Ulsan HD FC

The club was founded on 6 December 1983 as Hyundai Horang-i, with tiger as its mascot (horangi means tiger in Korean). Their original franchise area was Incheon and Gyeonggi Province.{{cite web |url=http://www.uhfc.tv/ |title=울산현대축구단 |publisher=울산현대축구단 |access-date=27 December 2015 |archive-date=15 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815103904/http://www.uhfc.tv/ |url-status=live }} They joined the professional K League from 1984 season. While they finished their debut season as 3rd place, the team's striker Baek Jong-chul became the K League Top Scorer, scoring 16 goals in 28 matches. They won their first professional trophy in 1986, winning the Professional Football Championship, which is the origin of Korean League Cup. From the 1987 season, the club moved their franchise from Incheon and Gyeonggi Province to Gangwon Province. In the 1988 season, they finished the season as the runners-up in the league.

Beginning in the 1990 season, the club moved their franchise to Ulsan, where the headquarters of several branches of owner company Hyundai are located at, from Gangwon Province. Former South Korea's striker Cha Bum-kun took the managerial position in the 1991 season, leading the club to the runners-up position in the league in his debut season. However, he failed to win any trophy and was replaced by Ko Jae-wook after the 1994 season. Under Ko Jae-wook, Ulsan won their second Korean League Cup trophy in 1995, which was his debut season as Ulsan manager. Ulsan won their first ever league title in 1996, beating Suwon Samsung Bluewings 3–2 on aggregate in the championship playoffs. The club then entered a long dry-spell in terms of league trophies, although they won their third Korean League Cup trophy in 1998, beating Bucheon SK 2–1 on aggregate in the finals.

File:Munsu 20121110 204310 5.jpg at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium]]

Failure to add a major title for years did affect the team negatively. After the exodus of key players like Kim Hyun-seok and a terrible start in the 2000, manager Ko Jae-wook resigned in the middle of the season.

Ulsan appointed Kim Jung-nam, who had formerly managed South Korea, as their next manager. They finished as runners-up in 2002 and 2003, and started to emerge as a strong force. In 2005, with the return of two key players, Yoo Sang-chul and Lee Chun-soo, they qualified for the championship playoffs. In the play-off semi-final, they beat Seongnam Ilhwa 2–1, and in the final, they beat Incheon United 6–3 on aggregate, with a hat-trick from Lee Chun-Soo in the first leg. They became the league champions for the second time in their history.

The club also went on to win the A3 Champions Cup in 2006, in which they participated as K League champions. Although they lost their first match in the competition against JEF United Ichihara Chiba 3–2, they beat Dalian Shide 4–0 and Gamba Osaka 6–0 to clinch the trophy. Lee Chun-soo became the competition's top scorer, scoring six goals in three matches. They repeated the merciless attacks in the AFC Champions League that season, beating Al-Shabab 6–0 in the first leg of the quarter-finals. These overwhelming attacks they showed in the season gave Ulsan the nickname "Gangsters of Asia".{{Cite news|url=http://sports.news.naver.com/kleague/news/read.nhn?oid=076&aid=0002262256|script-title=ko:울산, 6년 전 '아시아 깡패' 부활위한 3가지 조건|language=ko|publisher=Sports Chosun|date=20 September 2012|access-date=26 December 2015|archive-date=9 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230909090000/https://sports.news.naver.com/news?oid=076&aid=0002262256|url-status=live}}

Ulsan won the 2007 Korean League Cup, beating FC Seoul 2–1 in the final on 27 June 2007. In 2008, the team changed their official name from Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i to Ulsan Hyundai FC.{{cite web |title=History: Ulsan Hyundai Football Club |url=https://www.uhfc.tv/eng/history/history.php |website=Ulsan Hyundai FC |access-date=9 June 2021 |archive-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608174142/https://www.uhfc.tv/eng/history/history.php |url-status=live }}

Manager Kim Jung-nam stepped down after the 2008 season. Kim Ho-kon, who had managed the South Korea under-23 team that reached the quarter-finals in the 2004 Summer Olympics was appointed as Ulsan's next manager.

