Oh Jang-eun

2.1. Childhood and Start of Football Career

Oh Jang-Eun was born on July 24, 1985, in Seogwipo, Jeju Province, South Korea. He started playing football in the fourth grade of elementary school. Early in his youth, he briefly traveled to Belgium to pursue football studies, but this venture was ultimately unsuccessful, leading him to return to South Korea. He attended Seogwipo Elementary School and Jochon Middle School. Due to his name, Oh Jang-Eun, he earned the nickname 'O-jjang' (오짱_O-jjang^Korean), a playful and affectionate shortening.

2.2. Youth Club Career

Unusually for a South Korean player of his era, Oh Jang-Eun did not develop his youth career through a traditional Korean university football program. Instead, while attending Seogwipo High School, he caught the eye of Yoon Sung-Hyo, who was then a coach for Suwon Samsung Bluewings, and trained with Suwon's reserve team. However, in August 2001, he participated in a trial with FC Tokyo in Japan. He was accepted into the FC Tokyo U-18 youth academy in 2001 and played there until 2003, during which he also attended a Japanese high school.

In 2002, while still part of the FC Tokyo U-18 squad, Oh was registered as a Type 2 player for the senior team. On April 13, 2002, he made his J1 League debut against Gamba Osaka at the age of 16 years, 8 months, and 20 days. This appearance set a record as the youngest player to play in the J1 League, a record he held for approximately two years until it was surpassed by Takayuki Morimoto (at 15 years, 10 months, 6 days). During his time in Japan, he became proficient in Japanese. He was also close to his youth teammates, including Yohei Kajiyama, Tadanari Lee, Jiro Kamata, and Masaya Saito, with Tadanari Lee initially serving as his interpreter before Oh mastered the language.

3.1. FC Tokyo (2002-2004)

Oh Jang-Eun officially signed a professional contract with FC Tokyo in 2004, alongside Yohei Kajiyama and Tadanari Lee, after having debuted as a youth player for the club in 2002. During his time at FC Tokyo, he primarily played as a right full-back. By the end of 2004, FC Tokyo's management determined that Oh would face limitations on his playing time due to foreign player quota restrictions, as the "Asian player quota" had not yet been introduced.

Initially, a loan move to a J2 League club was considered. However, Oh expressed a strong desire to transfer to the K League in South Korea. He believed that playing in South Korea's top division would increase his chances of being noticed by the national team staff and facilitate easier integration with the U-20 national team, as he aimed to participate in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. FC Tokyo respected his wishes, and he returned to South Korea, expressing a hope to play in Japan again in the future.

3.2. K League Career (2005-2010)

After his departure from Japan, Oh Jang-Eun returned to the South Korean professional football scene, establishing himself as a key midfielder for various K League clubs.

3.3. Suwon Samsung Bluewings (2011-2016)

On February 1, 2011, Oh Jang-Eun signed with Suwon Samsung Bluewings. His transfer was strongly advocated by coach Yoon Sung-Hyo, despite initial complexities that nearly involved a trade with Cho Won-hee. In his debut match for Suwon on March 6, 2011, the opening match of the 2011 season against FC Seoul, he scored a decisive goal in the second half, securing a 2-0 victory for his team.

During his time at Suwon, Oh Jang-Eun showcased his remarkable versatility, playing not only as a defensive midfielder but also as a left or right full-back, an attacking midfielder, and even a shadow striker. This adaptability earned him recognition as a "multi-player" and a "hidden hero" for Suwon, with some media nicknaming him "O! Jjang." His performance was highly regarded by coach Seo Jung-won, who took over in 2013 and even recommended him for the national team. In 2013, he served as the team's vice-captain and frequently took on the role of game captain in the absence of the injured captain, Kim Doo-hyun. He was celebrated for his tireless work rate, covering 7.5 mile ^{(12 km)} in a "Super Match" against FC Seoul, and consistently supported the team in both offense and defense, earning him the MVP award from Suwon fans in May 2013.

In 2014, he continued as vice-captain and filled in as right full-back for Oh Beom-seok who was serving military duty. However, this period was marked by significant challenges as he suffered from hyperthyroidism and a knee injury, leading to frequent absences. His decreased availability and high salary nearly led to his contract termination at the end of the 2015 season, but he re-signed with Suwon in February 2016. On April 16, 2016, in an away match against Incheon United, he scored a goal, marking his first goal in 948 days. This goal would ultimately be his last in an official match before retirement.

