In football, it’s rare to see veteran central defenders from South Korea, like Kim Min-jae, make such an impact in Europe so quickly. This article explores the story of this powerhouse defender, born to athletic parents and raised with a soccer ball at his feet. Kim Min-jae’s journey began in Tongyeong-si, South Korea, where his parents, despite running a small restaurant and facing challenging circumstances, raised him and his brother with love and determination. Dive into Kim Min-jae’s compelling background story—it’s an exciting read!
A Hefty Hard Man’s Life Journey: His Name is Kim Min-jae
Kim Min-jae’s childhood was marked by his stubbornness and resilience. He was known for getting into frequent fights, particularly with older kids. This is the story of a young boy who stood up to his older brother’s bullies and eventually left school behind to pursue his football dreams.
As Kim Min-jae grew up, he developed a unique ritual involving a hand tattoo. Whenever he faced setbacks on the pitch, he would gaze at the inscription on his tattoo, drawing strength and determination from it. This personal mantra helped him overcome challenges, a practice that even inspired his older brother to follow in his footsteps.
Our biography of Kim Min-jae dives into his early years and provides fascinating details about his life. We cover his childhood, family background—including his parents, Lee Yoo-sun and Kim Tae-gyun, his wife, Choi Yoo-ra, and his brother, Kim Kyung-min.
This engaging article also explores his family origin, ethnicity, and the significance of his hand tattoo. Additionally, we take a look at his lifestyle, personal life, and a breakdown of his net worth and salary, particularly focusing on his earnings with Napoli.
Preamble:
This version of Kim Min-jae’s Biography begins by unfolding the notable events of his boyhood years. Next, we’ll tell you how the special the South Korean rookie stood out since his childhood soccer days. Then finally, the different turning points that led to his big success in the beautiful game.
We hopes to whet your autobiography appetite while you read it’s content on Kim Min-jae’s Biography. To begin doing that, let’s present you a gallery that tells the story of his childhood to moments of fame. From his rugged boyhood years to the moment he found fame, Kim Min-jae has no doubt come a long way in his amazing career journey.
The Biography of Kim Min-jae – detailing the events of his childhood years to the moments he found fame.
Truth be told, few expected Kim Min-jae to become such a solid presence when he joined Napoli. He’s an extraordinary force—a Monster Defender with a high football IQ. Known for his commanding presence on the field, he doesn’t shy away from challenging his opponents.
Kim is the quintessential ‘fighter-type defender,’ distinguished by his precise tackling and mastery of sliding tackles.
Don’t get deceived by his heavy physique as his feet are quite fast, and his agility is good. As some soccer fans would say, Kim is the Fast and intelligent version Harry Maguire who is chewing up the whole of Europe.
While researching South Korean footballers, we noticed a gap in detailed information about Kim Min-jae’s life. Many soccer enthusiasts haven’t explored a comprehensive account of his biography.
We’ve dedicated ourselves to filling this gap, driven by our passion for South Korean soccer. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the story of the talented player from Tongyeong.
Kim Min-jae Childhood Story:
For beginners in his Biography reading, he bears two nicknames – ‘Monster Defender’ and ‘Giant Baby’.
Kim Min-jae was born on the 15th day of November 1996 to his Mother, Lee Yoo-sun and Father, Kim Tae-gyun, in Tongyeong, South Korea.
The South Korean footballer is one among two children (himself and a brother) born into a blissful marital union between his parents.
Now, let’s introduce you to Kim Min-jae’s Dad (Kim Tae-gyun), and his Mum (Lee Yoo-sun). His parents – as shown below – are persons who invoked the spirit of sport, not just to Kim Min-jae, but to his older brother as well.
Min-jae’s Mother is one year older than his Father. As I write this Biography, his Dad, Kim Tae-gyun is 48, and his Mum, Lee Yoo-sun, is 49.
Meet Kim Min-jae’s Parents – his friendly Dad and good-looking Mum.
Growing Up Years:
According to his Dad, there were moments in Min-jae’s childhood when he saw him as being special. For example, Kim Tae-gyun noticed that his little boy (who was less than three months old) could hold on to an iron rod without falling.
