FC Seoul, Suwon Bluewings close in on revival of Korean football’s fiercest rivalry

A long-awaited encounter between FC Seoul and the Suwon Samsung Bluewings could renew their storied rivalry next season.

The rivalry has been absent for three years since Suwon’s relegation to K League 2 in 2023, but signs are emerging that it could revive on the K League 1 stage next year.

Fueling that anticipation is the fact that Seoul and Suwon sit atop K League 1 and K League 2, respectively, as of Aug. 17. For the rivalry to return to K League 1, Suwon firstly need to win promotion. Its resurgence since manager Lee Jung-hyo took charge is a promising sign.

Seoul are the runaway leader with 47 points from 14 wins, five draws and four losses. They hold a 10-point advantage over second-place Ulsan HD with 37 points as of Aug. 17.

Their manager Kim Gi-dong’s style of football, built on playing out from the back and controlling the midfield, has fully taken hold in his third season at Seoul.

Above all, Seoul have found a formidable balance between attack and defense, as reflected in their plus-18 goal difference.

Up front, Poland’s Patryk Klimala has led the charge with eight goals, the fourth-most in the league, alongside Song Min-kyu with five goals, Jeong Seung-won with six and Moon Seon-min with five assists, the third-most in the league.

Seoul have also displayed a winning mentality, repeatedly fighting back even after conceding first and finding ways to turn games around. Their 23rd-round home match against Daejeon Hana Citizen FC on Aug. 15 epitomized the team’s mentality. Trailing 1-2, Seoul stormed back for a 4-2 victory behind substitute Song, who scored twice and added an assist in the second half.

The Suwon Samsung Bluewings, meanwhile, lead K League 2 with 41 points from 12 wins, five draws and four losses.

Second-place Seoul E-Land with 40 points and sixth-place Hwaseong FC with 36 points are both within a game or two of taking the lead.

Yet Suwon have continued to collect points consistently. They have been unbeaten in their past five matches with two wins and three draws. They also rarely allowed one defeat to spiral into another. That resilience has made it difficult to dislodge the club from the top of the table.

Suwon may not boast explosive scoring, but they have won the games they need to win and, above all, have made a habit of avoiding defeat with a tenacious defense that has conceded a league-low 19 goals.

In the Suwon Derby at home against Suwon FC on Aug. 15, the Bluewings again showed their resolve, rallying from a 2-1 second-half deficit to earn a 2-2 draw and preserve their place atop the standings.

This season, the top two teams in K League 2 earn direct promotion to K League 1, while the teams finishing third through sixth enter the playoffs for a chance at promotion.

The two clubs’ simultaneous runs at the top have drawn particular attention because of the prospect of the league’s most heated rivalry returning to K League 1.

Since Suwon Samsung were founded in 1996, bad blood between the clubs’ coaching staffs and fierce competition among their supporters have turned their encounters into the K League’s signature rivalry — one that even FIFA has taken notice of.

It was also a reliable box-office draw. After Seoul began using Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul as its home ground in 2007, their matches regularly attracted crowds of 40,000 to 50,000.

Suwon’s relegation from K League 1 after a last-place finish in 2023 put such matches on hold for three years. The rivals last met at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 25, 2023, when Suwon won 1-0.

BY CHANG HYE-SOO [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]