An Se-young facts for kids

Quick facts for kids An Se-young 안세영
An Se-young in 2023
Personal information
Born	(2002-02-05) 5 February 2002 (age 24) Gwangju, South Korea
Height	1.70 m
Country	South Korea
Handedness	Right
Women's singles
Highest Ranking	1
Current Ranking	1
Medal record Women's badminton Representing  South Korea Olympic Games 2024 Paris Women's singles World Championships 2023 Copenhagen Women's singles 2026 New Delhi Women's singles Bronze 2022 Tokyo Women's singles Bronze 2025 Paris Women's singles Sudirman Cup 2023 Suzhou Mixed team 2025 Xiamen Mixed team Bronze 2021 Vantaa Mixed team Uber Cup 2022 Bangkok Women's team 2026 Horsens Women's team Bronze 2018 Bangkok Women's team Bronze 2020 Aarhus Women's team Bronze 2024 Chengdu Women's team Asian Games 2022 Hangzhou Women's singles 2022 Hangzhou Women's team 2026 Aichi–Nagoya Women's singles Bronze 2026 Aichi–Nagoya Women's team Asian Championships 2026 Ningbo Women's singles 2023 Dubai Women's singles Bronze 2022 Manila Women's singles Asia Team Championships 2026 Qingdao Women's team 2020 Manila Women's team Bronze 2018 Alor Setar Women's team World Junior Championships Bronze 2017 Yogyakarta Mixed team Asian Junior Championships 2017 Jakarta Mixed team

An Se-young is a superstar badminton player from South Korea. She won an Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the women's singles event. She also won the 2023 and 2026 World Championships. An became the very first South Korean woman to win that world crown. She has also won top honors at the famous Asian Games. She is known for her fast footwork, patience, and smart defense on the court.

Who is badminton champion An Se-young?

An playing badminton at the 2022 German Open

An Se-young was born on 5 February 2002 in the city of Gwangju, South Korea. When she was young, she loved moving fast and playing sports. Badminton became her main passion because it requires quick thinking and lightning-fast reflexes. Players hit a feathered shuttlecock across a net with light rackets. The shuttlecock flies very fast, so players must react in split seconds.

As a young girl, An practiced basic drills every single day. She practiced hitting clears, drops, smashes, and delicate net shots. She worked hard to build strong legs and great stamina. Her coaches saw that she never gave up during long rallies. Even when a rally lasted thirty shots, she remained calm. Her determination helped her stand out among young Korean players very quickly.

She joined junior tournaments and quickly showed her incredible talent. When she was thirteen years old, she played in the 2015 Asian Junior Championships. She reached the quarter-finals in both singles and doubles events. Later that year, she won the Korea Junior Open tournament. In 2016, she won several titles across Asia. She showed that hard practice leads to amazing results.

Rising through junior ranks to the national team

In 2017, An moved up to play against older teenagers in the under-19 group. She traveled with the Korean junior team to major international events. She helped her country win the mixed team event at the Asian Junior Championships. Later, she helped South Korea win a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships. She proved she could handle pressure against the best young players globally.

At age fifteen, An achieved something truly amazing. She was chosen for the senior South Korean national team. She became the first middle school student to earn a spot on this team. Professional adults train on this team, so making the team was historic. Her teammates and coaches were amazed by her mature and smart playing style.

In 2018, An traveled with the national team to Bangkok for the Uber Cup. The Uber Cup is a famous world team championship for female players. She helped her team capture a bronze medal. Later that year, she competed in Jakarta at the Asian Games. That same year, she won her first senior international title at the Irish Open. She defeated her fellow Korean teammate Kim Ga-eun in the final match.

Breakthrough seasons on the international stage

An playing against Sung Ji-hyun at the 2019 Chinese Taipei Open

The year 2019 was a huge breakthrough season for young An Se-young. She won her first BWF World Tour title at the New Zealand Open. In the final, she beat Olympic gold medalist Li Xuerui. Defeating an Olympic champion gave her great confidence for future matches. She proved that young players can challenge legendary athletes through discipline.

She kept winning more tournaments during that spectacular 2019 season. She won the Canada Open by defeating Wang Zhiyi of China. Then she won the Akita Masters in Japan by beating Haruko Suzuki. Next came a victory at the French Open against champion Carolina Marín. She finished the year winning the Korea Masters against veteran Sung Ji-hyun.

Her amazing success propelled her into the top ten world rankings. The BWF awarded her the 2019 Most Promising Player of the Year award. People all over the world recognized her as the sport's next superstar. Even when global sports paused in 2020, she worked on her physical fitness. She reached the final of the Thailand Masters before international travel stopped.

How An Se-young reached the top of world rankings

In 2021, An made her debut at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. She reached the quarter-finals before losing to top player Chen Yufei. An used that loss as motivation to train even harder. Later that fall, she reached the final of the Denmark Open. An finished runner-up to Japanese star Akane Yamaguchi during that great match.

