Min-jae Kwak

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Min-jae Kwak

|image = Minjae Kwak post-match press conference (June 1, 2024).jpg

|caption = Kwak in 2024

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|8|25|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Suwon, South Korea

|height = {{height|m=1.79}}

|position = Winger, Left-back

|currentclub = Chattanooga FC

|clubnumber = 11

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = South Bay Force

|youthyears2 = 2012–2014

|youthclubs2 = Strikers FC Academy

|youthyears3 = 2015–2017

|youthclubs3 = Pateadores Academy

|youthyears4 = 2017–2018

|youthclubs4 = Sporting Arsenal

|youthyears5 = 2018–2019

|youthclubs5 = Strikers FC Academy

|youthyears6 = 2019–2020

|youthclubs6 = HNK Gorica

|years1 = 2019

|clubs1 = TNT FC

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 = 2020–2021

|clubs2 = California United Strikers FC

|caps2 = 20

|goals2 = 4

|years3 = 2022

|clubs3 = AC Syracuse Pulse

|caps3 = 20

|goals3 = 4

|years4 = 2023

|clubs4 = Vancouver FC

|caps4 = 25

|goals4 = 1

|years5 = 2024–

|clubs5 = Chattanooga FC

|caps5 = 15

|goals5 = 1

|club-update = September 29, 2024

}}

Min-jae Kwak ({{Korean|곽민재}}, born 25 August 2000) is a South Korean footballer who plays for Chattanooga FC in MLS Next Pro.

Early life

Born in South Korea, Kwak lived in Fiji for eight months,{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206113359/https://nisasoccer.com/roster/minjae-kwak|url=https://www.nisasoccer.com/roster/minjae-kwak|title=Minjae Kwak NISA profile|archive-date=December 6, 2022|url-status=dead|work=National Independent Soccer Association}} before moving to the United States at age 12, moving to Orange County, California.{{cite web|title=Rooted in the Community: Min-jae Kwak found a second home in Vancouver|url=https://vancouverfc.canpl.ca/article/rooted-in-the-community-min-jae-kwak-found-a-second-home-in-vancouver|date=October 12, 2023|work=Vancouver FC}} Shortly after arriving in the United States, he was invited to trial with the LA Galaxy academy, but did not make the program.{{Cite web|url=https://vancouverfc.canpl.ca/article/minjae-kwak-industrious-and-tenacious|title=Minjae Kwak, industrious and tenacious|date=May 2, 2023|work=Vancouver FC|first=David|last=Nava}} He began playing with South Bay Force before moving to the Strikers FC Academy, before moving to Pateadores Academy, Sporting Arsenal, before returning to Strikers Academy.{{Cite tweet|number=1546601908500156416|date=July 11, 2022|title=Player Spotlight Series💡 Minjae Kwak|user=saltcityunion}}

In September 2019, he joined the youth side of Croatian club HNK Gorica, after having participated in a camp for South Korean players with the club.{{cite web|url=https://cityportal.hr/korejski-talenti-u-juniorima-kwak-i-kang-dobrodosli-u-goricu/|title=Korejski talenti u juniorima: Kwak i Kang, dobrodošli u Goricu!|trans-title=Korean junior talents: Kwak and Kang, welcome to Gorica!|first=Marko|last=Vidalina|publisher=City Portal|language=Croatian|date=9 September 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vgdanas.hr/65255|title=I Korejci potpisali za Goricu|trans-title=The Koreans also signed for Gorica|date=10 September 2019|language=Croatian|work=VG Danas|first=Damir|last=Žbulj}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.kronikevg.com/juznokoreanci-kwak-kang-novi-clanovi-gorice/|trans-title=South Koreans Kwak and Kang are new members of Gorica|language=Croatian|title=Južnokoreanci Kwak i Kang novi članovi Gorice|date=10 September 2019|work=Kronike Velike Gorice|first=Goran|last=Klobučarić}} He scored in an exhibition game with the first team against Lekenik FC.{{Cite web|url=https://velikagorica.com/vijesti/kronikevg-73324|title=Gorica uveličala proslavu 90 godina Lekenika|trans-title=Gorica magnified the celebration of 90 years of Lekenik|language=Croatian|date=September 18, 2019|work=Kronike Velike Gorice|first=Goran|last=Klobučarić}}

Club career

In 2019, he played with South Korean side TNT FC.{{Cite web|url=https://m.blog.naver.com/ktrhoya/222672674936|title=올해 최대 20명의 선수를 해외 프로구단에 입단시키는게 목표입니다|trans-title=The goal is to recruit up to 20 players to overseas professional teams this year|date=March 14, 2022|work=8층 풋살장 아저씨}}