The father of two recognized that his son’s stamina was exceptional and innate for his young age. Kim Min-jae spent his childhood in Tongyeong, a coastal city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.
Many who knew the giant baby (when he was a boy) often describe him as a carefree and stubborn kid who always puts on an alluring smile. In fact, Kim Min-jae’s childhood photo was always an explosion of his cute charm.
Kim Min-jae’s bright smile was the building block of the love and care he received from his Mum and Dad.
Lee Yoo-sun and Kim Tae-gyun didn’t raise their son alone but alongside his older sibling. A point to note: Kim Min-jae, who is the last born in his family, has no sister but an older brother.
Kyung-min (who is one year older than him) is the first child of their parents. While Kim Min-jae plays as a Defender with Napoli, his big brother is a goalkeeper with Myongji University. Now, let’s introduce you to Kim Kyung-min.
Kyung-min, the older brother of the South Korean Defender, takes a photo of the family.
The origin of his Fighting Spirit:
As a young boy, Kim Min-jae’s weapon and major problem was his stubbornness and temperament. During his elementary school student days, he caused a lot of trouble. In fact, Kim was a kid who enjoyed having fist fights with boys who were mostly older than him.
Min-jae’s childhood personality was the very opposite of his older brother, who was too gentle. Research has it that Kim Kyung-min (his bro) was too gentle enough – that he wouldn’t even think about retaliating whenever he got bullied by his schoolmates.
About confronting and fighting his brother’s bullies, here are the words of Kim Min-jae;
“There are times I heard my older brother was being bullied. Then I went and checked it out.
One day, I went up to his class which is one year above mine, and found someone was bullying my older brother.
Then, i fought the bully. I fought harder because it was my older brother”
Do you know?… Kim Min-jae fought and didn’t lose with boys who were 2-3 years older than him. Soon, the talented boy (following advice from his uncle) saw that it was wise for him to channel his fighting and aggressive talent into soccer.
Kim Min-jae poured his unbearable temperament into Defending in the beautiful game of football. To this day, when he looks at his opponent, he seems to think about crashing into them and not losing any tackle.
Kim Min-jae Early Life:
The Parents of the Korean Defender (who were once Athletes) invoked the spirit of sports in him and his brother. Both soccer brothers started playing soccer at a very young age while living in Tongyeong-si, where they both grew up.
Early on, Kim Min-jae’s parents (out of their busy schedule) found their son needed more support interms of accompanying them to play soccer. Thankfully, the arrival of help from an uncle of the family brought some relief.
Suprisingly, this uncle (who was a teenager) became the guardian who would pick Min-jae after school to go play soccer. Here is a childhood photo of Kim Min-jae – outside and during school hours.
Many thanks to his uncle, a good-looking Kim Min-jae enjoyed lots of post-school soccer engagements.
Kim Min-jae’s uncle was only 14 years old at that time. Despite the age, the teenage uncle remains one of the biggest influences on Kim Min-jae’s early football life. As a little boy, the South Korean Defender followed his uncle to many soccer centres of his Tongyeong hometown.
Who moving to different soccer centres?… their aim was to look for places where the best soccer meetings happen. Also, a place where Kim Min-jae and his older brother would receive soccer lessons. Back then, his uncle found a soccer meeting point whose training and lessons came every two days.
So from age 7 to age 12 (throughout his elementary schooling years), Kim Min-jae got accompanied by his uncle to practice soccer. It might interest you to know that the super Uncle was a coach who also got involved in training his two nephews.
Kim Min-jae Family Background:
The first thing to know about the South Korean Defender is the fact that his parents are former athletes. Kim Min-jae’s father was a judo athlete, while his mother once played track and field.
The Baller’s athletic ability was inherited from both of his parents. When asked, Min-jae once revealed he inherited his skeleton (hardness) from his Dad while his speed comes from his mother.
What do Kim Min-jae’s Parents do for a living?
For many years, Lee Yoo-sun and Kim Tae-gyun have run a small sashimi restaurant. It is a small eating joint with just six tables in Tongyeong-si, a port city on the southern coast of South Korea.
Kim Min-jae’s Parents used little profits from their restaurant business to feed and raise their sons through school. Also, in raising them to become football celebrities, despite difficult circumstances.
