- Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors coach Thanos decides to resign after the end of the season

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors' head coach Thanos has decided to resign after protesting against the discriminatory judgments and arbitrary responses of domestic professional football referees.

The controversy escalated uncontrollably, overlapping with recent disciplinary actions by the Korea Professional Football Association, and ultimately, he expressed that it is difficult to fully dedicate himself to the team in an environment where the voices from the field are not respected.

Fans immediately strongly opposed the decision. Jeonbuk supporters released a statement saying, "The authoritarian attitude of the referees has unfairly labeled a coach as a perpetrator of racial discrimination," and criticized, "The fairness of professional football crumbles under the unchecked power of the referees." They further urged, "The association and the referee committee should reflect on their arrogance and engage in responsible reforms."

There were also voices within the Jeonbuk team supporting Coach Thanos. Lee Seung-woo recently stated in an interview, "Coach Thanos is someone far from racial bias," and expressed regret, saying, "It is unfortunate that protests for the fairness of the game and the team have been distorted."

This incident has once again brought to the surface structural issues with the K-League referee system. The repeated controversies over wrong decisions, bias, lack of communication, and the opacity of disciplinary procedures have exploded with the resignation of a coach. Among fans, there is even cynicism questioning, "Is it normal for a league where the person pointing out the problems leaves?"

Fans are demanding a complete overhaul of the association and the referee committee and have signaled actions, indicating that the controversy is likely to continue for the time being.