Ahn Se-young: China Uses Birthday for Badminton Promotion

[스포티비뉴스=장하준 기자] An unusual scene occurred in China. Ahn Se-young, who reigns as a world-class athlete, is attracting attention by being used as the ‘face’ of the Chinese competition. It is even more eye-catching because it is a promotional method that puts Korean players at the forefront instead of domestic players.

Chinese sports media outlet ‘Sina Sports’ reported on the 29th, “World No. 1 Ahn Se-young celebrates her birthday in Qingdao on February 5,” naturally linking Ahn Se-young with the Asian Men’s and Women’s Team Badminton Championships. According to the report, the topic was heightened by adding that it was likely Ahn Se-young’s first time spending her birthday in China.

In fact, Ahn Se-young will participate in the 2026 Asian Men’s and Women’s Team Badminton Championships to be held in Qingdao, China starting February 3 with the Korean national team. It is an extremely rare example of the Chinese media introducing Ahn Se-young’s schedule and birthday in detail ahead of the competition. This is interpreted as a cross-section showing that Ahn Se-young is already recognized as a ‘global star’ even in China.

Sina Sports did not stop at simply delivering information. He posted a highlight of Ahn Se-young’s game with the phrase, “Check out the overwhelming spirit of a genius girl in the video,” and added praise. Furthermore, they even encouraged the influx of spectators by saying, “If you want to celebrate Ahn Se-young’s birthday, come to Qingdao and watch the Asian group exhibition.” Even within the Chinese badminton world, it is considered a quite unconventional attempt as it is a strategy of using the rival country’s ace as a symbol of the success of the competition.

The background to this kind of treatment lies in the achievements that Ahn Se-young has accumulated. Ahn Se-young, who has maintained the No. 1 spot in the world rankings since winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, has continued her unrivaled trend since the beginning of the new season. After winning the Malaysia Open (Super 1000), he once again proved that he is a ‘trend’ by reaching the top spot in succession at the India Open (Super 750).

In particular, the part that left a strong impression on Chinese fans was the confrontation with Wang Ziyi, a leading Chinese player. In the last two competitions, Ahn Se-young did not lose the initiative against world number 2 Wang Zhiyi and showed a high-quality performance. In this process, the assessment that “Ahn Se-young is the center of women’s badminton right now” is naturally spreading among Chinese media and fans.

Chinese media’s promotional methods create a strange scene where boundaries and respect coexist. Ahn Se-young is still China’s strongest competitor, but at the same time, she is being consumed as a global icon who shines at the competition. This is even more contrasting considering the Chinese sports media environment, where promotion centered on domestic athletes is common.

The Asian team exhibition to be held in Qingdao is expected to go beyond a simple continental competition and become another stage to gauge Ahn Se-young’s current status and influence. With China reaching out first and shining the spotlight, attention is focused on what kind of reaction Ahn Se-young’s performance on the court will elicit.