Wow, there’s even a 1983 “Hallelujah Eagle” trophy!
“Wow, when was that the enemy ‘Atoms’ logo?” “I’ve never seen a Hallelujah jersey before!”
This is a glimpse into the history of the Korean professional soccer league, the K League, which turned 40 this year.
The Korean Professional Football Association announced that it will open the ‘K League: The Universe’ exhibition at Yeongdeungpo Arts Square, located in the basement of Times Square in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, on the 22nd, as an event to conclude the 40th anniversary of the K League.
On the afternoon of the 21st, a day before the opening, the exhibition was decorated with the theme of space, and visitors could walk through the exhibition areas named after astronomical terms such as ‘Galaxy,’ ‘Cosmos,’ and ‘Stellar’ and explore the main characters and famous scenes of the League.
Upon entering the exhibition, the first thing that caught my eye was the Galaxy section, where the trophies of all the previous K League championships were displayed.
There are a total of 10 trophies on display, ranging from the trophy lifted by the Hallelujah Eagles in 1983, the first year of the K League, to the current K League 1 and K League 2 trophies. “
We collected all 10 trophies in different shapes from all the trophies given to the winning teams over the 41 seasons,” explains Korean League Baseball Hall of Fame selection committee chairman Kim Min-seok.
Right next to the trophies is a large mural that depicts famous moments from the inception of the league until now.
The mural depicts cheerleaders at the inaugural tournament in 1983, Kim Byung-ji (then of Ulsan Hyundai) scoring the first ever field goal by a goalkeeper with a header in the second round of the 1998 playoffs against the Pohang Steelers, and many other memorable moments for soccer fans.
In the ‘Cosmos’ area, a large 26-meter-diameter media wall displays video footage of turning points in the history of the K League from its inception to the present.
Dividing the K League into three periods, 1983-1999, 2000-2010, and 2011-2023, it shows a total of 27 events in chronological order, including the first game in 1983, the 1998 ‘Renaissance’ period when Lee Dong-guk, Lee Seong-hwan, and Ko Jong-soo played together, the Park Joo-young syndrome in 2004, the birth of the ‘Super Match’ between FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung in 2007, Jeonbuk’s ‘Dakgong’ (shut up and attack) craze in 2011, the launch of the promotion system in 2013, and Jeonbuk’s fifth consecutive title in 2021.
The ‘Stellar’ section also features stars and constellations representing managers and players who have shined in the K League.
Nine managers who have left their mark – Lee Hoe-taek, Nipomnish, Heo Jung-moo, Choi Kang-hee, Jong-hwan Park, Kim Ho, Cha Bum-geun, Kim Jung-nam, and Cho Kwang-rae – are depicted as the largest stars, and those who have been paternal or maternal to them, or competed against them as rivals, are connected to each other like constellations.
A few reporters let out an audible gasp as we entered the “Milky Way” area, where all 32 emblems of the K League’s 32 clubs from 1983 to 2023 were displayed. 온라인카지노
In addition to the emblems of seven defunct clubs, including Hallelujah, Hanil Bank, Jeonbuk Buffalo, and Chungju Hummel, all the old emblems of the 25 remaining clubs were displayed, along with when they were replaced.
From the league’s earliest days, when animals such as bulls, elephants, and magpies were used, to today’s sleek emblems, the history of the clubs has changed with the times.
There is also an area dedicated to the memories of players and fans.
In the ‘Nebula’ and ‘Ort Cloud’ sections, 109 jerseys, tickets, memorabilia, fan books, and 140 other items that fans and players have kept deep in their closets were displayed.
Former player Kim Won-il, who played for Pohang and Jeju from 2010 to 2019, provided the jersey he wore when he scored the winning goal in Pohang’s 2013 league final against Ulsan, as well as his soccer shoes and championship medal.
One fan offered a handwritten diary from a 2006 match between FC Seoul and Gwangju when he was in elementary school.
The exhibition will run from January 22 until January 31 next year.
On the 30th, autograph sessions will be held for representatives of the K League, including Go Jae-hyun (Daegu FC), Cho Young-wook (FC Seoul), and Cho Yoo-min (Daejeon Hana Citizen).
From the 26th to the 29th, the first 200 visitors to the exhibition center each day will receive a copy of ‘2023 K League Photo Album: Fantasy K League’ for a total of 800 people.
