Ahn Se-young-less Coat & Thai Beauty: New Content Writer Revealed

“Isn’t it a girl group center?”… Local attention is focused on her incredible beauty
170cm physically and with outstanding skills
A 19-year-old with strong heart who endured the Deuce of Hell
Empty seat without Ahn Se-young… Finals clash with ‘final boss’ Chen Yu-fei

[파이낸셜뉴스] In the fourth week of January, when Ahn Se-young (24, Samsung Life Insurance) put down her racket for a while, it was a green rookie born in 2007 who took control of the unclaimed stage. The main character is Pichamon Opanipus (19, Thailand), the so-called ‘Thai Princess’ who became a hot topic for her appearance rather than her skills.

Pichamon defeated Karupateban Rechana (Malaysia) with a set score of 2-0 in the women’s singles semifinals of the ‘2026 BWF Indonesia Masters (Super 500)’ held at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia on the 24th (Korean time) and reached the final.

This competition was nothing short of a showcase for Pichamon. It’s not just because of the report card of advancing to the finals.

The ‘star quality’ she showed turned the Indonesian scene upside down.

Every time the local broadcast camera showed her, the audience erupted in applause. Pichamon, who is 170cm tall and has looks that surpass most idol group centers, is a superstar nicknamed ‘Pink’ in Thailand.

However, in this competition, she showed off her skills as a ‘badminton genius’ rather than a ‘face genius’. In particular, the last 16 round was the highlight of this tournament. The match with Tomoka Miyazaki (9th place), who the Japanese badminton world is carefully cultivating as the next-generation ace, was called a ‘Korea-Japanese beauty showdown’ and attracted attention, but the match ended poorly.

As if to avenge his loss in the finals of last year’s Taipei Open, Pichamon consistently dominated Miyazaki and achieved a 2-0 shutout victory in 36 minutes. It was a complete victory that captured both visuals and skills.

The quarterfinals against Vietnam’s powerhouse Nguyen Tuy Linh (21st) was a stage where Pichamon’s true value could be confirmed.

After giving up the first set, Pichamon battled to the deuce five times in the second set. Even in a situation where they could easily have collapsed, they showed concentration to win the set 26-24, and eventually succeeded in turning the tables. It was the moment when the venom hidden behind the pretty appearance was revealed.

Now Pichamon’s eyes are on the championship trophy. But the final gateway is very huge. Ahn Se-young’s biggest rival is Chen Yu-fei (China), who is currently ranked 4th in the world.

In terms of objective power, an overwhelming superiority is predicted. In fact, it is impossible to handle Chen Yufei other than Ahn Se-young. Chen Yufei made a ‘bloodless’ entry into the finals with overwhelming skills throughout this competition.

But there are variables. Pichamon had the experience of making Chen Yufei sweat by winning the first set at the Malaysia Open just three weeks ago.

While Ahn Se-young was taking a break, a 19-year-old girl appeared like a comet and gave the badminton world a visual shock.

Will she be able to defeat even the ‘queen’ Chen Yufei and hold a coronation ceremony? In the absence of Ahn Se-young, the attention of badminton fans around the world is focused on the finals that will be held on the 25th.

jsi@fnnews.com Reporter Jeon Sang-il

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