1. Overview
Park Byeong-ju (박병주 (朴炳柱)Bak Byeong-juKorean; born March 24, 1985) is a former South Korean professional footballer who played as a defender. He began his professional career in 2008 with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, though he made no appearances for the club. He then moved to National League side Suwon City FC, where he played for two seasons and contributed to the team's 2010 National League championship. Park later had two separate stints with Gwangju FC in the K-League, and also played for Jeju United for one season before retiring in 2014.
2. Early life and education
Park Byeong-ju was born on March 24, 1985, in South Korea. He pursued his higher education at Dankook University, where he played collegiate football before turning professional.
3. Club career
Park Byeong-ju's professional club career spanned from 2008 to 2014, encompassing play in both the K-League and the National League, the two prominent football leagues in South Korea at the time.
3.1. Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
Park Byeong-ju joined Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (성남 일화 천마Seongnam Ilhwa CheonmaKorean), a prominent club in the K-League, in 2008. He was selected through the 2008 K-League rookie draft. Despite joining a top-tier club, his tenure at Seongnam was one of his less successful spells, as he made no official appearances for the team during his single season there.
3.2. Suwon City FC
In 2009, Park Byeong-ju transferred to National League club Suwon City FC (수원시청 축구단Suwonsicheong ChukgudanKorean), which is now known as Suwon FC. He spent two seasons with Suwon City FC, becoming a regular fixture in their defense. During this period, he made 42 appearances and scored 2 goals. His contributions were instrumental in the team's success, notably helping them secure the National League championship in 2010.
3.3. Gwangju FC (first stint)
On January 3, 2011, Park Byeong-ju transferred to Gwangju FC (광주 FCGwangju FCKorean), a newly formed club that was set to compete in the K-League. He made his K-League debut for Gwangju FC in the 2011 season opener on March 6, 2011, in a match against Daegu FC (대구 FCDaegu FCKorean).
3.4. Jeju United
Following his positive performances during his first stint with Gwangju FC, Park Byeong-ju transferred to K-League rivals Jeju United (제주 유나이티드Jeju UnitedKorean) on January 9, 2012. He made this move alongside his then-teammate Heo Jae-won.
3.5. Return to Gwangju and retirement
Ahead of the 2013 season, after spending a year with Jeju United, Park Byeong-ju returned to his former club, Gwangju FC. He continued to play professionally for Gwangju FC until 2014, at which point he formally retired from his playing career.
4. Achievements
Park Byeong-ju's professional career included a significant club achievement, primarily during his time in the National League.
4.1. Club
- National League: 2010 (with Suwon City FC)