1. Early life and youth career
Kim Kee-hee was born on 13 July 1989 in Busan, South Korea. He grew up in challenging circumstances, raised by a single mother. His early football development began at Deokcheon Elementary School (2001), followed by Jangpyeong Middle School (2002-2004) and Bukyeong High School (2005-2007). From 2008 to 2010, Kim played in the U-League for Hongik University, where he continued to hone his skills before making his professional debut.
2. Professional club career
Kim Kee-hee's professional club career has spanned multiple leagues across Asia and North America, marked by significant transfers and contributions to championship-winning teams.
2.1. Daegu FC
Kim Kee-hee was drafted by Daegu FC in the second round of the 2011 K League draft. He made his professional debut on 5 March 2011, playing the full 90 minutes in Daegu's opening match of the 2011 K League season against Gwangju FC, which ended in a 2-3 loss for Daegu. Initially, Kim played as a defensive midfielder, but after the club's main center-back, Lee Sang-deok, was dismissed due to a match-fixing scandal, Kim transitioned to the center-back position to fill the void. In his debut season, he appeared in 12 matches.
On 31 March 2012, Kim scored his debut professional goal in a K League match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, finding the net in added time of the second half to secure a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory for Daegu. Following his participation in the 2012 London Olympics, Kim was loaned to Al-Sailiya, a newly promoted club in the Qatar Stars League, on 24 September 2012. He spent one season with Al-Sailiya.
During his loan period, in early 2013, Daegu FC sought to fully transfer Kim due to his increased market value after the Olympics. This led to a controversial situation where Daegu FC reportedly agreed to transfer Kim to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for a fee exceeding 1.00 B KRW in the July transfer window, without Kim's knowledge or consent. This incident drew public criticism, but Kim eventually agreed to the transfer to Jeonbuk.
2.2. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Kim joined fellow K League side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on 9 July 2013, after the controversial transfer from Daegu FC. With Jeonbuk, he played a crucial role in the team's success, helping them secure two consecutive K League 1 titles in 2014 and 2015. He also contributed to the team's third-place finish in the 2013 K League 1 season and helped them reach the Korean FA Cup final in 2013 and the semi-finals in 2014. During his tenure, he made 80 appearances for the club.
2.3. Shanghai Shenhua
On 19 February 2016, Kim Kee-hee made a significant move to Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. The transfer fee was reported to be 6.00 M USD, which his agent described as the "biggest transfer in Korean history" for a K League player at the time. Kim debuted for Shanghai Shenhua on 5 March 2016, in a 1-1 draw against Yanbian Funde. He was instrumental in Shanghai Shenhua's success, leading the team to a Chinese FA Cup victory in 2017. He also contributed to a fourth-place finish in the 2016 Chinese Super League and a semi-final appearance in the 2016 Chinese FA Cup.
2.4. Seattle Sounders FC (First stint)
On 27 February 2018, Kim was signed by Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer using targeted allocation money. He quickly established himself as a key defender for the Sounders, contributing significantly to their success. In 2019, Kim played a vital role in Seattle Sounders FC's victory in the MLS Cup, securing the championship. After the 2019 season, his contract with Seattle ended, and he was unable to reach a new financial agreement with the club.
2.5. Ulsan Hyundai
On 26 February 2020, Kim Kee-hee returned to the K League, signing with Ulsan Hyundai, marking his return to the domestic league after five years abroad. In his time at Ulsan, Kim became a pivotal player, known for his defensive prowess and leadership.
On 16 September 2023, Kim was appointed the 21st captain of Ulsan Hyundai, taking over from Jung Seung-hyun, reflecting his influence within the squad. He led the team to multiple K League 1 titles in 2022, 2023, and 2024, contributing to their three consecutive league championships. Kim also played a crucial role in Ulsan Hyundai's victory in the AFC Champions League in 2020, scoring a goal against Shanghai Shenhua in the tournament. However, his time at Ulsan was also marked by some controversial incidents. He helped Ulsan reach the Korean FA Cup final in 2020 and the semi-finals in 2021 and 2022, as well as the AFC Champions League semi-finals in 2021. After the 2024 season, Kim parted ways with Ulsan Hyundai.
2.6. Seattle Sounders FC (Second stint)
On 28 January 2025, Kim Kee-hee rejoined his former club, Seattle Sounders FC, on a one-year contract with an option for the following season. His return to the MLS side comes six years after his initial departure from the club. Kim is expected to serve as a rotation player behind the starting center-backs, providing valuable depth due to the team's participation in multiple competitions.
3. International career
Kim Kee-hee has represented South Korea at both the U-23 Olympic level and the senior national team, achieving notable success.
