1. Early life and career inception
Koh Myong-jin's journey into professional football began at an early age, demonstrating his talent and commitment from his youth.
1.1. Childhood and early professional entry
Koh Myong-jin attended Seokgwan Middle School before making an early entry into the professional football scene. In 2003, he joined FC Seoul, then known as Anyang LG Cheetahs, directly from middle school, marking the beginning of his professional career.
2. Club career
Koh Myong-jin's club career spans over a decade and a half, with significant stints in South Korea, Qatar, and Croatia, contributing to several championships.
2.1. FC Seoul
Koh Myong-jin officially made his professional debut in 2004 with Anyang LG Cheetahs, which later became FC Seoul. In the 2006 K League season, he made 13 appearances and scored his first professional goal on October 21 against Jeonnam Dragons in an away match. However, his performance was less prominent in 2007 and 2008. The 2009 K League season saw him secure a more favorable position in the starting lineup, appearing in 20 league matches, scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist. His contributions significantly increased in the 2011 K League season, where he played 24 matches, scored 2 goals, and recorded 7 assists, bringing him wider recognition.
In January 2014, Koh was appointed as the vice-captain of FC Seoul for the 2014 K League Classic season. Building on his leadership qualities and strong presence, he was officially named the team captain ahead of the 2015 K League Classic season, a testament to his integral role within the club.
2.2. Overseas career
On July 15, 2015, Koh Myong-jin made a move to the Qatar Stars League by transferring to Al-Rayyan SC. During his time with Al-Rayyan, he played a crucial role in their success, including winning the 2015-16 Qatar Stars League title.
After his stint in Qatar, Koh Myong-jin transitioned to European football, joining NK Slaven Belupo in the Croatian First Football League on July 1, 2019. However, his time in Croatia was brief, as he left the club two months later in September 2019.
2.3. Ulsan Hyundai
Koh Myong-jin returned to the South Korean domestic league, the K League 1, joining Ulsan Hyundai FC on December 23, 2019, ahead of the 2020 K League 1 season. In his first season with Ulsan, he was instrumental in the club's success, helping them win the 2020 AFC Champions League, which marked the second time in the club's history they achieved this continental title. His return to the K League also saw him contribute to Ulsan Hyundai's K League 1 championship victory in 2022.
3. International career
Koh Myong-jin's talent also earned him recognition at the national level. On May 23, 2011, he received his first call-up to the South Korea national football team for friendly matches against Serbia and Ghana, though he did not make an appearance in these matches.
He eventually made his national team debut in a friendly match against Australia on November 14, 2012, in a game that South Korea lost 2-1. In December 2013, he was once again called up to the national squad, led by then-manager Hong Myung-bo, and featured in a match against the Russian national team.
Koh was also included in the national team squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon and Thailand. However, he was later replaced by Ju Se-jong in the final squad for friendly matches against Spain and the Czech Republic due to an injury.
4. Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| FC Seoul | 2004 | K League 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2006 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | 0 | - | 20 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2007 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 14 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 2008 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | 0 | - | 14 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2009 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 29 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 2010 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2011 | 24 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | - | 31 | 3 | 7 | ||
| 2012 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 40 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
| 2013 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 2 | - | 46 | 5 | 2 | ||||
| 2014 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 10 | 0 | - | 44 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 2015 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 1 | - | 29 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 195 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 0 | - | 23 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 4 | - | 278 | 18 | 15 | ||
| Al-Rayyan | 2015-16 | Qatar Stars League | 23 | 2 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 2 | - | ||
| 2016-17 | 23 | 5 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | - | 29 | 5 | - | ||
| 2017-18 | 18 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | - | 24 | 1 | - | ||
| 2018-19 | 18 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | - | 23 | 1 | - | ||
| Total | 82 | 9 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 17 | 0 | - | 99 | 9 | - | ||
| Slaven Belupo | 2019-20 | 1.HNL | 4 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 4 | 0 | - | ||||
| Ulsan Hyundai | 2020 | K League 1 | 14 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 0 | - | 24 | 0 | - | ||
| 2021 | 15 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | - | 6 | 0 | - | 21 | 0 | - | ||||
| 2022 | 7 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | - | - | 5 | 0 | - | 13 | 0 | - | ||||
| Total | 36 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 19 | 0 | - | 58 | 0 | - | ||
| Career total | 317 | 23 | 15 | 20 | 0 | - | 23 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 4 | - | 439 | 27 | 15 | ||
5. Honours
Koh Myong-jin has achieved numerous team and individual honors throughout his professional career:
FC Seoul
- K League 1: 2010, 2012
- League Cup: 2006, 2010
- AFC Champions League runner-up: 2013
- FA Cup runner-up: 2014
Al-Rayyan SC
- Qatar Stars League: 2015-16
Ulsan Hyundai FC
- AFC Champions League: 2020
- K League 1: 2022
Individual
- K League Best XI: 2014