"Banana Mukbang Is Also Cute"... Shin Yubin's Every Move Continues to Be a Hot Topic

4-0 Victory Over Lily Zhang in Women's Singles Round of 16
Food Intake Before and After Match Shared Online

Shin Yu-bin, a member of the Korean table tennis team who brought home an Olympic medal after 12 years, is gaining attention for her 'banana mukbang.' Netizens reacted with comments like "so cute" as they watched her replenish energy by eating a banana during the match. On the 31st of last month, numerous videos of Shin Yu-bin consuming food to restore stamina before and after matches were uploaded to online communities. Especially, her banana-eating scenes became popular. Netizens commented, "Really cute. Hope she appears on broadcasts even after retirement," and "It would be great if she starred in a banana commercial."

On the 30th of last month (local time), at the South Paris Arena 4 in Paris, France, during the bronze medal match of the mixed doubles table tennis event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Korean player Shin Yubin is eating a banana before facing Hong Kong's Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On that day, at South Paris Arena 4 in Paris, France, during the women's singles round of 32 at the '2024 Paris Olympics,' Shin Yu-bin ate a banana just before the match started. In this match, Shin defeated Hungary's Georgina P?ta 4-1 to secure a spot in the round of 16. Later, on the 1st (Korean time) at South Paris Arena in France, Shin advanced to the semifinals by beating the United States' Lily Zhang 4-0 in the women's singles round of 16 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She will compete against Miu Hirano (ranked 13th, Japan) in the quarterfinals held at 7 p.m. that day, vying for a place in the semifinals. Shin Yu-bin and Hirano are tied with one win each in their head-to-head record.

If Shin Yu-bin defeats Hirano, she will face the winner of the match between Chen Meng (ranked 4th, China) and Sofia Polcanova (ranked 23rd, Austria) in the semifinals. Winning there guarantees her a silver medal, while losing will lead her to compete for the bronze medal in the third-place playoff. With just two more wins, Shin Yu-bin will earn the honor of medaling in Olympic singles for the first time. The last Korean player to win a medal in Olympic women's singles was Kim Kyung-ah, who took bronze at the 2004 Athens Games 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, it is common to see athletes eating bananas due to their benefits. Bananas are nutrient-dense fruits rich in various vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. The riper the banana, the more abundant it becomes in vitamin B complex, vitamins A and C, and useful minerals such as iron, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Additionally, the magnesium in bananas helps muscle movement and prevents cramps. Bananas are also good for relieving muscle fatigue after exercise. The carbohydrate content in bananas helps produce energy and effectively alleviates hunger.