In 1977, the year he turned 18, he was picked for a youth national team. Accounts of the period differ by source. In 1981, after finishing at Hanyang University, he joined the works team Korea First Bank, and then served in the military with the army football team.
In 1984, the year he turned 25, he made his pro debut as a founding member of Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso. In 1985, he was part of the team’s league title and was named to the Best 11. In 1988, he ended his playing career.
In 1989, he began coaching as a coach at his former club. In 1994, he went to the U.S. World Cup as a trainer for the national team.
In 2002, he was assistant coach under Guus Hiddink as Korea reached the World Cup semifinals, then managed the team at the Busan Asian Games that autumn, won bronze and left his post in October. In 2003, he moved to the Pohang Steelers as assistant coach. In 2005, he became the first manager of Gyeongnam FC, founded in his home province. At the end of 2007, he took charge of the Jeonnam Dragons. In 2010, he stepped down from Jeonnam, taking responsibility for poor results.
At the end of 2011, he became manager of Sangju Sangmu. In 2013, he won the inaugural K League Challenge title. He says it was the first title he had won as a manager. In 2015, he won the Challenge title again for promotion and left Sangju. In 2016, he returned to the touchline as manager of the National League’s Changwon City. In 2017, he signed a two-year contract with the Vietnam national team and moved to Hanoi.
The breakthrough yearIn January 2018, the year he turned 59, he led Vietnam’s under-23 team to the final of the AFC U-23 Championship and finished runner-up. His name appeared in portal real-time search rankings in Korea too, and in August the team reached the Asian Games semifinals, followed by the Suzuki Cup title in December.
In 2019, Vietnam reached the Asian Cup quarterfinals, and at the end of the year won its first SEA Games gold in 60 years. In January 2020, Vietnam went out in the group stage of the U-23 Championship. In 2021, he took Vietnam to the final round of Asian World Cup qualifying for the first time. In 2022, he beat China 3-1 for his first win in the final round. In January 2023, he ended five years and four months in Vietnam with the Mitsubishi Electric Cup runner-up finish.
In 2024, he appeared as technical director on JTBC’s The Gentlemen’s League. In 2025, he became a vice president of the Korea Football Association. In 2026, he stepped down as vice president after serving as head of the support team for the North America World Cup, and returned to the touchline as manager of Thailand’s second-division Kanchanaburi Power FC.
Park Hang-seo (born Oct 1, 1959) made his pro debut with Lucky-Goldstar Hwangso in 1984, the year he turned 25, and became known on Jan 27, 2018, the year he turned 59, when he led Vietnam’s under-23 team to second place at the AFC U-23 Championship. On Dec 15, 2018 he won the AFF Suzuki Cup.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Wikipedia says he played eight matches for the under-19 national team from 1977 to 1978. Sportal Korea writes that he played for the national team from 1977 to 1981.
Source 02 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Park Hang-seo · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Sportal Korea (Korean) · Named Changwon City manager · opens in a new tab The two sources describe the period differently. The year is from Wikipedia and could not be confirmed in news reports.After finishing at Hanyang University, he joined the works team Korea First Bank, and then served in the military with the army football team until 1983.
Source 02 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Park Hang-seo · opens in a new tab The years are from Wikipedia and could not be confirmed in news reports.He joined as a founding member and stepped onto the pro stage. Wikipedia says he scored his debut goal against the Yukong Elephants on Apr. 22, 1984.
Source 01 · Sportal Korea (Korean) · Named Changwon City manager · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Park Hang-seo · opens in a new tab His pro debut was confirmed through the Sportal Korea article. The debut goal against the Yukong Elephants on Apr. 22, 1984 is from Wikipedia.He was part of the team’s league title and was named to that year’s Best 11.
Source 02 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Park Hang-seo · opens in a new tab From Wikipedia; not confirmed in news reports.Ended his playing career after the 1988 season. He made 99 appearances and scored 15 goals for Lucky-Goldstar.
Source 02 · Wikipedia (Korean) · Park Hang-seo · opens in a new tab The year and the record are from Wikipedia and could not be confirmed in news reports.The year after retiring, he began his coaching career as a coach at his former club.
