"Defending champion" Jeonbuk Hyundai will go for their second three-game winning streak of the season. Their opponent is Gwangju FC, mired in a seven-game losing streak.
Jeonbuk Hyundai will face Gwangju FC in the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 12th round home match at Jeonju World Cup Stadium at 2 p.m. on the 5th. Jeonbuk currently sits second with 5 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses (18 points), while Gwangju is at the bottom with 1 win, 3 draws and 7 losses (6 points).
The two teams, which both appointed new managers this season, have had completely opposite recent forms. Jeonbuk, which entrusted the helm to Chung Jung-yong, struggled early in the season but has climbed to second place and shown championship-contending form.
Jeonbuk returned from an away match in Jeju on Feb. 2 with a convincing 2-0 win, taking three points at Jeju World Cup Stadium for the first time since April 2023, three years ago. Following a 3-2 victory over Pohang in the previous match, they have now won two in a row. Kim Jin-kyu scored his first goal of the season, and substitute Tiago also tasted goal joy after a long time.
Jeonbuk's overall performance has improved significantly. The midfield, centered on Kim Jin-kyu, has found stability, and attacks have gained pace. Lee Seung-woo and Lee Dong-jun, who have become starting options from the "game changer" role, are making their presence felt on the flanks. Kim Seung-seop, who dropped to the bench, also came on as a substitute in the Jeju match and produced sharp attacks that raised expectations for the next game.
They also gained a 2003-born defensive prospect in Lee Sang-myung. Fullback Lee Sang-myung, who joined Jeonbuk before this season, got his first start in the Jeju match due to Kim Tae-hwan's injury. Having already been brought on as a substitute in the Pohang match to help secure the team's victory, he once again delivered a solid performance.
That day Lee Sang-myung not only led Jeonbuk to a clean-sheet victory with stable defending but also played the initiating role in Kim Jin-kyu's opening goal with bold overlapping runs. Although his playing time was not very long, the 64 minutes were more than enough to make an impression.
Having regained stability, Jeonbuk now chases FC Seoul, which is alone in first place. Seoul currently sits at 8 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses with 25 points, running away at the top. From second-place Jeonbuk to 11th-place Jeju (12 points) the point gaps are tight, while Seoul has pulled ahead to cement a one-strong system. However, the season is still long, and if Jeonbuk steadily accumulates three points, they can certainly catch up.
By contrast, Gwangju is trapped in a long losing tunnel. After Lee Jeong-hyo left for Suwon Samsung, Lee Jeong-gyu, who had previously assisted him, was newly appointed. Although he has no prior head coaching experience, he knew Gwangju football well, so he appeared to be a sufficiently good choice.
In fact, the start was good. Gwangju began the season with 1 win and 3 draws, seeming to demonstrate competitiveness beyond expectations. They even held Jeonbuk to a 0-0 draw at home.
But Gwangju has recorded seven straight losses starting from the fourth round. Above all, their balance between offense and defense has completely collapsed. They suffered a heavy 2-5 defeat to Anyang in the 10th round and lost 0-5 to Daejeon in the 11th round. This season they have conceded five goals in a match four times. Gwangju has conceded 28 goals in 11 matches.
Lee Jeong-gyu is trying to play relentless football characteristic of Gwangju, but setbacks such as injuries to Shin Chang-mu and Choi Kyung-rok and player registration bans have combined to prevent things from going as planned. The process matters, but results are more important — the fate of professionals. If the losing streak lengthens here, the shadow of relegation could fall early, so Gwangju must quickly find a foothold to bounce back.
[Photo] Provided by Korea Professional Football League (KPFL).
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