Chapter 5
If you ask fans who follow the K League which team dominated the 2010s, they would give you just one answer.
‘Jeonbuk Mirae Motors.’
The Jeonbuk Keratops, a team that used to struggle and get beaten up regularly, transformed completely in 1997 when Mirae Motors became its largest shareholder.
In 2005, Choi Kang-hoe, a manager with an aggressive attacking style, took over, and in 2006, the team even managed to win the ACL (AFC Champions League).
With a solid foundation laid, Jeonbuk’s dynasty gradually rose to the surface.
In 2008, they laid further groundwork by signing renowned players like Jo Jae-jun, and in 2009, they brought in Lee Dong-gun and Eninho.
Then, Jeonbuk won its first K League title in 2009, marking the beginning of its dynasty.
Although their reputation took a hit when they threatened Seoul fans with rocks and when it was revealed that Jeonbuk’s scout had bribed referees, it was an undeniable fact that Jeonbuk was the most dominant team in the K League back then.
‘Those were truly good times. The fans were rewarded with great performances, and the results were satisfying. No wonder there was a saying back then that the K League had 22 players running around on the field, but it was always the ones in green jerseys who would end up champions.’
But just as every team has its peak, a decline is bound to follow.
If you ask K League fans which team started to decline in the 2020s and only managed to signal a revival by 2029, they would probably give the same answer.
‘Jeonbuk Mirae Motors… the brilliance of those times has completely faded away…’
From a young age, Seon Ki-baek, a fan of Jeonbuk and now the newly appointed manager of Jeonbuk Mirae Motors for this season, wore a troubled expression.
Though he wasn’t a former player, his passion for soccer led him to study in Spain, where he took courses in tactics and coaching.
He spent time proving his skills while working with various teams, and recently, he made a name for himself as the interim manager of CD Castellón in Spain’s Segunda División.
At just 32 years old, his track record was impressive, especially for someone from the footballing backwaters of Asia.
But behind that success was a time filled with blood, sweat, and hardship.
He endured racial discrimination in the streets and spent countless sleepless nights trying to understand a language that was foreign to him.
Even now, those memories weren’t sugar-coated—they were filled with thoughts of wanting to die. Yet, there was one reason Seon Ki-baek endured those tough times.
‘The Jeonbuk I saw at Jeonju Castle holding my father’s hand… That wasn’t the Jeonbuk I know.’
As someone who witnessed that illustrious history with his own eyes, he wanted to rebuild that dynasty himself.
After his breakthrough in Spain, he received coaching offers from prestigious clubs, and even CD Castellón, struggling with financial difficulties, offered him a permanent managerial position.
But Seon Ki-baek chose to pursue the dream he had held since childhood, opting to take charge of Jeonbuk this season.
With high hopes, he threw himself into preparing for the season opener, focusing on training.
“Ugh… damn it.”
But what actually came out of his mouth were sighs and harsh curses.
Tap, tap, tap.
As he stared at the roster and match data on his desk, his lips curled in frustration.
His fingers typing on the keyboard grew faster.
‘What on earth was the previous manager trying to do with this team? He left the rebuilding in shambles…’
The decline in the players’ performance was more significant than he had expected. But the biggest issue was the lack of discipline.
Discipline.
These days, fans see it as an outdated term that only old-school managers would use.
But this situation had gone too far.
‘These idiots lost the game and immediately rushed off to party at a club? And it was after losing to Suwon, of all teams? And the veterans, no less?’
It was infuriating enough that the supposed leaders of the team were underperforming, but to see them behaving like fools made his anger boil over.
And to make matters worse, the opponent was Suwon. Not Suwon United, but Suwon Oseong.
It’s a match so heated that it’s known as a siege battle, a named rivalry for Jeonbuk, just like their clashes with Seoul or Ulsan where they need to give their all.
After being trounced in such a crucial match, they should have been training at the clubhouse out of sheer frustration, not running off to a club and drinking.
“They should be ashamed, yet they just told the director they only had a few drinks… are you kidding me? It’s a reservation-only club called ‘Orgasm,’ and you’re telling me they did nothing there? Did they think I wouldn’t find out? Bastards.”
“C-Coach… please calm down. The director is also taking this seriously and has said he’ll accept strong disciplinary measures.”
“Discipline…”
At the words of the assistant coach, Oh Hyun-wook, Seon Ki-baek let out a sarcastic laugh, his head bowed.
Discipline? It was obvious it needed to happen. It was already frustrating enough that they weren’t living up to their pay checks, but to add to that, they were the ones causing the team’s downfall.
