Paris Olympic gold medalist An Se-young is surrounded by reporters upon her arrival at Incheon International Airport, Tuesday. Newsis

Badminton star An Se-young returned home after competing in her first international tournament following the 2024 Paris Olympics.

An's appearance at the BWF World Tour Super 750 Denmark Open ended with a runner-up finish, but it wasn't just her performance on the court that drew attention.

Upon her return to Incheon International Airport, Tuesday, An's interactions with the national team staff, including head coach Kim Hak-kyun, were scrutinized closely.

This was her first appearance after voicing concerns about the management of the national team and the Badminton Korea Association, which she openly criticized following the Olympics.

Similar to her departure for the tournament, An exited the arrival gate at the airport separately from the coaching staff.

During the Denmark Open, viewers noticed a subtle but visible tension between An and the coaching team, particularly with coach Kim Hak-kyun and coach Sung Ji-hyun. During timeouts, An was seen avoiding conversations with the coaching staff, which added to the speculation.

International media outlets also reported on the unusual interactions. Some noted that An appeared to avoid eye contact with coach Sung and seemed to disregard some of her instructions during matches.

The situation gained further attention when Kim Taek-gyu, president of the Badminton Korea Association, testified before the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, saying, "I heard that An Se-young did not greet the coaches, even upon arriving in Denmark."

When pressed by reporters at the airport about the alleged rift, An remained tight-lipped. She offered a brief response, saying, "I don't have much to say," before boarding her team's bus.

Coach Kim, who arrived earlier, commented on the situation, acknowledging the need for more communication. "It's still a time when we need to approach her and talk," he said. "We'll resolve this gradually. There's a lot both sides need to do, so please be patient."

Kim Hak-kyun, badminton head coach who participated in the BWF World Tour Super 750 Denmark Open with An Se-young, answers questions from reporters upon his arrival at Incheon International Airport, Tuesday. Yonhap

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.