▲ At Bucheon Sports Complex on May 5, during the K League 1 match between Bucheon FC 1995 and Jeju SK, Jeju goalkeeper Kim Dong-jun urged Bucheon fans to stop jeering. ⓒK League Federation
[SPOTV News — Bucheon, Cho Yong-un] Where did the idea of giving children dreams and hope go?
On Children's Day, the stadium atmosphere felt oddly off. Applause gave way to jeers, and chants were punctuated by coarse profanity. It was a moment when the values the game should stand for blurred — and once again, K League's supporter culture faced a serious test.
The May 5 meeting at Bucheon Sports Complex between Bucheon FC 1995 and Jeju SK was more than a match; it was a relocation derby steeped in history and emotion. The wound left when Jeju abandoned the Bucheon SK name and relocated in 2006 has not fully healed. Bucheon reemerged the following year as a civic club, and after a long climb the team was back in the top flight, hosting Jeju in front of its home fans.
The storyline unraveled off the field. Before the match, Bucheon coach Lee Young-min drew a clear line. He acknowledged the teams' fraught history and the emotions it stirs, but asked supporters to keep their behavior cleaner on Children's Day.
Lee wasn't dismissing deep-seated grievances, but he hoped the game and its result would settle things that day. The crowd had other ideas. As the second half wore on, tensions flared between Bucheon supporters and Jeju goalkeeper Kim Dong-jun, and the strain between stands and pitch kept building.
After a tense second half, Kim told reporters, "I always bow to the supporters behind the goal as a sign of respect. But only Bucheon fans directed insults at me. Because it was Children's Day, I asked them to refrain from profanity, but I heard even worse words." He delivered the comments with calm frustration.
This wasn't the first time. A similar incident happened at their first meeting last month in Jeju. "I was honestly shocked then, too," Kim said. "In the K League, players usually bow to the opposing fans when the match ends. Clubs like Ulsan and Jeonbuk often respond with applause. But when I bowed to the Bucheon supporters, they gave obscene gestures. I wondered, 'Why would they do that?'"
Kim also singled out fans still stuck on the past. "We didn't provoke or stall the game, yet some still attack individuals over the relocation. Players didn't decide the move. It's hard to understand why players who were chosen to play for this team keep getting blamed," he said.
▲ On Children's Day, May 5, Bucheon FC 1995 and Jeju SK met in the 12th round of K League 1 at Bucheon Sports Complex. The relocation-tinted derby produced heated off-field confrontations, and Jeju won 1-0 on a goal from Nam Tae-hee.
He was blunt about the wider impact. "Sponsors look at image. It's not easy for them to back a team with this kind of regrettable culture. We need more respect. Everyone is trying to put on good football, but issues like this push fans away from the K League. As someone in the game, that's heartbreaking."
Kim called for change. "Bucheon players are probably hurt, too. Fans should consider whether constantly showing negative emotions is healthy. The K League Federation and the Bucheon club should ask supporters to rein themselves in. Kids are watching — it's time to change."
Coach Lee Young-min's plan to ease supporters' grievances with a win, and the players' efforts to leave children with a positive memory, were undermined by some fans crossing the line. The lasting impression from the rivalry wasn't the on-field battle but the scenes of jeering.
