Lee Dong-gook

Lee Dong-gook
Personal information
Full name Lee Dong-gook
Date of birth (1979-04-29) 29 April 1979
Place of birth Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Number 20
Youth career
1995–1998 Pohang Steelers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2007 Pohang Steelers 102 (38)
2000–2001 → Werder Bremen (loan) 7 (0)
2003–2005 → Gwangju Sangmu (army) 46 (12)
2007–2008 Middlesbrough 23 (0)
2008 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 10 (2)
2009– Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 300 (145)
National team‡
1998–1999 South Korea U20 9 (6)
1999–2002 South Korea U23 29 (20)
1998–2017 South Korea 105 (33)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 December 2017
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 September 2017
Lee Dong-gook
Hangul 이동국
Hanja 李同國
Revised Romanization I Dong-guk
McCune–Reischauer I Tongguk

Lee Dong-gook (Hangul: 이동국), Korean pronunciation: [i.doŋ.ɡuk̚]; born 29 April 1979) is a South Korean football striker who currently plays for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. He is a record scorer in the K League 1, and had brief spells in Europe with Werder Bremen and Middlesbrough.

Lee has earned 105 international caps for South Korea since 1998, scoring 33 goals. He has played at two FIFA World Cups, two CONCACAF Gold Cups, two AFC Asian Cups and the 2000 Olympics.

Club career

Early career

Lee started playing football for Pohang Steelers, where due to his outstanding performance in his first season, he managed to make his debut for the South Korean national team. He was then sent on loan to Werder Bremen of Germany's Bundesliga. During six months at Werder Bremen in 2001, Lee's playing time was limited to seven appearance.

In July 2002, Lee left the Steelers to perform his military service, joining the military team Gwangju Sangmu Bulsajo. He spent two seasons there. His career recovered after he returned to Pohang in 2004.

In April 2006, Lee tore the cruciate ligaments in his knee while playing in a K-League match for the Pohang Steelers that forced him out for six months, and was unable to play in the World Cup.[1]

Middlesbrough

In January 2007, after being granted a work permit, Lee signed for English Premier League club Middlesbrough on an 18-month contract.[2] He made his debut on 24 February, coming on as an 85th minute substitute for Yakubu in the 2–1 win against Reading.[3] He scored his first goal on 29 August 2007 in a League Cup match against Northampton Town,[4] and his second in the FA Cup against Mansfield Town on 26 January 2008.[5] His contract expired at the end of the 2008 Premier League season and Middlesbrough decided not to extend his contract. He received offers from clubs in Japan and Germany.[6]

Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma

Lee signed a contract with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in 2008. However, he was unsuccessful, and was linked another move to several K-League and J. League clubs.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Lee was transferred to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the 2009 transfer window. He scored a brace in his debut for Jeonbuk on 15 March 2009 against Daegu FC. Lee completed his second senior hat-trick on 2 May 2009 against Jeju United. On 4 July, he scored his second hat-trick of the season against Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix. He eventually became the K-League Top Scorer in 2009 K-League, scoring 20 goals in 27 league matches. He also scored one goal in the second leg of final in K-League Championship, and Jeonbuk beat Seongnam Ilhwa by 3–1 to win the first league trophy in their history.

Lee became the K-League's all-time leading scorer with 117 goals when he got two goals in the 2012 season opener against Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma on 3 March 2012.[7]

International career

Lee Dong-gook participated in the AFC U-19 Championship in 1998. He played with Kim Eun-jung as two top and led South Korea to win the title. Also, Lee was the top scorer and MVP of the competition.[8]

Lee was a member of the South Korea national football team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He also took part in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup and finished top scorer with six goals.

In 2002, Lee was not chosen by Guus Hiddink to represent South Korea in 2002 World Cup. Fans called him "Lazy Genius," because they felt that he did not fully use his potential. This is also because Hiddink emphasized strong stamina, great power, and agile speed, which are the categories that Lee struggles in, except power.[9][10] He later admitted that he spent his days drinking and did not watch a single game that took place during the 2002 World Cup.[11]

Lee was coach Dick Advocaat's first-choice selection at forward for Korea ahead of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but a knee injury suffered in a K-League match forced him to miss the tournament.[1]

On 1 November 2007, Lee was banned from the national team for twelve months after it was revealed that he, along with team captain Lee Woon-Jae, teammates Kim Sang-Sik and Woo Sung-Yong, went on a late night drinking spree with several female employees during the Asian Cup, in which Korea received third place.[12]

Unlike the other members who were involved in this incident, because Lee played for Middlesbrough in England, the KFA could not ban him from his club team matches.[13]

Lee was listed onto the South Korea national football team line up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He came on as a substitute in a game against Uruguay and nearly scored a goal but his shot lacked the power to clear the line. He played in qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup but was not listed on the final team for the tournament. After the World Cup he was recalled back to the team for a friendly match against Venezuela, where he scored a brace in a 3–1 victory, the national team's first win in nearly six months.