Next, An traveled to Bali for three huge tournaments in a row. She won the Indonesia Masters by defeating Yamaguchi in straight sets. Then she captured the Indonesia Open title against Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon. Finally, she won the prestigious World Tour Finals against Indian star P. V. Sindhu. Winning three major tournaments in three weeks proved her world-class stamina.

The 2022 season brought more great titles for the South Korean star. She won the Korea Open against Pornpawee Chochuwong. She followed that with a victory at the Malaysia Masters against Chen Yufei. She also earned bronze medals at both the Asian Championships and World Championships. Most importantly, she led South Korea to win the team gold at the Uber Cup.

Dominating the world tour and reaching number one

The year 2023 was one of the most dominant seasons ever seen. An won the India Open against Akane Yamaguchi. She won the All England Open, a tournament famous worldwide for its long history. She also won the Singapore Open and the Japan Open. On 1 August 2023, she officially became the world number one player.

At the 2023 World Championships in Copenhagen, An made history for South Korea. She reached the final and beat Olympic champion Carolina Marín in straight sets. She became the first Korean player to win a world singles title. Shortly after, she won two gold medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. She won the team event and defeated Chen Yufei for singles gold.

The BWF named An the 2023 Female Player of the Year. She won eight tour titles out of ten finals that year. Her opponents found it nearly impossible to hit winning shots past her defense. She tracked down every shuttlecock with speedy footwork and perfect balance. Fans loved watching her never give up on any rally.

Winning Olympic gold in Paris

An entered the 2024 season focused on the Olympic Games in Paris. She started by winning the Malaysia Open against Taiwan's Tai Tzu-ying. She then won the French Open and the Singapore Open. Her steady performances made her the top favorite heading to France. She stayed focused on her lifelong dream of winning an Olympic gold medal.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, An played with amazing skill. In the gold medal match, she faced China's He Bingjiao. An controlled the match with precise drops and deep clears, winning 21–13, 21–16. She became the first South Korean woman to win singles gold since Bang Soo-hyun in 1996. After the Olympics, she won the China Masters title against Gao Fangjie.

Her great run continued into 2025 and 2026 with historic title runs. In 2025, she won eleven tour titles, matching a world record. She won the All England Open and the Indonesia Open. In 2026, she won the World Championships in New Delhi. She also helped South Korea recapture the Uber Cup team title. An has become an all-time badminton legend.

What makes An Se-young's playing style special?

Every badminton player has a unique style, but An is truly special. Many players rely solely on powerful smashes to score fast points. An plays like a master chess player on the badminton court. She reads her opponent's body language before the racket touches the shuttlecock. This sharp anticipation allows her to move early and save valuable energy.

Her defense is often described by sports experts as a brick wall. When opponents hit hard smashes toward the lines, An dives to return them. She gets back onto her feet instantly to prepare for the next shot. This frustrates opponents and forces them to make unforced errors. Her patience and calm breathing keep her steady during high-pressure moments.

In addition to defense, An possesses deceptive net play and accurate clears. She can flick her wrist quickly to send the shuttlecock deep into corners. Her high level of physical fitness lets her play long three-game matches without tiring. Young athletes study her footwork patterns to learn proper court movement and balance.

Major tournament achievements

An has earned dozens of medals playing for South Korea and in tour events. Here are her major results in world championship events and multi-sport games:

• Olympic Games: Gold medal in women's singles at the 2024 Paris Games.
• World Championships: Gold medals in 2023 and 2026; bronze medals in 2022 and 2025.
• Asian Games: Gold medal in singles in 2022 and 2026; gold in team event in 2022.
• Uber Cup: World women's team champion with South Korea in 2022 and 2026.
• Sudirman Cup: Silver medal with the mixed national team in 2023 and 2025.
• Asian Championships: Champion in 2026; silver medal in 2023; bronze medal in 2022.
• BWF World Tour: Winner of more than 35 international titles, including the prestigious All England Open.

Important lessons from An Se-young's journey

Young athletes around the world can learn important life lessons from An. First, she shows that consistent daily practice matters more than shortcuts. She spent hours doing simple footwork drills before becoming a champion. Even when training felt hard or repetitive, she kept practicing with joy.

Second, An shows how to bounce back from difficult losses and injuries. When she lost in the Tokyo Olympics, she did not quit. Instead, she studied videos of her matches to fix her mistakes. When she dealt with knee pain, she worked with doctors to recover safely. True champions use setbacks to learn, grow stronger, and build resilience.

Finally, An demonstrates great sportsmanship and respect on the court. She bows politely to her opponents, coaches, and match umpires after every battle. She celebrates her teammates' victories as happily as her own. Her humility, dedication, and positive attitude inspire millions of kids to play sports.