"Feeling suffocated? I’ll show you again in Nagoya." Women’s badminton team, led by An Se-young, vows to bombard the Great Wall [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] Korea’s women’s badminton team, led by the country’s biggest star and undisputed No. 1 An Se-young of Samsung Life Insurance, is beginning its gold-medal pursuit in the team event at the Asian Games.
The women’s badminton team, coached by Park Joo-bong, will begin its 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games team-event schedule in earnest on the 22nd. For the Korean delegation, which has set its sights on three gold, one silver and two bronze medals in badminton at these Games, the women’s team event is considered the most reliable path to a gold medal. After defeating China at the previous Games in Hangzhou to reclaim the team-event gold for the first time in 29 years since the 1994 Hiroshima Games, the women’s team is determined to maintain its momentum in Nagoya.
China is once again the biggest hurdle on the road to a second consecutive title. China has assembled a star-studded squad in which all but one of its 10 players—Han Qianxi, ranked 29th in singles—are ranked among the world’s top 10. Its formidable lineup includes women’s singles No. 2 Wang Zhiyi and No. 4 Chen Yufei, the No. 1 doubles pair of Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, the No. 4 pair of Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian, mixed doubles No. 1 Huang Dongping and No. 3 Wei Yaxin.

Despite assessments that Korea is at a disadvantage on paper, its momentum is formidable. An Se-young remains an unwavering trump card, and the team also has the confidence that comes from repeatedly bringing down the Great Wall in major team events this year. Korea defeated a Chinese second-string side in the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championships in February to win its first-ever title. In the final of the Uber Cup that followed, Korea routed China’s strongest lineup 3–1 and finished atop the podium.
The players supporting An Se-young are also ready. The women’s doubles pair of world No. 2 Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na of Incheon International Airport, who recently defeated China’s world No. 1 pair at the world championships, will be central to the campaign. The No. 6 pair of Kim Hye-jung of Samsung Life Insurance and Kong Hee-yong of Jeonbuk Bank, returning from injuries, is also waiting to take the court. Kim Ga-eun of Samsung Life Insurance, ranked 12th in singles, was one of the heroes of Korea’s gold medal after defeating Chen Yufei at the Uber Cup and remains a top-class joker capable of producing an upset at any time.
The draw is also favorable in the team event, which consists of three singles matches and two doubles matches, with the first team to win three of five matches advancing. After advancing directly to the quarterfinals with a bye, the women’s team will face the winner of the Hong Kong–Malaysia match on the 22nd. It is likely to meet India or Japan in the semifinals. Barring an upset, Korea is expected to reach the final without major difficulty and face China for the gold medal.

By contrast, the men’s national team, which begins its schedule with a round-of-16 match on the 21st, faces a difficult road ahead. The men’s doubles world No. 1 pair of Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho of Samsung Life Insurance provides a strong foundation, but the team is considered to lack a reliable singles option against China or Indonesia. The men’s team previously suffered a 3–2 comeback loss to China in the semifinals of the Badminton Asia Team Championships. It also finished third in its group at the Thomas Cup and failed to reach the quarterfinals.
The draw is harsh as well. Even if the men’s team defeats Hong Kong in the round of 16, it will immediately face China, a "strong favorite for the title" that advanced to the quarterfinals with a bye.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter