1. Overview
Kim Tae-hyeon (김태현Kim Tae-hyeonKorean; born September 17, 2000) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a defender for J1 League club Kashima Antlers. He began his professional career with Ulsan Hyundai and has since played for several clubs in South Korea and Japan, including loan spells at Daejeon Citizen and Seoul E-Land, and a significant period with Vegalta Sendai. Kim has also represented South Korea at various youth national team levels, achieving notable success in international tournaments.
2. Early life and youth career
Kim Tae-hyeon's early life and formative years in football laid the groundwork for his professional career, starting with his birth in Gimpo and his development through youth football.
2.1. Birth and background
Kim Tae-hyeon was born on September 17, 2000, in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. He stands at 6.1 ft (1.87 m) and weighs 181 lb (82 kg). He is a left-footed player, primarily excelling in defensive roles.
2.2. Youth career
Kim Tae-hyeon attended Tongjin High School from 2015 to 2017, where he developed his footballing skills. His performances at the high school level attracted attention, leading to his professional debut shortly after.
3. Club career
Kim Tae-hyeon's professional club career began in South Korea before he moved to Japan, progressing through various leagues and teams.
3.1. Ulsan Hyundai and early loans
Kim Tae-hyeon joined K League 1 club Ulsan Hyundai in January 2019 while still attending high school. To gain more playing experience, he was loaned to K League 2 side Daejeon Citizen for six months in July 2019. He made his professional debut on August 19, 2019, in a match against Bucheon FC 1995.
In 2020, Kim was again loaned to another K League 2 club, Seoul E-Land FC, for a full year. During this spell, he scored his first professional goal on July 11, 2020, in a match against Gyeongnam FC. He returned to Ulsan Hyundai in 2021, but his playing time was limited, with only six league appearances that season.
3.2. Vegalta Sendai
On December 28, 2021, Kim Tae-hyeon moved to Japan, joining J2 League club Vegalta Sendai on a one-year loan deal. He made his J.League debut on March 30, 2022, in a J2 League match against Oita Trinita at Yurtec Stadium Sendai. His first J.League goal came on July 2, 2022, during a J2 League fixture against FC Machida Zelvia at Machida GION Stadium. During his two seasons with Vegalta Sendai (2022 and 2023), he made a total of 53 league appearances, scoring two goals.
3.3. Sagan Tosu
On January 10, 2024, Kim Tae-hyeon completed a permanent transfer to J1 League club Sagan Tosu. He played for Sagan Tosu for a single season, making 26 appearances in the J1 League.
3.4. Kashima Antlers
It was announced on January 4, 2025, that Kim Tae-hyeon would be joining J1 League club Kashima Antlers on a permanent transfer following his season with Sagan Tosu. He is expected to take on a significant role in the team's defense, wearing jersey number 3.
4. International career
Kim Tae-hyeon has been a regular fixture in South Korea's youth national teams, representing his country across various age groups and contributing to significant tournament successes.
4.1. Youth national teams
Kim Tae-hyeon began his international career with the South Korea U17 squad, playing for them from 2015 to 2016, where he earned 8 caps and scored 1 goal. He then progressed to the South Korea U20 team in 2019, making 2 appearances.
He has been a member of the South Korea U23 (which also includes U-24 call-ups) since 2019. As of late 2023, he had made 11 appearances for the U23 side, including one non-international match. In 2023, he was called up to the South Korea U24 training camps in March and June, underscoring his continued involvement in the national youth setup. His contributions were vital in the U23 team's victories in both the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship and the 2022 Asian Games.
5. Career statistics
5.1. Club statistics
As of the end of the 2024 season, Kim Tae-hyeon's club career statistics are as follows:
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ulsan Hyundai | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Daejeon Citizen (loan) | 2019 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 11 | 0 | ||
| Seoul E-Land (loan) | 2020 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 1 | ||
| Vegalta Sendai (loan) | 2022 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 1 | |||
| Total | 53 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 2 | |
| Sagan Tosu | 2024 | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 31 | 0 | |
| Career total | 120 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 134 | 3 | |
6. Honours
Kim Tae-hyeon has achieved the following team honors in his career:
- AFC U-23 Championship: 2020
- Asian Games: 2022