Inbeom Hwang

"He's really fallen in love with Vancouver."

The story of Inbeom Hwang and his journey from Daejeon, South Korea.#ItTakesAVillage | #VWFC pic.twitter.com/9fRoA772Je

— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) September 5, 2019

PROFILE 
A young, rising South Korean international midfielder with talent and potential, Inbeom Hwang was acquired by Whitecaps FC via transfer in January 2019, and was signed through 2020 with club options for 2021 and 2022 as a Young Designated Player.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
2019: Hwang dazzled his way to winning the 2019 WFC Most Promising Male Player in his first season in Vancouver, scoring three goals and co-leading the club with five assists in 31 starts and appearing in all 34 MLS matches. He landed in the top 20 across MLS with 1,518 successful passes (most in a single MLS regular season in WFC history), 2,256 touches, 55 interceptions, and 2,807 minutes played as a field player. He also led the 'Caps with 49 chances created, 385 successful passes ending in the final third, and 202 recoveries among field players. His minutes total is second-highest for a 'Caps midfielder in a single MLS regular season behind Nigel Reo-Coker in 2013, and placed fifth in MLS among newcomers in 2019. Hwang's season highlights include scoring the game-winner to deal eventual Supporters' Shield winners LAFC their first loss, and tallying three assists in the late-season road victory at LA Galaxy to match the club MLS single-match record previously set by Alphonso Davies in June 2018. He was named to the MLS Team of the Week twice - Week 2 at Real Salt Lake (bench), and Week 30 at LA Galaxy. 

CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
2019: Hwang scored a goal in his only start and appearance in his first taste of Canadian Championship competition.

SOUTH KOREA 
2015-18: Prior to his move to Vancouver, Hwang had spent the entirety of his young career in the South Korean first and second divisions, appearing in over 100 matches and earning Best XI selections in each of his three seasons in the K League 2. Hwang came through the youth system of his hometown club Daejeon Citizen FC before joining the first team in 2015. He made 81 starts in 88 league appearances for Daejeon, scoring 15 goals, while competing in K League 1 in 2015 and K League 2 from 2016 through 2018. 2018: Hwang also had a stint with K League 2 side Asan Mugunghwa F.C. in 2018 as part of his mandatory military conscription, scoring a goal in 13 starts and 18 league appearances, before returning to his parent club to finish the year. 

INTERNATIONAL 
After featuring for his national side at the U-17, U-20, and U-23 levels, including capturing the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, Hwang made his senior international debut for South Korea in September 2018. Hwang opened his men’s national team account with a goal versus Panama in the following month, and quickly became a regular member of the South Korea roster in the last part of the year. 

YOUTH 
Spotted for his talent at an early age, Hwang attended Yuseong Middle School before joining Daejeon’s U-18 side at Chungnam Mechanical Technical High School. As captain of his high school team, he made the 2014 Adidas K League Junior Season Best XI before moving up to his club’s first team in 2015. 

INTERESTING FACTS 
Born and bred in South Korea’s fifth-largest metropolis, Hwang is affectionately called by his hometown fans as the Son of Daejeon... He scored his first professional goal in only his second start for Daejeon, becoming the youngest goalscorer in club history at only 18 years and 253 days old... Following South Korea U-23's gold medal win at the 2018 Asian Games, Hwang donated his winnings to Daejeong’s academy setup where he developed in his youth... He considers former South Korea national team captain, and Newcastle United centre midfielder Ki Sung-yueng as his role model.