Min-jae Kim has arrived at Bayern Munich. What would he like to be called? How were the first days? What was military service all about? The Korean provided detailed information on Friday.
Min-jae Kim has answered questions from the press for the first time. FC Bayern’s top transfer spoke on Friday afternoon, among other things, about the name he would like to be addressed by, the importance of his military service for him and how special the record champion’s forthcoming trip to Asia will be for him.
While Kim had some problems with the technology and didn’t always understand the simultaneous translator properly, the journalists were mainly interested in what form of address the South Korean preferred.
“In Korea and in my family, I’m called Min-jae. It was sometimes difficult for my teammates or coaches in Europe, so they called me Kim. But I prefer Min-jae,” Kim said in a portrait on the website. At the presentation, he added: “I’d rather have Min-jae on the jersey, but the fans prefer to call me Kim. ‘Kim, Kim, Kim!’ That would certainly be easier for the fans.”
Away from the square rather quiet
Kim, nicknamed “Monster” in Italy because of his 1.90 meter height, is set to replace Frenchman Lucas Hernández, who has moved to Paris Saint-Germain. The reserved giant likes the expression “monster”, on the field he would like to be the “leader”, “off the field not so much”.
In the future, he will form the Bavarian central defense together with the Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt. In a long conversation with Thomas Tuchel, the Bayern coach convinced him of a change, so Kim doesn’t care whether he plays left, right, in a back three or four. Kim is the Bundesliga club’s third newcomer after Konrad Laimer and Raphael Guerreiro.
A special trip to Asia for Kim: Parents fly in specially
His arrival was very harmonious. “The players, the coaches and Mr. Dreesen took very good care of me. Everyone put their hearts into it. I feel good,” Kim said of his first few days in Germany. So far he only speaks English with his teammates, but now he wants to learn German as quickly as possible.
On Monday we’re off to Asia again. The first trip with FC Bayern is something very special for Kim: “I want to make a good impression in Japan. I’m quite famous in Korea, but I don’t know how it will be in Japan.” CEO Dreesen explained that Kim’s parents will travel to Japan and watch a test match live.
Dreesen confirms Müller failure for Asia trip
Thomas Müller will not be there. “He has hip problems and together with the doctors we decided that it would be better for Thomas to stay at home,” confirmed Dreesen on Friday.
Dreesen is now hoping for a certain Kim effect in Japan: “Although he’s not that old, Min-jae is a legend in Korea. I’m also happy that Min-jae’s parents are going to visit us in Japan. South Korea and Japan are not that far apart, that has an effect. Min-jae has an excellent reputation there.”
Weight loss during military service
Kim’s military service, which he completed in his home country this summer, also aroused particular interest. The polite and reserved defender explained why this is a must for every Korean. “Without the military, our country wouldn’t exist either. That’s how we were raised. During basic training I did a lot that had nothing to do with football. We shot guns and ran 30 kilometers with a 25-kilogram backpack.
With a smile, he added that he had “lost a lot”. “I don’t think you would understand because you are not Korean.” Handling the move from Naples to Munich was also “not that easy”: “I was doing military training in Korea and had no contact with the outside world.”
Dreesen drew parallels to recent German history. “I think the Korean border can be seen in a similar way to how it used to be between West and East Germany. We also had military service there.”
Source: BR24Sport 07/21/2023 – 3:55 p.m
