"No Time" Kim Min-jae Misses Appointment, Bitter Aftermath of 'Interview Refusal'... Even 'Senior' Gu Ja-cheol's Earnest Request Ignored [Jeju Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Although this was Bayern Munich's historic second visit to Korea, Kim Min-jae (30) could not be heard. Despite having personally promised an interview, it ultimately fell through, leaving a bitter taste.

On the 4th, Bayern Munich secured a 2-1 victory over JejuSK in the "Audi Football Summit 2026" friendly match held at Jeju World Cup Stadium, thanks to goals from promising talents Felipe Chaves and Bastian Acosta.

This visit marks Bayern's second trip to Korea since their friendly against Tottenham Hotspur at Seoul World Cup Stadium in 2024. At that time, Kim Min-jae engaged in a "Korean Derby" with Son Heung-min, drawing cheers from domestic fans.

On this day as well, Kim Min-jae started as the central defender wearing the captain's armband and played for approximately 35 minutes. Even though his playing time was shorter than expected, fans showered him with generous applause as he headed toward the bench. Having not yet reached peak physical condition after participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, Kim Min-jae struggled to catch his breath even while on the bench for a while.

After the match, Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany explained Kim Min-jae's playing time as "a matter of managing physical condition." He added, "Kim Min-jae is a very important player for our team. We adjusted his participation because he needs to play over 60 minutes in the upcoming Aston Villa match."

Subsequently, an unfortunate situation arose. Although this was a meaningful match held on Jeju Island — Bayern Munich's second-ever visit to Korea and a rare international football event — Kim Min-jae's voice could not be heard.

Here is what happened: During Kompany's press conference, the host announced that the Bayern Munich squad was passing through the mixed zone. The media rushed toward the mixed zone immediately. However, Kim Min-jae was already boarding the team bus.

Since Kim Min-jae had mentioned the previous day that he would give an interview tomorrow, the media's confusion was significant. When the media requested a brief interview with Kim Min-jae, who was taking commemorative photos with fans in front of the bus, he reportedly responded, "I'm sorry. I don't have time."

Following this, Gu Ja-cheol, Jeju Youth Advisor, personally intervened in response to the media's earnest request. He went to the team bus to ask Kim Min-jae for an interview, and it seemed as though it would happen soon. However, Kim Min-jae ultimately did not come out of the bus. It remains unclear whether Kim Min-jae himself declined or if the club refused on his behalf. Advisor Gu also expressed bitterness, saying, "I couldn't do anything either."

After the bus departed, a host official conveyed to the media that "the team's schedule was tight, and Kim Min-jae felt sorry for making the players wait."

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich departed for Hong Kong on the morning of this day and will play a pre-season friendly against Villa on the 7th. Following a practice match against Leipzig on the 15th, they will officially kick off the new season with the Super Cup final against Borussia Dortmund on the 23rd.

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*This content was translated by AI.