In August 2017, Lee was called up for the 2018 World Cup Qualifier games against Iran and Uzbekistan, being one of the oldest players on the squad.

Career statistics

Club

As of 18 October 2016.
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Total
1998Pohang SteelersK League 1157--94--2411
1999157--41--198
200074--10- -84
Germany League DFB-Pokal Other Europe Total
2000–01Werder BremenBundesliga70--- ---70
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Total
2001Pohang SteelersK League 117321--- -173
200221743--- -2510
2003Gwangju Sangmu Bulsajo2711--- -- -2711
20041912043- -254
2005----10- -10
Pohang Steelers1733074- -277
2006107----- -107
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
2006–07MiddlesbroughPremier League9020--- -110
2007–081402121- -182
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Total
2008Seongnam Ilhwa ChunmaK League 1102--30- -132
2009Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors29214431- -3626
201028122021844017
2011291610--893825
2012402622- -644832
2013301322- -834018
2014311320- -734016
2015331311- -744118
20162712--- -1153817
2017 30 10 1 0 – – – – 31 10
2018241020- -743314
South Korea Total 459 198 28 13 34146236583261
Germany7 0--- ---70
England23 04121- -292
Career total 489198321436156236619263

International

As of 5 September 2017.[14]
Korea Republic national team
YearAppsGoals
199880
199900
2000108
200161
200240
200310
2004108
2005154
200691
200770
200800
200940
2010103
201120
201285
201350
201443
201500
201600
201720
Total10533
Scores and results list South Korea's goal tally first.
DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
17 February 2000Los Angeles Costa Rica1 goal2–22000 CONCACAF Gold Cup
7 October 2000Dubai Australia1 goal4–22000 LG Cup
19 October 2000Tripoli Indonesia3 goals3–02000 AFC Asian Cup
23 October 2000Tripoli Iran1 goal2–1 (a.e.t.)2000 AFC Asian Cup
26 October 2000Beirut Saudi Arabia1 goal1–22000 AFC Asian Cup
29 October 2000Beirut China PR1 goal1–02000 AFC Asian Cup
16 September 2001Busan Nigeria1 goal2–1Friendly
10 July 2004Gwangju Bahrain1 goal2–0Friendly
23 July 2004Jinan United Arab Emirates1 goal2–02004 AFC Asian Cup
27 July 2004Jinan Kuwait2 goals4–02004 AFC Asian Cup
31 July 2004Jinan Iran1 goal3–42004 AFC Asian Cup
8 September 2004Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam1 goal2–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
17 November 2004Seoul Maldives1 goal2–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
19 December 2004Busan Germany1 goal3–1Friendly
9 February 2005Seoul Kuwait1 goal2–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
30 March 2005Seoul Uzbekistan1 goal2–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
8 June 2005Kuwait City Kuwait1 goal4–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
16 November 2005Seoul Serbia and Montenegro1 goal2–0Friendly
15 February 2006Los Angeles Mexico1 goal1–0Friendly
7 February 2010Tokyo Hong Kong1 goal5–02010 EAFF Championship
14 February 2010Tokyo Japan1 goal3–12010 EAFF Championship
3 March 2010London Ivory Coast1 goal2–0Friendly
25 February 2012Jeonju Uzbekistan2 goals4–2Friendly
29 February 2012Seoul Kuwait1 goal2–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
11 September 2012Tashkent Uzbekistan1 goal2–22014 FIFA World Cup qualification
14 November 2012Hwaseong Australia1 goal1–2Friendly
5 September 2014Bucheon Venezuela2 goals3–1Friendly
14 October 2014Seoul Costa Rica1 goal1–3Friendly

Honours

Club

Pohang Steelers

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

International

South Korea U20

Individual

Personal life

Lee married Lee Su-jin, a runner up of Miss Korea 1997, in December 2005.[32] The couple has five children: twin daughters Lee Jae-si and Lee Jae-ah (born 14 August 2007), twin daughters Lee Seol-ah and Lee Su-ah (born 18 July 2013) and son Lee Si-an, nicknamed Daebak (born 14 November 2014).

