Cho So-hyun (, ; born 24 June 1988) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Northern Super League club Halifax Tides FC and the South Korea women's national team. She is widely regarded as one of South Korea's best players, and is their second most-capped international player with 156 appearances. She has won multiple domestic league titles and was named Korean Women's Player of the Year in 2015.
Cho was the first pick in the 2009 WK League draft, signing for newly established team Suwon Facilities Management Corporation WFC.
On 20 November 2017, Cho scored twice in a 3âÂÂ0 win over Hwacheon KSPO in the second leg of the WK League final. She finished the 2017 season with three goals and two assists in 27 appearances and won her fourth league title.
On 29 January 2016, Cho joined INAC Kobe Leonessa on loan and was given the number 16 shirt. On 26 March, she made her debut in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Konomiya Speranza Osaka-Takatsuki. On 11 June, she scored twice in a 6âÂÂ0 away victory against Konomiya Speranza Osaka-Takatsuki in the Nadeshiko League Cup. On 25 December, she converted a penalty in INAC Kobe Leonessa's penalty shootout win over Albirex Niigata in the 2016 Empress's Cup Final, helping the club to its sixth Empress's Cup title. Cho finished the season with two goals in 27 appearances in all competitions. On 12 January 2017, it was announced that Cho had returned to Hyundai Steel Red Angels.
On 7 February 2018, Cho signed a one-year contract with Avaldsnes IL, becoming the first South Korean woman to play in Norway. On 22 April 2018, she made her debut in a 3âÂÂ0 loss to VÃÂ¥lerenga. With Cho, Avaldsnes IL reached the round of 32 in the 2017âÂÂ18 UEFA Women's Champions League.
In December 2018, South Korean media reported that Cho had signed for West Ham United of the English FA Women's Super League. Cho So-hyun was officially announced as a West Ham player on 13 January 2019 via the club website where she was quoted as saying "It's always been my ambition to play in England, so this is a very exciting time for me. It's a big league, and to be signing for a big club like West Ham with all the history, makes it even more special." Cho made her debut on the same day coming on as a second-half substitute against title challengers Manchester City.
In February 2019, Cho provided both assists for Alisha Lehmann as West Ham beat Reading 2âÂÂ1.
Cho made her Women's FA Cup debut on 3 February 2019 in a 3âÂÂ1 home victory over Blackburn Rovers. On 14 April 2019 West Ham reached their first FA Cup final by defeating Reading after a penalty shoot-out. With the scoreline deadlocked at 1âÂÂ1, Cho scored the decisive penalty to send West Ham to Wembley.
On 6 July 2020, Cho signed a new two-year contract with West Ham.
On 28 January 2021, Cho joined the FA WSL side Tottenham Hotspur on loan for the remainder of the 2020âÂÂ21 season, with an option to make the loan permanent. With her men's counterpart Son Heung-min already at the club, it gave Spurs the rare distinction of having both the men's and women's South Korean national team captains at one club.
Spurs announced Cho had officially signed for the club on 2 July 2021. She scored her first goal for Spurs and her first ever goal in England on 17 November 2021 in their League Cup tie against Watford.
On 14 September 2023, Cho joined Women's Championship club Birmingham City, signing a one-year contract with an option for another season. In March 2024, the club announced that Cho had signed a one-year contract extension.
In July 2025, Cho signed a contract with Suwon FC Women (formerly known as Suwon FMC) and returned to the club where her footballing career began.
On 11 February 2026, Cho signed for Canadian Northern Super League side Halifax Tides FC ahead of the 2026 season.
Cho captained South Korea at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada. In their final group match Cho scored a vital equaliser against Spain. They would go on to win the match and finish second in their group which saw them qualify for the knockout stages. It was the first time South Korea had progressed to the round of 16. In 2015, she was named the KFA Footballer of the Year. In April 2018 Cho scored twice against the Philippines at the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup, a win which saw South Korea qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. On 17 May 2019, Cho was officially announced in the 2019 World Cup squad and would again captain the team. Despite South Korea losing their second group stage match to Nigeria, Cho was statistically the best player on the pitch according to football analytics site Twelve Football. In September 2021 Cho scored twice in a 12âÂÂ0 victory over Mongolia in the Asian Cup qualifiers.
On 30 January 2022, Cho made her 137th appearance for South Korea in a 1âÂÂ0 victory over Australia at the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup and became the most capped South Korean footballer in the country's history.
Cho scored her 23rd international goal on 3 February 2022, the opener in a 2âÂÂ0 win over the Philippines. That victory saw South Korea reach the final of the AFC Women's Asian Cup for the first time in history.
At the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Cho notably scored South Korea's only goal of the tournament in a 1âÂÂ1 draw with Germany. While South Korea were thus knocked out of the tournament in the group stage, the result meant that Germany, the second-ranked team in the world, was also eliminated, which was described as one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Women's World Cup.
In an interview with British journalist Drew Diamond, Cho revealed that amongst her many ambitions in life is to become a general manager of a women's football club in her native South Korea.
Alongside fellow South Korean footballer Son Heung-min, Cho was an ambassador for AIA Group where she promoted healthy living. Like Son, Cho also has a sponsorship deal with sportswear and equipment supplier Adidas.
Suwon FMC
Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels
INAC Kobe Leonessa
West Ham United
South Korea
Individual