2025 Season Review: Gangwon FC | OneFootball

After a record-setting 2024, where Gangwon FC managed a second-place finish and qualified for the AFC Champions League Elite for the first time in their history, interest was high on what the Bears could achieve this year. With that in mind, columnist Nathan Sartain recaps Gangwon’s 2025, where the team followed-up on their newfound success with a commendable fifth-placed finish.

What Went Well

In a season of heavy transition, with Jung Kyung-ho taking his first step into a Head Coach role following the departure of record-breaking manager Yoon Jong-hwan, as well as key players Hwang Mun-ki (military service) and Yang Min-hyeok leaving, Gangwon can look back on their Final A finish as a success. Sure, it wasn’t always pretty, and their eventual fifth-placed spot was largely earned through a revival of form in the second-half of the campaign, but in a year where expectations on what the Bears could achieve had grown, the provincial club made some solid steps towards showing their desire to match loftier ambitions.

A large factor in Gangwon’s respectable year was their considerable defensive improvements. Conceding 15 less goals than in 2024, the Bears also kept 15 clean sheets, the joint-highest amount in K League 1 alongside the title winners Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. And the team needed this solidity too, given that 11 of their 13 victories were won by a one-goal margin, including seven 1-0 triumphs.

Looking far more composed and structured in defence, Jung Kyung-ho’s philosophy of limiting opposition teams to lower quality chances was a fair tactic to deploy, so much so that once some summer signings and military returnees reinvigorated the attacking line, Gangwon would lose only three of their final 19 league matches (seven wins, nine draws), and remain unbeaten in their Gangneung home. So yes, the team mightn’t have grabbed the same amount of headlines this time around, but attaining the club's second-highest finish, second-highest points total, and a likely AFC Champions League Two spot for 2026 is nothing to hand-wave.

What Didn't Go Well

In 2024, Yoon Jong-hwan had Gangwon firing in attack, and they went on to score 62 times across the season, the joint-highest in the division (whilst breaking the club’s record for goals in a season). This year, however, the Bears managed just 37 goals, the lowest total across K League 1.

It wasn’t just an issue with being clinical, either. Jung Kyung-ho’s men had the second-lowest xG total in the top-flight (43.8), the second-lowest shots on target total (3.8 per 90), and ranked ninth for big chances created (55). Missing Yang Min-hyeok and Hwang Mun-ki’s potency, Gangwon couldn’t really find avenues to create consistent goals in the first part of the season, but did eventually find a rhythm once a settled attacking quartet of Kim Dae-won, Kim Gun-hee, Lee Sang-Jeon and Mo Jae-hyun was established. Nevertheless, they will need more creativity in 2026 to avoid potential over reliance on defensive work.

Young Player of the Year

A reliable hand at centre-back, Shin Min-ha assuredly took on an increased role with the team in 2025, where he was trusted to start the majority of league games. Playing with a variety of partners in both three-back and four-back systems, the 20-year-old prospect largely kept a decent level of consistency too, averaging (per 90) 1.01 tackles, 3.84 duels won, 1.55 interceptions, and 2.98 recoveries.

With Shin Min-ha now set to “graduate” from Gangwon's symbolic number 47 shirt given to promising youngsters, the goal for the centre-back should be to continue establishing himself as one of K League 1’s finest young defenders, fine-tune some areas of his game, and remain on course to become another one of the Bears' standout squad members, regardless of age.

Team MVP

Despite only signing in the summer, Mo Jae-hyun was one of Gangwon’s biggest catalysts for their eventual Final A finish. With five goals and five assists in K League 1 action, the winger contributed to 27% of his team’s goals this season, his directness helping transform the Bears’ style of play to a more proactive, front-footed approach.

Per 90, Mo Jae-hyun averaged 4.15 touches in the opposition box, 1.4 chances created, 3.55 recoveries,  1.76 shots, and an xG total of 0.2. Helped by having players like Kim Gun-hee around him, the 29-year-old’s goal contributions also directly contributed to an uplift of nine points for Gangwon too, enough to showcase his creative spark whilst also ensuring the Bears were never in any danger of being pulled towards danger.

Most Disappointing Player

Though not necessarily his own fault, Mario Cuze has to go down as one of the Bears’ biggest what-ifs in 2025. Signed in the winter for a relatively significant fee, the winger only appeared three times for Gangwon before being loaned back to his former club Zrinjski Mostar, where he has scored three goals in 14 appearances.

Whether the Croatian failed to adapt to his new surroundings, if he struggled finding a place in a team that had undergone a significant squad overhaul, or if it was a combination of a wide range of factors some of which will never be known, the fact Mario Cuze is unlikely to return to the provincial club means his potential impact will remain a mystery.

Most Important Decision of the Off-Season

In the last couple of years, Gangwon have prided themselves on sustainable recruitment. Not only have the club invested heavily in younger players, as well as seeking out hidden gems from lower divisions and rough diamonds from across the top-flight, but they have also managed to generate decent revenue from key sales of homegrown talent (namely Yang Hyun-jun to Celtic, and Yang Min-hyeok to Tottenham).

With that being said, a lot of success in 2025 came thanks to the summer arrivals of Kim Gun-hee and Mo Jae-hyun, experienced players who are 30 and 29 respectively. So with the top-flight now increasingly competitive, is now the time for a slight tweak to Gangwon’s recruitment processes? And, at least this season, should the Bears attempt to push forward by acquiring some more established names to bridge the gap between their short and long term goals? After all, the club only have three outfield players over the age of 30 in their squad, so more experience arriving may not be a bad idea.

Arguably more importantly, though, is the need for the club to retain its star players. In a marked difference from just a couple of years ago, Gangwon now have a considerable amount of quality in the ranks that could generate interest from other clubs, whether it be players with high ceilings like Lee Seung-won, Shin Min-ha and Park Sang-hyeok, or seasoned professionals such as Kim Dae-won, Lee You-hyeon and Seo Min-woo. Retaining the majority of their current squad might just give Jung Kyung-ho an edge over other sides in a different way, and reinforce the overall need for a quality, not quantity approach to the winter market when it comes to the necessary attacking and defensive reinforcements, whoever they may be.