Hyeok-kyu Kwon was born in Busan, South Korea, on 13 March 2001 (age 25). A tall central defensive midfielder at 6ft 3in (1.90m), he came through at Busan I’Park and had his most productive league season there in 2023, scoring two goals in 20 appearances.
Celtic signed him from Busan I’Park in July 2023 for around £860,000. It was a fairly clear punt on a developing player rather than a ready-made midfield answer, and his time in Glasgow never quite moved beyond that category. The loan route soon became more significant to his progress, with an outgoing move recorded in August 2024 to Karlsruher.
He left Celtic permanently in July 2025, joining Nantes for around £220,000. Since then his career has moved through Nantes and Karlsruher, with the German spell giving him regular senior football in the 2. Bundesliga. In 2025-26 he has made eight league appearances for Karlsruher, without scoring, and wears squad number 22.
Kwon’s current market value is around £850,000, according to Transfermarkt. His career so far has been shaped by Busan I’Park, a short and unsettled Celtic spell, and the search for steadier football after leaving Glasgow.