But what frustrated him even more was that he wasn’t sure any disciplinary action would be enough to resolve the situation.
Leaving the resting players from the practice match behind, Seon Ki-baek turned to Oh Hyun-wook with a question.
“Three players were involved in this incident, right? The two fullbacks and the volante?”
“Yes. The club is considering a three-game suspension for them and having them apologize to the supporters after the matches.”
“That won’t do. If they were the kind of guys who would listen to that, they wouldn’t have done it in the first place.”
They were convinced the team couldn’t function without them. A suspension would be like a vacation to them.
At this point, it was necessary to impose additional disciplinary measures using his authority as a manager.
‘Of course, I can’t increase the disciplinary measures unilaterally. But if I say they don’t fit into my plans, I can just keep them on the bench.’
It was time to exercise one of a manager’s powers—control over the squad.
Seon Ki-baek glanced at the anxious coach beside him.
At the same time, he thought of a player he had seen on the training ground. A player who, alone, managed to tie down the opposition and turn the tide of the match.
“Hyun-wook, tell me about No. 24, Baek Ian’s stats from his youth days.”
“S-stats, you say?”
“Yeah. And his physical abilities too.”
“Understood. His name is Baek Ian, born in 2011, currently 18 years old. He’s 191 cm tall and weighs 91 kg. He performed exceptionally well in the K League Junior League, starting in 34 matches last season and substituting in 2, for a total of 2,921 minutes. He recorded 4 goals, 6 assists, and an average of 50 pass attempts per game, with 43 of them successful, maintaining a pass accuracy of about 85 percent.”
“Sounds like a key player. What about his tackling and interceptions?”
“He’s proficient in both. He ranks in the top 23 percent of the league for those, and his recovery rate is especially high, ranking in the top 5 percent. As for his physical abilities, he’s ambidextrous and can reach a top speed of 38 km/h, so he won’t lose to anyone in terms of pace. Even though it’s from the youth league, he’d be among the best in the K League.”
“Really? Any weaknesses?”
“Well… he’s hot-tempered and has a fragile mentality, so when he loses composure, he tends to make frequent mistakes. But I believe it’s something that can be fixed with proper coaching.”
Seon Ki-baek carefully read through the data provided by Oh Hyun-wook.
Even considering it was from the youth league, his talent was exceptional.
Though his personality flaws were a bit concerning, it wasn’t something that couldn’t be addressed.
– “What were you even doing in the midfield battle? When you lose the ball, you should quickly fall back to prepare for a counterattack!”
– “Hey, what do you think we are, gods? You expect us to go back and forth in a second? You should be covering those gaps!”
– “Ugh, stop whining and run more to cover it next time!”
Compared to those guys who can’t take responsibility and just blame the team…
“I think his mentality is actually good. Same with his vision. He grasped the tactics instantly and adjusted perfectly.”
Smooth tempo control and a wide vision.
From Seon Ki-baek’s experience, these abilities are not something you can gain through mere experience.
Pure talent. It’s a gift from the gods, unattainable otherwise, and Baek Ian had it.
Compared to those who can’t even earn their wages, he was a much more valuable asset.
If he could bring the skills he showed during his youth into the professional stage, he might become not only a defensive pillar but also a starting point for counterattacks and a core of the team.
What better way to instil a sense of urgency into veterans who’ve grown complacent than with a player like this?
“Very good.”
He could legitimately put those slackers in their place. Seon Ki-baek couldn’t help but smile at the thought.
“Coach? You’re not actually… no way, right? You might be thinking about the U-22 rule, but you already decided to bring up the two fullbacks. And now you’re thinking of using Ian in the next match too…”
“Hyun-wook, you always read my mind perfectly since our time at Castellón. That’s why I like working with you. I never have to say things twice.”
“Coach! No, come on! Are you seriously planning to use three U-22 players? Other teams are panicking, trying to meet the minimum…”
“Sorry, want to hear something more shocking?”
“Now what? Give me time to brace myself… Oh no, don’t tell me! You’re not thinking of using more than three, are you?”
“Exactly. I’m considering four, including a poacher. So gather all the data on Han Gang-rok, Han Kyung-rok, Baek Ian, and Yoon Seung-hwan, and bring it to my office today. Oh, is fall gone already, and now spring too? The sun’s brutal.”
***
After working to fix the mistakes Baek Ian made, I can’t help but wonder what kind of person he was.
‘He really threw a fit over such small things.’
When his closest ally in the youth team started getting recognition, he tried to twist their ankle.
