The R League (), also known as the Korean Professional Football Reserve League, is the league for reserve teams of professional football clubs in South Korea.
History The Korean Reserve League was started in 1990 with reserve teams of five K League clubs.
It was not held for nine years after the inaugural season, but was relaunched in a new format in 2000. The participating teams were split into two or three group leagues, and the highest ranking teams of each league qualified for playoffs to determine the overall champions. It was renamed "R League" in 2009. The Korea Police FC participated in the R League until 2012, although it was not a reserve team of a K League club.
The R League was abolished in 2013 following the foundation of the K League 2, which needed participating players, but was restarted in 2016. It was once again ceased in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the Korea Football Association (KFA) allowed reserve teams to join the football league pyramid through the semi-professional K3 League and K4 League. Plans to resume the R League were scrapped due to a lack of participating teams as a number of teams elected to participate in the K4 League instead.
Champions Champions by season Reserve League (1990) EditionSeasonSingle league11990POSCO Atoms
Reserve League (2000–2005) EditionSeasonChampionshipCentral LeagueSouthern League22000Anyang LG CheetahsAnyang LG CheetahsJeonnam Dragons32001Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaPohang Steelers42002Anyang LG CheetahsSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaGwangju Sangmu Bulsajo52003Not heldSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaJeonnam Dragons62004FC SeoulSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaPohang Steelers72005Bucheon SKFC SeoulJeonnam Dragons
Reserve League (2006–2008) EditionSeasonChampionshipGroup AGroup BGroup C82006Incheon UnitedFC SeoulIncheon UnitedJeonnam Dragons92007Pohang SteelersSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaJeju UnitedPohang Steelers102008Incheon UnitedSeongnam Ilhwa ChunmaGyeongnam FCNot held
R League (2009) EditionSeasonChampionshipGroup AGroup BGroup C112009Incheon UnitedIncheon UnitedJeonbuk Hyundai MotorsPohang Steelers
R League (2010–present) EditionSeasonSingle leagueGroup AGroup B122010Not heldFC SeoulPohang Steelers132011Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaSangju Sangmu Phoenix142012Korean PoliceBusan IPark152016FC SeoulDaegu FC162017Ulsan HyundaiNot held172018Not heldFC SeoulDaejeon Citizen182019FC SeoulPohang Steelers192022Unknown
Performance by club K League's principle of official statistics is that final club succeeds to predecessor club's history & records. ClubGroupNational titlesGroup titlesTotal FC SeoulA 3 (2000, 2002, 2004) 7 (2000, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2019)10Incheon UnitedA 3 (2006, 2008, 2009) 2 (2006, 2009)5 Pohang SteelersB 2 (1990, 2007) 6 (2001, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2019)8Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaA 1 (2001) 7 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011)8Jeju UnitedB 1 (2005) 1 (2007)2 Ulsan HyundaiB 1 (2017) —1 Jeonnam DragonsB— 4 (2000, 2003, 2005, 2006)4 Sangju Sangmu PhoenixB— 2 (2002, 2011)2 Gyeongnam FCB— 1 (2008)1 Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsB— 1 (2009)1 Korean PoliceA— 1 (2012)1 Busan IParkB— 1 (2012)1 Daegu FCB— 1 (2016)1 Daejeon CitizenB— 1 (2018)1
Awards Most Valuable Player Season Player Club1990 Choi Moon-sikPOSCO Atoms2000 Kim Woo-jaeSeongnam Ilhwa Chunma2001 Back Young-chulSeongnam Ilhwa Chunma2002 Park Dong-sukAnyang LG Cheetahs2003Not awarded2004 Han Dong-wonFC Seoul2005 Yoo Hyun-gooBucheon SK2006 Lee Keun-hoIncheon United2007 Lee Won-jaePohang Steelers2008 Kang Su-ilIncheon United2009 Kim Sun-wooIncheon United
Top goalscorer Season Player Club Goals Apps Ratio1990 Kim Dong-hae Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso7??2000 Wang Jung-hyun Anyang LG Cheetahs881.002001 Hwang In-soo Suwon Samsung Bluewings10130.772002 Lee Sun-woo Suwon Samsung Bluewings7130.542003 Back Young-chul Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma8130.622004 Bu Young-tae Busan IPark881.002005 Han Dong-won FC Seoul10200.502006 Song Keun-soo Gwangju Sangmu11160.692007 Yoon Jun-soo Jeonnam Dragons8160.502008 Yoo Chang-hyun Pohang Steelers13230.572009 Song Je-heon Daegu FC8130.622010 Eraldo Anício Gomes Jeju United741.752011 Jung Sung-min Gangwon FC10170.592012 Kim Young-hoo Korean Police11140.792016 Han Hong-gyu Ansan Mugunghwa9100.92017 Kim Hee-won Seoul E-Land11160.692018 Kwon Ki-pyo Pohang Steelers14190.742019 Jeon Hyeon-chul Daegu FC13111.18
Top assist provider Season Player Club Assists Apps Ratio1990 Ahn Ki-chul Daewoo Royals???2000 Shin Jong-hyok Pohang Steelers6120.502001 Lee Jung-woon Pohang Steelers5130.382002 Kim Woo-jae Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma6180.332003 Park Won-jae Pohang Steelers4130.312004 Jang Dong-hyun Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma5170.292005 Yu Hyun-goo Jeju United8210.382006 Lee Keun-ho Incheon United720 0.352007 Hwang Jin-sung Pohang Steelers551.002008 Lee Tae-young Pohang Steelers7210.332009 Choi Sung-hyun Suwon Samsung Bluewings570.712010 Kim Eun-hu Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors6100.602011 Sin Jin-ho Pohang Steelers7170.412012 Choi Jin-soo Ulsan Hyundai5100.502016 Kim Dae-won Daegu FC5130.382017 Kim Soo-beom Jeju United590.562018 Song Min-kyu Pohang Steelers8180.442019 Park Tae-jun Seongnam FC780.88
See also K League U-League (association football)
References
External links Results (2000–2002) at Soccer World