Lee Yoo-sun and Kim Tae-gyun once operated a below-middle-class family. Whenever Kim sees his parents, who work hard for him, his aspiration for success grows.
The South Korean Defender poses for a photo with his Dad, Mum and older brother.
How his Dad and Mum got involved in his early career life:
Back in the day, Kim Min-jae’s parents never hesitate to close the restaurant in other to go to Jeonju for their son’s weekend football home games. Kim always feels so happy about it, especially the fact that he (as of then) would gets pocket monies from his Dad and Mum.
Even as they decide to go see his game, Kim Min-jae’s parents apply caution when they close their business. Before leaving, they’ll give phone numbers to regular customers who always call them before coming to the restaurant. This ensures the door was open (at the right time) for their biggest customers.
With lots of sporting options available for him as a child, Kim Min-jae’s Dad once advised him to practice judo. Research has it that his Dad (Kim Tae-gyun) did very well in the sport. Initially, Kim Min-jae focused on Taekwondo, and he stopped the sport at the yellow belt.
To this day, Kim Min-jae’s parents are still restaurant owners. Sashimi, which they sell, is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish and/or meat sliced into thin pieces and best eaten with soy sauce.
Kim Min-jae Family Origin:
To start with, he is an Asian footballer of South Korean nationality and roots. Min-jae was born in Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, which is known as the ‘Naples of Korea’. The Defender, who holds the nickname title of “the jewel of Tongyeong,” calls Tongyeong his hometown.
Upon further research about where Kim Min-jae’s Family comes from, we got to know a place best described as Jeonju Hanok Village.
The South Korean Defender is the most popular Athlete from Jeonju Hanok Village. This is a village in the city of Jeonju, South Korea. Kim Min-jae’s origins are famous for tourism because of its traditional buildings, which strongly contrast with the modern city around it.
Do you know?… excluding Seoul (the capital of South Korea), Jeonju Hanok Village is ranked third among major tourist destinations throughout South Korea, behind Jeju and Busan.
In Jeonju Hanok village (Kim Min-jae family roots), traditional culture and nature blend harmoniously.
Whenever the Chinese New Year approaches, Kim Min-jae’s family often visit Jeonju Hanok Village to celebrate the occasion. For those who didn’t know, the Chinese new year is always a time of bountiful harvest and fruitage. The whole family loves to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Jeonju Hanok Village, especially when the cool wind hurries autumn.
Kim Min-jae Ethnicity:
The South Korean professional Defender is from one of the most ethnically homogenous nations in the world. Kim Min-jae hails from the Korean Peninsula. From an ethnicity standpoint, the footballer (like 99% of his country’s people) is ethnically Korean.
Kim Min-jae Education:
Throughout his life, the South Korean Defender attended seven different schools. Kim Min-jae’s parents first enrolled him at Tongyeong Elementary School before moving him to Duryong Elementary School. Then, he changed his primary school again, this time to Gaya Elementary School.
Min-jae attended Gaya Elementary School between 2007 to 2009 before moving again to Haesong Middle School. He attended this school for a year before another transfer to Yeoncho Middle School in 2010. Kim Min-jae secondary school was Yeoncho Middle School (which he attended from 2010 to 2011).
After graduating from middle school, the Baller (in 2012) began attending Suwon Technical High School. Kim Min-jae stayed there for three years before moving to Yonsei University in 2015. Do you know?… Park Ji-sung and Kim Sun-min are both products of Suwon Gonggo Technical school -(the high school Min-jae attended).
About the kind of student he was at school, it is pertinent to state that Kim Min-jae was a boy who built a wall around his poor grades. During his elementary school, he never exceeded a 20% mark in his dictation. Kim Min-jae was the type who always fought and had the habit of running outside his class to play.
On the other hand, his older brother (Kim Kyung-min) was a calm boy who maintained his top grades while at school. Kim Min-jae and his brother went through elementary and middle school together.
Career Buildup:
Do you know?… the need to get the best of soccer experience was the primary reason Kim Min-jae changed schools a lot in his childhood. In some cases, there was sudden disbandment of the soccer team in the schools he attended. That meant he had to move to another school that favoured soccer games.
