*This content was translated by AI.
"I want to win gold medals in all events I compete in."
Shin Yu-bin (22), a top star of South Korean table tennis, is now stepping forward not just as a table tennis player but as the face of the entire South Korean delegation at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The South Korean national table tennis team departed for Nagoya, Japan, the decisive venue, on the morning of the 17th via Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport. They boarded the plane after attending the Korea Table Tennis Association's departure ceremony and the main delegation's send-off event earlier that morning.
Notably, Shin Yu-bin took the lead as the front runner for the South Korean delegation on this day. Speaking in an interview with Seon Su (CEO), Shin stated, "I want to win gold medals in all events I compete in. We will combine our efforts with teammates to achieve good results."
Shin Yu-bin will serve as a flag bearer leading the delegation at the opening ceremony to be held on the 19th at Nagoya Mizuho Stadium, carrying the national flag. She will also lead the Han Guk-eul (CEO) team during the opening ceremony. This scene reflects Shin's stature as she has grown into a top star of South Korean table tennis after winning gold in women's doubles at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and bronze medals in women's singles and mixed doubles at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Shin Yu-bin's role is absolutely crucial at this Asian Games as well. Starting with the women's team event, she will compete in all four events: women's singles, women's doubles with partner Ju Cheon-hee (24, Samsung Life), and mixed doubles with partner Im Jong-hoon (29, Korea Exchange).
Regarding her new women's doubles partnership with Ju Cheon-hee, Shin said, "We haven't had much time to synchronize yet, so there are still parts where we don't know each other well. However, opposing players probably haven't fully figured out our combination either. I want to produce results commensurate with our training."
She did not focus solely on specific rivals despite competition from strong nations like China. Shin emphasized, "I am not thinking about just one country. Players from other countries are all strong. I will do my best in every match starting from the first game."
The most anticipated medal event is undoubtedly mixed doubles. Shin Yu-bin and Im Jong-hoon have already established themselves as a world-class pair. Shin, known for her fast offensive play and exceptional touch, and Im, who stands out with stable match management utilizing his left hand, have honed their synergy over a long period to maximize each other's strengths.
They won consecutive bronze medals at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games (held in 2023) and the 2024 Paris Olympics, then grew even further afterward. At the end of last year's WTT Finals and this year's US Smash, they defeated China's top players one after another to claim the championship, raising expectations for a gold medal at this Asian Games.
Shin Yu-bin also has unfinished business left over from Hangzhou. Although she and Jeon Hee-hee (34) reached the women's doubles summit there, bringing an Asian Games gold medal to South Korean table tennis for the first time in 21 years, both her partner and combination have changed this time. She aims for the highest podium spot in both women's singles and team events.
This tournament also holds great significance for the entire national team. At the previous Hangzhou Asian Games, South Korea won a total of eight medals across all events they entered: one gold, two silver, and five bronze, including a gold medal in women's doubles.
The Lee Beon (CEO) team is composed of 10 players in total, with five men and five women. The Yeo Ja (CEO) team will test the competitiveness of new combinations centered around Shin Yu-bin and Ju Cheon-hee, while the Nam Ja (CEO) team combines experienced international players with young talent to join forces.
Table tennis matches will be held from the 20th to the 28th at Sky Hall Toyota in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Starting with group stage matches for men's and women's team events on the 20th, the schedule includes the team finals on the 24th, mixed doubles finals on the 26th, men's doubles and women's singles finals on the 27th, and finally women's doubles and men's singles finals on the 28th.
South Korean table tennis has won a total of 96 medals at Asian Games throughout history: 11 gold, 31 silver, and 54 bronze. This time, they are within reach of the symbolic milestone of their 100th career medal. And right at the forefront of this challenge stands Shin Yu-bin, leading the delegation.
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*This content was translated by AI.
