2025 K League 2 Season Preview: Promotion, Playoffs, Avoiding the Wooden Spoon | OneFootball

The new K League 2 season begins this weekend and does so with not one but two newcomers. Incheon United's 'redemption arc' begins in earnest on Saturday, but are they equipped to make an instant return to K League 1? How will Hwaseong FC do under Cha Du-ri in what is their first-ever season at K League level? KLU looks at the automatic promotion candidates, the teams most likely to challenge for the playoffs, the 'finish as high as we can' brigade, and the dreaded 'wooden spoon' fodder.

Automatic Promotion Candidates

Suwon Samsung Bluewings

'Suwon Samsung Bluewings in K League 2: the Sequel' hits your screens this week. After a fairly shambolic campaign that saw Suwon miss out on a playoff spot, hopes are high after a winter of top recruitment and a first pre-season under manager Byun Sung-hwan. The Bluewings have made several statement signings in Stanislav Iljutcenko, Bruno Silva, Choi Young-jun, and Kim Ji-hyun with the aim of returning to K League 1 sooner rather than later. Iljutcenko will be the one to watch, even at 35 he is still a deadly striker and managed 14 goals for Seoul last season. The biggest question, though, is whether Byun Sung-hwan can discover the perfect recipe to get all his attacking stars to click. The Bluewings will be backed by their passionate fan base, with away ends sold out and Big Bird signing. Suwon will be the favourites to win K League 2 in 2025.

Incheon United

For the first time in their history, Incheon United embark on a season in K League 2. With the disappointment of last year’s calamitous season fresh in mind, the Blue-Black aim to bounce back at the first attempt. The club have been able to keep hold of star names Stefan Mugoša, Gerso Fernandes, and Harrison Delbridge while adding former Jeonbuk winger Modou Barrow and the likes of Lee Sang-ki, and Lee Ju-yong. There's also a new manager, Yoon Jong-hwan, who guided Gangwon FC to second in K League 1 last year. Incheon don't want to waste any time in returning to the top flight. Mugoša will be seen as the team's key player, likely to be competing with Iljutcenko for the golden boot. But can Incheon do what others have failed to do in the past and make an instant return to K League 1? It is expected to be a very close title race with the Bluewings and it may come down to which team's star strikers score the most goals

Full season preview: here

Promotion Via Playoffs Contenders

Jeonnam Dragons

After reaching the playoffs last year, Jeonnam Dragons will be looking to go one better this year and end their long stay in K League 2. The 2025 season will be the Dragons' seventh in K League 2, and trusted with guiding the Dragons out of the dungeon is Kim Hyun-seok who led Chungam Asan to second last year and the playoff final with Daegu. Jeonnam have strengthened with the likes of Leandro Ribeiro Ronan, Kim Gyeong-jae, Min Jun-young, and Uruguayan midfielder José Alberti. Captain Valdivia cannot be ignored, but Leandro will be key for the Dragons. The left winger has a proven track record with 22 goals and 17 assists in 94 K League 2 appearances, and four goals and nine assists in 35 K League 1 games. The Dragons don't quite have the same level of firepower as Incheon or Suwon so the question would be whether they can run the gauntlet and win promotion via the playoffs?

Busan IPark

Busan IPark's incredible collapse in 2023 looks to be hanging over the club even as they seek a new identity under the management of Jo Sung-hwan. They endured a very difficult season last year, losing regularly at home, and parted ways with manager Park Jin-sub. Busan have lost Bruno Lamas, Lee Han-do, and Peniel Mlapa but have signed Jang Ho-ik, Park Chang-woo, Kwon Han-jin, Son Seok-yong, as well as Colombian right winger Paul Villero, Brazilians Xavier, a defensive midfielder, and Gonzalo Formari, a centre forward. Fessin will be seen as the team's key player - a classic number 10 with an eye for goal, and someone who will have to step up now that Bruno Lamas has left. The question for Busan this season is, whether Jo Sung-hwan can do what he did at Incheon and get the best out of his squad? Busan aren't blessed with a squad full of stars like the main promotion contenders, but a club the size of the Royals can ill afford to be in the second tier for much longer.

