The year he turned 18, he joined Jeju United as the third pick in the K League rookie draft and made his pro debut. In 2008, he made his senior international debut at the East Asian Championship and captained the team to the quarterfinals at the AFC U-19 Championship. In 2009, he captained the team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt. In 2010, he was the K League assists leader and captained the national team to bronze at the Guangzhou Asian Games.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 22, he finished as top scorer at the Asian Cup with five goals and moved straight to Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga.
In 2012, he went on loan to Augsburg, and in the summer he captained the football team to bronze at the London Olympics. He was named an Air Force ambassador soon afterward. In 2013, he got married.
In 2014, he moved to Mainz 05 and, as captain at the Brazil World Cup, scored against Algeria. In 2015, he went home early from the Asian Cup with an elbow injury, and in the summer he returned to Augsburg for the highest fee in the club’s history. In 2016, he scored his first Bundesliga hat trick, against Leverkusen.
In 2017, he scored a penalty equalizer in a friendly against Serbia. In 2018, he played at the Russia World Cup. In 2019, he retired from the national team after the Asian Cup quarterfinal against Qatar, started a YouTube channel and moved to Al-Gharafa in Qatar.
In 2021, he moved to Al-Khor in Qatar. In 2022, he returned to his old club Jeju after 11 years and made his debut as a KBS commentator at the Qatar World Cup. In 2023, he reached 100 K League appearances.
In 2024, he officially announced his retirement. In January 2025, he held a retirement press conference and took the Jeju youth adviser role, and in March he held his retirement ceremony. In October, he became a manager on the variety show The Gentlemen’s League 4. In 2026, he became an honorary ambassador of Jeju National University and commentated on national team matches at the Asian Games.
Koo Ja-cheol (born Feb 27, 1989) debuted for Jeju United on Apr 11, 2007, the year he turned 18, and became known in 2011, the year he turned 22, when he finished as top scorer at the AFC Asian Cup. In 2012, the year he turned 23, he won bronze at the London Olympics as captain of the football team.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Joined Jeju United as the third pick in the K League rookie draft and started in round 4 of the Samsung Hauzen Cup at Incheon Munhak Stadium. The team won 1-0.
Source 01 · Jeju Maeil (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol, 100 K League appearances · opens in a new tabMade his senior international debut against China at the East Asian Football Championship.
Source 03 · Newspim (Korean) · Former national team midfielder Koo Ja-cheol officially announces retirement · opens in a new tabSource 04 · Insight (Korean) · Jeju FC’s last gift to Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tabSource 26 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tab The exact date (Feb. 17) is from Wikipedia.Captained the team at the AFC U-19 Championship in Saudi Arabia and led it to the quarterfinals with two assists against Iraq.
Source 02 · Jeju Ilbo (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol leads the youth national team to the quarterfinals · opens in a new tabBefore the FIFA U-20 World Cup, coach Hong Myung-bo, who had arrived in Egypt, handed him the captain’s armband. The team reached the quarterfinals at the tournament.
Source 05 · SBS (Korean) · U-20 World Cup squad’s “returning captain” Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tabSource 26 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tab The quarterfinal run is from Wikipedia and is not confirmed in news reports.Recorded 5 goals and 11 assists in 26 K League games and was named to the Best XI and as assists leader. The team finished second in the regular season and was runner-up in the championship final.
Source 04 · Insight (Korean) · Jeju FC’s last gift to Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Ilyo Shinmun (Korean) · Ties with Jeju continue as “legend” Koo Ja-cheol leaves the pitch · opens in a new tabCaptained the team at the Guangzhou Asian Games and won bronze with a win over Iran in the third-place match.
Source 25 · Etoday (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol and Lee Kwang-yong on TV Chosun’s Asian Games football coverage, in action for the Qatar match on the 15th · opens in a new tab The month of the tournament is known, but the exact date is not confirmed in news reports.Finished as top scorer at the Asian Cup in Qatar with five goals. His goal in the third-place match against Uzbekistan was among FIFA’s top 10 moments of the tournament.
Joined Wolfsburg in Germany’s Bundesliga right after winning the Asian Cup top scorer award, moving to European football.
Source 06 · Ilyo Shinmun (Korean) · Ties with Jeju continue as “legend” Koo Ja-cheol leaves the pitch · opens in a new tabSource 26 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tab The exact transfer date is from Wikipedia.Went on a six-month loan to FC Augsburg, then in the relegation zone.
Source 26 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tab From Wikipedia; not confirmed in news reports.Played as captain of the football team at the London Olympics and scored the second goal in the second half against Japan in the bronze medal match. The 2-0 win gave South Korean football its first Olympic medal.
Source 08 · The Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · South Korea beats Japan 2-0, goals by Park Chu-young and Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Etoday (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol named Air Force ambassador · opens in a new tabNamed an Air Force ambassador as a key figure in the Olympic bronze, and attended the ceremony in an Air Force flight suit. His father is a retired Air Force master sergeant, a tie cited in his selection.
Source 27 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · Why Koo Ja-cheol, who got a military exemption, went to the Air Force · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Etoday (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol named Air Force ambassador · opens in a new tabMarried a woman one year his senior who is not a public figure at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjang-dong, Seoul.
