SEOUL, South Korea -- Just two years ago, Gwangju FC were still in the second tier of South Korean football but firmly on their way back to the top flight in Lee Jung-Hyo's first year as a manager.
Last year, when they were tipped for certain relegation, they exceeded all expectations with a third-place finish in K-League 1 -- significantly surpassing their previous high of 6th in 2020.
They have regressed slightly on the domestic front this year, in 7th position at current and competing in the relegation round rather than the championship round for the final five games of the campaign -- with the league divided into top and bottom halves after 33 matches.
Instead, it is on a bigger stage where their eyebrow-raising exploits have continued.
In their first taste of continental football, Gwangju have set the AFC Champions League Elite alight -- from the moment they pulled off a stunning 7-3 win over perennial contenders Yokohama F. Marinos on debut.
After following that up with a 1-0 victory away to another formidable J1 League opposition in Kawasaki Frontale, it means that they currently find themselves top of the East Zone and are the only team in their half of the competition to still boast a perfect record.
So just how have Gwangju come from nowhere to be the early pacesetters in the East Zone of the ACL Elite?
For one, the competitive nature of the South Korean football means that they continue to have a formidable squad, even if performances and results in 2024 have not reached the same levels as last year in K-League 1.
Jasir Asani was the star of the show in their win over Marinos with a superb hat-trick, but Gwangju also had enough depth to keep imports Gabriel Tigrão and Beka Mikeltadze in reserve before both came off the bench to score.
Even if it is true that Marinos did not exactly field their strongest XI, it was still a team brimming with first-team experience, as was the case with Frontale -- who fielded stalwarts such as Akihiro Ienaga, Yu Kobayashi and Jung Sung-Ryong only to fall to an Asani penalty.
In fairness, Gwangju also rotated four players between the two games -- hinting at the depth they possess that will be crucial if they are to make an impact across multiple competitions.
But perhaps the greatest strength Gwangju possess comes in the form of their Lee, a forward-thinking manager in an at-times overly-traditional South Korean football ecosystem.
Last offseason, rather than enjoy a break after a fine achievement, the 49-year-old opted to spend his holidays analysing top-level football in England in a bid to further his knowledge.
Motivated by the experience of watching Manchester City and Atlético Madrid face off in Seoul in a preseason friendly, Lee attended Brighton's Europa League clash with Ligue 1 outfit Marseille before heading to London to catch the former take on Arsenal in Premier League action.
Back then, ahead of his trip, he simply told News 1: "I want to see Arsenal's defence in person -- watching with a wider angle of the field."
Attacking football is a non-negotiable for Lee. Unsurprisingly, Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Roberto De Zerbi are managers he looks up to although, curiously, it is José Mourinho who he has been likened to in local media for his occasional volatile remarks -- usually directed at the opposition.
Lee is an advocate of learning from the latest trends in football and it shows in his team.
Gwangju press the opposition tenaciously. The fullbacks play high. His usage of a defensive midfielder -- primarily Park Tae-jun -- is not necessarily for added protection but, rather, to allow the centre-backs to carry possession out of defence and partake in the build-up.
Lee and his principles are a key factor behind Gwangju being a breath of fresh air in the ACL Elite thus far.
They will look for it to continue on Tuesday when they return to continental action against Malaysia Super League champions Johor Darul Ta'zim.