Suwon Samsung Bluewings' Paulinho Henrique falls while vying for the ball against Anyang FC’s Choi Kyu-hyun during a match between the two clubs at Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 6, 2024. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon
Everywhere this summer, the World Cup is turning football into a global obsession — and Korea is no exception. But inside the country, interest in the sport doesn't begin or end with the national team; it lives week in, week out in the K League, where, much like in Europe's traditional football heartlands, club rivalries shape how fans see the game and themselves.
Rival cities trade songs, banners and barbs, and even those who can’t explain the offside rule quickly understand what is at stake: pride, belonging and the right to say, “our side won.” For local fans who love their club, football is not just a game but a ritual where the city’s identity is tested and defended for ninety breathless minutes.
With that in mind, The Korea Times mapped out four key K League derbies that, based on interviews with 12 devoted, lifelong fans who would do anything to see their club win, offer a vivid window into Korean football’s culture and dynamics.
Pohang Steeler’s Kang Min-jun, center, and Ulsan HD FC’s Yoon Jae-seok, right, vie for the ball during a match between the two clubs at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Sept. 14, 2025. Courtesy of K League
