WK League News

Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels have named head coach Kim Eunjeong as interim manager following the departure of Hur Jeongjae on Friday (27th August). Hur had been in the post since the start of the 2025 WK League season, when he replaced club legend Kim Eunsook after the Red Angels finished the season outside of the playoff positions for the first time in league history in 2024.

In his first season at the club, Hur led Incheon Hyundai to a third place finish, but a goalless draw in the playoff put an end to their title hopes, sending Yoo Youngsil’s Seoul City to the championship final instead. During the off-season, Incheon’s squad underwent a significant overhaul, with several long-serving players moving on to make room for younger, upcoming talents.

However, despite a promising start to the season, the Red Angels have failed to impress in 2026. Injuries in the squad have added to the club’s woes, but even so, fans have been frustrated by results — the side has won just six league matches this year, and sits in sixth place in the table after 22 rounds, level on points with seventh-placed Seoul. The eleven-time champions are hurtling towards their worst ever league finish.

Despite a mid-week win against Mungyeong Sangmu in the W Korea Cup, the club parted ways with manager Hur by mutual agreement last Friday, with head coach Kim Eunjeong appointed interim manager ahead of Incheon’s Round 22 clash with Gyeongju KHNP on Saturday. Kim, who has over 20 years of coaching experience at youth level, including managing some of South Korea’s youth national squads, joined Incheon Hyundai as head coach at the start of the 2026 season, in her first WK League posting.

Following her appointment as interim manager, Kim told women’s football news site Queensfield: “I haven’t had much time to gather my thoughts since this happened suddenly, but I’m feeling a range of emotions including excitement and fear”. With nine matches left this season, including both league and cup fixtures, Kim also said that change will be gradual, but the September international break will be an important opportunity for her to work with the squad and implement her own coaching philosophy.

In their Round 22 home fixture on Saturday, Incheon led Gyeongju 1-0 for most of the game but conceded a stoppage time equaliser, extending their winless run in the league to nine matches. The Red Angels will next face Seoul City away this Wednedsay, and will also have runaway league leaders Suwon FC to contend with before the international break.