Kim played for Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma before joining West Bromwich Albion.

He led each team's K League title, and his technical abilities was likened to Paul Scholes in South Korea.

[1] Kim spent a few days on trial at West Brom in December 2007,[2] and could be loaned to the club from February with an option for a permanent switch at the end of the season.

[3] He scored his first goal for West Brom in the final match of the season against Queens Park Rangers, eight minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

He delayed his return to Korea to visit his son for the first time, in order to participate in the opening games of the 2008–09 Premier League season.