South Korea’s national team had the whole world talking after their very impressive win against Germany in the 2018 World Cup.
It was a display that showed the grit and determination of the Koreans, to sit back defend for there lives, and make the most of the few chances that came their way.
Now while they may not have that overall quality, like neighboring national teams Japan and Australia, Korea has been a country that has produced some very good footballers over the years.
Players like Ji Sung Park, who famously played for Manchester United as well as Heung Min Son who currently plays in London for Tottenham, are just a few of the top players to come from the nation.
However out of all the footballers to come from Korea, which ones are making the big wages.
Here I will go over the 7 highest paid Korean footballers, starting with seven and ending with the highest.
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7. Kang In-Lee – £10,000 A Week
Having won Asia’s young player of the year in 2019, Kang In Lee was a promising teenager with huge expectations.
Born in South Korea, Lee spent 11 years with Valencia, starting with the B team and quickly progressing to the first team, in which he has played a total of 44 games.
Despite his long spell at the club, it didn’t work out and he is recently now signed for Mallorca another side in the Spanish top division.
Playing on the island of Spain, the now 20 year old makes £10,000 a week and has scored within his first 5 appearances for the side.
6. Hwang In-Beom – £15,000 A Week
Having impressed at Daejon Citizen in Korea, Hwang In-Beom was signed by MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps with a big designated deal that saw him not only racks in $655,000 a year but becomes one of the highest earners at the club despite being 22.
However with him struggling to make an impact, and things not going to plan, Hwang moved away to Rubin Kazin where he currently earns more than he did in Canada.
Signing on a three-year contract, Hwang In-Beom currently earns £15,000 a week playing in the south of Russia.
5. Jang Hyun Soo – £18,000 A Week
Jang Hyun Soo currently earns £18,000 a week playing for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Despite being born in South Korea, Hyun Soo hasn’t played a minute of football for any clubs in his own country.
His career started in 2012, playing for FC Tokyo in Japan before moving to the Chinese top-flight side Guangzhou R&F in 2014.
After a three-year stint where he made 64 appearances and scored 3 goals, he moved back to FC Tokyo before making the switch to Al-Hilal where he has been since 2019.
The 30-year old who plays as a defensive midfielder has also made 58 appearances for South Korea debuting in 2013.
4. Hwang Ui-jo – £25,000 A Week
Korean forward Hwang Ui-jo currently earns £25,000 a week playing for Bordeaux in Ligue 1.
Ui-Jo, who plays as a number 9 for his country, has scored 94 goals in his career, which includes goals for South Korea, Gamba Osaka, and Seongnam FC.
3. Hwang Hee-Chan – £37,500 A Week
Its not just Son, that is making the headlines in the Premier League, but Korean striker Hwang Hee-Chan has made a great start to life with new club Wolves.
Going through the RB franchise of football clubs, starting first in Austria with Salzburg and then moving to RB Leipzig in Germany, he has shown his qualities of having an eye for goal and tremendous pace.
While he is only on loan to the Midlands side, already he has scored four goals in nine games for Wolves.
2. Kim Min-Jae – £55,000
Kim Min-Jae earned himself a move to Europe after two solid years in China with Beijing Guoan, where he helped the side clinch second in the Chinese league.
The center back put in a string of solid performances, that got clubs talking in Europe. But while there was interest in England from Tottenham he ended up signing with Fenerbache in Turkey.
At 25 years of age, he is currently the second-highest-paid footballer in Fenerbache earning £55,000 a week, with only Mesut Ozil receiving more than him.
1. Heung-Min Son – £200,000
The highest-paid Korean footballer by a considerable mile is Heung Min Son, who is arguably one of the best Korean footballers of all time.
After a 5-year spell in Germany between 2010 and 2015, Son was starting to stand out for his performances with Hamburg SV and Bayer Leverkusen and therefore was attracting interest from all around Europe.
However after Tottenham came in spending £22 million on the then 23-year-old, he made a slow start to life in the premier league only scoring 4 goals in the first season.
Since then the winger has gone from strength to strength, getting better with each year. He has hit at least double figures in goals each season since and has become one of the deadliest forwards.
With two feet equally as good as the other, Son is not a player you want inside your box or even on the edge, for that matter.
Heung Min Son signed initially on a 5-year deal which saw him receive £140,000 a week.
However, a recent contract extension in 2021, that will see him contracted to the club until at least 2021, has him earning a reported £192,000.
A sum of money that means he is now making close to four times that of any other Korean footballer.
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