While Korea has produced football legends such as Park Ji-sung, Son Heung-min, and Cha Bum-kun, the goalkeeper position had only ever seen failed attempts at Europe—until Jeju’s Heo Jae-won finally succeeded in joining Bayern Munich’s reserve team.
Although he had passed through various youth national teams as a U-18 prospect, he had not yet had the chance to be seen by football fans, making him the subject of a truly surprising transfer.
We introduce Munich-bound goalkeeper Heo Jae-won, who has instantly drawn the attention of football fans.
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Korea’s First European GK Heo Jae-won
Born on May 21, 2008, in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, he is a local-born prospect boasting an overwhelming physique at 195cm and 83kg, along with excellent reflexes. He was part of the Jeju SK FC youth system, playing for the Jeju SK FC youth team from 2021 to 2026.
Since first being called up to the Korea U-16 national team in 2024, he has continued to be selected for various age-group national teams, and in 2025 he was selected for the U-17 national team led by manager Baek Ki-tae. He accompanied the team to the 2025 AFC U-17 Asian Cup and the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, but at both tournaments Park Do-hoon played as the starter, and he unfortunately did not get playing time.
Because of this, no football fans had seen Heo Jae-won play in an official match, making this one of the most surprising transfers in memory.
Jeju Heo Jae-won Move to Bayern Munich’s Reserve Team
On January 4, 2026, immediately upon signing a semi-professional contract with Jeju SK FC, he departed for Germany right away, receiving entrusted training at Bayern Munich through R&G (Red & Gold Football), a youth development platform partnered with Jeju SK FC. R&G is a global youth development platform jointly established in 2023 by Bayern Munich, home to Kim Min-jae, and LA FC, home to Son Heung-min, and Jeju SK FC is Asia’s first partner club.
He was selected after an R&G official personally confirmed his potential while watching the Jeju SK U-18 team compete at the K League Asian Youth Championship Jeju 2025 in November 2025. Team advisor Koo Ja-cheol served as his primary helper in adjusting to life in Munich, Germany, and in June 2026 he became the first Jeju SK FC youth product to be selected for the “FC Bayern World Squad 2026.”
The FC Bayern World Squad is a program that Bayern Munich has run since 2021, an international development program that selects prospects under age 19 from around the world for training, matches, and cultural exchange. Training took place in Jeju from June 15 to 19, and during this period, on June 19, a practice match was held against the Jeju SK U-18 team.
Afterward, from June 20, a training camp was held in Paju, and on June 28 he departed for Germany, where he trained and played practice matches at the Munich Campus until July 10, catching the club’s attention. On July 20, 2026, he was called up ahead of schedule to the Korea U-20 national team, which is preparing for the U-20 Asian Cup and the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup, but the call-up did not go through, as it overlapped with his participation in the FC Bayern Munich World Squad project and the schedule for pursuing a transfer to Bayern Munich.
On July 31, 2026, Jeju SK FC officially announced Heo Jae-won’s loan transfer to FC Bayern Munich II. The loan period runs six months, until January 2027, and includes an option clause that triggers a permanent transfer if certain conditions are met. Until now, the goalkeeper position in particular had continued to suffer a string of failed European transfers, but this move marks the first advancement to a European stage in 17 years, since Kwon Jung-hyuk’s move to the Finnish league in 2009.
He is the first goalkeeper to move directly to a club in one of Europe’s “Big 5” leagues—England, Spain, Germany, France, or Italy—and becomes the third Korean player to play for Bayern Munich II, following Jeong Woo-yeong and Lee Hyun-ju. The signing ceremony will be held during halftime of the “Audi Football Summit” friendly match between Jeju SK FC and Bayern Munich, at Jeju World Cup Stadium on August 4, 2026, at 8:00 PM.
“I started playing football in Jeju and grew my dream while training in Munich through R&G. Being able to play in front of Jeju fans on August 4 wearing both the Jeju jersey and the Munich jersey is truly special to me. I want to repay Jeju, which raised me, and become a player who can compete with confidence in Munich too.” — from an interview
The Miracle Born from Jeju Youth Team’s Experiment with Broadcast & Correspondence High School
The biggest reason for past failed transfers to Europe was not skill but language issues. Japan’s Suzuki Zion studied English in order to move to Europe and, having reached a level where he could conduct interviews without an interpreter, now plays at Serie A club Parma in Italy.
To address this issue, the Jeju U-18 team made use of the broadcast and correspondence high school system, enrolling at the broadcast and correspondence high school attached to Jeju Il High School, completing their coursework by playing football during the day and taking video-based classes at night. On top of this, they also held English conversation classes several times a week to build up their communication skills.
Football: Heo Jae-won Statistics
2026 Season, Jeju SK FC: 0 appearances, 0 goals conceded (U-18 squad)
Although he signed a semi-professional contract in January while part of the U-18 squad, he has no professional-level record to date, due to age-group national team call-ups and training in Munich.
Football: Heo Jae-won Awards & Career History
- 2021: Joined Jeju SK FC youth team
- 2024: First call-up to Korea U-16 national team
- 2025: Selected for Korea U-17 national team
- 2025: Korea national team member, 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup
- 2026: Signed semi-professional contract with Jeju SK FC
- 2026: Participated in entrusted training at Bayern Munich
- 2026: Selected for FC Bayern World Squad 2026, first Jeju SK FC youth product to do so
- 2026: Loan transfer to FC Bayern Munich II
Club Transfer History
- 2021–2026: Jeju SK FC (Youth)
- From 2026: FC Bayern Campus (Youth)
- From 2026: Jeju SK FC (First Team)
- From 2026: FC Bayern Munich II (Loan)
Football: Heo Jae-won Bio
- English: Heo Jae-Won | 허재원
- Date of Birth: May 21, 2008 (Age 18)
- Hometown: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | Nationality: South Korea
- Height: 195cm | Weight: 83kg | Blood Type: – | MBTI: – | Religion: –
- Education: Oedo Elementary School (graduated), Jeju Middle School (graduated), Broadcast & Correspondence High School attached to Jeju Jeil High School (currently enrolled)
- Dominant Foot: Right
- Jersey Number: Jeju SK FC #29, Korea U-17 National Team #21
- Salary (semi-professional contract): – | Weekly Wage: –
- Military Service: Not yet served
- Family: Parents
- Agent: Aigi Sports Management
- Club: Jeju SK FC, FC Bayern Munich II (Loan)
- Debut Year: 2026
- SNS: Instagram
