Kim Ye-geon scores debut goal as Jeonbuk beat Ulsan 3-1 to climb to 2nd in K League 1

Jeonbuk Hyundai won 3-1 away at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on July 11 in Round 17 of K League 1 2026. Rookie Kim Ye-geon, born in 2008, netted his first professional goal to seal it.

Kim Jin-gyu and Lee Seung-woo scored first. Kim Ye-geon added the third. Coach Jung Jung-yong brought him on in the second half as part of a tactical shift. "In the second half I put in players who are good at solo play. Ye-geon was able to sufficiently handle that role, so I put him in."

On the teenager, Jung was direct. "He is a player I have high expectations for. He did his role well. Ultimately, he became the driving force that allowed us to win." Asked about future usage, the coach said it would depend on the opponent but called him invaluable—his exact phrase was "천군만마 자원" (literally, "a force of a thousand troops").

The win moved Jeonbuk from 4th to 2nd place with 8 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses and 29 points. FC Seoul stayed on top, now 6 points clear. Ulsan dropped from 2nd to 4th with 8 wins, 3 draws, 6 losses, 27 points.

(A 2008-born player scoring a debut professional goal in a title-race win writes its own story.)

Jung wrapped up his post-match remarks with a broader thought: "I am thankful to the players who developed the play we wanted to execute. I think we will move forward in line with our direction."