Seoul E-Land

Last year's third-place finish and a place in the promotion-relegation playoff represented Seoul E-Land's best-ever campaign. But the Leopards have since lost some key names, namely Bruno Silva, Park Min-seo, Moon Jeong-in, and John Montano, but have been busy in the transfer market. Among upward of 12 new signings, some standout names include Brazilian forward Italo who spent last year with Daegu, Australian striker John Iredale, defender Kwan Yun-ho and goalkeeper Noh Dong-geon from Suwon FC, and right winger Pedrinho from Brazilian Série A side Ceará SC. It's Iredale who could be looked at as being the Leopards' key man in 2025. The 25-year-old came through the ranks at Dutch outfit Heerenveen but truly began his professional career in Germany with Wolfsburg II and Wehen Wiesbaden, and signs from Danish side Aalborg BK. The main questions facing Seoul E-Land this season will be centred on whether last year was a fluke, and can Kim Do-kyun go one better this year?

Full season preview: here

Bucheon FC 1995

Bucheon had a disappointing campaign last year but have strengthened well over the winter. Kazuki Takahashi and Rodrigo Bassani have both stayed and the club have signed Jefferson Galego from Jeju SK, John Montano from Seoul E-Land, and Gong Min-hyun from Daejeon. There's experience and flair in this squad and Bucheon might just surprise people in 2025. The club have stuck with manager Lee Young-min, despite varying fortunes over the last few seasons, but it's a team that isn't blessed with one of the biggest budgets in K League 2 but this trust and patience in the manager will need to pay off sooner rather than later. A place in the playoffs will be the absolute minimum for it to be considered a successful season. Having seen a club of similar size and stature in FC Anyang go up, and even seal promotion on their own pitch, can Bucheon use that as motivation for a successful campaign?

Gimpo FC

Gimpo are another team that's been able to keep hold of a lot of their key players and will be looking to make up for a disappointing end to last season. Luis Mina, Leonard Pllana, Connor Chapman, and Bruno Paraíba are all on board while experienced players such as centre back Lee In-jae and goalkeeper Yoon Bo-sang have joined, so too promising young forwards Kim Gyeol and Jegal Jae-min. Manager Ko Jeong-woon has been in charge of the team since the K3 days, steering the club to the K3 title in 2021 and turning them into genuine playoff contenders, and will have learned from the team's mistakes last year when they drew too many games. With key names staying, and some sensible incoming, Gimpo have a good squad and should have enough to compete for the playoffs.

Finish As High As We Can

Seongnam FC

The 2024 season was one for sorrow for the Magpies, enduring the worst season in the club's history finishing rock bottom seven points away from the nearest opponent. With 66 goals conceded Seongnam had the worst defense in the entire league, allying that with 26 points in 36 games under four managers. Seongnam were forced to change the way they approached the transfer market because the board announced a 50% cut in the budget. Nevertheless, it's been a busy transfer window with Jeon Kyung-jun, heading into his first full season with the team, seeing midfielders Hong Chang-beom and Lee Jeong-bin join from Bucheon and Anyang respectively, Brazilian midfielder Samuel Andrade from Primavera, and Venicio from Chungbuk Cheongju arrive. With a lot of personnel changes, the team will need time to gel but consistency will be key if they are to put last year behind them and make something of what will be their third season back in K League 2. But after last year's disaster, expectations will be low and the new campaign will simply be about finishing as high up the table as possible.

Full season preview: here

Gyeongnam FC

To put it bluntly, the Roses weren’t a thorn in anyone’s side last year. Gyeongnam finished second-bottom after winning just six games all year. In fact, fans went from May 22nd to October 27th without seeing a home win. But there's a new manager at the helm in Lee Eul-yong, and it's been a busy transfer window with Song Si-woo coming in from Incheon, as too powerful striker Lee Joong-min as well as a few foreign imports - Matheus Souza, Leonardo Kalil, two forwards as well as defensive midfielder Renan Areias. K League 2 fans may remember Kalil from his spell with Bucheon in 2023 and has been with Gyeongju KHNP in K3 since, bagging four in 11 in the second half of that season and then 12 in 30 last year. The biggest question will be whether the Roses can bloom this year. After last year, expectations will be low, which should mean less pressure for the players and a rookie manager. The 2025 season will all be about finishing as high up the table, with talk of the playoffs perhaps premature.