When his childhood friend, who gathered materials and coached him out of concern, only wanting him to stay injury-free, he cussed her out and cut ties.
And what was the reason for all that frustration? It was nothing but simple jealousy.
“Well, at least it’s fixed now.”
“Huh? What’s fixed? Did you do something wrong, Baek Ian?”
As I muttered quietly on the bus, Han Gang-rok, who sat beside me, turned his head.
I must have spoken loudly enough for him to hear.
“Do you think I’m like you, always causing trouble? It’s nothing, so just leave it.”
“Come on, I was just trying to loosen you up since you seemed tense. Why’re you so jumpy?”
Looking at Han Gang-rok raising his voice playfully, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
If you think about it, he’s quite a character.
A rookie who was playing in the youth league until recently, yet he doesn’t seem nervous at all about being in a major tournament like the ACL.
Even in my previous life, I wasn’t that composed. Even I had a tense face when stepping into a competition like the ACL for the first time.
‘He really is something.’
As I watched him with a mix of admiration, Han Gang-rok tilted his head, frowning.
It seems like he thought I was mocking him.
“Hey, please, don’t look at me with those eyes like a creepy guy. It was hard enough last night because of that.”
“Talking nonsense again. What happened last night?”
“Of course something happened! Remember when you stepped out to meet your girlfriend? I ran into the seniors when I went to get some water. Those guys invited me to go to a club with them after I turn legal, saying they’d introduce me to some nice people. I got so scared I just nodded and ran off.”
“Why? Didn’t you say you wanted to try going to a club? Isn’t it good if they introduce you to some nice people?”
At my words, Han Gang-rok widened his eyes and whispered into my ear.
“Damn it, I like clubs with lots of women, not those creepy guys fighting over who stands in the centre during girl group songs.”
“Got it, man.”
“Whew, you have no idea how stressful that was. I was so scared they’d sneak up on me, I locked my door for the first time since joining the team last night.”
Perhaps still shaken by the previous night, Han Gang-rok shivered as he looked at the seniors seated ahead and then turned back to me.
“Anyway, Ian, did you see that interview from Suwon? They mentioned us.”
An interview from Suwon? And they mentioned us by name?
“No, I didn’t hear about that. What did they say?”
“Well, before this match, a journalist asked the Suwon coach about Jeonbuk’s squad, including some of our new faces. And that coach said this…”
After signaling me to wait, Han Gang-rok pulled out his smartphone, tapped a few times, and handed me the screen.
The article’s provocative headline flashed before me.
[“Jeonbuk’s new faces? Not a concern. They probably won’t even play.” Park Yong-taek, Suwon Oseong Bluefeather Coach, Confident of Victory Against Jeonbuk!]
“Unbelievable.”
“Right? Even if we’re the opponents, it’s harsh to say that about young players, isn’t it?”
It was certainly the kind of thing that would get Han Gang-rok riled up.
Saying he’s not considering us. It might sound like just a trash talk at first, but for a player, it’s one of the most insulting things to hear.
‘Saying they’ll shut down a player, or that they’ve prepared a way to stop them, those can be taken as compliments. It means they see you as a threat on the field.’
But saying they’re not even considering you? That’s outright dismissal. It means they think we’re players who probably won’t even make it onto the field.
‘I can’t help but laugh.’
In the past, I might have clenched my fists in anger.
My first professional team was Jeonbuk, both in my previous life and now, so my feelings toward Suwon Oseong were the worst.
But things are different now.
I still have my memories from playing at Jeonbuk, Juventus, and Newcastle.
It’s not that I’m underestimating Suwon.
But with all those memories and a body now in peak condition…
I don’t feel fear or anger anymore.
Besides, that space in my heart is now filled with something else.
Bzz-
[Shin Ah-yoon: (A photo of Shin Ah-yoon’s family and my family, all smiling in Jeonbuk uniforms, taken in front of Big Bird).JPG]
[Shin Ah-yoon: I brought my whole family because I trust you. Even your mom and dad are here, so you better be on the field today, got it?]
[Shin Ah-yoon: We’ll be watching from the S section… Give it your best! And don’t get hurt!]
‘They came all this way, so I’ll have to reward them with a big win.’
[Baek Ian: I fixed everything you mentioned, so make sure to check. And if I do well, you know you have to give me a reward, right?]
[Shin Ah-yoon: (A blushing penguin emoji hiding its face) Okay…]
With that last message, I put my phone down and turned my gaze outside the window.
Big Bird (Suwon World Cup Stadium) was now right in front of us, and I couldn’t help but smirk.
—
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