Lee Dong Gook, along with his five children, has appeared on the Sunday variety show "The Return of Superman" [33] since 2015. The show is on KBS World TV and can also be viewed on YouTube with English captions. "The Return of Superman" shows famous Korean fathers taking care of their children for 48 hours without their wife. Lee Dong Gook is the first on the show to have five children to take care of.[34]

Filmography

Variety show

Year Title Network Role Notes
2015–present The Return of Superman KBS2 Cast Ep. 88–present

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2015 14th KBS Entertainment Awards Best Entertainer – Entertainment Category The Return of Superman Won
Male MC Newcomer Award Nominated
2016 15th KBS Entertainment Awards Top Excellence – Variety Won

References

  1. 1 2 "South Korea star out of World Cup". BBC Sport. 14 April 2006.
  2. ↑ "Middlesbrough complete Lee deal". BBC Sport. British Broadcast Corporation. 25 January 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  3. ↑ "Middlesbrough 2–1 Reading". BBC Sport. British Broadcast Corporation. 24 February 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "Middlesbrough 2–0 Northampton". BBC. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  5. ↑ "Mansfield 0–2 Middlesbrough". BBC. 26 January 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  6. ↑ "Trio Move On". Mfc.premiumtv.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  7. ↑ ‘라이언킹’ 이동국, 통산 최다 골 경신… 살아있는 전설 썼다 (in Korean). hyundai-motorsfc.com. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  8. ↑ "U-19 Championship Roll of Honour". AFC. 1 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  9. ↑ "Daum.net" (in Korean). News.media.daum.net. Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  10. ↑ "Daum.net" (in Korean). News.media.daum.net. Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  11. ↑ "Daum.net" (in Korean). News.media.daum.net. Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  12. ↑ "South Korea ban Boro's Dong-Gook". BBC Sport. 2 November 2007. Retrieved 2 November 2007.
  13. ↑ ""음주파동 4인방 형평성 '논란'" 데일리 서프라이즈". dailyseop.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  14. ↑ "Lee Dong-gook". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
  15. ↑ "한국,일본꺾고 청소년축구 2연패". The Hankyoreh. 2 November 1998.
  16. ↑ "-올스타축구- 6만관중 환호속 남부팀 대승 6-2". Yonhap. 16 August 1998.
  17. ↑ "-프로축구 올스타전- 이동국, 생애 두번째 MVP". Yonhap. 5 August 2001.
  18. ↑ "K리그 올스타전, MVP 이동국". SBS. 15 August 2003.
  19. ↑ "MVP 이동국… 히딩크 앞에서 해트트릭". Kyunghyang. 5 July 2012.
  20. ↑ "고종수 MVP 베스트11 뽑혀'겹경사'이동국은 신인왕". The Hankyoreh. 8 January 1999.
  21. ↑ "Asian Nations Cup 2000". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 4 March 2011.
  22. ↑ "[아시안컵] 결승골 이동국…득점왕 등극". Kukmin Ilbo. 30 October 2000.
  23. 1 2 3 4 "[2009 K리그 대상] 이동국 '별중의 별' MVP 수상". Best Eleven. 22 December 2009.
  24. 1 2 3 4 "[K리그]전북 이동국 2년 만에 MVP…신인왕은 이승기". Newsis. 6 December 2011.
  25. 1 2 3 "[K리그 대상] 이동국, 클래식 MVP 수상...3관왕 영예". Sportalkorea. 1 December 2014.
  26. 1 2 3 "K리그 대상 이동국 MVP·이재성 영플레이상 수상". SBS. 1 December 2015.
  27. ↑ "데얀, K리그 MVP..감독상은 최용수 '서울 천하'". Yonhap. 3 December 2012.
  28. ↑ "Match & Result". EAFF. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  29. ↑ "AFC Champions League » Top Scorer". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  30. ↑ "Veteran striker ready to give all in AFC Champions League final". Yonhap. 25 November 2016.
  31. ↑ "ACL MD6: The Week In Numbers". AFC. 22 April 2018.
  32. ↑ 경향닷컴 (in Korean). News.khan.co.kr. 19 December 2005. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  33. ↑ "New Family with Two Sets of Twins Confirmed to Join "Superman Returns"!". Soompi. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  34. ↑ "'Superman Is Back' to add another family to the show – soccer player Lee Dong Gook and his five kids!". allkpop.com. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
Awards
Preceded by
Lee Woon-Jae		 K-League Most Valuable Player
2009		 Succeeded by
Kim Eun-Jung
Preceded by
Kim Eun-Jung		 K-League Most Valuable Player
2011		 Succeeded by
Dejan Damjanović
Preceded by
Dudu		 K-League Top Scorer
2009		 Succeeded by
Yoo Byung-Soo
Preceded by
Koo Ja-Cheol		 K-League Top Assistor
2011		 Succeeded by
Mauricio Molina
Preceded by
Shin Jin-Won		 K-League Rookie of the Year
1998		 Succeeded by
Lee Sung-Jae
Preceded by
Saša Ognenovski		 AFC Champions League Most Valuable Player
2011		 Succeeded by
Lee Keun-Ho
Preceded by
Jose Mota		 AFC Champions League Top Scorer
2011		 Succeeded by
Ricardo Oliveira
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