Chungnam Asan

The Owls were last season’s dark horses, finishing second and pushing Daegu FC close in the playoffs. A 4-3 first-leg win gave them a slim chance but couldn't hold Daegu back in the second leg. But after several key departures, including Juninho Rocha and Kang Ju-hyuck, not to mention the manager Lee Hyun-seok, Owls fans will be asking "who, who" is still left? They have signed Son Jun-ho, in what is a major swoop, as well as a handful of new foreign imports - Bosnian striker Semir Smajlagic, Swedish left winger Adam Bergmark Widberg, Uruguyan right winter Kevin Mendez, and Japanese attacking midfielder Misaki Sato. With a lot of upheaval, lots of departures, and another rookie manager in charge in Bae Sung-jae, the question will be can they get anywhere near the playoffs again? Expectations will be low, but that served Chungnam Asan well last season.

Chungbuk Cheongju

Now under new management, and a manager who is managing at K League level for the very first time in Kwon Oh-gyu, Chungbuk Cheongju have had a very busy transfer window with the aim of bettering last year's disappointing showing. Players with K League 1 experience have arrived, such as goalkeeper Jo Su-huk from Ulsan, centre backs Hong Jun-ho and Kim Seung-woo from Jeju and Gwangju respectively, and forward Ji Eon-hak from Incheon while foreign imports Gabriel Santos, Pedro Vitor, and Mateusinho will add some flair in attack and Jop van der Avert some stability at the back. They'll quietly be aiming for a place in the playoffs having come fairly close in 2023, but just finishing as high up the table as possible - higher than 10th from last year - should be the Lions' real target.

Cheonan City

Cheonan City will be looking to simply make progress in 2025 having done so in 2024. Their first season in K League 2 in 2023 was a bit of a disaster having finished bottom of the table following just five wins. But last year, under the experienced guidance of Kim Tae-wan, Cheonan finished ninth, well away from the 'wooden spoon'. The club have added even more experience to their squad with former Korean international Lee Jeong-hyeop, ex-FC Seoul and Gwangju midfielder Kim Won-sik, and former Suwon Bluewings midfielder Lee Jong-sung joining. Bettering ninth will be within their reach but a playoff push is probably unlikely.

Avoiding The Wooden Spoon

Ansan Greeners

Despite a promising start to the season, Ansan succumbed to a run of poor form that saw a mid-season change of manager. Lee Kwan-woo came in but failed to see an upturn in form as the club eventually finished 11th. Ansan have at least become a stepping stone for some players to move on to 'greener' pastures, and this has been the case with several of 2024's standout players making moves to K League 1. No fewer than 25 players have left and 30 have come in, including Felipe Saravia from Gyeongnam, where he managed two goals and two assists in his 12 games during the second half of last season. But it's Kang Soo-il who'll be seen as the team's key man, even at 37. What the veteran will bring is leadership and something of an identity to this brand-new Greeners squad. It'll be rookie manager Lee Kwan-woo's first full season in charge, and with seldom ever any real expectations placed on Ansan, it could be a good way for Lee to learn his trade and shape this team.

Hwaseong FC

New to K League 2, Hwaseong FC will simply be looking to avoid finishing bottom of the table in their first season at full professional level. Cha Du-ri is the manager, his first job at this level, having previously held roles with FC Seoul's U18s and as an assistant manager to Jurgen Klinsmann for the national team. Hwaseong do have one or two players with K League experience, midfielder Lim Chang-gyoon (ex-Jeonnam, Suwon FC), goalkeeper Lee Ki-hyun (ex-Bucheon, Seoul E-Land), Choi Myeong-hee (ex-Ansan), Yeon Je-min (ex-Anyang, Ansan, Suwon Bluewings), and Choi Jun-hyuk (ex-Gwangju, Gimcheon) and have also brought in some young players who were previously on the books of K League 1 clubs such as Lee Eun-jae and Park Jun-seo from Daejeon, Ahn Ji-man from FC Seoul, Heo Hong-gyu from Jeju, and the loan signing of Park Ju-yeong from Jeonbuk. Brazilian striker Luan Costa will lead the line, having been with the club since 2023. He's spent most of his career in K3, scoring 47 and assisting 12 in 109 appearances for three different clubs.

Where to Listen

Further Reading

K League 2's nearest away matches in 2025:here