Source 03 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Jeonnam Dragons’ new manager chosen · opens in a new tabSource 14 · Kukinews (Korean) · The Park Hang-seo phenomenon · opens in a new tabHe went to the U.S. World Cup as a trainer for the national team. He later served as a Suwon Samsung reserve team coach.
Source 03 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Jeonnam Dragons’ new manager chosen · opens in a new tab The articles do not give the year he became a Suwon Samsung reserve team coach.He worked as assistant coach under Guus Hiddink. Kukinews writes that Hwang Sun-hong, who scored the opening goal against Poland, ran to the bench and hugged Park Hang-seo. At a July auction of World Cup stars’ items that year, his uniform sold for 1,011,000 won.
Source 06 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Asian Games manager chosen · opens in a new tabSource 14 · Kukinews (Korean) · The Park Hang-seo phenomenon · opens in a new tabSource 05 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · National festival for the successful World Cup · opens in a new tabSource 32 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Auction of World Cup stars’ items · opens in a new tab The date of the semifinal run could not be confirmed.His team played the third-place match and finished the tournament with the bronze medal. It was his first manager’s job after the World Cup.
Source 07 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · His future after the Asian Games · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Asian Games manager chosen · opens in a new tabThe Korea Football Association’s reasons were a lack of tactics and a lack of control of the squad. He says that creating tactics in three months was not an easy thing to do.
Source 08 · OhmyNews (Korean) · Exclusive interview on returning home · opens in a new tabMoved to a pro club as assistant coach.
Source 04 · The Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Named Jeonnam Dragons manager · opens in a new tab The articles do not give the date he took the post.Signed a three-year contract at the Changwon Chamber of Commerce and Industry and became the founding manager. Gyeongnam, where the club is based, is his hometown.
Source 09 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Interview with Gyeongnam FC’s first manager · opens in a new tabSigned a two-year contract at the club office in Gwangyang. He succeeded Huh Jung-moo, who had left to manage the national team. On Nov. 6 he had told Gyeongnam FC that he intended to resign.
Source 04 · The Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · Named Jeonnam Dragons manager · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Jeonnam Dragons’ new manager chosen · opens in a new tabHe stepped down with a year left on his contract, taking responsibility for poor results. It came three years after he took over in January 2008.
Source 34 · Sports Hankook (Korean) · Resigns as Jeonnam Dragons manager · opens in a new tabThe Ministry of National Defense, the Armed Forces Athletic Corps and the club announced that he had been chosen after screening four candidates.
Source 10 · Sports Hankook (Korean) · Named Sangju Sangmu manager · opens in a new tabThe league’s board of directors decided on forced relegation, saying the club had not met requirements such as becoming an independent corporation, and Sangju forfeited its matches after round 30 without playing them.
Source 35 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Resigns as Sangju Sangmu manager · opens in a new tab Only the year was confirmed; the articles do not give a date.Beat Goyang 3-2 to clinch the title. Eleven straight wins also set a new K League record for consecutive wins. He says it was the first title he had won as a manager. After a playoff against Gangwon the team was promoted to the Classic, and he won the manager of the year award at the year-end awards.
Source 11 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · First K League Challenge title · opens in a new tabSource 35 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Resigns as Sangju Sangmu manager · opens in a new tabIn its first year after promotion, the team finished last in the Classic and went back down to the Challenge.
Source 35 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Resigns as Sangju Sangmu manager · opens in a new tab Only the year was confirmed; the articles do not give a date.After winning that year’s K League Challenge title to take the team back up to the Classic, he left as his contract expired. He spent four years at Sangju.
Source 35 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Resigns as Sangju Sangmu manager · opens in a new tabTook charge of a National League team and returned to the touchline. The contract was for one year. It came a year after his contract with Sangju ended in December 2015.
Source 01 · Sportal Korea (Korean) · Named Changwon City manager · opens in a new tabThen manager of Changwon City, he signed a two-year contract with the Vietnam Football Federation. Sports Kyunghyang writes that it is unusual for a Korean coach to lead a foreign national team.
