Lee was born in Taebaek, Gangwon, and attended high school in Gangneung. He continued his football career during his school days, but he failed to join a university football club. He stopped playing football for a while before receiving an offer to join semi-professional club Korea Railroad.12 His son, Lee Tae-seok, too is a football player.
Lee was part of the South Korean national team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Noted for his accurate kicks including free-kicks, he provided two assists against Poland and the United States, and scored a free-kick against Turkey. After the World Cup, he transferred to Trabzonspor with the help of Tınaz Tırpan.3
In September 2006, after a match against Chinese Taipei, Lee announced that he would retire from the national team to focus on FC Seoul and also to make way for younger players in the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup.45
Main article: Eul-yong Ta
Lee is well known by most South Koreans and other Asian football fans for a famous incident which is sometimes referred as "Eul-yong Ta (을용타)," and roughly translated as 'Eul-yong Strike/Smash'. The incident occurred during a match against China in the inaugural East Asian Cup in December 2003.
During the second half of the game, Chinese forward Li Yi kicked Lee in the shins immediately after he finished his pass. Visually upset with Li's violent play, Lee slapped Li on the back of his head. Li Yi started rolling on the pitch grabbing his head in an apparent exaggeration. For a while the entire Chinese and Korean squad ran toward the scene but further conflict did not occur, as the referee awarded a yellow card for Li and red card for Lee. Korea defeated China in the match, and Lee became the source of a popular internet meme after the incident.
Sangmu FC
Bucheon SK
Trabzonspor
FC Seoul
South Korea
Individual
축구국가대표 이을용, 어둔 과거딛고 인간승리 (in Korean). JoongAng Ilbo. 30 September 1999. Retrieved 18 August 2022. 축구국가대표 이을용, 어둔 과거딛고 인간승리 ↩
청춘FC 이을용 방황했던 과거보니…‘나이트에서도 일했다’ 헉 (in Korean). World Today. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2022. 청춘FC 이을용 방황했던 과거보니…‘나이트에서도 일했다’ 헉 ↩
지칠 줄 모르는 그라운드의 투사 (in Korean). Korea Post Magazine. Retrieved 18 August 2022. 지칠 줄 모르는 그라운드의 투사 ↩
이을용 "대표팀 은퇴, K리그 전념". Daum (in Korean). OhmyNews. 8 September 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007. 이을용 "대표팀 은퇴, K리그 전념" ↩
이을용 대표팀 은퇴 "길 터줘야". Daum (in Korean). Hankook Ilbo. 7 September 2006. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007. 이을용 대표팀 은퇴 "길 터줘야" ↩
Ji, Seung-hoon (14 April 2022). WC 레전드 VS 강철 군대 격돌...'군대스리가', 5월 첫방 (공식). Naver (in Korean). YTN. Retrieved 14 April 2022. WC 레전드 VS 강철 군대 격돌...'군대스리가', 5월 첫방 (공식) ↩
Yoo, Gyeong-sang (21 September 2022). 골때녀’ 이을용 감독 합류 “하프라인 넘어와 때릴라” 백지훈 긴장 ['Goal Girl' Director Lee Eul-yong joins "I'll cross the half-line and hit you" Baek Ji-hoon nervous]. Naver (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved 21 September 2022. 골때녀’ 이을용 감독 합류 “하프라인 넘어와 때릴라” 백지훈 긴장 ↩
고종수 프로축구 올스타 최다득표 (in Korean). SBS. 1 August 2001. Retrieved 19 June 2024. 고종수 프로축구 올스타 최다득표 ↩
[프로축구]이관우 K리그 별중의 별…올스타 팬투표 최다득표 (in Korean). The Dong-a Ilbo. 4 August 2003. Retrieved 19 June 2024. [프로축구]이관우 K리그 별중의 별…올스타 팬투표 최다득표 ↩
수원 4인방, 2004 K리그 올스타전 출장 (in Korean). Suwon Samsung Bluewings. 4 July 2004. Retrieved 19 June 2024. 수원 4인방, 2004 K리그 올스타전 출장 ↩
Shared with Ha Seok-ju, Kim Byung-ji, Kim Tae-young, Choi Jin-cheul, Choi Sung-yong, Hyun Young-min, Lee Young-pyo, Oh Beom-seok, Cho Jae-jin and Baek Ji-hoon[11] /wiki/Ha_Seok-ju ↩
Lee, Seung-gil (18 December 2022). 유재석, 감격의 '대상' 영예…통산 19번째 트로피 품었다 [2022 SBS 연예대상] (종합) [Yoo Jae-seok had the honor of the "Grand Prize"...won his 19th trophy in his career [2022 SBS Entertainment Awards] (comprehensive)]. Naver (in Korean). My Daily. Retrieved 18 December 2022. 유재석, 감격의 '대상' 영예…통산 19번째 트로피 품었다 [2022 SBS 연예대상] (종합) ↩