"Ki Sung-yong has been pushed out"… Condolence wreaths line up at the clubhouse

As Ki Sung-yong (36), the 'eternal captain' of FC Seoul in the K League 1, is on the verge of transferring to Pohang Steelers, the intense reactions from FC Seoul fans are spreading like wildfire.

Since the 25th, fans have been sending condolence wreaths to the club's clubhouse, GS Champions Park, located in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, and holding truck protests in front of the GS Retail headquarters in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, expressing their strong opposition.

Fans' anger intensified following reports that Coach Kim had directly informed Ki that he was "not part of the team’s plans."

The protests have reached beyond the club to the parent company, GS Retail. On this day, trucks prepared with funds voluntarily collected by fans appeared in front of the GS Retail headquarters.

The truck demonstrations in front of the GS Retail headquarters encapsulated the fans' mixed emotions of anger and disappointment.

Messages emblazoned on the trucks included "The technology that pushes out legends, patented by GS," "I am your Energy? No, You drained ours," and "GS trampling legends, will be trampled by fans."

Billboards displayed messages such as "On the day GS abandoned Ki Sung-yong, it abandoned its values," and "After skimming rebar, GS now skims legends," criticizing both the club's management and the parent company simultaneously.

One fan expressed through a community post, "Ki Sung-yong is not just a player but a part of Seoul's history and pride," and stated, "I cannot help but be enraged by the manner in which the transfer was communicated and handled."

Although the club has not issued an official statement regarding this situation, an internal atmosphere of concern over the rapid loss of fan support is palpable.

Ki Sung-yong expresses his position directly… "It was a difficult decision"

After the transfer was officially announced on the 25th, Ki Sung-yong conveyed a farewell message to fans through his social media. He stated, "Pohang's Coach Park Tae-ha was the first to reach out to me, expressing that he needed me, and it was that sincerity that led me to decide on the transfer."

He continued, "It has been a very difficult time for me to reach this decision," and added, "I hope you understand my choice, and I will do my best as a football player in the remaining time and repay you with a happy appearance."

FC Seoul also announced on this day, "We have decided to temporarily pause our relationship with Ki Sung-yong, our franchise star and eternal captain." However, fans have received this as a 'breakup notice' and are unable to hide their disappointment.

Ki Sung-yong has played over 300 matches for FC Seoul, establishing himself as a symbol of the club. The reason his transfer is perceived as not just a change in personnel but a 'loss of identity' lies here.

Image source: Ki Sung-yong / News1, fan truck protest in front of GS Retail headquarters / Photo=Insight, News1