Hyeok-kyu Kwon, born in the Korea Republic on 13 March 2001, now 23 years old, struts his stuff on the pitch as a central defensive midfielder for Hibernian. Standing tall and proud at 6ft 2in (1.9m), and tipping the scales at 12st 1lb (77kg), Kwon commands a solid presence in the midfield. Situated firmly in the number 18 jersey, he brings a lot of character to the game.
Current analyses, such as that on Transfermarkt, value this dynamic midfielder at approximately £635k. His tenure with Hibernian is running up against the clock, with his contract set to expire as the curtains fall on May 2025.
A brief retrospective reveals a vibrant career journey. The stage was set in January 2019 when Kwon joined Busan I'Park in the K League 2 in his home Republic. Despite only making two first-team appearances in league matches during his debut season, Kwon didn't let that curb his enthusiasm. Fast forward a year, and the 2020 season saw Kwon make significant strides, featuring in 16 matches and leaving a lasting impression with one goal to his name. His upward trajectory continued in the 2023 season, where he further established his footprint by participating in 20 matches and scoring two goals.
Ever adaptable, Kwon moved on loan to Gimcheon Sangmu in the K League 1 in March 2021. During his two seasons here, the defensive midfielder made a combined total of 33 first-team appearances, solidifying his role within a different team set-up.
September 2022 saw Kwon's return to Busan I'Park, following the completion of his loan. Now seasoned, Kwon continued to deliver the goods during his subsequent seasons with his initial club.
Exciting opportunities on foreign turf presented themselves in July 2023 when Kwon was transferred to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, crossing the seas for an estimated fee of roundabout £860k. Nevertheless, this association was short-lived, as six months later, Kwon was loaned out again, this time to St Mirren in the same Premiership. Here, he made eight appearances during the 2023-2024 season.
Following his stint at St Mirren, he circled back to Celtic, only to be dispatched on loan again within two months- this time to Hibernian. Since then, Kwon appears to have found his stride within the Hibernian setup - as of the current season, he has already made nine first team appearances in league matches.
To sum up - Kwon's football journey has indeed been a winding road, well-travelled with fortitude and determination.
