1. Early Life and Youth Career
Kim Seung-dae's footballing journey began early within the youth system of Pohang Steelers. He progressed through the club's affiliated school teams, attending Pohang Jecheol Elementary School, Pohang Jecheol Middle School, and Pohang Jecheol High School.
1.1. Birth and Background
Kim Seung-dae was born on 1 April 1991, in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. He stands at 5.8 ft (1.76 m) tall. In his personal life, he is married to the younger sister of fellow footballer Son Jun-ho.
1.2. Youth Football and Education
His talent was recognized early, as he was a priority pick for Pohang Steelers in the 2010 K League Draft. Following his high school career, Kim attended Youngnam University before officially joining Pohang Steelers' professional squad in 2013.
2. Club Career
Kim Seung-dae's professional club career has seen him play for several teams across South Korea and China, marked by multiple returns to his boyhood club, Pohang Steelers.
2.1. Pohang Steelers (2013-2015)
Kim Seung-dae officially joined Pohang Steelers in 2013, prior to the start of the 2013 K League Classic season. His professional debut came on 13 March 2013, in the AFC Champions League 2013 group stage, where he started in an away match against FC Bunyodkor. Despite a team composed largely of young players, Pohang secured a notable 2-2 draw in Uzbekistan. He made his K League debut on 17 March, entering as a substitute in the 85th minute of a match against Suwon Samsung Bluewings. His first start in the K League was in the sixth round against Gyeongnam FC. On 3 July, he recorded his first career assist, setting up Go Mu-yeol for the winning goal in the 87th minute against FC Seoul.
As the season progressed, Kim stepped up to fill critical roles due to the loan departure of Shin Jin-ho and an injury to Hwang Jin-sung. He played a pivotal role in a 3-0 victory over Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, contributing to Pohang's first two goals. His debut goal as a professional came on 19 October 2013, in the 2013 Korean FA Cup final against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, where he scored the opening goal in the 24th minute. His performance helped Pohang Steelers secure the FA Cup title. He continued his strong form in the league, recording 3 goals and 3 assists in four matches in November, which propelled Pohang to win the 2013 K League Classic title.
In the 2014 K League Classic season, Kim formed an effective partnership with teammate Lee Myung-joo, achieving a remarkable run of 5 consecutive goals in the K League Classic. He finished the season with 10 goals and 8 assists. In the AFC Champions League 2014, he scored 5 goals in 8 appearances, helping Pohang reach the quarterfinals. His outstanding performance earned him the K League Rookie of the Year Award in 2014, making Pohang Steelers the first club to produce three consecutive Rookie of the Year winners.
2.2. Yanbian Funde
On 8 December 2015, Kim Seung-dae transferred to Yanbian Funde, a club in the Chinese Super League. He played for the club during the 2016 Chinese Super League and 2017 Chinese Super League seasons.
2.3. Pohang Steelers (2017-2019)
Kim Seung-dae made a return to his former club, Pohang Steelers, on 12 July 2017, after a period of one year and seven months away. However, his second stint began with a disciplinary setback; just five matches into his return, on 6 August, he was sent off in a game against Jeonnam Dragons. Following this, he received an additional 5-match ban for comments made regarding VAR decisions. He was able to return to the pitch on 8 October against Suwon Samsung Bluewings. On 14 October, he scored his first goal since rejoining Pohang in the 11th minute against Incheon United FC. On 30 June 2019, he joined the exclusive "30-30 club" in K League history, becoming the 49th player to achieve at least 30 goals and 30 assists, by assisting Wanderson's goal against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
2.4. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
On 15 July 2019, with six months remaining on his contract, Kim Seung-dae transferred to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. He scored his first goal for Jeonbuk on 20 July in a match against FC Seoul.
2.5. Gangwon FC (loan)
Ahead of the 2020 K League 1 season, Kim Seung-dae was loaned to Gangwon FC. He scored his first goal for Gangwon on 10 May in a match against FC Seoul.
2.6. Pohang Steelers (2022-2024)
In March 2022, Kim Seung-dae rejoined Pohang Steelers for his third spell at the club, marking his return after two and a half years.
2.7. Daejeon Hana Citizen
As of 2024, Kim Seung-dae plays for Daejeon Hana Citizen in the K League 1.
3. National Team Career
Kim Seung-dae has represented South Korea at various youth and senior levels, achieving significant success with the U-23 team.
3.1. South Korea U-20
In 2010, Kim Seung-dae was called up to the South Korea U-19 team for the UAE Four-Nation Friendly Tournament. He made substitute appearances in the first match against Germany and the second match against Egypt.