Source 12 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Named Vietnam national team manager · opens in a new tabSource 13 · JoongAng Ilbo (Korean) · Officially takes over as Vietnam manager · opens in a new tabAt a press conference at the Vietnam Football Federation, he said he would make Vietnam champions of Southeast Asia and of Asia.
Source 13 · JoongAng Ilbo (Korean) · Officially takes over as Vietnam manager · opens in a new tabIn the final in Changzhou, China, the match against Uzbekistan ended 1-1 in regular time and Vietnam conceded the winner in extra time. His name appeared in portal real-time search rankings right after the first half, and Korea Economic TV wrote that public interest in Park Hang-seo was intense.
Vietnam’s president decided to award the team the First-Class Labor Order and Park Hang-seo and two players the Third-Class Labor Order. A car parade was held over about 10 km from the airport to the Ho Chi Minh Museum.
Source 17 · Channel A (Korean) · Medals and a car parade · opens in a new tabSource 15 · Korea Economic TV (Korean) · Public attention · opens in a new tabLost 1-3 to Korea in the semifinal in Bogor, Indonesia. Vietnam’s previous best had been the round of 16.
Source 18 · SPOTV News (Korean) · Asian Games semifinal against Korea · opens in a new tabBeat Malaysia 1-0 in the second leg of the final at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi and won the title 3-2 on aggregate. It was Vietnam’s first in ten years, since 2008.
Source 19 · SPOTV News (Korean) · Suzuki Cup final, second leg · opens in a new tabIn the round-of-16 match in Dubai, Vietnam beat Jordan 4-2 on penalties. Its previous best at the Asian Cup was the quarterfinals in 2007.
Source 20 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Into the Asian Cup quarterfinals · opens in a new tabBeat Indonesia 3-0 in the final in Manila. It was the first title for unified Vietnam, and the first in 60 years.
Source 21 · OSEN (Korean) · SEA Games title · opens in a new tabLost 1-2 to North Korea in the last group match in Bangkok and finished last in the group with two draws and a loss. Vietnam’s bid to reach the Olympics ended there.
Source 22 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Out in the U-23 Championship group stage · opens in a new tabVietnam lost 2-3 to the United Arab Emirates in its last second-round match but advanced to the final round as group runner-up. It was a first for Vietnamese football.
Source 23 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Interview on reaching the World Cup final qualifying round · opens in a new tabBeat China 3-1 in round 8 of the final qualifying round in Hanoi. It was Vietnam’s first win after losing the previous seven matches.
Source 24 · MyDaily (Korean) · Final qualifying round match against China · opens in a new tabLost 0-1 in the second leg of the final at Thammasat Stadium in Thailand and finished runner-up, 2-3 on aggregate. His five years and four months in Vietnam ended there.
Source 25 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Vietnam farewell match · opens in a new tabListed as technical director of Eojjeoda Avengers and took charge of training.
Source 26 · TV Daily (Korean) · The Gentlemen’s League (Mungchyeoya Chanda 3) · opens in a new tabNamed in the list of the 55th executive team as the vice president in charge of supporting the national teams at every level.
Source 27 · Interfootball (Korean) · Korea Football Association 55th executive team · opens in a new tabSigned with a team in the Thai second division. It was his return to the touchline about three years and six months after leaving Vietnam.
Source 28 · The Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Contract with Kanchanaburi Power FC · opens in a new tabHe served as head of the support team for the North America World Cup squad, and Dailian reported that he resigned as vice president on site, taking responsibility for the group-stage exit.
Source 29 · Dailian (Korean) · Resigns as Korea Football Association vice president · opens in a new tabSource 33 · Star News (Korean) · World Cup squad recovery training · opens in a new tab The article does not give the date of the resignation. It was reported on July 7, 2026.Trailing 1-2 away at PT Satun FC, his team came back to win 4-2. For this match he was chosen manager of the league’s team of the week.
Source 30 · FourFourTwo Korea (Korean) · Comeback win in his Thai debut · opens in a new tabSource 31 · Best Eleven (Korean) · Manager of the week · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1977–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
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Sports · South Korea
Oct 1, 1959 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1959: the year of the event minus 1959, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.21 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.