1. Early Life and Background
Park Yong-woo was born on September 10, 1993, in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. His father, Park Gong-jae, was also a professional footballer, playing as a forward for the Hanil Bank Football Club from 1986 to 1992. Park Yong-woo began his football journey at Gwangyang Jecheol Elementary School, where he received personal coaching from his father on weekends to build his fundamental skills. During his time at Chuncheon Mechanical Technical High School, he was coached by Yoo Sang-chul, a prominent figure in South Korean football and one of the key players who led South Korea to the semifinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He continued his football development at Konkuk University.
2. Club Career
Park Yong-woo's professional career spans several clubs in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, marked by significant achievements and transitions, including a period of mandatory military service.
2.1. FC Seoul
Park Yong-woo began his professional career in 2015, joining FC Seoul as a free agent after completing his third year at Konkuk University. In his debut season, he made 34 appearances across all competitions, contributing to FC Seoul's fourth-place finish in the 2015 K League 1 and their victory in the 2015 Korean FA Cup. He also performed well in the 2015 AFC Champions League Round of 16. In the 2016 season, under coach Hwang Sun-hong, Park made 26 appearances and scored 2 goals. He helped the team win the 2016 K League 1 title and reach the semifinals of the 2016 AFC Champions League, as well as the final of the 2016 Korean FA Cup. However, due to inconsistent performances and strong competition for the defensive midfield position from players like Osmar Ibáñez, Yojiro Takahagi, and Ju Se-jong, Park's contract with FC Seoul concluded at the end of the 2016 season.
2.2. Ulsan Hyundai (1st Stint)
In 2017, Park Yong-woo transferred to Ulsan Hyundai FC. During his first stint with Ulsan until the end of the 2019 season, he played in 123 official matches, scoring 8 goals. He was instrumental in Ulsan's success, including winning the 2017 Korean FA Cup, finishing third in the 2018 K League 1, and being runner-up in both the 2018 Korean FA Cup and the 2019 K League 1. In the 2019 season, he served as vice-captain alongside Park Joo-ho.
2.3. Gimcheon Sangmu
Following the 2019 season, Park Yong-woo, along with teammates Lee Myung-jae and Oh Se-hun, began his mandatory military service by joining Gimcheon Sangmu FC. During his two seasons with Gimcheon Sangmu, he made 30 appearances and scored 1 goal. Notably, in the 2020 K League 1, he played in 25 matches, contributing to Gimcheon Sangmu's fourth-place finish, which was the club's highest-ever ranking in K League 1 history. He completed his military service after the fifth round of the 2021 K League 2 season.
2.4. Ulsan Hyundai (2nd Stint)
After completing his military service, Park Yong-woo returned to Ulsan Hyundai for his second stint. In the 2021 season, he made 17 appearances across all competitions, helping the team achieve a runner-up finish in the 2021 K League 1, reach the semifinals of the 2021 Korean FA Cup, and advance to the semifinals of the 2021 AFC Champions League. In the 2022 season, he played in 31 league matches and 40 official matches overall, recording one assist. His contributions were crucial to Ulsan's victory in the 2022 K League 1, marking the club's first league title in 17 years. In the 2023 season, he made 20 appearances and scored 1 goal, helping Ulsan maintain their lead in the league before his mid-season transfer.
2.5. Al Ain FC
On July 17, 2023, Park Yong-woo's transfer to Al Ain FC in the UAE Pro League was officially announced, marking his first venture into an overseas league after eight years in professional football. He quickly became an integral part of the team, playing 17 league matches and 35 total matches in the 2023-24 UAE Pro League season, scoring 1 goal. Park played a significant role in Al Ain's historic victory in the 2023-24 AFC Champions League, their first since 2003. He continues to contribute to Al Ain in the 2024-25 UAE Pro League and AFC Champions League Elite.
3. International Career
Park Yong-woo has represented South Korea at both the U-23 and senior national team levels.
