2018 K League 1
The 2018 K League 1 was the 36th season of the top division of professional football in South Korea since its establishment in 1983 as K League and the first season in its current name, the K League 1.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were the defending champions.
Promotion and relegation
Teams relegated to the 2018 K League 2Teams promoted from the 2017 K League 2
- Gyeongnam FC
Participating clubs by province
| Club | City / Area | Manager | Joined | Owner / Sponsor |
| Daegu FC | Daegu |  Andre | 2002– | Owner : Government of Daegu, Citizen Stockholder |
| Gangwon FC | Gangwon |  Kim Byung-soo | 2009– | Owner : Government of Gangwon, Citizen Stockholder |
| Gyeongnam FC | Gyeongsangnam-do | Kim Jong-boo | 2008– | Owner : Government of Gyeongsangnam-do, Citizen Stockholder |
| Incheon United | Incheon |  Jørn Andersen | 2004– | Owners : Government of Incheon, Citizen Stockholder Sponsors: Shinhan Bank, Incheon International Airport |
| Jeju United | Jeju | Jo Sung-hwan | 1983– | Owner : SK Energy in SK Group |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | Jeonbuk | Choi Kang-hee | 1995– | Owner : Hyundai Motor Company in Hyundai Motor Group |
| Jeonnam Dragons | Jeonnam | Kim In-wan | 1995– | Owner : POSCO |
| Pohang Steelers | Pohang, Gyeongbuk | Choi Soon-ho | 1983– | Owner : POSCO |
| Sangju Sangmu | Sangju, Gyeongbuk | Kim Tae-wan | 2011- | Owner : Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps |
| FC Seoul | Seoul | Choi Yong-soo | 1984– | Owner : GS Group |
| Suwon Samsung Bluewings | Suwon, Gyeonggi | Seo Jung-won | 1996– | Owner : Cheil Worldwide in Samsung Sponsors: Samsung Electronics, Maeil Dairies Industry |
| Ulsan Hyundai | Ulsan | Kim Do-hoon | 1984– | Owner : Hyundai Heavy Industries in Hyundai Heavy Industries Group |
Stadiums
- Primary venues used in the K League 1:
| Daegu FC | Gangwon FC | Gyeongnam FC | Incheon United | Jeju United | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| Daegu Stadium | Chuncheon Songam Leports Town | Changwon Football Center | Incheon Football Stadium | Jeju World Cup Stadium | Jeonju World Cup Stadium |
| Capacity: 66,422 | Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 20,245 | Capacity: 20,891 | Capacity: 35,657 | Capacity: 42,477 |
| Jeonnam Dragons | Pohang Steelers | Sangju Sangmu | FC Seoul | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | Ulsan Hyundai |
| Gwangyang Football Stadium | Pohang Steel Yard | Sangju Civic Stadium | Seoul World Cup Stadium | Suwon World Cup Stadium | Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium |
| Capacity: 13,496 | Capacity: 17,443 | Capacity: 15,042 | Capacity: 66,704 | Capacity: 43,959 | Capacity: 44,102 |
Foreign players
Restricting the number of foreign players strictly to four per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team could use four foreign players on the field each game including a least one player from the AFC confederation.| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | AFC Player |
| Daegu FC | Césinha | Edgar | Zé Roberto |  Tsubasa Nishi |
| Gangwon FC | Diego Maurício |  Valentinos Sielis |  Uroš Đerić |  Dylan McGowan |
| Gyeongnam FC | Marcão | Negueba | Paulinho | Takahiro Kunimoto |
| Incheon United |  Gordan Bunoza |  Elías Aguilar |  Stefan Mugoša | Kwabena Appiah |
| Jeju United | Magno Cruz | Roberson | Tiago Marques | Aleksandar Jovanović |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | Adriano | Ricardo Lopes | Tiago Alves | |
| Jeonnam Dragons | Wanderson | Macedo |  Vedran Jugović | James Donachie |
| Pohang Steelers | Alemão | Jucimar Teixeira | Léo Gamalho | Connor Chapman |
| FC Seoul | Anderson Lopes | Evandro Paulista | Bojan Matić | |
| Suwon Samsung Bluewings | Elvis Sarić | Waguininho | Dejan Damjanović | |
| Ulsan Hyundai |  Richard Windbichler | Júnior Negrão |  Mix Diskerud | Sergio Escudero |
League table
Positions by matchday
Round 1–22
Round 23–38
Split rounds are from round 34 to round 38Results
Matches 1–22
Teams play each other twice, once at home, once away.Matches 23–33
Teams play every other team once.Matches 34–38