Source 10 · OSEN (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol wedding flower wreaths · opens in a new tabLeft Wolfsburg for FSV Mainz 05. The fee was reported as 5 million euros, the highest in Mainz’s history.
Source 26 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tab The transfer date and fee are from Wikipedia.Played as captain at the Brazil World Cup and scored Korea’s second goal in the 27th minute of the second half against Algeria. The team lost 4-2.
Source 11 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · [World Cup] Koo Ja-cheol scores, Korea closes to 2-4 against Algeria · opens in a new tabSource 12 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol, Ahn Jung-hwan, Park Ji-sung: a three-way terrestrial World Cup broadcast contest · opens in a new tabTore an elbow ligament in the group-stage match against Australia at the Asian Cup and went home during the tournament. The national team finished as runner-up.
Source 26 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tab From Wikipedia; not confirmed in news reports.Returned to Augsburg for 5 million euros, the highest fee in the club’s history. Together with Ji Dong-won and Hong Jeong-ho, he made three Koreans on one Bundesliga team for the first time.
Source 13 · Break News (Korean) · [Official] Koo Ja-cheol moves to Augsburg · opens in a new tabScored his first Bundesliga hat trick against Leverkusen. It was his seventh goal of the season.
Source 14 · Newspim (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol scores his first Bundesliga hat trick · opens in a new tabScored a penalty equalizer in a friendly against Serbia at Ulsan Munsu Stadium, earning a 1-1 draw.
Source 15 · The Korea Times (Korean, U.S. edition) · “Koo Ja-cheol’s penalty equalizer,” Shin Tae-yong’s team draws 1-1 with Serbia · opens in a new tabWas named in the national team squad for the Russia World Cup and played at the tournament.
Source 26 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tab From Wikipedia; not confirmed in news reports.Came on as a substitute in the Asian Cup quarterfinal against Qatar and announced his national team retirement after Korea lost 1-0.
Source 16 · OSEN via Chosun.com (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol retires from the national team too, a full generational change · opens in a new tabBegan his YouTube activity by posting the first video on his channel Syutbyeoreun Naui Chingu.
Source 17 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · YouTuber Koo Ja-cheol says he got fresh energy from BTS · opens in a new tabJoined Al-Gharafa of the Qatar Stars League, his first move to the Middle East. He received No. 10.
Source 18 · Newspim (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol’s Al-Gharafa signing ceremony · opens in a new tabMoved to Al-Khor in Qatar.
Source 19 · Gukje News (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol on his return: “Happy to be back in Jeju, never forgot the K League” · opens in a new tab The exact transfer date is not confirmed in news reports.Returned to his old club Jeju United after 11 years. He wore No. 42 again, his number as a rookie.
Source 19 · Gukje News (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol on his return: “Happy to be back in Jeju, never forgot the K League” · opens in a new tabMade his debut as a KBS commentator at the Qatar World Cup, covering the opening match and Korea’s three group games with broadcaster Lee Kwang-yong.
Source 12 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol, Ahn Jung-hwan, Park Ji-sung: a three-way terrestrial World Cup broadcast contest · opens in a new tabCame on as a substitute against Incheon United to reach 100 K League appearances. It was the same opponent as in his pro debut.
Source 01 · Jeju Maeil (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol, 100 K League appearances · opens in a new tabAnnounced through his club that he would retire at the end of the 2024 season, 17 years after joining Jeju in 2007.
Source 03 · Newspim (Korean) · Former national team midfielder Koo Ja-cheol officially announces retirement · opens in a new tabHeld a retirement press conference at the Korea Football House in Jongno District, Seoul, and said he would work as a youth adviser for Jeju United.
Source 20 · Sports Hankook (Korean) · Why Koo Ja-cheol choked up at his retirement press conference · opens in a new tabSource 21 · News Gyeongnam (Korean) · Retired Koo Ja-cheol takes off his boots but keeps the Jeju jersey · opens in a new tabHeld a retirement ceremony at Jeju World Cup Stadium after the match against Suwon FC and greeted the fans.
Source 04 · Insight (Korean) · Jeju FC’s last gift to Koo Ja-cheol · opens in a new tabSource 22 · Hansbiz (Korean) · “Legend” Koo Ja-cheol says goodbye at retirement ceremony as Jeju beat Suwon FC 1-0 · opens in a new tabBecame the youngest manager on the JTBC variety show The Gentlemen’s League 4, taking over FC Papaclaus from Park Hang-seo.
Source 23 · Topstar News (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol joins The Gentlemen’s League 4 as its youngest manager · opens in a new tabBecame honorary ambassador of Jeju National University at a ceremony at Greenfield CC in Jeju, serving through September 2028.
Source 24 · Newsis (Korean) · Football star Koo Ja-cheol becomes the face of Jeju National University · opens in a new tabServed as a commentator on TV Chosun’s coverage of men’s football at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, and with broadcaster Lee Kwang-yong covered Korea’s first group match, against Qatar. Korea won 4-0.
Source 25 · Etoday (Korean) · Koo Ja-cheol and Lee Kwang-yong on TV Chosun’s Asian Games football coverage, in action for the Qatar match on the 15th · opens in a new tabSource 28 · TV Chosun (Korean) · “Put my life into the tournament”: team in top condition after routing Qatar · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2007–2026 · 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 27, 1989 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1989: the year of the event minus 1989, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.22 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.