FC Seoul is a South Korean professional football club based in Seoul, competing in K League 1. The club was founded in 1983 and has carried several names, including Lucky-Goldstar FC, LG Cheetahs, and Anyang LG Cheetahs, before adopting its current name in 2004.
Design and History
The current FC Seoul emblem was introduced on March 19, 2004, when the club officially changed its name from Anyang LG Cheetahs to FC Seoul. The name change followed a public contest in which 5,838 people submitted entries, with “FC Seoul” receiving 1,809 votes, or 31 percent of the total. The club explained that it removed the corporate name to express its intention to be re-founded as a Korean-style civic club shared with Seoul citizens.[1]
The emblem features an octagonal shape derived from the roof design of the Seoul World Cup Stadium, the club’s home ground. The stadium roof itself was designed to evoke a traditional Korean octagonal tray and a flying “bangpae” kite, a traditional shield-shaped kite symbolizing flight to victory.[1][2] Within the octagonal frame, the design reinterprets a football and sun using traditional Korean patterns. The numbers 1983 and 2004 appear at the bottom, marking the club’s founding year and the year it relocated to Seoul as its second founding.[1]
The club’s official emblem description states that the design symbolizes the passion of the 2002 World Cup, the club’s history, and its ambition to grow together with Seoul citizens as a prestigious club. The emblem also visually represents a bangpae kite flying high, expressing the club’s goal of becoming a global leading club.[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
According to the club’s official emblem page, the three colors used in the emblem carry specific meanings: red symbolizes passion and challenge, gold symbolizes abundance and glory, and black symbolizes sophistication and strength. The club states that these colors were harmonized to feel both traditionally Korean and internationally modern.[3]
The red and black vertical stripes at the center of the emblem reflect the club’s identity since its return to Seoul in 2004.[3] The club’s official emblem description also notes that the design incorporates the founding year 1983 and the Seoul relocation year 2004 to clearly express the club’s history alongside Korean professional football.[3]
Typography and Design
The emblem includes the English club name “FC SEOUL” as part of its visual identity, which the club describes as part of its effort to become a global leading club.[3] The octagonal outline of the emblem is directly tied to the architectural identity of the Seoul World Cup Stadium, whose roof was designed with the image of a traditional Korean kite and shield.[1][2]
In 2023, for the club’s 40th anniversary, FC Seoul released a special “1983 Heritage” uniform in which the commemorative emblem and all markings, including the club crest, were rendered in gold to express the glory of the club’s 40 years and its bright future.[4] In 2026, the club’s “Golden Stars” uniform placed six golden stars above the FC Seoul emblem, symbolizing the club’s six championship victories since its founding in 1983.[5]
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