And in other cases (for changing his place of learning), Kim Min-jae was scouted by other schools, like Duryong Elementary School. The school promised him better playing facilities and took him away from Tongyeong Elementary School.
Truth be told, Kim Min-jae was a celebrity footballer during his high school days. In the South Korean National High School Soccer Tournament of Baek Un-gi, the youngster was awarded the Outstanding Player Award.
Back then, in high school, Kim Min-jae wasn’t the overwhelmingly oversized kid footballer. Although he had already gained his height (about 188 cm), and he weighed 78 kg. Min-jae was described as a rather skinny central defender who loved to fight.
Kim Min-jae Biography – Football Story:
After playing as his school’s best player (at Suwon Gonggo Technical School), the youngster was admitted to Yonsei University. Just like in high school, Min-jae became a soccer celebrity during his days at Yonsei University.
From his freshman year, he began to play a key role in Defense. This feat earned him an award at the Spring Federation Game. In his second year at the University, Kim Min-jae became a player who overcame opponents in aerial ball fights.
Thanks to his solid physique, the boy from Jeonju Hanok Village began to attract significant attention from soccer scouts all over the country. This huge transfer interest caused a distraction, which was enough for the monster defender to consider abandoning his education.
Kim Min-jae ended up quarrelling with the school management, which led him to drop out from the university. He quarrelled with Yonsei University management over the issue of them attempting to hold him back from football (in his second year).
Reports indicate that Yonsei University attempted to discourage him from pursuing a soccer career. After leaving the institution, Kim Min-jae’s soccer ambitions led him to play for Gyeongju KHNP in the N-League, also known as the Korea National League, which is the third tier of the South Korean football league system.
With the decisions he made favouring him, Kim Min-jae’s older brother soon started following in his footsteps. In fact, the Defender influenced his older brother’s career path – thanks to the tough early decisions he made, which instantly paid off.
Road to Fame Story:
The Korean footballer received two nicknames from fans as soon as he turned professional. First, they nicknamed him ‘Monster’, and his second nickname became ‘Giant Baby’. The second nickname arrived because of Kim Min-jae’s giant physique and, of course, his baby face.
Kim Min-jae always feels embarrassed when people say that he has a baby face. At first, it was hard for the Baller to get used to this kind of talk from people. Contrary to his Giant Baby nickname, Kim believes his last baby face looks (which came during his childhood days in football) were already done and dusted.
K League Journey:
On 22 December 2016, Kim Min-jae joined Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors soccer club. Finally, he found himself playing in the K League 1, the premier football division in South Korea.
His then-manager, Choi Kang-hee, loved his gameplay, and he used him as a key player from the beginning of his pro career. Kim’s debut goal in his professional career came quickly, and he scored a mid-range volley for his second goal.
With such outstanding performance (including winning this title below), he got a called-up to the South Korean national football team.
According to the South Korean star, Winning and celebrating trophies is sweet.
Despite Min-jae suffering a semilunar valve injury and missing out on many games, he was still named the 2017 K League 1 Young Player of the Year.
It didn’t end there, he also got a nomination as one of the best 11 players in the league (K League Best XI). This came as he fought Defensively for his team to win titles. In case you haven’t watched him back in the day, here is a final he exploded – which fetched his club a title.
Kim Min-jae Bio – Rise to Fame:
Because of his successes in the K League, the South Korean star was supposed to be among the first names on South Korea’s defensive sheet – for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, Kim Min-jae (yet again) suffered from another injury.
A fibula injury (which happened a month before the big tournament) caused his 2018 absence in Russia. After the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Kim (who just won his K League 1 second consecutive league title) decided on a transfer to Beijing Sinobo Guoan.
With renewed dedication, his standout defensive performances led to him winning the 2019 EAFF Championship. But that wasn’t all—Min-jae also earned a spot on the AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament in 2019 and was named the EAFF Championship Best Defender for the same year.
It was at this time that top clubs in Europe started making moves to win his signature.
The persuasion to join Tottenham Hotspur:
Kim Min-jae decided to review transfers he was getting abroad when he got embroiled in a controversy over some rash interview remarks he made to his old club. The Defender once expressed dissatisfaction with his club’s method of play on a YouTube channel operated by a South Korean soccer commentator.