Kim Ho-kon did not enjoy Ulsan fans' full support for his first few seasons at the club, mainly because of his defensive tactical style and unsatisfying outcomes.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} The 2011 season was a dramatic changeover; Ulsan won their fifth Korean League Cup, beating Busan IPark 3–2 in the final. Ulsan also finished the season as runners-up in the K League that season. Their unique style of having many players pushing forward in counterattacks earned them the nickname "Iron mace football".{{Cite news|url=http://sports.news.naver.com/kleague/news/read.nhn?oid=343&aid=0000033454|script-title=ko:김호곤, 편견과 싸워 이긴 울산 사령탑 5년|language=ko|publisher=Best Eleven|date=5 December 2013|access-date=26 December 2015|archive-date=9 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230909090000/https://sports.news.naver.com/news?oid=343&aid=0000033454|url-status=live}}

In 2012, the club won the AFC Champions League, defeating Al-Ahli 3–0 in the final on 10 November. In the run up to the final, Ulsan went on an unbeaten run throughout the twelve games of the competition, winning nine consecutive games and scoring 27 goals in the process.{{cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature/_/id/1220918/duerden:-ulsan%27s-ultimate-victory?cc=5901 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103091247/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature/_/id/1220918/duerden:-ulsan's-ultimate-victory?cc=5901 |url-status=dead|first=John|last=Duerden|archive-date=3 January 2013 |title=Ulsan's ultimate victory |website=ESPN|date=10 November 2012 }}

Ulsan Hyundai went trophyless for three years after both Cho Min-kook and Yoon Jong-hwan failed to guide the club to any major honours.

On 21 November 2016, Ulsan Hyundai hired Kim Do-hoon as their manager.{{Cite web |date=2016-12-29 |title=[송년인터뷰] 김도훈 감독 "난 아직 초보감독…초보들은 도전하고 싶은게 많다" |url=https://www.donga.com/news/Sports/article/all/20161229/82082370/4 |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=The Dong-A Ilbo|language=ko}} He restored the club status back by guiding the club to the 2017 Korean FA Cup final and winning it 2–1 on aggregate against Busan IPark, the club's first trophy in five years.{{Cite web |last=김창금 |date=2017-12-03 |title=울산 현대, 창단 첫 FA컵 우승 |url=https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/sports/soccer/821807.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=한겨레 |language=ko}} Three years later, Kim also led Ulsan Hyundai to victory in the 2020 AFC Champions League, defeating Iranian club Persepolis 2–1 in the final.{{Cite web |title=Ulsan Hyundai lift AFC Champions League trophy with come from behind win over Persepolis |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league/news/ulsan_hyundai_lift_afc_champions_league_trophy_with_come_from_behind_win_over_persepolis.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Asian Football Confederation}} Júnior Negrão scored a brace to secure the club's second AFC Champions League trophy, subsequently qualifying for the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup, where Ulsan finished sixth.{{cite web |title=FIFA Club World Cup 2020/21 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fifa-wcc2020.html |website=RSSSF |access-date=14 January 2025}}

For the 2021 season, Ulsan Hyundai signed former South Korea international player Hong Myung-bo as their manager. He guided the club to consecutive league titles in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.{{Cite web |date=16 October 2022|title=Breaking: Ulsan Hyundai are 2022 K League 1 champions |url=https://onefootball.com/en/news/breaking-ulsan-hyundai-are-2022-k-league-1-champions-36034975 |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=OneFootball}}{{Cite web |date=29 October 2023|title=Official: Ulsan Hyundai win 2023 K League 1 title |url=https://onefootball.com/en/news/official-ulsan-hyundai-win-2023-k-league-1-title-38478506 |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=OneFootball}} The 2022 title was won in dramatic fashion, as Ulsan defeated rivals Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the winners of the previous five K League 1 seasons, with two goals scored by Hungarian international Martin Ádám in injury time.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-09 |title=WATCH: Korea fans' spine-tingling celebrations after Ulsan's insane K League comeback |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/watch-korea-fans-celebrations-ulsan-k-league-comeback/blt35692f7d0adbe822 |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Goal.com}} It was Ulsan's first league title since 2005.

