1. Overview
Seo Yong-duk (서용덕Korean; born September 10, 1989) is a South Korean professional footballer who primarily plays as a midfielder. He began his youth career playing for Eonnam High School and Yonsei University before making his professional debut in Japan with Omiya Ardija in 2009. Throughout his career, Seo has played for multiple clubs across Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, including FC Tokyo, Kataller Toyama, Ulsan Hyundai, FC Anyang, Asan Mugunghwa, Busan IPark, and Ho Chi Minh City FC. He was also a notable member of South Korea's youth national teams, contributing significantly to the U-20 national team's quarter-final finish at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
2. Early life and education
Seo Yong-duk began his football journey at a young age, starting to play the sport in the fourth grade of elementary school. He attended Eonnam High School in South Korea, where he showcased his talent by scoring the winning goal in the 2007 President's Gold Cup high school tournament. Following his high school career, he matriculated at Yonsei University, a prominent institution in South Korea. During his time at Yonsei, Seo participated in the football competition at the 2009 Summer Universiade held in Belgrade, Serbia. Notably, he made the decision to turn professional before completing his university degree. During his high school and university years, Seo was teammates with other future professional footballers, including Choi Jung-han and Kim Min-woo.
3. Youth national team career
Seo Yong-duk was a prominent figure in various South Korean youth national football teams. His international youth career spanned several age categories, demonstrating his consistent talent and development.
He was a member of the U-18 national team in 2007, participating in the qualifiers for the AFC U-19 Championship 2008. The following year, in 2008, he played for the U-19 national team, competing in the Sendai Cup International Youth Football Tournament where the team finished fourth, and reaching the semi-finals (Best 4) of the AFC U-19 Championship 2008.
In 2009, while still enrolled at Yonsei University, Seo represented South Korea at the Universiade football event in Belgrade, where his team secured a sixth-place finish. Later that year, he was selected for the U-20 national team to compete in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Egypt. Seo played a crucial role in the team's successful campaign, helping them reach the quarter-finals (Best 8) of the tournament. His involvement in the Belgrade Universiade and the U-20 World Cup meant he had limited opportunities to play league matches during this period. By 2010, he was also part of the U-21 national team.
4. Club career
Seo Yong-duk's professional football career spans several leagues and clubs across Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, marked by various loan spells and transfers.
4.1. Japan
Seo began his professional C-contract with Omiya Ardija, a club in the J1 League, in June 2009, before graduating from Yonsei University. His professional league debut occurred on July 18, 2009, when he came on as a substitute in the 44th minute during Omiya Ardija's 0-3 away loss to FC Tokyo. However, he found playing opportunities limited, partly due to the dismissal of manager Zhang Wailong, whom Seo respected.
In July 2010, Seo was loaned to FC Tokyo, also in the J1 League. His first appearance for FC Tokyo was on August 4 in the Suruga Bank Championship. Despite this, he struggled to secure regular playing time due to injuries and was consequently left out of the U-21 national team for the 2010 Asian Games. Nevertheless, in the 4th round of the Emperor's Cup against JEF United Chiba, his first start for the club, Seo showcased his dribbling ability-a skill recognized by manager Kiyoshi Okuma-and contributed to two goals. His loan spell with FC Tokyo concluded at the end of the year.
In 2011, Seo made a permanent transfer to Kataller Toyama, a club then competing in the J2 League. He quickly established himself as a central figure in the midfield, developing into a key offensive player of the team. His notable attributes included sharp dribbling skills, accurate crosses, and powerful middle-range shots. In October 2013, he was recognized for his outstanding performance in a J2 match against Roasso Kumamoto, where he scored a remarkable no-spin shot from approximately 131 ft (40 m) away, earning him the J2 Monthly Best Goal award. He remained with Kataller Toyama until June 2014.
4.2. South Korea
In July 2014, Seo Yong-duk returned to South Korea, joining Ulsan Hyundai, a K League Classic club, as an attacker to fill voids left by players like Rafinha and Han Sang-woon, who was serving military duty. He made his K League Classic debut on July 6, 2014, starting in an away match against Seongnam FC. His first K League Classic goal came on September 7, 2014, in a home game against Gyeongnam FC at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium. He played for Ulsan Hyundai until 2015.
For the 2016 season, Seo moved to FC Anyang in the K League Challenge. His transfer to Anyang was reportedly influenced by the prior relationship between Ulsan's manager Yoon Jong-hwan and Anyang's manager Lee Young-min, who were university seniors and juniors. During his tenure at Anyang, the club also acquired several other players from Ulsan, including Kim Min-kyun and Ahn Jin-beom.
In 2017, Seo transferred to Asan Mugunghwa, a team operated by the Korea National Police Agency that allows players to fulfill their mandatory military service while continuing their professional football careers. He played for Asan Mugunghwa until October 2018.
Following his military service, Seo joined Busan IPark in October 2018, continuing his career in the K League. He played for Busan IPark through the 2019 season.
4.3. Vietnam
On February 20, 2020, Seo Yong-duk embarked on a new chapter of his career by signing with Ho Chi Minh City FC in Vietnam. He competed in the V.League 1, the top professional football league in Vietnam, during the 2020 season.
5. Playing style and personal attributes
Seo Yong-duk is primarily a midfielder, known for his contributions to the offensive play of his teams. He is right-footed and stands at 69 in (176 cm) tall, weighing 154 lb (70 kg). His playing style is characterized by his sharp dribbling skills, which allow him to navigate through defenses effectively. He is also recognized for his accurate crosses and powerful middle-range shots, which he utilizes to create scoring opportunities and directly threaten the goal. These attributes enabled him to develop into an "ace" player during his time at Kataller Toyama, where his ability to generate attacking momentum was highly valued.
Beyond his on-field capabilities, Seo Yong-duk possesses notable personal attributes, particularly his proficiency in the Japanese language. After moving to Japan to pursue his professional career, he actively learned the language. This allowed him to engage in daily conversations and conduct "hero interviews" (post-match interviews with outstanding players) without the need for an interpreter, demonstrating a significant adaptation to his playing environment.
6. Career statistics
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 2009 | Omiya Ardija | J1 League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| FC Tokyo | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | Kataller Toyama | J2 League | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 30 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 38 | 5 | 0 | 0 | - | 38 | 5 | |||
| 2013 | 35 | 7 | 1 | 0 | - | 36 | 7 | |||
| 2014 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 16 | 0 | |||
| South Korea | League | KFA Cup | Play-offs / Other | Total | ||||||
| 2014 | Ulsan Hyundai | K League Classic | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 13 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2016 | FC Anyang | K League Challenge | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | 34 | 3 | |
| 2017 | Asan Mugunghwa | K League Challenge | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 19 | 0 | |
| 2018 | Busan IPark | K League 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 10 | 0 | |
| Vietnam | League | National Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 2020 | Ho Chi Minh City FC | V.League 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 13 | 1 | |
| Career total | 200 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 203 | 18 | ||
Debut and First Goals
- J.League debut: July 18, 2009 - J1 League 18th round vs FC Tokyo (at NACK5 Stadium Omiya)
- J.League first goal: July 11, 2011 - J2 League 20th round vs Sagan Tosu (at Tosu Stadium)
- K League Classic debut: July 6, 2014 - 13th round vs Seongnam FC (at Tancheon Sports Complex)
- K League Classic first goal: September 7, 2014 - 24th round vs Gyeongnam FC (at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium)
Other International Club Competition
- Suruga Bank Championship: 1 appearance, 0 goals
7. Honours
- J2 Exciting 22: 2012, 2013