997)
- Daehan Fire Cup: Runner-up (2000)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
- Korean FA Cup: Winner (2003, 2005)
- Korea Super Cup: Winner (2004), Runner-up (2006)
- AFC Champions League: Winner (2006)