In December 2023, Ulsan Hyundai changed its name to Ulsan HD and unveiled a new emblem ahead of the 2024 season. The "HD" comes from the club parent company 'HD Hyundai', which was renamed from Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings in December 2022.{{Cite web |title=No More Ulsan Hyundai: All-New Ulsan HD FC Name & Logo Released |url=https://www.footyheadlines.com/2023/12/no-more-ulsan-hyundai-all-new-ulsan-hd-fc-logo.html|access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Footy Headlines|date=13 December 2023}} In April 2024, the team qualified for the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by defeating Yokohama F. Marinos at home in the first leg of the semi-final of the 2023–24 AFC Champions League.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-18 |title=Ulsan take 1–0 lead in Champions League semifinals; punch ticket to Club World Cup |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-04-18/sports/football/Ulsan-take-10-lead-in-Champions-League-semifinals-punch-ticket-to-Club-World-Cup/2028271 |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=koreajoongangdaily.joins.com}}

With the departure of Hong Myung-bo to guide the South Korea national team, Ulsan HD hired former Malaysia national team head coach Kim Pan-gon on 28 July 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-29 |title=Kim earning Ulsan job is testament to what he achieved in Malaysia, Hong Kong |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/40670060/kim-pan-gon-earning-ulsan-hd-job-testament-achieved-malaysia-hong-kong |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=ESPN|first=Gabriel|last=Tan}} He successfully guided the team to a third consecutive championship title in 2024, thereby establishing a dynasty.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-01 |title="울산 왕조의 날" 루빅손+주민규 골골→울산, 강원 2–1 제압…사상 3번째 K리그 3연패 달성→조기우승 확정 |url=https://www.chosun.com/sports/football/2024/11/01/MDZM2EWTWOJ5ENXRJQTWD6CK2I/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=The Chosun Ilbo|language=ko}}

{{Main article|Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium}}

Ulsan plays at the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium in Nam District, completed in 2001 in preparation for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It is one of the largest football-specific stadiums in South Korea. The club previously played in the Ulsan Stadium of the Ulsan Sports Complex.File:Ulsan Sports Complex1.JPGThe club's players train at the Hyundai Sport Club House, completed in 2002, in the city's Dong District.

File:Ulsan Supporters.jpg, 2024]]

The club's main supporters group is called the Cheoyong Warriors (처용전사), founded in 1997.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-23 |title=[사진] 처용전사들과 함께 우승 기념촬영하는 울산 선수들 |url=https://biz.chosun.com/sports/football/2024/11/23/PKXWWFBDI35GTSIHMXJZX6OQEU/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Chosun Biz|language=ko}} Cheoyong refers to a legendary figure in Korean folklore associated with the city of Ulsan.{{Citation |title=처용 (處容) |work=한국민족문화대백과사전 [Encyclopedia of Korean Culture] |url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0055713 |access-date=2025-01-13 |publisher=Academy of Korean Studies |language=ko}}

Ulsan's on-pitch success led to an all-time high average attendance in 2024, with the club recording 348,119 fans across 19 home games in the season,{{Cite news |title=K리그1 울산, 우승 파티 날 구단 최다 홈 관중 신기록 작성 |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20241123033200007|access-date=14 January 2025|language=ko|website=Yonhap News Agency}} the second highest in the league behind only FC Seoul. Besides the city of Ulsan, the club's fans hail from all over South Korea and the surrounding Gyeongsang region in particular.

