[Edaily Reporter YUN GI BACK ] Singer Kim Heung-guk has now taken on the role of a soccer club manager. Channeling his long-standing love for soccer into founding his own club, he has embarked on a new challenge alongside soccer enthusiasts in their 60s and 70s.

“Deuridae FC,” led by Kim Heung-guk, held its founding ceremony at the Park Ji-sung Soccer Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 8th and officially launched. After playing their first friendly match against the home team at 8 a.m. that day, they held the founding ceremony at 11 a.m., marking the start of their full-fledged activities.
The club has a total of 23 founding members. Kim Heung-guk serves as team manager, and Park Seong-jong—father of Korean soccer legend Park Ji-sung—has joined as an advisor. Soccer enthusiasts in their 60s and 70s, including actors Song Gyeong-cheol and Yang Jae-won, are also participating as players. Their shared goal is to enjoy soccer, regardless of the outcome, while fostering health and friendship.
Park Ji-sung also lent his support. Although he was unable to attend the founding ceremony in person—as he was in the UK attending coach Guus Hiddink’s 80th birthday celebration—he sent his congratulations and cheered on Ddeuri-dae FC’s launch.
Kim Heung-guk’s love for soccer is well known. Having consistently supported Korean soccer through groups such as the “Arirang Cheering Squad” and “Chuksamo,” he has now taken on the role of founding and managing a team himself. He has gone a step beyond simply watching and cheering for soccer to take on a new challenge: running the field alongside his teammates.

Kim Heung-guk explained the purpose behind the team’s founding, saying, “We created this so that people who love soccer can come together to play and live long, healthy lives.”
He also has concrete plans for future activities. “We plan to hold friendly matches about once a month at the Jungang High School soccer field, the Nodul Field in Dongjak-gu, or the Noryangjin Soccer Field,” he said, adding, “We also plan to form a supporters’ club to do a lot of good through soccer.”
Their passion for soccer is also reflected in their uniforms. Regarding the uniform pattern, which resembles a chessboard, Kim Heung-guk explained, “It’s a design that evokes ‘build-up’ soccer.”
The values that Ddeuri-dae FC champions are closer to challenge and enjoyment than to victory. The aim is to build a healthy retirement by working up a sweat together, regardless of age. Attention is focused on whether Kim Heung-guk’s long-standing passion for soccer will lead to a new recreational sports activity for people of all generations.