South Korean striker Cho Gue-sung went from a virtually unknown K League player to a global sensation overnight at the FIFA World Cup.
Today, he earns his living in the Danish Superliga with FC Midtjylland and remains a key figure for the South Korea national team. This article covers his net worth, salary, contract, career earnings, and biography in full.
Cho Gue-sung’s Biography
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Cho Gue-sung (조규성) |
| Date of Birth | January 25, 1998 |
| Age | 28 |
| Place of Birth | Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| Position | Centre-Forward |
| Current Club | FC Midtjylland |
| Turned Professional | 2019 (FC Anyang, K League 2) |
| Net Worth | ~$2.5 million (estimated) |
| Salary | ~€624,000 per year (estimated) |
| Outfitter | Nike |
| @whrbtjd |
Early Life and Career
Cho Gue-sung was born on January 25, 1998, in Ansan, a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
His mother is a former volleyball player, which gives him an athletic background from an early age. Despite growing up in a sporting household, Cho did not immediately follow a traditional forward’s path.
During his youth years at Iho Elementary School and Wongok Middle School, and later at Anyang Technical High School, he played as a centre-back and defensive midfielder — not a striker.
He joined FC Anyang’s youth setup in 2014, continuing there through 2015. After high school, he enrolled at Gwangju University from 2016 to 2018, where he gradually transitioned from a defensive role to a winger and eventually a central forward.
That positional shift proved to be a defining moment in his development.
His college years gave him the technical base and positional discipline that would later define his senior career. He turned professional with FC Anyang in the K League 2 in January 2019, making an immediate impact in his debut professional season.
Professional Career
Cho Gue-sung’s professional career began at FC Anyang in the K League 2 in 2019. He scored 12 goals in 31 appearances, finishing as the third-highest scorer in the division and earning a place in the K League 2 Team of the Year.
That form attracted Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, one of South Korea’s biggest clubs, who signed him in January 2020.
At Jeonbuk, he had a modest first season but scored the Korean FA Cup Goal of the Year in 2020 — a sign of the talent within.
In March 2021, Cho was drafted to Gimcheon Sangmu to complete his mandatory military service. Rather than letting his career stagnate, he used those two seasons to develop physically and become a more powerful, aerial-dominant striker.
He scored 8 goals in 2021 and a remarkable 13 goals in 2022, helping Gimcheon win the K League 2 in 2021.
After returning to Jeonbuk, he scored 9 more goals across the 2022 and 2023 K League seasons before earning his move to European football.
In July 2023, Transfermarkt confirmed he signed with FC Midtjylland in the Danish Superliga for a reported transfer fee of €3.1 million.
His first full season at Midtjylland (2023–24) was outstanding — 12 goals in 30 league appearances — and the club won the Danish Superliga title that year.
A serious knee injury then kept him out from July 2024 to August 2025, disrupting the 2024–25 season entirely. He returned in the 2025–26 campaign and has continued contributing.
On the international stage, Cho made his senior debut for South Korea on September 7, 2021, against Lebanon in a World Cup qualifier.
His defining international moment came at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he scored twice against Ghana with two powerful headers — becoming the first South Korean player to score a brace at a World Cup, and the first Asian player to score two headers in a single World Cup match. He has since earned 41 senior caps with 10 international goals.
Cho Gue-sung’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Cho Gue-sung’s has an estimated net worth of approximately $2.5 million.
He built this wealth through his professional football contracts in South Korea, a €3.1 million transfer to FC Midtjylland in Denmark, his ongoing European salary, and brand partnerships.
Contract
Cho Gue-sung joined FC Midtjylland on July 11, 2023, and his contract runs through June 30, 2028. That gives him a five-year deal in Denmark, making him one of the club’s longer-serving commitments.
The transfer fee paid to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors was approximately €3.1 million according to Transfermarkt. His current market value is listed at €2.50 million on the same platform.
Salary
Approximate salary estimates place Cho Gue-sung at around €12,000 gross per week at FC Midtjylland, working out to roughly €624,000 per year before bonuses. That figure aligns with the broader wage structure at the club.
According to Capology, FC Midtjylland’s estimated total gross salaries for the 2025–26 season stand at €15,180,000 across the squad. Cho sits in the mid-range of that structure given his profile and injury return.
Prior to Europe, his earnings in the K League 1 at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors would have been significantly lower, typically in the range of ₩100–200 million per year (approximately $75,000–$150,000), which is standard for established K League players.
Career Earnings By Year
| Season | Club | League | Estimated Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | FC Anyang | K League 2 | ~$40,000 |
| 2020 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | K League 1 | ~$80,000 |
| 2021 | Gimcheon Sangmu (draft) | K League 2 | ~$50,000 |
| 2022 | Gimcheon Sangmu / Jeonbuk | K League 1 | ~$120,000 |
| 2023 | Jeonbuk / FC Midtjylland | K League 1 / Danish Superliga | ~$350,000 |
| 2024 | FC Midtjylland | Danish Superliga | ~$680,000 |
| 2025 | FC Midtjylland | Danish Superliga | ~$680,000 |
| 2026 | FC Midtjylland | Danish Superliga | ~$680,000 |
Endorsements
Cho Gue-sung’s confirmed outfitter is Nike, which supplies his boots and kit. Beyond that, his endorsement portfolio benefited enormously from his 2022 World Cup viral fame.
He gained over 2.7 million Instagram followers from just 20,000 at the start of the tournament, making him one of the most-followed Korean footballers overnight. That level of social media reach attracts brand partnerships in the Korean market.
His estimated annual social media income across platforms is approximately $327,000–$448,000, based on his audience of over 1.5 million followers on Instagram.
Career Statistics
| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | FC Anyang | K League 2 | 31 | 12 | 3 |
| 2020 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | K League 1 | 23 | 4 | 2 |
| 2021 | Gimcheon Sangmu | K League 2 | 25 | 8 | 2 |
| 2022 | Gimcheon Sangmu | K League 1 | 23 | 13 | 1 |
| 2022–23 | Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | K League 1 | 20 | 9 | 3 |
| 2023–24 | FC Midtjylland | Danish Superliga | 30 | 12 | 2 |
| 2025–26 | FC Midtjylland | Danish Superliga | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| International | South Korea | Senior | 41 | 10 | 2 |
FAQs
What is Cho Gue-sung’s net worth?
Cho Gue-sung’s estimated net worth is approximately $2.5 million. He earned this through his K League career, a €3.1 million transfer to FC Midtjylland, his Danish Superliga salary, and brand partnerships.
How much does Cho Gue-sung earn per week?
He earns an estimated €12,000 gross per week at FC Midtjylland, equating to roughly €624,000 per year before bonuses. These are estimates, as the club has not published official salary figures.
When does Cho Gue-sung’s contract expire?
His contract with FC Midtjylland runs until June 30, 2028. He joined the Danish club in July 2023 on a five-year deal.
What did Cho Gue-sung achieve at the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
He scored twice against Ghana in the group stage with two headers, becoming the first South Korean to score a brace at a World Cup and the first Asian player to score two headers in a single World Cup match.
Has Cho Gue-sung ever been injured in his career?
Yes. He suffered a serious knee injury in July 2024 that kept him sidelined until August 2025 — over a full year. He returned to first-team action with Midtjylland in the 2025–26 season.