3.1. South Korea U-23 National Team
Park Yong-woo was included in the final squad for the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship, replacing Lee Chan-dong. He played a key role in the team's runner-up finish, which secured South Korea's eighth consecutive qualification for the Olympic Games. However, his performance during the 2016 Summer Olympics was considered underwhelming in both attack and defense, contributing to the team's elimination in the quarterfinals, their earliest exit from the Olympics in 12 years.
3.2. South Korea National Team
In June 2023, Park Yong-woo received his first call-up to the senior South Korea national football team under coach Jürgen Klinsmann for friendly matches against Peru and El Salvador. He made his senior international debut on June 16, coming on as a substitute in the second half of the match against Peru.
4. Play Style
Park Yong-woo primarily operates as a defensive midfielder, where he excels at shielding the defensive line. He possesses decent passing ability and technique, but his most notable strength lies in his excellent anticipation, which allows him to effectively intercept opposing passes. His versatility also allows him to play as a centre-back.
5. Career statistics
Updated as of match played on 5 November 2024
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental (ACL/ACLE) | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Seoul | 2015 | K League Classic | 26 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 6 | 1 | 26 | 2 | |||
| Total | 45 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 60 | 2 | ||
| Ulsan Hyundai | 2017 | K League Classic | 31 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | 3 | 0 | 37 | 3 | |
| 2018 | K League 1 | 31 | 3 | 6 | 0 | - | 3 | 1 | 40 | 4 | ||
| 2019 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 9 | 1 | 46 | 1 | |||
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |||
| 2023 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 20 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 157 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | 195 | 9 | ||
| Sangju Sangmu | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 1 | ||||
| 2021 | K League 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 5 | 0 | |||
| Total | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | ||
| Al-Ain | 2023-24 | UPL | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| Total | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 44 | 1 | ||
| Career totals | 253 | 9 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 3 | 329 | 13 | ||
6. Honours
Park Yong-woo has accumulated numerous team and individual honors throughout his career.
FC Seoul
- K League 1:
- Winner: 2016
- Korean FA Cup:
- Winner: 2015
- Runner-up: 2016
- AFC Champions League:
- Semifinals: 2016
Ulsan Hyundai
- K League 1:
- Winner: 2022
- Runner-up: 2019, 2021
- Korean FA Cup:
- Winner: 2017
- Runner-up: 2018
Gimcheon Sangmu
- K League 2:
- Winner: 2021
Al Ain FC
- AFC Champions League:
- Winner: 2023-24
South Korea U-23
- AFC U-23 Championship:
- Runner-up: 2016
7. Controversy
In June 2023, Park Yong-woo became involved in a significant controversy concerning racial remarks made on social media. Alongside teammates Lee Myung-jae and Lee Kyu-sung, Park made derogatory comments on social media targeting Sasalak Haiprakhon, a Thai national team player who had previously played for rival club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. The incident sparked widespread criticism and accusations of racism.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the K League convened a disciplinary committee on June 22, 2023. This marked the first time in the K League's history, since its establishment in 1983, that a disciplinary committee was held specifically to address an issue of racial discrimination. The committee imposed a one-match suspension and a fine of 15.00 M KRW on each of the three players, including Park Yong-woo. The club, Ulsan Hyundai, was also fined 30.00 M KRW. This incident highlighted the importance of promoting respect and preventing discrimination within football, underscoring the K League's commitment to addressing such issues seriously.
8. External links
- [https://www.kleague.com/player/20150159 Park Yong-woo] at K League (in Korean)
- [http://www.kfa.or.kr/record/playeramatch.asp?Page=1&Query=Gender%3DM%26Name%3D%EB%B0%95%EC%9A%A9%EC%9A%B0 Park Yong-woo] at Korea Football Association (in Korean)
- [https://www.transfermarkt.com/yong-woo-park/profil/spieler/374076 Park Yong-woo] at Transfermarkt
- [https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/136578 Park Yong-woo] at Olympedia
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20171101000000/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pa/park-yong-woo-1.html Park Yong-woo] at Sports Reference (archived)