Bayern defender Min-jae Kim speaks ahead of pre-season friendly against Jeju SK FC

Speaking before the test match, Kim made clear that he remains committed to the club. Vor dem Testspiel gegen den südkoreanischen Jeju SK FC stellte der Nationalspieler klar: "Ich bin sehr froh, bei Bayern zu sein, und sehr zufrieden." He added that he had given his all in recent months and hoped, "diese Saison viele Einsätze zu erhalten vom Trainer und bleiben zu können."

Competition framed as motivation

The South Korea international framed the competition for places in central defence not as a burden but as a spur to improve. The presence of Jonathan Tah, who has linked up with Bayern this summer, and the established Dayot Upamecano means three senior centre-backs are now vying for two starting spots under Kompany. Kim said he sees that depth as a chance to raise his own level in training and on matchdays.

Kompany, who is preparing Bayern for the Bundesliga campaign that lies ahead, has used the Asian tour to integrate new signings and to test combinations at the back. Tah's arrival has drawn particular attention, given that Bayern spent much of the close season pursuing a specialist left-footed centre-back. Kim's willingness to compete for his place is therefore being read as a signal that he intends to fight for minutes rather than seek a move away.

Kompany uses tour to integrate new signings

The friendly against Jeju SK FC, a club based on the South Korean island of the same name, forms part of a short pre-season programme that also includes the visit of Liverpool's Luis Diaz in discussions around the squad during the tour. Diaz, who has been linked with Bayern in recent transfer reporting, was not part of the day's squad update but his name has figured prominently in conversation around the squad's evolution under Kompany.

Kim's remarks are notable for their measured tone after a campaign in which his place was sometimes questioned by supporters and pundits. By publicly declaring contentment and a desire to compete, the defender has sought to calm the narrative around his future before a season in which Bayern will defend the Bundesliga title and compete in the Champions League. His comments suggest he expects to be part of Kompany's plans, rather than a peripheral figure in the squad.

What it means for the new season

The pre-season schedule will give Kim and his central-defensive rivals an extended opportunity to make their case. Bayern still have friendlies to play on the Asian tour before returning to Germany for the start of competitive fixtures. Where Kim features, and how Kompany rotates between Tah and Upamecano, will be among the tactical storylines that observers track from the opening friendlies onward.

Kim, who captained South Korea at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has been a fixture of the national team since, returns to familiar territory with the friendly in Jeju. The stop also marks a moment of personal significance: it is on South Korean soil that he is most clearly speaking to two audiences at once, the Bayern coaching staff and the Korean supporters who follow his club career closely.