'Japan's Badminton Goddess' Explodes with Idol-Level Popularity, Showered with Praise After Winning Gold in Korea... "Continuously Evolving"

*This content was translated by AI.

Maya Taguchi (21), a top prospect of Japanese badminton who has gained popularity for her 'idol-level' beauty, proved both her skills and appearance by topping an international tournament held in Korea.

The Japanese media outlet 'The Answer' reported on the 10th that "after Yuta Watanabe-Maya Taguchi won the mixed doubles title at Badminton Korea Masters, Taguchi's message of gratitude to fans has sparked explosive reactions both domestically and internationally."

The Watanabe-Taguchi pair defeated South Korea's Kim Jae-hyun-Jang Ha-jung 2-0 in sets at the Victor Korea Masters 2026 mixed doubles final held on the 9th in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, securing the gold medal. This victory followed their triumph at the Taipei Open final on the 2nd, marking back-to-back international tournament wins over two weeks.

Immediately after the match, Taguchi shared a photo of herself holding the gold medal on her personal social networking service (SNS), stating, "Thank you for your support. The World Championships are next. I will do my best."

Once the post was made, praise poured in not only from Japanese fans but also from international supporters. According to 'The Answer,' Japanese netizens left enthusiastic comments such as "She's continuously evolving, amazing," "Congratulations on back-to-back wins," and "Keep pushing for victory at the next tournament." Given Taguchi's striking resemblance to NewJeans' Hani, which had already sparked major buzz in Korea, congratulatory messages flooded in not only in Japanese but also in Korean, English, Chinese, and other languages.

Previously, Taguchi had established herself as a top favorite among fans in both South Korea and Japan thanks to her cute appearance and pure aura. Whenever daily photos of her visiting her usual sports stores or images sponsored by equipment partners were posted on official SNS accounts, explosive reactions like "Her face is so small" and "A real angel has descended" propelled her into the upper ranks of portal site news articles, sparking a widespread phenomenon.

Beyond her looks, Taguchi is also considered Japan's most anticipated top-tier talent in badminton. Rising as a next-generation ace after winning the gold medal in women's doubles at the 2023 World Junior Championships, she has partnered with veteran Yuta Watanabe, who won consecutive Olympic bronze medals in two Games since 2024. Following their victory at the Singapore International Challenge in March, they continued their momentum by conquering this Korea Masters, maintaining their trajectory toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

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*This content was translated by AI.