30th October 2025 – (Hong Kong) Hong Kong actress Larine Tang has drawn attention after announcing online that she had travelled to Malaysia and won a bronze medal while representing Hong Kong in taekwondo, a move that quickly prompted a formal rebuttal from the city’s recognised governing association for the sport. Tang, known for action roles in recent years, has trained in martial arts beyond her studies under the Snake-Crane Wing Chun lineage and has branched into taekwondo with the ambition of competing. In posts shared on social media, she presented herself in a uniform bearing the Hong Kong emblem and posed with the regional flag at the airport before her trip, stating that she had added a new role beyond acting by joining the Hong Kong taekwondo team and competing at an Asian event in Malaysia. The 27-year-old performer, celebrated as a screen favourite in local cinema, also uploaded images from the competition venue and celebratory messages noting a bronze medal finish.
Amid the online fanfare, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China member body recognised for the sport, the Hong Kong, China Taekwondo Association, issued a stern statement on 30th October. The association reiterated that it is the only authorised national federation for taekwondo and holds responsibility for selecting and dispatching athletes to the Olympics, Asian Games, National Games, and world or continental competitions. It underscored that no members of an official Hong Kong, China taekwondo team had been sent recently to any world or Asian events that are not sanctioned by World Taekwondo or the Asian Taekwondo Union. The association further clarified that it has no connection with any other organisations referenced in public discussion and reserved the right to pursue action against individuals or groups disseminating inaccurate information that could cause loss.
Event materials from Malaysia showed Tang contesting in red against a local athlete in blue during the bronze-medal bout, and further photographs captured her with overseas participants and teammates. Tournament organisers supplied images of her medal moment, portraying her debut abroad under the Hong Kong banner. Screenshots of her original social media post circulated widely, reinforcing her claim of having competed for Hong Kong and sparking debate about the status of the team she accompanied.
Details emerging from the Malaysian trip suggest the delegation with Tang was led by a body calling itself the China Hong Kong Traditional Taekwondo Association. The event, the 11th Putrajaya Taekwon-Do Challenge 2025, took place in mid-October in Putrajaya, West Malaysia. According to accounts shared publicly, Tang took bronze in the A18 women’s black belt under-48kg category at her first appearance.
Tang’s evolution from film sets to competitive mats has been a recurring theme in her recent public persona, with training footage and photos underlining the crossover from screen choreography to regulated competition. Her Malaysia images included scenes at the airport with teammates in uniforms showing the regional emblem and group photos in front of the Hong Kong flag, reinforcing the impression of an official team. Fans responded with congratulatory notes, while some commentators questioned the nature of the event and the authority under which the team travelled.