3.1. Olympic Games
In 2011, Kim was selected for the South Korea U-23 national team that participated in the 2012 King's Cup, an annual tournament held in Thailand. Despite initially not making the final roster for the 2012 London Olympics, Kim was called up to the squad as a replacement for the injured Jang Hyun-soo.
Although he did not play in most matches, Kim made a crucial appearance in the bronze medal match against Japan. He was substituted in for Koo Ja-cheol in the final minutes of the game. South Korea secured a 2-0 victory, winning the bronze medal, which was the first Olympic football medal in Korean history. His brief appearance in this match, reportedly around "4 minutes," became a significant narrative in South Korea, humorously referred to as "4-minute discharge" (4분 전역) because it qualified him and the rest of the team for exemption from mandatory military service, which is granted to Olympic medalists.
3.2. Senior national team
Kim Kee-hee received his first call-up to the South Korea senior national team in 2012. On 20 July 2015, he was included in the final squad for the 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup. South Korea went on to win the tournament. Kim made a total of 23 appearances for the senior national team between 2012 and 2017, although he did not score any goals.
4. Controversies
Throughout his career, Kim Kee-hee has been involved in several incidents that garnered public attention and resulted in disciplinary actions.
The first major controversy arose in 2013 when Daegu FC attempted to transfer Kim to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for a fee of 1.00 B KRW without his prior consent. This situation occurred because Kim's market value had significantly increased following his participation and medal win at the 2012 London Olympics. The revelation that Daegu FC had agreed to the transfer without the player's knowledge or agreement caused a significant stir in the Korean football community before Kim eventually agreed to the move.
On 28 June 2020, during a K League 1 match between Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Kim Kee-hee committed a dangerous tackle targeting the ankle of Jeonbuk player Kim Bo-kyung. This incident led to Kim Kee-hee receiving a red card and subsequent disciplinary action. On 9 July 2020, the disciplinary committee fined him 3.00 M KRW for the tackle.
Another notable incident occurred on 30 September 2023, during an away match against Pohang Steelers at Steel Yard. Kim Kee-hee engaged in inappropriate conduct by provoking the opposing team's supporters. For this behavior, he was fined 5.00 M KRW.
5. Honours
Kim Kee-hee has accumulated numerous honors throughout his professional career at both club and international levels.
5.1. Club
- K League 1
- Winner: 2014, 2015 (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
- Winner: 2022, 2023, 2024 (Ulsan Hyundai)
- Runner-up: 2020, 2021 (Ulsan Hyundai)
- Third place: 2013 (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
- Chinese FA Cup
- Winner: 2017 (Shanghai Shenhua)
- Semi-finalist: 2016 (Shanghai Shenhua)
- MLS Cup
- Winner: 2019 (Seattle Sounders FC)
- AFC Champions League
- Winner: 2020 (Ulsan Hyundai)
- Semi-finalist: 2021 (Ulsan Hyundai)
- Korean FA Cup
- Runner-up: 2013 (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), 2020 (Ulsan Hyundai)
- Semi-finalist: 2014 (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), 2021 (Ulsan Hyundai), 2022 (Ulsan Hyundai)
5.2. International
- Summer Olympic Games
- Bronze Medal: 2012 (South Korea U-23)
- EAFF East Asian Cup
- Winner: 2015 (South Korea)
5.3. Individual
- K League 1 Best XI: 2015, 2024
6. Career statistics
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Others | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | League | KFA Cup | League Cup | Asia | Others | Total | ||||||||
| 2011 | Daegu FC | K League 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 0 |
| 2012 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 17 | 2 | ||
| Qatar | League | Cup | QNB Cup | Asia | Others | Total | ||||||||
| 2012-13 | Al-Sailiya SC | Qatar Stars League | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 20 | 0 |
| South Korea | League | KFA Cup | League Cup | Asia | Others | Total | ||||||||
| 2013 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | K League 1 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 22 | 1 |
| 2014 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 7 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2015 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 1 | - | - | 42 | 1 | ||
| China PR | League | FA Cup | CSL Cup | Asia | Others | Total | ||||||||
| 2016 | Shanghai Shenhua | Chinese Super League | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 33 | 0 |
| 2017 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 17 | 2 | ||
| United States | League | Open Cup | League Cup | North America | Others | Total | ||||||||
| 2018 | Seattle Sounders FC | Major League Soccer | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| 2019 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 4 | 0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| South Korea | League | KFA Cup | League Cup | Asia | Others | Total | ||||||||
| 2020 | Ulsan Hyundai | K League 1 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 1 | - | - | 22 | 1 |
| 2021 | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 48 | 2 | ||
| 2022 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 15 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 294 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 352 | 9 | ||