Bayern Munich added another star. Thanks to Bayer Leverkusen's draw, they confirmed early victory with two matches remaining before the league's end. However, the presence of one individual was noticeably absent at the center of this joy. Kim Min-jae, who played as a key defender in the Bundesliga's first season with 27 league matches and lifted the trophy, vanished from the video celebrating the victory.
Bayern Munich announced on their official channel on the 5th (Korean time), "The German champions for the 2024-2025 season are again Bayern Munich!" along with a commemorative video confirming the victory.
It was also noted, "Leverkusen drew with Freiburg, preventing them from catching up on points," thus putting an end to a season-long competition.
But the issue was the composition of the video. Kim Min-jae's presence was nowhere to be found in this content that aimed to convey the thrill of victory to fans. Despite being a key defender throughout the league and protecting the team's backline, there were no traces of him in the main images released by the club. In contrast, Dayot Upamecano, who missed many matches due to injury, occupied a spot in the video.
This composition soon led to fans' suspicions. On social media and online communities, criticisms spread, questioning, "What is the reason for blatantly omitting the key defender?" and "Kim Min-jae's absence is not a coincidence but a choice." Some overseas fans even stated, "This is not just a simple mistake," raising concerns about the omission from the victory content.
Kim Min-jae played as a starter in an impressive 27 matches in the league despite it being his first year with Bayern. He consistently maintained his presence on the ground as the only defender in a squad plagued by injuries, and led the defensive line while retaining his game sense even into the latter part of the season. He was evaluated not just as a simple member of the championship team but as a key player.
However, the omission in the victory content released by Bayern Munich lacks credibility to be viewed merely as a simple editing error. Some have pointed to it as a sign of "quiet discrimination." The ongoing issues of undervaluation and double standards faced by Asian players in Germany, along with unclear criticisms, seem to intertwine with this situation, and the controversy is gradually escalating.
In fact, since entering Germany, Kim Min-jae has consistently received negative evaluations from local media. He has often faced excessive blame for conceding goals, and issues related to team tactics have been assigned to him personally. It is also true that he has faced particularly sharp criticism compared to other players who played alongside him.
Therefore, this video controversy can be interpreted as an extension of these accumulated perceptions.
Meanwhile, based on his performance this season, Kim Min-jae is garnering significant interest from other league clubs. Manchester United and Newcastle in the English Premier League are reportedly considering his acquisition in the summer transfer market, and within Bayern, there is reportedly no exclusion of the possibility of selling him, referencing 'concentration issues.'
Kim Min-jae has made history as the first Korean player to experience victory in the Bundesliga. This is an achievement that even his senior, Cha Bum-kun, could not accomplish. However, the 'erasure of presence' demonstrated during this championship process raises serious points that cannot simply be dismissed as issues outside of football. Even in the face of results proven by skill, an uncomfortable shadow still looms.
[OSEN]