Korean Sports Duos: 2025 Partnership Predictions

If you look at the dazzling performances of sports stars, there are fantastic partners who shine as much as the glory they achieved alone. The famous scenes that could not have been completed alone became a decisive move that was made possible because we trusted and moved with each other. The ‘duos’ that lit up Korean sports this year are also powerful. The passing and breathing exchanged with perfect timing on the court, field, and rink, and the eye contact that communicates even without speaking, feels like watching a touching drama. Let’s take a look at sports duos who have made a name for themselves in Korea by leaving a lasting impression on the international stage thanks to their synergy.

You may remember the table tennis player who was in the sports news headlines every day during the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics. Shin Yu-bin is the youngest member of the national table tennis team, the undisputed No. 1 player in Korea, and No. 12 in the world, with monster-like skills that are at odds with her cute appearance, just like her nickname ‘Beep.’ He is a star player with a bright future ahead of him due to his clever play and top-notch serving ability, but his true colors are revealed when he is with a partner. Shin Yu-bin’s partner is left-handed shakehander ‘Spiderman’ Lim Jong-hoon. He is also ranked 30th in the world in singles, but when the two play mixed doubles, his ranking rises to 2nd in the world. Their main scoring pattern is when right-hander Shin Yu-bin catches the opponent off guard with a sophisticated backhand and creates a chance, and left-hander Lim Jong-hoon, who is excellent at making decisions, finishes it off with a powerful and unpredictable drive.

Shin Yu-bin-Lim Jong-hoon

On the table tennis world stage, China has been positioned as a huge, insurmountable wall, like its nickname ‘The Great Wall of China’. For 21 years, Korean table tennis has suffered the bitter taste of defeat whenever it meets China in the finals. However, in the mixed doubles final of the WTT (World Table Tennis) Finals held in December this year, the duo of Shin Yu-bin and Lim Jong-hoon created a new history by completely defeating the Chinese pair of Wang Chu-jin and Su Ying-sha 3-0. In particular, in the previous semifinals, they showed off their skills as ‘Chinese killers’ by defeating China’s Lin Shidong-Kwaiman, the world’s No. 1 mixed doubles team, 3-1. The duo of Shin Yu-bin, who is only 21 years old, and Lim Jong-hoon, 28, who is still active. I’m looking forward to seeing how far the two’s activities will continue.

Wonho Kim – Seungjae Seo

This time it’s the world’s No. 1 duo. These are badminton doubles players Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae. The season reached its peak by being selected as the Men’s Doubles Team of the Year at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Final Gala Dinner. In terms of performance, they also proved their skills by repeatedly winning and advancing to the finals in major world tours at the Super 1000 and Super 750 levels. In addition, they achieved a high score for the federation by ensuring quick transitions, stable defense, and the completeness of the combination team. According to BWF, he was evaluated as having raised the standard for men’s doubles not only through short-term explosiveness or match performance, but also through performance throughout the entire year. Their characteristic is that they manage the flow of the game stably with a clear structure in which Kim Won-ho maintains balance in front of the net and on defense, and Seo Seung-jae is responsible for powerful smashes and developments in the back line. In fact, Korean doubles has maintained its competitiveness on the world stage for a long time. This year has been a year in which the two players once again proved the power of Korean badminton.

Jo Gyu-seong – Lee Han-beom

In the 2010s, it was difficult to find Koreans playing overseas soccer, especially high-level European soccer. You can tell just by looking at the nickname of Ji-Sung Park, who paved the way for the player to advance into the European league, that he is the father of overseas soccer, ‘Haebeoji.’ In the past 10 years, there have been many world-class players in Korea, such as Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, and Kim Min-jae, but it is rare to see Korean players playing as a duo on one team. That precious Korean duo is in the Danish Superliga. Midtjylland’s Cho Kyu-seong and Lee Han-beom are sweeping the field with the nickname ‘Super Korean Duo’. Gyu-seong Cho is a center forward, and Han-beom Lee is a center back, and they are in charge of Midtjylland’s front line and back line, respectively. These two players are playing full-time games or performing outstandingly enough to be called Midtjylland’s core strength. In the first leg of the Denmark Cup quarterfinals on the 5th, Lee Han-beom assisted on the first goal and Cho Kyu-seong scored with a fantastic header, both raising attack points. Thanks to the performance of the two players, Midtjylland is currently ranked 2nd in the league, closely following 1st place. Thanks to these two players, I feel confident about the 2026 North and Central America World Cup.

Jo Gyu-seong – Lee Han-beom