In 2013 Seongnam Ilhwa (now Seongnam FC), coach Ahn Ik-soo (FC Seoul), who put newcomer Hwang Eui-jo as a starter in the opening game of the league, will reunite with his former student after 10 years.

On the 5th, Seoul announced on the club’s official website that it had hired Hwang Eui-jo, a national striker, on loan. Hwang Ui-jo, who was on a short-term loan from Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, played for Seongnam in the summer of 2017 before moving to Gamba Osaka in Japan, and returned to the K-League after 5 years and 6 months.

In particular, Hwang Eui-jo’s return this time draws attention in that it is a reunion with director Ahn Ik-soo, who leads Seoul.

Growing up at Youth Poongsaeng High School in Seongnam, Hwang Ui-jo went on to Yonsei University and signed an adult team contract with Seongnam in 2013.

He was a striker who swept the university stage, but in the K-League, where foreign strikers were lined up, Hwang Eui-jo seemed to need to adapt rather than play immediately.

But Ahn made an unprecedented decision. That year, in the opening game of the K-League Classic (currently K-League 1) against Suwon Samsung 메이저놀이터, Hwang Eui-jo was selected as a forward striker.

Hwang Ui-jo, who played as a two-top player with former Olympic representative Kim Dong-seop, lived up to Ahn’s belief by scoring his debut goal 22 minutes after his professional debut. Although the result was a 1-2 defeat, he played full-time in his debut game and scored his debut goal, signaling the birth of a new star.

Since then, Hwang Eui-jo has not been able to accept a satisfactory report, with a total of 3 goals and 2 assists in the 2013 season, unlike his deep impression before his debut. However, coach Ahn predicted his great success by making Hwang Ui-jo play 22 games in the K-League Classic.

Although Seongnam put down the baton after one season in a cluttered atmosphere of being converted into a citizen team, it is now evaluated as outstanding as the insight that raised Hwang Ui-jo. 

This is because Hwang Ui-jo moved to Gamba Osaka in 2017 after becoming a top striker in Korea by scoring double-digit goals in 2015 and 2016.

Hwang Eui-jo, who received a military service exemption for a gold medal in the Asian Games while playing as a top striker in the J-League, joined Girondins Bordeaux in France in 2019 and challenged the European stage and spent three successful seasons in France.

In the meantime, coach Ahn has been in charge of Seoul since the second half of 2021 after serving as the U-20 national team and Sunmoon University manager.

Hwang Eui-jo and director Ahn, who seemed to be walking their separate ways, reunited like a lie after 10 years of eating together.

This is because Hwang Ui-jo, who tasted failure at Olympiacos in Greece, was aiming for a comeback on the domestic stage, and Seoul, where the coach is now, strongly wanted him.

Hwang Eui-jo, who reunited with his old teacher after 10 years of turning around, expressed his gratitude to manager Ahn through an interview with the club.

“I was a rookie, and coach (Ahn) was a scary person. I learned soccer while being scolded a lot,” said Hwang Eui-jo, who recalled, “I think I learned a lot both in football and as a person. I learned a lot from the coach during my professional life. I want to learn a lot from good teaching in the future.”