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Besiktas has made club history by bringing in South Korean striker Hyeon-gyu Oh from Belgian side Genk, marking the first time a player from South Korea has joined the Istanbul-based club.
The 24-year-old forward also becomes the 197th foreign footballer to wear the black-and-white shirt since the start of the professional era in 1959, underlining the symbolic importance of the move for one of Türkiye’s most established clubs.
The transfer adds a new country to Besiktas’ long list of international connections. Before Oh’s arrival, the club had signed foreign players from 56 different nations. With this deal, that figure rises to 57 countries, reflecting Besiktas’ ongoing strategy of building squads with a strong international profile.
Oh joined on a three-and-a-half-year contract, with the transfer fee reported at €14 million (over $16.5 million). He was the club’s fourth signing of the winter transfer window, following the arrivals of Yasin Ozcan, Kristjan Asllani and Junior Olaitan, as Besiktas moved to strengthen their attacking options mid-season.
Oh began his football journey in South Korea with Maseog ES before moving through the youth system at Suwon Samsung Bluewings. He stepped up to senior football in 2019 and later gained further experience during a loan spell at Gimcheon Sangmu, a club linked to South Korea’s mandatory military service, which he completed early in his career.
His performances in domestic football drew attention from abroad, leading to a move to Celtic in January 2023, which marked his first step into European football. After spending one and a half seasons in Scotland, he transferred to Genk in July 2024. His time in Belgium turned out to be the most productive phase of his career in terms of scoring, as he hit his highest goal tally there.
Across his senior career, Oh has built up a solid scoring record at each stop. At Genk, he found the net 22 times in 73 appearances, while his spells at Suwon Samsung Bluewings, Celtic and Gimcheon Sangmu also showed steady returns. This consistency played a role in Besiktas moving for him after selling striker Tammy Abraham to Aston Villa for 21 million euros during the same transfer window.
Oh has also established himself with the South Korean national team. He made his senior international debut in a friendly against Iceland in November 2022 and has since gone on to earn 24 caps, scoring six goals. Alongside his senior appearances, he has featured frequently for South Korea at youth levels, adding to his international experience.
Since 1959, Besiktas have relied most heavily on Brazilian players when looking abroad, having signed 24 footballers from Brazil. Germany and Portugal follow with 13 players each, while the former Yugoslavia ranks next with 10.
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