At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, South Korea secured a badminton campaign highlighted by An Se-young’s successful title defense in the women’s singles and a dramatic gold medal in the women’s doubles, prompting praise from Japanese media outlets and competitors alike.
An Se-young Defends Singles Crown Against Yamaguchi
On Sept. 29, 2026, at the Ichinomiya City Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, South Korea’s An Se-young claimed the women’s singles gold medal by defeating Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the final. Yamaguchi acknowledged the result in post-match remarks reported by sportschosun.com, stating, “I played as best as I could in my own way. I don’t think I can say it couldn’t be helped as an athlete, but I think I have no choice but to say it can’t be helped right now. I think it’s really wonderful for me that there is an athlete who can move forward.” The victory marked An’s second Asian Games singles gold following her 2023 triumph in Hangzhou.
Baek Hana and Lee So-hee Triumph in Doubles Marathon
In the women’s doubles final, South Korea’s Baek Hana and Lee So-hee faced the top-ranked pair in a match lasting 1 hour and 51 minutes. According to reporting from sportschosun.com citing the Japanese badminton publication Badminton Spirit, the opening game spanned a grueling 41-minute battle that went to China before the South Korean duo claimed the second game. The final game saw both pairs battling exhaustion on the court before Baek and Lee sealed the victory without late errors.
Medal Haul Bolstered by Singles and Doubles Bronze Finishes
South Korea concluded the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games badminton competition with two gold medals and three bronze medals. Alongside the singles and doubles titles, the delegation secured bronze medals in the women’s team event, the men’s doubles pairing of Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, and the men’s singles run by Yu Taebin. Yu advanced to the semifinals before falling to Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew; because the tournament does not hold a separate third-place playoff, Yu was awarded a bronze medal alongside the other semifinal loser.
Japanese Media Highlights Korean Dominance
Japanese outlet Badminton Spirit published an extensive review of the tournament on Sept. 30, 2026, noting the strength of the South Korean team across multiple divisions. The publication observed that Yamaguchi encountered an insurmountable barrier in the singles final, while describing the women’s doubles final as the most intensely contested match of the five championship bouts due to its prolonged rallies and physical toll on the athletes.