The club's growing popularity has led to continuously increasing revenue, with the club earning a record 48 billion South Korean won in 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-18 |title="373억→410억→480억" '왕조' 울산, 관중→매출도 역대 최고…K리그 '꿈'의 자립경영 신호탄 |url=https://www.chosun.com/sports/football/2024/12/18/M2TN53HIOFKFTPCIPCLFOILKMM/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=The Chosun Ilbo|language=ko}}

File:Hyundai heavy industries.jpg]]

Ulsan contests the fierce Donghaean Derby with Pohang Steelers, based in nearby Pohang, another of the most successful clubs in the K League. The rivalry is one between two of the wealthiest industrial cities in South Korea, with Ulsan being a global center for shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing, and oil refining, while Pohang is home to steel giant and Steelers owner POSCO.{{Cite web |last=정영재 |date=2024-07-13 |title=포항 vs 울산 불꽃 튀는 '동해안 더비' 유럽 축구장 뺨치네 |url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25263179 |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=JoongAng Ilbo|language=ko}}

One of the most memorable matches between the two sides was played in the final round of the 2013 K League Classic season. Ulsan only needed a draw to win the title, but conceded a goal late in injury time and Pohang won the title instead.{{cite web |title=Late Pohang equalizer robs Ulsan of early K League title |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/10/11/sports/football/Korea-Ulsan-Hyundai-K-League/20221011173716464.html |website=Korea JoongAng Daily |access-date=14 January 2025 |date=11 October 2022}} Ulsan also faced Pohang in the 2024 Korea Cup final, which Pohang won 3–1 after extra time.{{cite web |last1=Yoo |first1=Jee-ho |title=Pohang Steelers win 2nd straight Korea Cup football tournament |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241130001600315 |website=Yonhap News Agency |access-date=14 January 2025 |date=30 November 2024}}

In January 2025, members of the Cheoyong Warriors supporters group protested a move by the city government of Ulsan to change the color of some of the seating of the Munsu Football Stadium to red, citing that red is the color of their arch rivals Pohang.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-14 |title="정치색 넣으려는 의도" 울산HD 서포터스, '붉은 관중석'에 격분 |url=https://www.nocutnews.co.kr/news/6277041 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=No Cut News|language=ko}}

Since the late 2010s, Ulsan's chief rivals have been Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in a match known as the Hyundai Derby. Ulsan rose to become the primary rival of Jeonbuk, which dominated South Korean football in the 2010s. Once a one-sided affair, Ulsan's eventual triumph over Jeonbuk in the 2022 season led to an intensification of an already heated rivalry that is arguably still the biggest matchup in the league.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-21 |title='현대가 더비 승리' 전북 외인들이 모두 터졌다, '데뷔전 데뷔골' 안드리고 효과 |url=https://www.chosun.com/sports/football/2024/07/21/QBG64POFSOXTQ5TFSXTJPLGXCE/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=The Chosun Ilbo|language=ko}}

Although the parent companies of Ulsan and Jeonbuk share the Hyundai brand, the parent companies (HD Hyundai for Ulsan and Hyundai Motor for Jeonbuk) are legally separate entities.

{{updated|17 June 2025}}{{cite web |title=선수단 |url=https://www.uhdfc.com/player/player_list.php |website=uhdfc.com |publisher=Ulsan HD FC |access-date=12 February 2025|language=ko}}

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=3|nat=KOR|name=Kang Min-woo|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=4|nat=KOR|name=Seo Myung-gwan|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=5|nat=KOR|name=Jung Woo-young|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=6|nat=SWE|name=Darijan Bojanić|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=7|nat=KOR|name=Ko Seung-beom|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=10|nat=KOR|name=Kim Min-woo|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=11|nat=KOR|name=Um Won-sang|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=13|nat=KOR|name=Kang Sang-woo|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=14|nat=KOR|name=Lee Jin-hyun|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=16|nat=KOR|name=Lee Hee-gyun|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=17|nat=SWE|name=Gustav Ludwigson|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=18|nat=KOR|name=Heo Yool|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=19|nat=KOR|name=Kim Young-gwon|other=captain|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=21|nat=KOR|name=Jo Hyeon-woo|pos=GK}}

