Daejeon Hana Citizen returned to K-League 1 (Part 1) in the 2023 season. It was not an easy process to come back after 8 years since 2015. Under tremendous pressure, he finished second in the K-League 2 (Part 2) last year, and then defeated Managing Director Kim Cheon in the promotion playoff (PO).

At the center was a veteran midfielder from the national team. This is Joo Se-jong (33), who joined in July last year as a ‘loan player’. His performance at Gamba Osaka (Japan) after passing through Busan I’Park and FC Seoul was remarkable. Even though it was not a position with many attack points, he scored 1 goal and 3 assists in 19 games, and even scored a reverse goal in the first leg of the promotion PO with Kim Cheon.

With the end of the lease, he had many options. But he didn’t worry too much. He decided to ‘complete transfer’ prior to the first winter training in Chonburi, Thailand. Joo Se-jong said, “We wrote history. Although the promotion process was difficult, I achieved my goal.” “I wanted to fight in the K League 1 with my colleagues who shared joy and sorrow. When the club talked about ‘let’s do it together’, I made the decision without hesitation.”

Daejeon Hana, who was in the midst of the second winter training in Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, became a ‘challenger’ again. Joo Se-jong, who has won the K-League 1 and played 29 A matches, has a bigger role. In particular, expectations are high because he delivered Son Heung-min (Tottenham)’s key goal by stealing the ball from the opponent’s goalkeeper in extra time in the second half of the 2018 Russia World Cup group stage match against Germany (2-0 Korea win).

Ju Se-jong, who faced on the 8th, said, “I did not imagine a promotion failure. When he first joined, everyone looked exhausted and weighed down by the pressure, but by the time he went up and down PO, he was full of confidence. As he overcame adversity and crises, he stayed strong. (2021 season) He looked back, saying, “I couldn’t feel the trauma of the collapse at the promotion PO.” 스포츠토토

Expectations are high for the new season. It is a conviction that comes from experience. “There are a lot of people with good personal skills,” he said. There is no shortage of skills. In K-League 1, each team operates an efficient game by distributing airlift time based on its own color. It is different from K-League 2, which runs like a war for 90 minutes. The environment has nothing bad for us.”

Of course, it is also an important season for him. This is your chance to prove your worth. The reason for heading to the J-League was the will to grow further and perform at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which was not achieved in Russia. However, in the end, there was no return to the national team, and he could not participate in the World Cup.

But no regrets, no giving up. He promised, “I will dream of becoming a member of the national team even until the moment I retire.” To do that, he has to give 100% every moment. Moreover, it was his first captaincy since his professional debut. To his colleagues on the new starting line, he said, “I will sacrifice first and try. I hope everyone will play without regrets that will make them feel proud of themselves.”

Joo Se-jong believes in the potential of Daejeon Hana. The key is to face any opponent with confidence. He said, “This is the season to solidify our position. The more fearful than us are the opponents who will meet the ‘promoted team’ who lack information. Our competitiveness is also sufficient,” he said with strength.