Lee Hyun-ju (footballer)

In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.
For other people, see Lee Hyun-joo.

Lee Hyun-ju
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-02-07) 7 February 2003
Place of birth Ansan, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger, attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Arouca
Number 14
Youth career
2012–2015 Tree Mers
2016–2021 Pohang Steelers[note 1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Pohang Steelers 0 (0)
2022 → Bayern Munich II (loan) 8 (3)
2022–2025 Bayern Munich II 18 (7)
2023–2024 → Wehen Wiesbaden (loan) 28 (4)
2024–2025 → Hannover 96 (loan) 24 (3)
2025– Arouca 2 (0)
International career‡
2017 South Korea U14 2 (1)
2018–2019 South Korea U17 8 (6)
2022– South Korea U23 4 (0)
2024– South Korea 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 August 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 14 November 2024
Lee Hyun-ju
Hangul
이현주
RRI Hyeonju
MRI Hyŏnju

Lee Hyun-ju (Korean: 이현주; born 7 February 2003) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a winger and attacking midfielder for Primeira Liga club Arouca and the South Korea national team.

Early life

Lee spent his youth career at Tree Mers FC in Ansan and Pohang Steelers.[2]

Club career

Bayern Munich II

In January 2022, Lee joined German giants Bayern Munich from Pohang Steelers on a year-long loan deal, with the option to make the deal permanent.[3] After impressing with the club's reserve team while on loan, Bayern Munich took up the option to make the deal permanent in August 2022, with Lee signing a deal through 2025.[4][5] He played for the reserve team at the Regionalliga Bayern.

On 7 July 2023, Lee was loaned to recently promoted 2. Bundesliga club Wehen Wiesbaden for the 2023–24 season.[6] On 23 June 2024, he extended his contract with Bayern Munich until 2027 and was loaned to another 2. Bundesliga club Hannover 96 for the 2024–25 season, with an option to make the move permanent.[7] He had performed various roles in Bayern's midfield,[8] whereas he mostly played as a winger at the two clubs.[9][10]

Arouca

On 23 July 2025, Lee moved to Portugal and joined Primeira Liga club Arouca, permanently for an estimated €1.5 million fee. The figure was Arouca's highest-ever transfer fee.[11] On 9 August, he provided an assist in a 3–1 win over AVS, where he made his Primeira Liga debut.[12]

International career

Lee has represented South Korea at various youth levels.[1][2][13] He was called up to the South Korea Olympic team in September 2022, in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[14]

Lee received his first call-up with the South Korea national team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Kuwait and Palestine on 14 and 19 November 2024, respectively.[15][16] He made his debut against Kuwait.[17]

Personal life

Lee has named Joshua Kimmich as a player he idolises, while also crediting Jamal Musiala as a similarly-aged player he looks up to.[3][18]

Career statistics

Club

As of matches played 17 August 2025[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Pohang Steelers 2022 K League 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bayern Munich II (loan) 2021–22 Regionalliga Bayern 6 1 — — 6 1
2022–23 Regionalliga Bayern 2 2 — — 2 2
Total 8 3 — — 8 3
Bayern Munich II 2022–23 Regionalliga Bayern 18 7 — — 18 7
Wehen Wiesbaden (loan) 2023–24 2. Bundesliga 28 4 1 0 2[a] 0 31 4
Hannover 96 (loan) 2024–25 2. Bundesliga 24 3 0 0 — 24 3
Arouca 2025–26 Primeira Liga 2 0 0 0 — 2 0
Career total 80 17 1 0 2 0 83 17
  1. ^ Appearances in 2. Bundesliga relegation play-offs

International

As of match played 14 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
South Korea 2024 1 0
Total 1 0

Notes

  1. ^ Played for Pohang Jecheol Middle School from 2016 to 2018, and Pohang Jecheol High School from 2019 to 2021, which were academies of Pohang Steelers.

References

  1. ^ a b Lee Hyun-ju at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b [인터뷰] 첫 주장완장 달고 세계무대에 첫발 내딛는 이현주의 각오 [[Interview] Lee Hyun-ju's determination to take the first step on the world stage with the first captain's armband]. Naver (in Korean). KFA. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b "FC Bayern holt Lee von den Pohang Steelers" [FC Bayern sign Lee from the Pohang Steelers] (in German). kicker. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Der FC Bayern zieht die kaufoption bei youngster Hyun-ju Lee" [FC Bayern pulls the option to buy from youngster Hyun-ju Lee] (in German). OneFootball. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  5. ^ Mayer, Patrick (11 August 2022). "Keine Pause für Salihamidzic: FC Bayern holt nächstes Top-Talent - er spielte bereits für München" [No break for Salihamidzic: FC Bayern gets the next top talent - he has already played for Munich] (in German). TZ. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  6. ^ "SVWW leiht Hyunju Lee vom FC Bayern München II aus" (in German). SV Wehen Wiesbaden. 7 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Viel Erfolg in Niedersachsen, Hyunju!". X (Twitter) (in German). FC Bayern Campus. 23 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Hyun-Ju Lee | Spielerpositionen | Bayern München II | Regionalliga Bayern 2022/23" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Hyun-Ju Lee | Spielerpositionen | SV Wehen Wiesbaden | 2. Bundesliga 2023/24" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Hyun-Ju Lee | Spielerpositionen | Hannover 96 | 2. Bundesliga 2024/25" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Arouca volta a contratar ao Bayern Munique: Lee Hyunju é o mais caro da história dos lobos" (in Portuguese). Record. 23 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  12. ^ "FC Arouca vs AVS - Futebol SAD live score, H2H and lineups". Sofascore. 9 August 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  13. ^ 19세 이현주, 바이에른 뮌헨 완전 이적 [19-year-old Hyun-joo Lee transfers to Bayern Munich]. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). 10 August 2022.
  14. ^ 바이에른 뮌헨 이현주, 파리 준비하는 올림픽 대표팀 발탁 [Bayern Munich's Lee Hyun-joo selected for Paris Olympic team]. No Cut News (in Korean). 13 September 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  15. ^ 남자 A대표팀, 11월 월드컵 3차 예선 소집명단 발표 [Men's national team A announces call-up list for September World Cup 3rd qualifying round] (in Korean). Korea Football Association. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  16. ^ 선수 명단 [Squad List] (in Korean). Korea Football Association. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Kuwait v South Korea game report". ESPN. 15 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Hyunju Lee: "Ich schaue zu Kimmich und Musiala auf"" [Hyunju Lee: "I look up to Kimmich and Musiala"] (in German). FC Bayern Munich. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  19. ^ Lee Hyun-ju at Soccerway
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