South Korean midfielder Lee Soon-min, 30, the new captain of the Daejeon Hana Citizens in the K League One (K1), has been a force to be reckoned with since the start of the 2024 season.
Lee played the full match against Jeonbuk Hyundai in the first round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2024 at Jeonju World Cup Stadium on Jan. 1. Daejeon, who held a 1-0 lead until the end of the match and looked to be on course for victory from the start, had to settle for a draw after 홀덤사이트 Ahn Hyun-beom equalized in the 40th minute.
Although Daejeon missed out on a convincing victory and only took home one point, Lee Soon-min’s performance made coach Lee Min-sung smile. Playing in the center midfield, Lee Soon-min sat in front of the three backs and boasted a wide radius of activity, covering the entire area around the penalty box, and repeatedly nullified opposing attacks. He ran diligently and supported his teammates by getting involved in every ball-contested situation. Lee’s appearances on the left and right flanks, up front and at the back, were the same ones he showed at Gwangju FC under Lee Jung-hyo.
Lee moved to Daejeon after the 2023 season, and from his debut with his new team, Lee has been reminiscent of his Gwangju days. When fellow Gwangju transfer Aaron, a central defender, would suddenly move forward and join the attack, causing confusion for Jeonbuk’s players, Lee would fill the space in the back where Aaron left off to stop the opposing counterattack.
On the day, Lee Soon-min made four tackles and five interceptions. He also brought the ball into Daejeon’s offense 10 times. In the post-match broadcast interview, Lee said, “I’m very disappointed. But it was an away game, and Jeonbuk is a very good team, so we will take comfort in the fact that we got a point and prepare well for the next game,” Lee said. “Our goal is the same as the one set by the coach. We are the team to beat to get a ticket to Asia, and we have to become the best team in the K League,” he added.
Lee, who earned his first cap under former coach Jürgen Klinsmann last year, was included in the final roster for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in Qatar but was not selected for a single match at the tournament. However, Hwang Sun-hong, who was appointed as the ‘interim coach’ to replace Klinsmann, who was sacked on March 16, scored a clear point. Hwang, who had completed the formation of his coaching staff the day before, traveled to Jeonju, where Jeonbuk played Daejeon, to check the players’ performance and physical condition.
Hwang plans to announce his squad for the upcoming 2026 North and Central American World Cup Asia second round qualifier against Thailand on Nov. 11.