The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 21, he made his senior international debut as a university student in a friendly against Norway, and four months later played at the Italy World Cup. Manager Lee Hoe-taik explains that Hong took over as sweeper after Cho Min-kook, the planned starter, was hurt.
In 1992, he was named K League MVP. The year he turned 25, he scored against Spain and then from long range against Germany at the U.S. World Cup, for two goals at a World Cup finals. In 1997, he moved to Bellmare Hiratsuka in Japan’s J.League. In 1998, he was about to play in his third World Cup finals. In 1999, Kashiwa Reysol, his club, won their first title since the club’s founding.
The year he turned 32, he re-signed at 100 million yen, the J.League’s highest salary, and at the end of the year agreed to return to Pohang Steelers after four and a half years. The year he turned 33, he captained South Korea to the World Cup semifinals, taking the last penalty in the quarterfinal shootout against Spain. That November he signed with LA Galaxy.
The year he turned 35, he announced his retirement as a player. In 2006, he was a coach of the national team. In 2009, he led the U-20 national team to the World Cup quarterfinals as manager.
The year he turned 43, he led the Olympic team to South Korea’s first Olympic football bronze medal, at the London Olympics. In 2013, he became manager of the World Cup national team. In 2014, he resigned after the national team went out of the Brazil World Cup in the group stage.
The year he turned 47, he managed Hangzhou Greentown in the Chinese Super League. In 2017, he worked as executive director of the Korea Football Association. In 2020, he returned as manager of Ulsan Hyundai.
The year he turned 53, he led Ulsan to its first K League 1 title in 17 years. In 2023, he was among the first inductees of the K League Hall of Fame, and Ulsan won back-to-back titles.
The year he turned 55, he was named national team manager. In 2025, he secured qualification for the North America World Cup. In 2026, he stepped down as national team manager after the group-stage exit from the North America World Cup.
Hong Myung-bo (born Feb 12, 1969) made his senior international debut in a friendly against Norway on Feb 4, 1990, the year he turned 21, and became known the same year, as a university student at the Italy World Cup. The year he turned 33, he captained South Korea to the World Cup semifinals.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Made his senior international debut in a friendly against Norway, four months before the World Cup opened. He was a university student.
Source 01 · Weekly Chosun (Korean) · The World Cup made stars · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · New Year interviews with Hong Myung-bo and a baseball manager · opens in a new tabA university student, Hong was first picked for the national team by manager Lee Hoe-taik. Lee explains that Hong took the sweeper spot after Cho Min-kook, the planned starter, injured his knee. South Korea lost to Belgium, Spain and Uruguay and was eliminated.
Named MVP of South Korean professional football while with Pohang Steel (now Pohang Steelers). Two years earlier he had been MVP of university football.
Source 04 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo, two World Cup goals · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Korea’s World Cup main figures: Hong Myung-bo and Kim Tae-young · opens in a new tabSource 35 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo · opens in a new tab Yonhap News Agency says he joined Pohang Steel in 1991, while Wikipedia says he joined in 1992 after military service. The two differ, so the year he joined is not stated.In the first group match, a free kick he struck along the ground in the 39th minute of the second half deflected off a Spanish defender’s foot into the net, South Korea’s first goal.
Source 05 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · First goal, Hong Myung-bo · opens in a new tab The match date could not be confirmed in news reports, so only the month is given.With South Korea trailing 3-1, he scored with a 25-meter shot. Yonhap News Agency reports that he became the first South Korean player to score two goals at the World Cup finals.
Source 04 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo, two World Cup goals · opens in a new tab The match date could not be confirmed in news reports, so only the month is given.Joined for a transfer fee of $1.22 million and a salary of 90 million yen.
Source 06 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Korea’s World Cup main figures: Hong Myung-bo and Kim Tae-young · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo to play in Korea · opens in a new tab The articles give the timing of his joining only as June.Yonhap News Agency introduced him ahead of the tournament as making his third World Cup finals appearance, after 1990 and 1994.
Source 06 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Korea’s World Cup main figures: Hong Myung-bo and Kim Tae-young · opens in a new tab Based on Yonhap News Agency’s May 27, 1998 profile. Match dates at the tournament could not be confirmed in news reports.Kashiwa Reysol, Hong’s club, won a title for the first time since the club’s founding.
Source 08 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo in the J.League · opens in a new tab The timing of his move to Kashiwa could not be confirmed in news reports.Re-signed with Kashiwa Reysol at 100 million yen a year, up from 85 million yen the year before.
Source 08 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo in the J.League · opens in a new tabReturned to the K League after four and a half years.
Source 07 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo to play in Korea · opens in a new tab Contract length and amount differ between reports and are not stated.As captain, he scored the last penalty in the shootout, confirming a 5-3 win and a place in the semifinals. It was his fourth consecutive World Cup.