Because he criticized Beijing Guoan, the club management felt he was no longer needed. During that time, Kim received intensive attention from a wide range of clubs in Europe.
In fact, there was a local report that Son Heung-min was pushing for Tottenham Hotspurs to sign Kim Min-jae. Carlo Ancelotti‘s Everton, at that time, also led the host of clubs chasing the ‘Monster’ South Korea defender.
Although Nuno Espírito Santo (former Tottenham coach) tried to see the deal become a success, the English club could not finish it before the transfer window closed. Heung-Min Son was disappointed after his failed efforts to get his national teammate to Spurs.
European career success:
After a failed Spurs transfer, Kim agreed to a deal to join Fenerbahçe. With the Turkish Giants, he saw himself playing alongside some big names – the likes of Mesut Özil, Enner Valencia and Bright Osayi-Samuel.
From his very first match, Kim was considered to have all the skills required by a centre-back in modern football. He (who has a similar style to Toby Alderwareid) loves to drive the ball by surprise and overlaps. Also, using his speed to quickly return to defence and cut off any attack from opponents.
Now, this is why Fenerbahçe signed the Monster Defender.
At Fenerbahçe, Kim maintained his reputation for his defensive abilities. He won the most tackles among Fenerbahçe defenders and dominated the Defenders in the Süper Lig. Being among the best defenders in the country placed him on the CIES and FIFA 22 list of the Süper Lig Team 21/22 superstars.
On the 27th of July 2022, the South Korean Defender (in a heartfelt message) informed Fenerbahçe fans of his sudden departure. An emotional Kim reminded them that the club wasn’t just a stepping stone but an important part of his football journey.
Napoli Rise:
As a replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly, who left to replace Antonio Rudiger at Chelsea, Kim Min-jae joined Napoli. The South Korean Defender with Tanguy Ndombélé (CM), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and
On the 7th September 2022 Champions League match against Liverpool, Kim Min-jae showed the world his class. That day, his aggression, strength, and spring speed stand tackle made Napoli fans worry no more about Koulibaly’s departure.
Even though Piotr Zielinski won the man of the match that day, it was Kim Min-jae who won most football fans’ hearts. At the time of writing his Biography, there were interest from top European teams (like Manchester United) who wanted to trigger Kim Min-jae’s release clause.
2022 FIFA World Cup:
The Monster Defender, alongside notables like Hee-Chan Hwang, Sonny, and Ui-Jo Hwang, got South Korea for their tenth consecutive FIFA World Cup. At the time of writing Kim Min-jae’s Biography, he is set to mount his Defensive dominance over Ghana, Portugal and Uruguay in the knockout stages of the World’s biggest soccer competition. The rest, as we say, is now history.
Who is Choi Yoo-ra?
There are lots of enquiries about the name and photo of Kim Min-jae’s Girlfriend. Well, we are pleased to inform you that Kim has gone past the realm of dating and being single. Now, let’s talk about Kim Min-jae’s Wife.
The South Korean Defender is happily married to his spouse, who goes by the name Choi Yoo-ra. According to our findings, Kim’s wedding to his wife, Choi Yoo-ra, happened in South Korea just before he fell out with his old club, Beijing Guoan. Here is Min-jae’s wedding photo.
The wedding between Kim Min-jae and Choi Yoo-ra.
Since their wedding (which happened before he moved to Fenerbahçe), Kim Min-jae and his wife (Choi Yoo-ra) have spent limited time publicly. Four years before the new year of 2021, the South Korean footballer made his first public photo of his wife via his Instagram account.
Kim Min-jae and his wife Choi Yoo-ra take a selfie after having dinner together.
Personality:
Who is Kim Min-jae?
Tattoo:
On his left arm, he made a tattoo that reads, “Don’t stop dreaming.” Also, another tattoo (with a black circle) which says “Time does not wait for you.”. Kim Min-jae’s tattoos, engraved in English and Latin, became his source of inspiration whenever he was down.
When he had the urgent need to debut as a professional quickly and increase his Defensive competitiveness, Min-jae decided on something to motivate him. That was how Kim Min-jae’s tattoo (as seen below on his hand) came about. The sign of the cross tattoo is a display of his Christian religious faith.
