Lee Gi-hyuk

Lee Gi-hyuk
Lee in 2025
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-07-07) 7 July 2000
Place of birth Seoul, South Korea
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Positions
Team information
Current team
 Gangwon FC
Number 13
Youth career
2013–2018 Ulsan Hyundai
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 University of Ulsan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Suwon FC 35 (0)
2023 Jeju United 19 (0)
2024– Gangwon FC 83 (0)
International career‡
2022– South Korea 6 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  South Korea
EAFF Championship
Runner-up2022 Japan
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21 July 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 24 June 2026
Lee Gi-hyuk
Hangul
이기혁
Hanja
李期奕
RRI Gihyeok
MRI Kihyŏk
IPA[i.ɡi.ɦjʌk̚]

Lee Gi-hyuk (Korean: 이기혁; born 7 July 2000) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a defender or defensive midfielder for K League 1 club Gangwon FC and the South Korea national team.[1][2]

Club career

After attending University of Ulsan for two years, Lee joined K League 1 club Suwon FC prior to the 2021 season.[3] On 27 February 2021, he made his professional debut in the club's league opener against Daegu FC, where they drew 1–1.[4] He played as a central or wide midfielder for two years at Suwon FC before transferring to the same league's Jeju United in 2023.[5] On 24 May 2023, he scored his first professional goal in a 4–3 Korean FA Cup win over Daejeon Hana Citizen.[6]

On 20 January 2024, Lee moved to another K League 1 club Gangwon FC.[7] He started to be deployed as a centre-back or left-back at Gangwon, and helped the team finish runners-up at the league.[8] By director Kim Byung-ji, his tactical understanding was compared to Yoo Sang-chul, who had been able to be used in every midfield or defensive position at the South Korea national team.[9]

International career

In September 2021, Lee was called up to the South Korea under-23 team for a training camp ahead of the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification.[10] In July 2022, he was called up to the South Korea national team for the 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship. On 24 July, he made his international debut in a 3–0 EAFF Championship win over Hong Kong.[11]

Lee was suddenly selected for the national team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[12][13] He did not play for South Korea for about four years, but his performances at the K League 1 impressed manager Hong Myung-bo, who had to find a replacement for injured centre-back Kim Ju-sung just before the tournament.[8] After another centre-back Kim Tae-hyeon was injured in training two days before the team's opener,[14] he played three group stage matches as a starter.[15]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 July 2026[1][16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Suwon FC 2021K League 1 15010—160
2022K League 1 20010—210
Total 35020—370
Jeju United 2023K League 1 19041—231
Gangwon FC 2024K League 1 35000—350
2025K League 1 310203[a]0360
2026K League 1 170004[a]0210
Total 8302070920
Career total 137081701521

International

As of match played 24 June 2026
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
South Korea 202210
202300
202400
202500
202650
Total60

Honours

South Korea

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 Lee Gi-hyuk – K League stats at kleague.com (in Korean and English)
  2. ↑ "Lee Gi-Hyuk".
  3. ↑ 수원FC, 울산대 신인 이기혁 영입 (in Korean). Suwon FC. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  4. ↑ 대구FC, K리그 개막전 수원FC와 1대1 무승부 (in Korean). Kyongbuk Ilbo. 27 February 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  5. ↑ #꿈나무오피셜④ 수원FC와 맞트레이드 통해 멀티 플레이어 이기혁 영입 (in Korean). Jeju United FC. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  6. ↑ [FA컵 16강] 제주, 대전과 혈투 끝에 4-3 승...FA컵 8강 진출. Your Field (in Korean). Sportalkorea. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  7. ↑ [강원] 강원FC, 국가대표 출신 멀티플레이어 이기혁 영입 (in Korean). K League. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 홍명보호 '깜짝 발탁' 이기혁 "꿈꾸던 무대…실감 나지 않는다"(종합) (in Korean). Financial News. 16 May 2026.
  9. ↑ 초짜 국대에게서 유상철의 향기가…'홍명보호 깜짝 발탁' 강원 수비수 이기혁 (in Korean). Kyunghyang. 20 May 2026.
  10. ↑ [공식발표] '태극황새호 1기' 출격… 도합 35명 소집, AFC U-23 아시안컵 대비 (in Korean). Best Eleven. 24 September 2021. Archived from the original on 14 December 2024.
  11. ↑ 한국, 동아시안컵 홍콩전 3-0 완파… 수원FC 이기혁 A매치 데뷔 (in Korean). Kyeongin Ilbo. 24 July 2022.
  12. ↑ 손흥민 등 월드컵 명단 발표... 이기혁, 이동경은 깜짝 합류 [World Cup squad including Son Heung-min was announced... Lee Gi-hyuk and Lee Dong-gyeong surprisingly joined] (in Korean). Korea Football Association. 15 May 2026. Archived from the original on 16 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Scotland, Brazil, USA, Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, Portugal and more".
  14. ↑ '왼발 수비수' 김태현 부상으로 조별리그 출전 불발···깜짝 발탁 이기혁 스리백 활용하나 (in Korean). Kyunghyang. 12 June 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  15. ↑ 월드컵 깜짝 카드 이기혁, 이민성호 수비 중심으로 [2026 아시안게임] (in Korean). Sports Q. 8 July 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Lee Gi-hyuk at Soccerway
  17. ↑ "EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2022 Final Japan". EAFF. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "K-League XI 1-3 Man City: Who impressed for Enzo Maresca's side?". BBC Sport. 5 August 2026. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
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