Son Jun-ho

Early career

After graduating from high school and Pohang Steelers academy, Son played for Yeungnam University in the U-League. In 2013, he was named the U-League Most Valuable Player by leading his university to a league title. The next year, he returned to Pohang Steelers, where he played as a youth player, and made his professional debut.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Before the start of the 2018 season, Son joined Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on a four-year contract. While playing for Jeonbuk, he won three consecutive K League 1 titles, and especially contributed to Jeonbuk's first-ever Double in 2020 when he was selected as the K League 1 Most Valuable Player.

Shandong Taishan

On 13 January 2021, Son joined Chinese Super League club Shandong Taishan. He quickly showed large influence, leading Shandong to a league title in his first CSL season. He was regarded as the league's best player, but the award ceremony was not held at the end of the season.

Match-fixing allegations and trial

On 15 May 2023, however, Son was reportedly investigated by public security authorities in Liaoning due to match-fixing allegations involving former Shandong Taishan manager Hao Wei. The following day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that he had been detained for a suspected bribery case. After ten months of detention by Chinese authorities, Son was released and returned to South Korea on 25 March 2024. For about two months, he trained at…

Son would make his first senior appearance for South Korea in a friendlies match on 27 January 2018 against Moldova, where he came on as a substitute for Kim Sung-joon in a 1–0 victory.

Son usually played as a defensive midfielder, and was good at duel, interception, recovery, and long-distance pass.

As of 23 November 2025