In September 2020, he signed with National Independent Soccer Association club California United Strikers FC, after having trained with the club since January.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccertoday.com/california-united-strikers-announce-signing-minjae-kwak/|title=California United Strikers announce signing Minjae Kwak|first=Diane|last=Scavuzzo|date=September 3, 2020|work=Soccer Today}} In March 2022, he joined another NISA club, AC Syracuse Pulse. That season, he was named to the NISA Best XI, after having scored four goals and adding an assist.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nisaofficial.com/news/2022/11/16/nisa-announces-2022-best-xi|title=NISA Announces 2022 Best XI|work=National Independent Soccer Association|date=November 16, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.langleyadvancetimes.com/sports/experience-from-around-the-globe-added-to-new-pro-soccer-team-in-langley/|title=Experience from around the globe added to new pro soccer team in Langley|date=March 13, 2023|work=Langley Advance Times}}

In March 2023, he signed with Vancouver FC in the Canadian Premier League,{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/vancouver-fc-nicky-gyimah-min-jae-kwak/|title=Vancouver FC Adds Wingers Nicky Gyimah And Min-Jae Kwak|date=March 8, 2023|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}{{Cite web|url=https://totalsoccernews.com/canadian-premier-league-vancouver-fc-signs-two-pacey-international-wingers/|title=Vancouver FC signs two pacey international wingers|date=March 8, 2023|work=Total Soccer News}} becoming the second Korean-born player to play in the CPL.{{Cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/vancouver-fc-add-international-wingers-nicky-gyimah-and-min-jae-kwak|title=Vancouver FC add international wingers Nicky Gyimah and Min-jae Kwak|date=March 8, 2023|work=Canadian Premier League}} With Vancouver, he was converted by head coach Afshin Ghotbi, who was an assistant coach with the South Korea national team at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, to play left-back. In May 2023, he was named to the CPL Team of the Week for the first time, after helping his team earn a clean sheet in their match that week.{{cite web|url=https://vancouverfc.canpl.ca/article/vancouver-fcs-minjae-kwak-and-tyler-crawford-named-to-week-6-cpl-team-of-the-week|title=Vancouver FC's Minjae Kwak and Tyler Crawford named to week 6 CPL Team of the Week|date=May 23, 2023|work=Vancouver FC|first=David|last=Nava}} He scored his first goal on June 2 against Pacific FC.{{cite web|url=https://onesoccer.ca/a/highlights-vancouver-fc-vs-pacific-fc-june-2-2023|title=Highlights:Vancouver FC vs. Pacific FC (June 2, 2023)|first=Alexandre|last=Gangué-Ruzic|work=OneSoccer}}

In March 2024, he signed with Chattanooga FC in MLS Next Pro.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlsnextpro.com/chattanoogafc/news/chattanooga-football-club-signs-minjae-kwak|title=Chattanooga Football Club signs Minjae Kwak|date=March 25, 2024|work=Chattanooga FC}}{{citation|url=https://northerntribune.ca/chattanoooga-fc-min-jae-kwak-sign-2024/|title=Vancouver FC Original Min-Jae Kwak Cracks Chattanooga FC Roster|date=March 26, 2024|first=John|last=Jacques|work=Northern Tribune}} On September 21, 2024, he scored his first goal for the club, in a match against New England Revolution II, which earned MLS Next Pro Goal of the Matchweek honours.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlsnextpro.com/chattanoogafc/news/chattanooga-fc-at-new-england-revolution-ii-match-recap|title=Chattanooga FC stays in playoff hunt with shootout win in New England|date=September 21, 2024|work=Chattanooga FC}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlsnextpro.com/news/mls-next-pro-goal-of-matchweek-28-minjae-kwak|title=MLS Next Pro Goal of Matchweek 28: Minjae Kwak|date=September 27, 2024|work=MLS Next Pro|first=Ramon|last=Chavez}} After the season, he re-signed with the club for the 2025 season, with an option for another season.{{cite web|title=Chattanooga Football Club re-signs forward Minjae Kwak|url=https://www.mlsnextpro.com/chattanoogafc/news/chattanooga-football-club-re-signs-forward-minjae-kwak|date=December 20, 2024|work=Chattanooga FC}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Playoffs !colspan="2"\|National Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan=3\|California United Strikers FC \|2020–21 \|rowspan=2\|NISA \|3	0	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	3{{efn\|Appearances in the NISA Legends Cup}}	0	6	0
2021 \|17	4	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	?	?	17	4
colspan="2"\|Total !20	4	0	0	0	0	3	0	23	4
AC Syracuse Pulse \|2022 \|NISA \|20	4	1	0	1	0	colspan=2\|—	22	4
Vancouver FC \|2023 \|Canadian Premier League \|25	1	colspan="2"\|—	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	26	1
Chattanooga FC \|2024 \|MLS Next Pro \|15	1	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	15	1
colspan="3"\|Career total !80	10	1	0	2	0	3	0	86	10