{{Fs player|no=22|nat=KOR|name=Kim Min-hyeok|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=23|nat=KOR|name=Moon Jung-in|pos=GK}}

{{Fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=24|nat=KOR|name=Yoon Jong-gyu|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=25|nat=KOR|name=Jung Seong-bin|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=26|nat=KOR|name=Park Min-seo|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=27|nat=KOR|name=Lee Chung-yong|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=28|nat=KOR|name=Lee Jae-ik|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=30|nat=KOR|name=Yoon Jae-seok|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=31|nat=KOR|name=Ryu Seong-min|pos=GK}}

{{Fs player|no=36|nat=VEN|name=Matías Lacava|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=41|nat=KOR|name=Park Sang-jun|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=66|nat=POL|name=Miłosz Trojak|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=72|nat=KOR|name=Paik In-woo|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=96|nat=KOR|name=Choi Seok-hyeon|pos=DF}}

{{Fs player|no=97|nat=BRA|name=Erick Farias|pos=MF}}

{{Fs player|no=99|nat=BRA|name=Yago Cariello|pos=FW}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Cho Hyun-taek|pos=DF}}

{{Fs end}}

{{Fs start}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Moon Hyun-ho|pos=GK|other=to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Hong Jae-seok|pos=DF|other=to Busan IPark}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Jang Si-young|pos=DF|other=to Bucheon FC 1995}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Sim Sang-min|pos=DF|other=to Gwangju FC}}

{{Fs mid}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Choi Kang-min|pos=MF|other=to Chungbuk Cheongju}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Lee Dong-gyeong|pos=MF|other=to Gimcheon Sangmu for military service}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Lee Kyu-seong|pos=MF|other=to Suwon Samsung Bluewings}}

{{Fs player|no=|nat=KOR|name=Park Jae-sung|pos=MF|other=to Daejeon Korail}}

{{Fs end}}

File:AFC Champions League Final 2020, 19 December 2020, Persepolis vs Ulsan Hyundai (1-2) (71).jpg

• K League 1
• Champions (5): 1996, 2005, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Runners-up (10): 1986, 1991, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021

• Korean FA Cup
• Winners (1): 2017
• Runners-up (4): 1998, 2018, 2020, 2024
• Korean League Cup
• Winners (5): 1986, 1995, 1998, 2007, 2011
• Runners-up (3): 1993, 2002, 2005
• Korean Super Cup
• Winners (1): 2006
• National Football Championship
• Runners-up (2): 1989, 1999{{efn|name=reserves|Reserve team}}
• Korean President's Cup
• Runners-up (1): 1990{{efn|name=reserves}}

{{notelist}}

• AFC Champions League
• Winners (2): 2012, 2020
• A3 Champions Cup
• Winners (1): 2006

;Key

• Tms. = Number of teams
• Pos. = Position in league

All results list Ulsan's goal tally first.

{{notelist}}

• List of football clubs in South Korea
• Ulsan Hyundai Mipo Dockyard FC

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Ulsan HD FC}}

• {{Official website|https://uhdfc.com/eng/main.php}} {{in lang|ko|en}}

{{Ulsan HD FC}}

{{K League}}

{{AFC Champions League Winners}}

{{K League 1 champions}}

{{AFC Club of the Year}}

{{Hyundai Heavy Industries Group}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Association football clubs established in 1983

Category:Sport in Ulsan

Category:K League 1 clubs

Category:Hyundai Heavy Industries Group

Category:1983 establishments in South Korea

Category:Works association football clubs in South Korea

Category:AFC Champions League Elite winning clubs