Joo Min-kyu’s late-career surge powers Daejeon to the top

Veteran forward Joo Min-kyu is on the rise again at age 35, with his attacking prowess making the ongoing 2025 K League 1 season not just successful but a goal-rich campaign for his new team, Daejeon Hana Citizen.

Daejeon Hana Citizen forward Joo Min-kyu, right, celebrates during the K League 1 match against Ulsan HD at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on April 1. [YONHAP]

Veteran forward Joo Min-kyu is on the rise again at age 35, with his attacking prowess making the ongoing 2025 K League 1 season not just successful but a goal-rich campaign for his new team, Daejeon Hana Citizen.

Joo is enjoying another prolific season at Daejeon, with eight goals across 11 appearances as of Tuesday.

He needed little time to adapt to Daejeon, which he joined ahead of the 2025 season, bringing with him the 2023 Golden Boot from K League 1 defending champions Ulsan HD.

The Daejeon forward scored a double in his debut on Feb. 15 and has delivered goals whenever the team needed a breakthrough, helping Daejeon lead the league in scoring with 18 goals and sit atop the standings with seven wins, two draws and two losses from their opening 11 matches.

His eighth league goal of the season, scored against Gangwon FC on Sunday, not only retained his position as the league’s top scorer but also made him the fourth player in history to reach the 100-goal milestone in K League 1.

Joo is not known for exceptional agility, but his effective positioning and flexible movements inside the penalty box have been key features of his career.

A goal he scored against Daegu FC on March 8 highlighted these strengths, with the forward proactively finding unmarked spaces and finishing smoothly inside the box.

Daejeon Hana Citizen forward Joo Min-kyu, left, vies for the ball during the K League 1 match against Daegu FC at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daeguk on March 8. [YONHAP]

In that match, Joo did more than wait for crosses — he dropped back during counter-attacks to deliver decisive passes to fellow forwards.

His ability to counter pressure and recover the ball in the final third was critical to maintaining Daejeon’s attacking momentum and creating consistent chances in front of goal.

Joo’s strong link-up play this season also reflects his impact at the Korean national team last year, when he helped create space for teammates like Son Heung-min during a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Thailand.

However, Joo has not been as prolific internationally, scoring two goals across nine caps. He last appeared for Korea against Oman on March 20 and missed the subsequent qualifier against Jordan on March 25.

Despite this, his current form and effective link-up play suggest national team coach Hong Myung-bo could still capitalize on the Daejeon forward’s versatility.

Hong has favored KRC Genk’s Oh Hyeon-gyu and Machida Zelvia’s Oh Se-hun in recent fixtures, but neither has clearly outperformed Joo.

The Korea manager will have what could be a final testing opportunity during the June international break to finalize his attacking options ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Korea only has two remaining matches in the third round of qualifying in June, although the team could schedule additional friendlies ahead of the World Cup.

Joo will continue his club campaign with Daejeon, who face FC Anyang on Saturday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]