GEOJE, South Korea-- In a span of one season, Daejeon Hana Citizen FC have gone from being chased to doing the chasing themselves.

As in: last year, as one of the top clubs in the second-tier K League 2, Daejeon had several clubs trying to chase them down for a spot in the first-division K League 1. They survived the gauntlet and won playoff matches to secure a spot in the K League 1 for 2023. And now, as captain Ju Se-jong tells it, Daejeon will be chasing other teams in the top league, hoping to avoid falling back down to the K League 2.

"I think we will start the new season at the very bottom of the table, in 12th place," Ju said at a press conference in Geoje, some 400 kilometers south of Seoul, on Monday, on the sidelines of Daejeon's offseason training camp. "We had to go through playoffs just to get here. We have to work even harder to stay here."

Ju also said having the underdog tag should allow Daejeon to play without feeling much pressure.

"We just want to take it one step at a time," he said. "Our primary objective is to stay in the K League 1. I think we will be able to compete without any extra burden on our shoulders."

Ju was a midseason arrival last year, joining Daejeon on a loan from the Japanese club Gamba Osaka in July. He completed a full transfer to Daejeon in January and will serve as the club's new captain.

"Last year, I was just trying to fit in, and because I came in during the season, I was careful not to step on anyone's toes," Ju said. "But since I helped the team earn promotion and became a full-time Daejeon player, I want to be able to help young guys realize their potential in the top league."

The 32-year-old midfielder said he liked what he saw from his teammates in the first leg of offseason camp in Thailand.

"The guys just had a different look in their eyes, and they acted differently. It seemed like they are really determined to show what they're made of in the K League 1," Ju said. "I think we have a lot of players who can be competitive in the top league. I can't wait to tackle new challenges with these guys."

Defender Cho Yu-min, who ceded the armband to Ju this year, said the feeling is mutual.

"It couldn't have been easy for him to jump into a new team in the middle of last season, but he fit in seamlessly. I don't think we would have been promoted without him," Cho said. "I knew he would stay put, and it's great to have him around."

Source: Yonhap News Agency