Media Narrative on'The Minions' Kevin Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon's Retirement: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This study investigates how Indonesian online media construct narratives surrounding the retirement of Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon, widely known as “The Minions,” using Teun A. van Dijk’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework. As dominant figures in world badminton, the athletes' retirement became not only a sports headline but a moment of national reflection shaped by media discourse. The main objective of this study is to analyze how media language structures, macrostructure, superstructure, and microstructure are used to frame athlete legacy, express public sentiment, and portray institutional response, particularly that of PBSI (the Indonesian Badminton Federation). This qualitative research analyzed five purposively selected news articles published May 2024 from CNN Indonesia, Sport Espos, Okezone, Tempo.co, and Tribunnews. The findings show that macrostructures emphasize themes of legacy, farewell, and symbolic closure; superstructures follow a conventional news pattern while guiding emotional interpretation; and microstructures include emotional diction, reflective syntax, and rhetorical strategies that amplify public admiration or highlight conflict. Additionally, the study reveals that social context reflects the symbolic status of badminton in Indonesia. This research contributes to the field of discourse analysis by demonstrating how media texts not only report events but also embed ideological perspectives, national values, and institutional accountability through strategic use of language. It also extends CDA into sports discourse, an area often overlooked in critical media studies.