3.4. Seongnam FC and Daejeon Citizen (2017-2018)

On January 1, 2017, Oh Jang-Eun transferred to Seongnam FC, then playing in the K League Challenge (the second tier of South Korean football). However, his time at Seongnam was limited due to injuries, and he only made four league appearances.

In 2018, he moved to Daejeon Citizen, which was also in the K League 2. At Daejeon, he was appointed as the team captain, showcasing his leadership qualities in the final stages of his playing career.

4.1. Youth National Teams

Oh Jang-Eun represented South Korea at multiple youth levels, showcasing his talent from an early age. He was a member of the U-15 national team. He also played for the U-19 national team, contributing to their victory in the 2004 AFC Youth Championship held in Malaysia.

He was part of the U-20 national team in 2002, 2004, and 2005, playing a crucial role in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands, where the team exited in the group stage. Additionally, he featured for the U-21 team in 2006 and the U-22 team in 2007 during the Asian qualifiers for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As a key player for the U-23 Olympic team, he participated in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, where South Korea finished fourth, and subsequently in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, where the team was eliminated in the group stage.

4.2. Senior National Team

Oh Jang-Eun made his debut for the senior national team on October 8, 2006, in a friendly match against Ghana. He was selected for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, where he replaced the injured Kim Nam-il. In the third-place play-off against Japan, he started as a defensive midfielder and played a crucial role in neutralizing Japan's attack, helping South Korea secure third place.

He also participated in the 2008 East Asian Football Championship, which South Korea won. In 2010, he was called up to the 2010 East Asian Football Championship as an additional player following an injury to Yeom Ki-hun, and he played in all three matches of the tournament, where South Korea finished as runners-up. Overall, he earned 14 international caps for the senior national team between 2006 and 2010.

5.1. Professional Retirement

Oh Jang-Eun officially announced his retirement as a professional footballer on July 24, 2019, which coincided with his 34th birthday. Prior to his announcement, he had been exploring options for continuing his playing career while undergoing coaching training in Germany, but ultimately decided to conclude his active playing days. His retirement and the circumstances leading up to it were detailed in an interview published by the South Korean news site "news1" on July 25, 2019.

5.2. Coaching Career

In 2020, Oh Jang-Eun took on his first official coaching role, joining his former club FC Tokyo as a youth team coach. Later that year, on December 29, 2020, he returned to Suwon Samsung Bluewings, the club where he spent the longest period of his playing career, to become a coach for their second team under manager Park Kun-ha. By 2022, he was promoted to a coach for the Suwon Samsung Bluewings first team.

6.1. Marriage and Family

Oh Jang-Eun married in December 2012.

6.2. Charitable Activities and Nicknames

During the off-season, Oh Jang-Eun took on a leadership role in organizing "Chuk-Kaeng" (추캥_Chuk-Kaeng^Korean), a charity football event focused on promoting happiness through football. The name "Chuk-Kaeng" is a portmanteau derived from the Korean words for "football" (축구_Chukgu^Korean) and "happiness" (행복_Haengbok^Korean). What began as a small initiative involving a few players eventually grew into a major event, attracting K League All-Star players through Oh's dedication and efforts.

His versatile playing style, covering multiple positions on the field, led Korean media to describe him as "Palbangmiin" (팔방미인_Palbangmiin^Korean), a Korean term that positively refers to someone with diverse talents or who excels in many areas, unlike its Japanese counterpart which can sometimes imply a "jack of all trades, master of none." His earlier nickname, 'O-jjang', originating from his name, remained popular throughout his career.

6.3. Jersey Number Anecdotes

In 2016, during his second stint with Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Oh Jang-Eun chose the jersey number 66. This choice was symbolic, reflecting his hope to overcome the difficulties he had previously experienced while wearing the number 9 and to bring about a period of sustained good fortune in his career.

7.1. Club Statistics

7.2. National Team Statistics

8.1. Club Honours

• J.League Cup (1): 2004 (with FC Tokyo)
• K-League Cup (1): 2007 (with Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i)
• FA Cup (1): 2016 (with Suwon Samsung Bluewings)

8.2. International Honours

• AFC U-19 Championship (1): 2004 (with South Korea U-19)
• AFC Asian Cup: Third Place (1): 2007 (with South Korea)
• East Asian Football Championship (1): 2008 (with South Korea)
• East Asian Football Championship: Runner-up (1): 2010 (with South Korea)