3.2. South Korea U-23
On 1 June 2014, Kim Seung-dae started and scored the opening goal in the 20th minute of a friendly match against Kuwait at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium. This match served as the stadium's opening event and a warm-up for the 2014 Asian Games. On 14 August, he was named to the final U-23 squad for the 2014 Asian Games. He played a crucial role in the tournament, scoring in three consecutive group stage matches. His contributions helped the team secure the gold medal in men's football, marking South Korea's first Asian Games gold in 28 years.
3.3. South Korea senior team
In October 2014, Kim Seung-dae received his first call-up to the senior national team for two A-matches under coach Uli Stielike, though he did not make an appearance. In December of the same year, he was called up for a training camp in Jeju Island in preparation for the upcoming 2015 AFC Asian Cup, but he withdrew due to injury. On 20 July 2015, he was included in the final squad for the 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup. He made his A-match debut and scored his first international goal in the opening match of the tournament against China.
In January 2018, Kim returned to the national team after a two-year and eight-month absence, joining a domestic player training camp in Turkey for three friendly matches against Moldova, Jamaica, and Latvia. He started in the first match against Moldova, playing diligently for 70 minutes and receiving positive evaluations. However, he faced significant criticism for missing a crucial scoring opportunity in the second match against Jamaica. On 1 October 2018, he was called up by coach Paulo Bento for matches against Uruguay and Panama, but he did not feature in either game.
4. Honours
Kim Seung-dae has achieved several team and individual honors throughout his career at both club and international levels.
4.1. Club Honours
; Pohang Steelers
- K League 1: 2013
- Korean FA Cup: 2013, 2023
; Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
- K League 1: 2019
4.2. International Honours
; South Korea
- EAFF East Asian Cup: 2015, 2019
; South Korea U23
- Asian Games Gold Medal: 2014
4.3. Individual Awards
- K League Rookie of the Year Award: 2014
- K League Special Award (Full-season, full-time appearance): 2018
5. Career Statistics
5.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Pohang Steelers | 2013 | K League 1 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 4 |
| 2014 | 30 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 40 | 15 | ||
| 2015 | 34 | 8 | 3 | 0 | - | 37 | 8 | |||
| total | 85 | 21 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 103 | 27 | ||
| Yanbian Funde | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 30 | 8 | 0 | 0 | - | 30 | 8 | |
| 2017 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 6 | 1 | |||
| total | 36 | 9 | 0 | 0 | - | 36 | 9 | |||
| Pohang Steelers | 2017 | K League 1 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 11 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 38 | 8 | 0 | 0 | - | 38 | 8 | |||
| 2019 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | 20 | 3 | |||
| total | 69 | 13 | 0 | 0 | - | 69 | 13 | |||
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2019 | K League 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 11 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 26 | 1 | ||
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| total | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 38 | 2 | ||
| Gangwon FC (loan) | 2020 | K League 1 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 23 | 2 | |
| Pohang Steelers | 2022 | K League 1 | 27 | 6 | 1 | 0 | - | 28 | 6 | |
| 2023 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 44 | 3 | ||
| total | 62 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 72 | 9 | ||
| Daejeon Hana Citizen | 2024 | K League 1 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 26 | 2 | |
| Career total | 332 | 57 | 15 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 367 | 64 | ||
5.2. International goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 August 2015 | Wuhan Sports Center Stadium, Wuhan | China | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup |
6. Personal Life
Kim Seung-dae is married to the younger sister of fellow South Korean footballer Son Jun-ho, making them relatives by marriage.
7. Evaluation and Criticism
Kim Seung-dae's career has seen periods of both high praise and notable criticism. His impressive performances, particularly during his early career at Pohang Steelers, earned him the K League Rookie of the Year award in 2014 and contributed significantly to his team's success in league and cup competitions. He was also a key player in the South Korea U-23 national team's gold medal win at the 2014 Asian Games, where his consistent scoring in the group stage was highlighted.
However, his career has not been without controversy. Upon his return to Pohang Steelers in 2017, he received a 5-match additional ban for comments made regarding VAR decisions after being sent off, indicating a disciplinary issue. Furthermore, during his return to the senior national team in 2018, while he received positive evaluations for his diligent play in a friendly against Moldova, he faced significant public criticism for missing a crucial scoring opportunity in a subsequent match against Jamaica. These incidents reflect moments where his performance or conduct drew negative attention, contrasting with his otherwise impactful contributions on the field.