The meaning of Kim Min-jae’s tattoo (on his left hand) is EXPLAINED.
Personality:
Also to note, Kim is someone who has grown past his temperament issues. Min-jae hardly fights (both on and off the pitch). Over the years, he has taught himself a more subtle approach of just crashing his big giant body into his opponents.
Rapping hobby:
Asides from being an Athlete, the Defender enjoyed rapping during his childhood. To this day, Kim still listens and sings songs when he drives his car.
Lifestyle:
Regarding the way he lives his life outside football, the South Korean star is someone who spends a great amount of time playing table tennis.
Kim Min-jae’s Car:
On June 9th of, 2022, the Defender took out his time to appreciate his Cadillac Escalade. Kim Min-jae reveals that the Cadillac Escalade car (which he owns) always looks rough upon first impression. He told his Instagram fans that there is great smoothness which can be experienced – only by those who have driven the huge luxury SUV.
The South Korean national team star once praised his Cadillac Escalade car.
Kim Min-jae Family Life:
If not for the athletic household (his Mum, Dad, Uncle, etc.), the road to becoming a soccer star wouldn’t have become smooth. Now, let’s tell you more about his parents (Lee Yoo-sun and Kim Tae-gyun), as well as other family members.
Kim Min-jae Father:
The man who birthed the footballer (Kim Tae-gyun) is a man of many talents. Asides from being a former judo Athlete and restaurant business owner, Kim Min-jae’s Dad is also an experienced truck driver.
The Defender’s best memories of his Dad’s truck driving days came in 2012. The time he (a freshman at Suwon Technical High School) often followed his Father for long journies with their family truck.
On the day Kim Min-jae’s got news of his under-17 South Korean national team call, he was with his father in a truck for a 7-hour journey. Kim Tae-gyun was transporting sashimi food ingredients from Tongyeong to Paju as part of his business activities.
Even though there are a lot of good players on the pitch, his son is the only person that catches the eyes of his Dad. Kim Tae-gyun is a man who is glad to see Min-jae fulfil his three biggest wishes for him. These wishes are; to see him have a stable career, get married and live a good life.
Kim Min-jae Mother:
Lee Yoo-sun, the former South Korean track and field star, is one year older than her husband. Initially, Kim’s Mum felt that becoming a striker would suit her son better since he was an aggressive footballer. However, when Kim Min-jae used his aggressive talent as a defender, she understood his decision to stay in the back position.
As a child, Lee Yoo-sun lived alot in camps, and she never had a fight. Years later, she became worried and would always be worn out too quickly because of her son’s aggressive and fighting nature. Today, Lee Yoo-sun is proud to see her last-born child overcoming his temperament issues.
Kim Min-jae Brother:
Initially, Kim Kyung-min never knew he was going to be a professional goalkeeper. He was a versatile kid who was good at academics and drawing. After sorting advice from his parents and art academy teacher, Kim Kyung-min started placing more efforts on his goalkeeping.
As stated earlier in this Bio, Kim Min-jae’s success as a footballer triggered Kim Kyung-min to take his goalkeeping career seriously. Although he started late, Kim Min-jae’s brother, at some point, became worried about his career path.
Asides from his wife (Choi Yoo-ra), there is no one closer to Kim Min-jae than his brother. It is confirmed that the two siblings share no secret. This is a photo of Kim Kyung-min, with his goalkeeping jersey bearing the Myongji University logo.
Min-jae’s Brother, Kim Kyung-min, poses for a photo on a match day.
Kim Min-jae’s Relatives – his Uncle:
When he was in his middle school, the South Korean soccer star enrolled at the school where his uncle took over as coach. By doing that, a gifted Kim Min-jae became his uncle’s soccer disciple.
Before Kim Min-jae changed his character, his uncle had difficulty managing him. During his early teenage years, the Defender’s character was still very complicated. Rather than beating him, Kim Min-jae’s uncle disciplined him heavily and still gave him motivational words – that helped him grow up.
