Hunters FC's Ki-tae Looks to Repeat Success in Second Season
No one would begrudge you if you said you had never heard of Hunters FC's South Korean forward Min Ki-tae. In fact, few in his native Korea would have recognized him outside of fans of his local club before he made his first move abroad in 2025. In less than two years, the player has gone from the lower levels of Korean football to a prolific scorer in two top flights around Asia. So who is Hunter FC's savvy signing? Here's what you need to know.
Ki-tae began his youth career with small local youth sides Suwon MB, Pyeongtaek SKK FC, and Geumcheon FC. In 2017, his focus shifted from club football to playing for his school teams at his middle school and Chungnam High School.
Immediately following high school graduation, Ki-tae returned to club football and signed a senior contract with Seoul Jungnang FC of the K4 League, the fourth tier of football in Korea, in 2021. He remained with the club through 2025, aside from a hiatus spanning parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ki-tae then made a major breakthrough in his career by choosing Alpha Football Agency as his representative. In June 2025, the player moved abroad to play for Royal Thimphu University FC in the Bhutan Premier League. With the signing, he was part of the first-ever batch of foreign players to sign for the club. He made an immediate impact, scoring seven goals and two assists in his first ten matches, placing him among the league leaders in scoring. His performances also earned him Man of the Match honours for RTC's match against Thimphu City on 7 July. In total, Min Ki-tae would tally eight goals and two assists in twelve matches for the club that season.
Despite his immediate success with RTC, Ki-tae signed for Hunters FC of the Mongolian Premier League during the winter 2026 transfer window. Perhaps it was the club's Korean ownership and management that attracted the player, along with compatriot and recent RTC teammate Kim Tae-min who also signed for the club during that window. Tae-min had been a key piece to Ki-tae's success in Bhutan.
When the 2026 MPL spring season got underway, Ki-tae picked up right where he left off with RTC, scoring almost at will. In just thirteen matches with the club throughout the half season, the striker tallied twenty-four goals and eleven assists. His performances included a seven-goal haul against Ulaangom City FC on the final matchday. When the final matches had been played, the player's twenty-four goal tally was enough to earn the league Golden Boot award as the top scorer, despite playing for a Hunters FC side that finished a middling fifth in the table. Ki-tae became the first South Korean to win the award in the process.
Prior to the start of the 2026 interim league season, Hunters FC announced that Ki-tae had renewed his contract with the club. Despite falling to Deren FC 1-2 to open the season and failing to himself put the ball in the back of the net, Ki-tae assisted on Tae-min's goal, demonstrating that he is intent on defending his scoring title.
Was Ki-tae's first season in Mongolia a fluke, unlikely to be repeated? or will he become the next Tetsuaki Misawa, rising from seemingly nowhere to find success around Asia after breaking out in the MPL? With only one round played, there are plenty of matches left to be played.
Name: Min Ki-tae (sometimes spelled Gi-tae)
Name in Korean: 민기태
Birthdate: 25 April 2001
Place of birth: Daejeon, South Korea
Number: 10
Position: Attacker
Former clubs: Seoul Jungnang FC, Royal Thimphu College FC
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