Park Hang-seo Confronts Fan Over "Kimchi Man" Slur in Thai League Match

Park Hang-seo, the South Korean coach of Kanchanaburi Power FC, confronted a spectator who repeatedly shouted a slur referring to him as "kimchi man" during a Thai League 2 match, according to 경향신문. The incident occurred on November 1 at Nong Prue Stadium in Pattaya, where Kanchanaburi drew 2-2 with Pattaya United in the ninth round of the 2026-27 season.

Video circulating on social media shows Park raising a finger to his lips in a gesture asking for quiet as he and his squad walked toward the locker room. When the taunting continued, he made a fist-swinging motion and beckoned the man in the stands to come down. Players and stadium staff stepped in to calm the situation, and no physical altercation took place.

Why it matters

The episode has drawn attention beyond the result because the abuse was not limited to Park. According to Thai outlet Khaosod, cited in the reporting, the same spectator also targeted Kanchanaburi's Madagascar-born player John Baggio, mocking his height and calling him a "monkey." Baggio said he had been respected by fans during a decade of playing in Thailand and that he is proud of his skin color and will not change it. The club issued a statement condemning all discrimination based on race, skin color or origin, saying football connects people worldwide and that everyone deserves equal respect regardless of where they come from or what color they are.

The "kimchi man" remark is seen as a jab at Park's Korean identity rather than a comment on race itself, but combined with the profanity it was treated as an insult to who he is, distinct from ordinary stadium jeering. The "monkey" slur reported by Baggio is a racial insult tied to skin color.

A coach with regional standing

Park is widely recognized in Southeast Asian football for his time leading Vietnam's national team, and he moved to the Thai club scene this year. He is aiming to take Kanchanaburi up to the first division, though the team sits sixth after nine matches with three wins, five draws and one loss for 14 points.

Korean outlets including 경향신문, 조선일보, JTBC and KBS covered the confrontation, and Vietnamese media also reacted with anger, with 머니투데이 reporting that one Vietnamese outlet described the behavior as deeply backward.

The club has not indicated what further steps, if any, it will take. What to watch is whether Thai league authorities open a disciplinary review of the spectator's conduct and whether Kanchanaburi's promotion push is affected as the season continues.