After high school and leaving his uncle’s team, Min-jae saw himself becoming a changed person in terms of character. All thanks to his uncle, parents and other people. His professional debut with Gyeongju KHNP brought his uncle closer to him again. In his words;
While at Gyeongju KHNP, I found I could approach my uncle more comfortably. So after my debut, we became very friendly, and I made frequent calls to him.
In the past, my uncle only used to humiliate me. But now, he gives me a lot of praise. It’s still awkward to hear compliments from my uncle. I have been used to hearing some swear words from him.
Untold Facts:
In the final phase of Kim Min-jae’s Biography, we’ll tell you more facts you might not know about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.
Kim Min-jae back Tattoo:
Apart from his hands, the Defender has other larger body arts. There is a back tattoo which has the images of Jesus Christ holding a cross and what looks like series of angels.
This is a pointer to Kim Min-jae’s religion. We’ll tell you about his Christian father later in this Bio. Here is Kim Min-jae shirtless photo with his back tattoo.
A view of Kim Min-jae back Tattoo drawings.
Salary Background:
When you use google the conversion of his €3,214,950 Napoli annual earnings to the South Korean won, you have ₩4,432,065,179. By implication, it means Kim Min-jae is a Billionaire footballer as far as his country’s currency is concerned.
How rich is the South Korean Defender?
Where Kim Min-jae’s family comes from, the average person in South Korea makes 49,048,872 won per year. Do you know?… Such a person would need to work for 90 years to earn Kim Min-jae annual salary with Napoli.
Kim Min-jae FIFA:
At age 24, the Centre Defender has a 77 overall and 83 potential SOFIFA ratings. For a Defender who is dominating Europe in 2022, we believe Kim’s Kim Min-jae ratings is underrated.
In our opinion, he should be on par with other top Defenders like Lisandro Martínez and Dayot Upamecano. Have you tried Min-jae on career mode?…
As shown here, Strength, Sprint Speed, and Aggression are his most valuable football assets.
Kim Min-jae Religion:
The South Korean Central Defender joins about 29% of his country’s population, who are Christians. According to Naver South Korean online platform, Kim Min-jae’s religion is Protestant Christianity.
The South Korean authorities put the number of Protestant churches at approximately 17,000 in the country.
Kim Min-jae Military Service:
The Napoli Defender joined a few lists of his country’s footballers who did not experience military enlistment. Because he helped South Korea win the goal medal of the 2018 Asian Games, Kim Min-jae and his teammates were exempted from military service. The Defender’s two-year conscription was reduced to just a few weeks of basic training.
EndNote:
Kim Min-jae holds the nicknames ‘Monster Defender’ and ‘Giant Baby’. He is a South Korean Defender born in 1996 to his Dad, Kim Tae-gyun and Mum, Lee Yoo-sun. Kim is the last-born child, and he grew up alongside his older brother, Kim Kyung-min.
Regarding his family background, Kim Min-jae’s parents were once former Athletes. His father is an ex-judo professional, while his Mum is a retired track and field Athlete. Kim’s parents are proud owners of a small sashimi restaurant in Tongyeong, South Korea.
Young Min-jae and his big brother spent their early years in Tongyeong, South Korea. Kim Kyung-min, is a goalkeeper for Myongji University, and he is one year older than his little brother, whom this Biography is about.
As a child, Kim Min-jae struggled with his temperament. He, whose uncle had a great influence on his early career, fought a lot (with boys older than his age) while in school. In a bid to pursue soccer opportunities, Min-jae changed schools a lot during his educational years.
Kim Min-jae attended Yonsei University. In his second year, he dropped out to pursue his pro career. Before getting a European opportunity, the South Korean star journeyed through his country’s local league with teams, Gyeongju KHNP, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Beijing Guoan. As revealed by The Telegraph, Kim Min-Jae Spurs transfer failed despite a push by Son Heung-min.
The South Korean star stood out while playing for Fenerbahçe. More interestingly, Kim Min-jae (in Napoli colours) seized the opportunity to become one of Europe’s best Defenders. After missing out in Russia 2018, Min-jae hopes to make a big statement in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Appreciation Note:
Thank you for taking out time to read our version of Kim Min-jae’s Biography. Our team cares about accuracy and fairness in the quest to deliver you Asian soccer stories. Kim Min-jae’s Bio is a product of our South Korean Football story collection.
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