Kim Byung-ji (born 8 April 1970) is a former football goalkeeper who played for the South Korea national team as well as several clubs in the K League. He was noted for his unique hair style which looked like the tail of a bird.
![]() Kim in 2010 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Kim Byung-ji | ||
Date of birth | (1970-04-08) 8 April 1970 (age 52) | ||
Place of birth | Miryang, Gyeongnam, South Korea | ||
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
1983–1985 | Milyang Middle School | ||
1986–1988 | Aloysius Technical High School | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1990–1992 | Sangmu FC (draft) | ||
1992–2000 | Ulsan Hyundai | 173 | (2) |
2001–2005 | Pohang Steelers | 137 | (0) |
2006–2008 | FC Seoul | 58 | (0) |
2009–2012 | Gyeongnam FC | 122 | (0) |
2013–2015 | Jeonnam Dragons | 101 | (0) |
Total | 595 | (2) | |
National team | |||
1995–2008 | South Korea | 61 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Kim Byung-ji | |
Hangul | 김병지 |
---|---|
Hanja | 金秉址 |
Revised Romanization | Gim Byeong-ji |
McCune–Reischauer | Kim Pyŏng-ji |
Kim spent 24 seasons as a professional player from 1992 to 2015. He kept 229 clean sheets and scored three goals while playing 706 games in the K League including Korean League Cup.[1]
Kim was selected for the South Korean squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. South Korea lost 5–0 to the Netherlands in its second match, and South Korean players couldn't avoid journalists' criticisms after the defeat.[2][3] Furthermore, South Korea's manager Cha Bum-kun was sacked, although the tournament was ongoing.[4] However, Kim struggled in the Netherlands' 17 shots on target,[5] and became the only player to receive acclaim despite conceding five goals.[6][7]
Kim played as a sweeper-keeper who helped the defense of his teams with rapid pace.[8] He also had great reflexes, and was skilled in making super saves.[9] However, his excessively active personality sometimes resulted in eccentric plays. In a match of the 2001 Lunar New Year Cup against Paraguay, he was deprived of the ball after he suddenly tried to dribble, and embarrassed Guus Hiddink, the former South Korea's manager.[10] Kim formed a strong rivalry with Lee Woon-jae in the K League and the national team,[11] and also competed with him for the position as a starter in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Hiddink agonised over the choice of a goalkeeper until the start of the tournament, but selected Lee because of Kim's eccentric play in the Lunar New Year Cup.[10]
Kim is currently working as a YouTuber in the "Kkong-byung-ji-tv", his YouTube channel, after his retirement in 2015.[12]
On 28 May 2022, Kim signed with entertainment company Angry Dogs.[13]
Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Sangmu FC (draft) | 1990 | Semipro League | ? | ? | ?[lower-alpha 1] | ? | — | — | ? | ? | ||
1991 | Semipro League | ? | ? | ?[lower-alpha 1] | ? | ? | ? | — | ? | ? | ||
1992 | Semipro League | ? | ? | ?[lower-alpha 1] | ? | ? | ? | — | ? | ? | ||
Total | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | ? | ? | |||
Ulsan Hyundai | 1992 | K League | 6 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | ||
1993 | K League | 21 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | |||
1994 | K League | 24 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | |||
1995 | K League | 28 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | — | 35 | 0 | |||
1996 | K League | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ?[lower-alpha 2] | ? | 30 | 0 | |
1997 | K League | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ?[lower-alpha 2] | ? | 22 | 0 | |
1998 | K League | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ?[lower-alpha 2] | ? | 25 | 1 | |
1999 | K League | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | ||
2000 | K League | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 33 | 2 | ||
Total | 177 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 46 | 1 | ? | ? | 230 | 3 | ||
Pohang Steelers | 2001 | K League | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |
2002 | K League | 21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | ||
2003 | K League | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 0 | |||
2004 | K League | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | ||
2005 | K League | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | ||
Total | 137 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 27 | 0 | — | 175 | 0 | |||
FC Seoul | 2006 | K League | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | 43 | 0 | |
2007 | K League | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 41 | 0 | ||
2008 | K League | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
Total | 58 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 26 | 0 | — | 91 | 0 | |||
Gyeongnam | 2009 | K League | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 31 | 0 | |
2010 | K League | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 37 | 0 | ||
2011 | K League | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | ||
2012 | K League | 37 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 0 | |||
Total | 122 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 142 | 0 | |||
Jeonnam Dragons | 2013 | K League 1 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 0 | ||
2014 | K League 1 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 0 | |||
2015 | K League 1 | 27 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 | |||
Total | 101 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 106 | 0 | |||
Career total | 595 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 111 | 1 | ? | ? | 744 | 3 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
South Korea | 1995 | 4 | 0 |
1996 | 13 | 0 | |
1997 | 10 | 0 | |
1998 | 16 | 0 | |
1999 | 3 | 0 | |
2000 | 4 | 0 | |
2001 | 2 | 0 | |
2002 | 8 | 0 | |
2008 | 1 | 0 | |
Career total | 61 | 0 |
Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Vincenzo | Cameo | [16] |
Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Steel Ball | Host | [17] |
Sangmu FC
Ulsan Hyundai
Pohang Steelers
FC Seoul
South Korea
Individual
Awards | |||||||||||||||||
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