Source 09 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Korea reaches the World Cup semifinals · opens in a new tabSource 10 · Financial News (Korean) · Korea in the semifinals · opens in a new tabSource 11 · OhmyNews (Korean) · World press on Korea’s run · opens in a new tabBecame the first South Korean player to join MLS.
Source 12 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo arrives in LA · opens in a new tab The articles give the contract date only as November.Announced his retirement ahead of LA Galaxy’s last regular-season home game.
Source 13 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo visits Korea · opens in a new tabSource 14 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo returns on the 16th · opens in a new tab Yonhap News Agency gives the announcement as the 8th (Korea time) and Hankyoreh as the 9th, so only the month is given.Was a coach under manager Advocaat and, about to join the new staff under Verbeek, took the Level 1 coaching course from July 3 to 28.
Source 15 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo on the Level 1 coaching course · opens in a new tabSource 16 · Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · Verbeek to keep Hong Myung-bo on staff · opens in a new tab The date of his appointment as coach could not be confirmed in news reports. He appears as a coach in June 2006 articles.Held his first training session as manager of the U-20 national team at the Paju NFC.
Source 17 · Newsis (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo’s first U-20 training · opens in a new tabThe U-20 national team led by manager Hong reached the World Cup quarterfinals.
Source 18 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · U-17 World Cup send-off · opens in a new tab The date of the quarterfinal could not be confirmed in news reports.Beat Japan 2-0 in Cardiff to secure the bronze medal. It was the first Olympic football bronze medal for South Korea.
Source 19 · Nocut News (Korean) · London Olympics, first bronze after beating Japan · opens in a new tabSource 20 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Olympic football team’s disbanding ceremony · opens in a new tabThe Korea Football Association confirmed him as manager of a national team that had qualified for eight consecutive World Cup finals. The contract ran for two years.
Source 21 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo named Brazil World Cup manager · opens in a new tabSouth Korea went out of the World Cup in the group stage with one draw and two losses, and at a press conference he said he was taking full responsibility and stepping down as manager. His record since taking the job was five wins, four draws and 10 losses.
Source 22 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo: I am a failed manager · opens in a new tabLed Hangzhou Greentown in the 2016 Chinese Super League season.
Source 23 · Footballist (Korean) · Jiangsu picks Choi Yong-soo · opens in a new tab The date he took the job could not be confirmed in news reports. He appears as manager in a June 2016 article.Worked as executive director of the Korea Football Association.
Source 24 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Pony Chung Foundation scholarship ceremony · opens in a new tab The date of his appointment could not be confirmed in news reports. A photo caption in a Dec. 27, 2017 Yonhap News Agency article gives the title.Moved from executive director of the Korea Football Association to manager of Ulsan Hyundai, back on the touchline after three years.
Source 25 · Ilgan Sports (Korean) · Ulsan names Hong Myung-bo manager · opens in a new tabSource 26 · Herald Business (Korean) · Four clubs change managers · opens in a new tabBeat Gangwon 2-1 away to clinch the title. It was Ulsan’s first title in 17 years.
Source 27 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Chung-yong an MVP candidate · opens in a new tabSource 28 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Who will be this year’s K League 1 MVP · opens in a new tabNamed a first inductee in the player category, together with Choi Soon-ho, Shin Tae-yong and Lee Dong-gook.
Source 30 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · K League Hall of Fame inductions · opens in a new tabBeat Daegu FC 2-0 at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium to clinch the title. It was the first time the club had won two years in a row.
Source 29 · Metro Seoul (Korean) · Ulsan’s first back-to-back titles · opens in a new tabThe Korea Football Association signaled the pick on July 7, and the next day confirmed the appointment with a briefing by technical director Lee Im-saeng and an official announcement.
Source 31 · Ilgan Sports (Korean) · Ulsan’s Hong Myung-bo on taking the national team job · opens in a new tabDrew 0-0 in the first match of Group B in the third round of World Cup qualifying at Seoul World Cup Stadium. It was his first match back in charge of the national team.
Source 32 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · 0-0 with Palestine · opens in a new tabBeat Iraq 2-0 away to secure a place at the finals. It was South Korea’s 11th consecutive World Cup finals.
Source 33 · Good Morning Economy (Korean) · 11th straight World Cup finals · opens in a new tab The date follows Korea time in the article.After beating the Czech Republic 2-1, South Korea lost 1-0 to Mexico and 1-0 to South Africa and went out in the group stage. A day after the elimination was confirmed, he said at a press conference that he was stepping down as national team manager.
Source 34 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Hong Myung-bo steps down · opens in a new tab The date follows Korea time in the article (June 28 local time).END OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1990–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
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Sports · South Korea
Feb 12, 1969 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1969: the year of the event minus 1969, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.02 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.