[2][3] In their first season, Hwaseong FC immediately finished first in the Challengers League – Group B and advanced to the final stages,[4] but failed to advance to the championship finals after being eliminated by Paju Citizen, finishing the season in third place overall.

[6][7] Five years later, in 2019, Hwaseong, under head coach Kim Hak-chul, won their second K3 League title after defeating Yangpyeong FC 1–0 in the final.

[8] In the same season, Hwaseong became the first fourth-division team to reach the semi-finals of the Korean FA Cup.

[9] In the first semi-final match, Hwaseong managed to upset four-time Korean champions Suwon Samsung Bluewings with a 1–0 win, but lost the second leg 3–0 after extra time and were eliminated 3–1 on aggregate.

[12] Former South Korean international Cha Du-ri was appointed head coach for the team's first professional season.