'Korean National Team Striker' Oh Hyun-kyu: What Happened, Playing Time Reduced to Just 5 Minutes

*This content was translated by AI.

Oh Hyun-kyu (25, Besiktas JK), who has been drawing attention as the next-generation starting striker for the South Korean national football team, is experiencing an unusual start to this season. Although he quickly established himself as a key attacker immediately after joining Besiktas last season with outstanding performances, he has now been completely pushed out of the starting lineup at the beginning of the new season. As competitors continue to perform well, his playing time has sharply declined.

On the 6th (Korean time), Oh Hyun-kyu came on as a substitute in the 40th minute of the second half during the 2026–2027 Turkish Super League Round 4 match against Fenerbahçe at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. His playing time based on regular duration was just five minutes. Although he showed active movement, including one shot attempt, his limited presence within such a short timeframe was constrained, with only five total touches of the ball.

The issue lies in the noticeable reduction in his playing time. From the early stages of this season through the UEFA Europa League qualifiers and up until last month's Turkish Super League Round 2 match against Alanyaspor on the 24th, he was close to securing a starting position. However, since the Europa League playoff match against Kauno Žalgiris (Lithuania) on the 28th of last month, he has been excluded from the starting lineup in three consecutive matches. His playing time has gradually decreased: 25 minutes, then 19 minutes, and just five minutes in today's match.

The background behind this situation is the outstanding performance of Serbian national team striker Dušan Vlahović (26), who joined the club this summer. Previously playing in Italy's Serie A for Fiorentina and Juventus, he transferred to Besiktas last month via a free contract. At the time of his move from Fiorentina to Juventus in 2022, his transfer fee reached an impressive €85.4 million (approximately ₩134 billion), making him one of the most watched strikers across Europe at that time.

After joining Besiktas and initially adjusting his condition through substitute appearances, Vlahović has since secured a starting position beginning with the match against Kauno Žalgiris—the same game where Oh Hyun-kyu began being pushed to the bench. Remarkably, Vlahović immediately made his presence felt after taking over the starting role. In last month's Super League match against Kocaelispor on the 1st, he scored a hat-trick, and in today's Fenerbahçe match where Oh Hyun-kyu played only five minutes, Vlahović netted the winning goal to secure a comeback victory, continuing his exceptional form over two consecutive matches.

Oh Hyun-kyu joined Besiktas mid-last season after leaving KRC Genk (Belgium) and immediately made an impact with 8 goals and 2 assists in 16 matches, quickly establishing himself as a key attacker. However, just half a season later, the situation has completely reversed. For Oh Hyun-kyu, this means he must now aim for a "turnaround" by taking on a reserve or substitute role rather than a starting position. As someone who had ignited competition for a spot in the South Korean national team based on his strong performances with Besiktas last season, this early-season slump is undoubtedly frustrating.

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*This content was translated by AI.