Jeonbuk Hyundai's Moon Seon-min celebrates with fans after scoring a winning goal in the K League playoff against Seoul E-Land at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in North Jeolla Province, Dec. 8. Yonhap

Nine-time champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will stick around in the top Korean football league next year after surviving a playoff battle against a second-division opponent Sunday.

Jeonbuk defeated the K League 2 club Seoul E-Land FC 2-1 in the second leg of their promotion-relegation playoff at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 200 kilometers south of Seoul. After winning the opening leg 2-1 last week, Jeonbuk prevailed 4-2 in the aggregate score to secure a spot in the K League 1 for 2025.

Just three years removed from their most recent and ninth K League 1 title, Jeonbuk would have been the most decorated club to be relegated since the K League implemented the two-division, promotion-relegation system in 2013.

Seoul E-Land were chasing their first promotion, having spent their entire existence in the K League 2 since their inaugural season in 2015.

Seoul E-Land drew first blood during the first-half stoppage time, with Bruno Silva's diving header set up by a perfect cross from John Montano.

Tiago Orobo netted the equalizer for Jeonbuk four minutes after the restart, heading home a Kim Jin-gyu cross to give Jeonbuk a 3-2 aggregate lead.

The match stayed that way until the dying moments, with Seoul E-Land unable to break through despite enjoying an advantage in shot attempts and ball possession.

Jeonbuk then dashed Seoul E-Land's promotion hopes seven minutes into stoppage time, as Moon Seon-min scored on a counterbreak opportunity.

Jeonbuk ended up in the playoff after finishing the K League 1 season in 10th place among 12 clubs. They went through a midseason coaching change, with Kim Do-heon taking the reins in late May, more than a month after Dan Petrescu resigned.

Jeonbuk couldn't pull themselves out of the bottom third of the league but held off the pesky Seoul E-Land to ensure at least one more season with the big boys in 2025. (Yonhap)