"A Gold Medal Bonus Worth a Whopping '76 Years' of Wages"... Indonesia's Badminton Team, Which Beat China, Hits the Jackpot [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News]  Indonesia's men's national badminton team pulled off a miraculous 3-2 comeback from the brink against formidable China. After ending 28 years of pent-up frustration in one dramatic victory, the team celebrated not only the honor of becoming Asian champions but also a life-changing windfall that few could ever hope to receive.
Indonesia's men's national badminton team won the gold medal in the men's team event final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Despite losing the first two matches to the 'world's strongest' China, Indonesia won the next three in a row for a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory. It was a historic men's team title, achieved 28 years after the 1998 Bangkok Games.
The Japanese archipelago, as well as Indonesia, was swept up in celebration as the country announced an extraordinary national payday. On the 25th local time, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto shared his reaction on social media, saying, "We have ended the long wait of 28 years." He added, "I extend my deepest gratitude for the players' fighting spirit and hard work. Please make Indonesia's name shine even brighter on the world stage," warmly welcoming the heroes home.
The highlight was the size of the windfall promised by President Prabowo Subianto. He had previously pledged to pay Asian Games gold medalists a staggering bonus of 3 billion rupiah (approximately 228.3 million won). The government also promised generous support for silver and bronze medalists, as well as the coaching staff.
By South Korean price standards, the amount is slightly more than 200 million won, but its perceived value in Indonesia is truly beyond imagination. According to BPS-Statistics Indonesia, the average monthly net wage of manufacturing workers was 3,289,621 rupiah, or just over 250,000 won, as of February 2026.
Based on that figure, the 3 billion rupiah gold-medal bonus is an astronomical sum that an ordinary worker would have to save for 912 months—or 76 years—without spending a penny. The shuttlecock heroes who brought down China have effectively hit a life-changing jackpot large enough to support three generations.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter