Isn't this racial discrimination? Bayern Munich fans are unusually harsh toward Kim Min-jae (29, Munich).
Bayern Munich crushed Heidenheim 4-0 in an away match in the 15th round of the 2025-26 Bundesliga held in Heidenheim, Germany, on Jan. 22.
Munich finished the first half of the season with an overwhelming record of 13 wins and 2 draws, undefeated. They are 9 points clear of second-place Dortmund (9 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss, 32 points). Munich then had a long break until a friendly against Salzburg on Jan. 6.
German tabloid Bild surveyed and announced the most disappointing players of the Bundesliga's first half. As a result of a vote by about 25,000 fans, Kim Min-jae ranked fifth with 9% support among Bayern Munich players. Sasa Boey was first with 34% and Joao Palhinha was second with 13%. Leroy Sane (12%) and Nicolas Jackson (10%) followed.
It is an assessment that Kim Min-jae could feel wronged by. With Vincent Kompany using Kim Min-jae ambiguously, it was not easy for him to manage his condition. Kim Min-jae played without complaint according to the team's instructions. However, mistakes he made in a few matches stood out too much.
This season Kim Min-jae has fallen to the bench behind Jonathan Tah and Dayot Upamecano. Kim Min-jae started only six of Munich's 15 first-half matches. There were also six matches in which he remained on the bench and did not play.
The situation was not much different in the Champions League. During Munich's six Champions League matches, Kim Min-jae started only once. Despite limited playing time, Kim Min-jae did his best whenever he had the opportunity to play. Even when he was sick he did not make excuses and gritted his teeth to play. But all that came back were harsh reviews from fans.
The Munich club has not shown a supportive attitude toward Kim Min-jae either. When Munich won the Bundesliga last season, the club's social media posted a group illustration that omitted only Kim Min-jae's image, causing controversy. After Korean fans protested, Munich belatedly posted Kim Min-jae's illustration separately.
Once is a mistake, but twice is not a mistake. The Munich club has often shown careless behavior, such as listing Kim Min-jae as a Japanese player. Munich fans also demean Kim Min-jae to the point where one might ask, "Is this racial discrimination?"
[OSEN]