After 33 matches, the league splits into two sections of six teams each, with teams playing every other team in their section once. The exact matches are determined upon the league table at the time of the split.Top six
Bottom six
Promotion-relegation playoffs
The promotion-relegation playoffs were held between the winners of the 2018 K League 2 Playoff and the 11th-placed club of the 2018 K League 1. The winner on aggregate score after both matches earned entry into the 2019 K League 1.First leg
Second leg
Season statistics
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Marcão | Gyeongnam FC | 26 |
| 2 | Uroš Đerić | Gangwon FC | 24 |
| 3 | Júnior Negrão | Ulsan Hyundai | 22 |
| 4 | Stefan Mugoša | Incheon United | 19 |
| 5 | Moon Seon-min | Incheon United | 14 |
| 6 | Ricardo Lopes | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 13 |
| 6 | Dejan Damjanović | Suwon Samsung Bluewings | 13 |
| 6 | Lee Dong-gook | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 13 |
| 9 | Kim Shin-wook | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 11 |
| 10 | Heo Yong-joon | Jeonnam Dragons | 9 |
Top assists
Attendance
Top 10 Season Attendances
Awards
Most Valuable Player of The Round
| MVP | Club | |
| 1 | Lee Dong-gook | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 2 | Moon Seon-min | Incheon United |
| 3 | Kim Min-jae | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 4 | Marcão | Gyeongnam FC |
| 5 | Stefan Mugoša | Incheon United |
| 6 | Kim Shin-wook | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 7 | Lee Dong-gook | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 8 | Uroš Đerić | Gangwon FC |
| 9 | Lee Ki-je | Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
| 10 | Kwon Soon-hyung | Jeju United |
| 11 | Uroš Đerić | Gangwon FC |
| 12 | Anderson Lopes | FC Seoul |
| 13 | Kim Seung-dae | Pohang Steelers |
| 14 | Lim Sun-young | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 15 | Ricardo Lopes | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 16 | Hong Jeong-woon | Daegu FC |
| 17 | Ricardo Lopes | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 18 | Yeom Ki-hun | Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
| 19 | Uroš Đerić | Gangwon FC |
| MVP | Club | |
| 20 | Marcão | Gyeongnam FC |
| 21 | Kim Dae-won | Daegu FC |
| 22 | Tiago Alves | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 23 | Lee Seok-hyun | Pohang Steelers |
| 24 | Uroš Đerić | Gangwon FC |
| 25 | Moon Seon-min | Incheon United |
| 26 | Júnior Negrão | Ulsan Hyundai |
| 27 | Cesinha | Daegu FC |
| 28 | Han Kyo-won | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 29 | Edgar | Daegu FC |
| 30 | Kim Do-hyeong | Pohang Steelers |
| 31 | Lee Jin-hyun | Pohang Steelers |
| 32 | Kim In-sung | Ulsan Hyundai |
| 33 | Lee Dong-gook | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 34 | Ricardo Lopes | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| 35 | Stefan Mugoša | Incheon United |
| 36 | Dejan Damjanović | Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
| 37 | Lee Chang-keun | Jeju United |
| 38 | Yoon Bit-garam | Sangju Sangmu |
Manager of the Month
Season Awards
The 2018 K League Awards was held on 3 December 2018.K League Most Valuable Player
- The K League Most Valuable Player award was won by Marcão.
K League Young Player
- The K League Young Player award was won by Han Seung-gyu.
K League Top Scorer
- The K League Top Scorer award was won by Marcão.
K League Top Assistor
- The K League Top Assistor award was won by Cesinha.
K League Best XI
2018 K League 1 Best XI |
| Position | Player | Club |
| Goalkeeper | Jo Hyeon-woo | Daegu FC |
| Defender | Hong Chul | Suwon Samsung Bluewings |
| Defender | Kim Min-jae | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| Defender | Richard Windbichler | Ulsan Hyundai |
| Defender | Lee Yong | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| Midfielder | Negueba | Gyeongnam FC |
| Midfielder | Choi Young-jun | Gyeongnam FC |
| Midfielder | Elías Aguilar | Incheon United |
| Midfielder | Ricardo Lopes | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors |
| Forward | Marcão | Gyeongnam FC |
| Forward | Júnior Negrão | Ulsan Hyundai |
K League Manager of the Year
- The K League Manager of the Year award was won by Choi Kang-hee.