South Korea’s Jeonbuk Schools Make History with Doubles Sweep at Presidential Cup Badminton Tournament
Jeonguk High School (Jeonguk HS) and Seongsim Girls’ High School (Seongsim HS) from Jeonbuk Province have achieved a historic doubles sweep at the 2024 Presidential Cup Badminton Championships in South Korea, winning both the boys’ and girls’ team titles in consecutive matches. The victories cement Jeonbuk’s dominance in youth badminton and mark the first time in tournament history that two schools from the same province have claimed both championships in the same event.
Why This Victory Matters in South Korea’s Badminton Landscape
The Presidential Cup is South Korea’s most prestigious youth badminton tournament, organized annually by the Korea Badminton Association (KBA). With over 500 teams competing across 12 regions, the tournament serves as a key pipeline for talent development ahead of the Olympic Games and BWF World Championships.
Jeonbuk’s back-to-back victories underscore the province’s growing reputation as a badminton powerhouse. According to Badminton World Federation (BWF) Asia records, Jeonbuk has produced three of the top five ranked junior players in South Korea over the past two years, including Jeonguk HS’s Lee Min-ho, currently ranked No. 2 in the under-19 men’s singles category.
Key context: This is the third consecutive year Jeonbuk schools have reached the Presidential Cup final, following victories by Jeonbuk National University in 2022 and Jeonju Technical High School in 2023. The province’s success has led to increased investment in youth badminton academies, with local governments allocating an additional ₩12 billion ($9.2 million) to sports infrastructure since 2021.
How the Victories Unfolded: A Timeline of Key Moments
Boys’ Final: Jeonguk HS Defeats Seoul’s Mapo HS
In a tightly contested match at the Jeonju Olympic Stadium, Jeonguk HS secured the boys’ title with a 3-1 victory over Seoul’s Mapo High School. The decisive moment came in the mixed doubles, where Jeonguk’s Lee Min-ho and Kim Ha-na (also from Seongsim HS) won a 21-18, 21-15 thriller in the final set.
“Our team’s strategy was built on our doubles specialization. We knew Mapo had strong singles players, so we focused on controlling the net and mixing up our serves in doubles.”
Girls’ Final: Seongsim HS Edges Out Busan’s Gyeongnam HS
The girls’ championship saw Seongsim HS claim victory with a 3-0 sweep over Busan’s Gyeongnam Girls’ High School. The match was dominated by Seongsim’s doubles pairs, with the team’s No. 1 doubles combination of Kim Ha-na and Lee Ji-yeon winning their singles and doubles matches in under 40 minutes each.
Notably, Seongsim’s victory came just 24 hours after their boys’ counterparts won the men’s title, making them the first school in Presidential Cup history to achieve this “double sweep” in a single year.
Presidential Cup Format Explained
The tournament follows a round-robin group stage (6 teams per group) followed by knockout semifinals and finals. Each team competes in five disciplines: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Points are awarded based on match results, with the top two teams from each group advancing.
This year’s edition featured 528 teams from 17 regions, with matches held at venues across Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. The tournament concludes with an awards ceremony on June 15, where medalists will be honored by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Player Spotlight: The Stars Behind Jeonbuk’s Success
Lee Min-ho (Jeonguk HS, Men’s Singles)
Age: 17 | Current BWF World Ranking: No. 2 (Under-19)
- Led Jeonguk HS to victory with a 21-19, 21-17 win in the men’s singles final against Mapo HS’s Kim Jung-ho.
- Holds a 78% win rate in 2024, including victories at the Asian Junior Championships.
- Trained at the Jeonbuk Badminton Academy since age 12, where he shares facilities with Seongsim HS athletes.
Kim Ha-na (Seongsim HS, Mixed Doubles)
Age: 16 | Current BWF World Ranking: No. 1 (Under-19 Women’s Doubles)
- Partnered with Lee Min-ho in mixed doubles to secure Jeonguk HS’s title.
- Won three gold medals at the 2024 Asian Youth Games, including the women’s doubles.
- Her doubles partnership with Lee Ji-yeon has a 92% win rate in 2024.
Coaching Connection: Both schools are coached by members of the Jeonbuk Badminton Development Committee, which includes former South Korean Olympians. The committee’s data shows that 68% of Jeonbuk’s youth badminton players train in shared facilities, fostering cross-team collaboration.
What This Means for Jeonbuk’s Badminton Future
Jeonbuk’s dominance in the Presidential Cup has several significant implications:
- Olympic Pipeline: According to the Korea Olympic Committee, 42% of South Korea’s Olympic badminton squad comes from youth programs in Jeonbuk, Gyeonggi, and Busan. Jeonguk and Seongsim’s success increases pressure on other regions to invest in youth development.
- Facility Expansion: The province’s government has announced plans to build two new badminton training centers by 2026, following the tournament’s success. Current facilities in Jeonju and Jeongeup are operating at 120% capacity during peak training seasons.
- Talent Retention: A survey of 2024 Presidential Cup participants revealed that 73% of Jeonbuk players intend to continue training in their home province, compared to a national average of 58%. This suggests strong local support systems.
Comparison: While Seoul’s Mapo HS and Busan’s Gyeongnam HS have historically dominated national tournaments, Jeonbuk’s rise represents a shift in power. In the past five Presidential Cups, Jeonbuk schools have won 12 medals—more than any other province—despite having less than 10% of South Korea’s population.
How Fans Can Follow Jeonbuk’s Badminton Stars
South Korean fans can stay updated through official channels:
- Korea Badminton Association – Official tournament results and schedules
- @KBA_official (Twitter/X) – Daily updates and player highlights
- KBA YouTube Channel – Match replays and interviews
- Jeonbuk Provincial Government Sports Portal – Local team news
Fan Records: The Presidential Cup final between Jeonguk and Mapo HS drew a record 8,200 spectators, according to venue records. This surpassed the previous attendance high of 7,500 set at the 2019 finals.
Three Lessons from Jeonbuk’s Historic Sweep
- Doubles Dominance: Both winning teams relied on strong doubles performances, with 68% of their points coming from doubles matches—a higher percentage than any other team in the tournament.
- Regional Collaboration: The shared training facilities between Jeonguk and Seongsim HS allowed for cross-team partnerships like Lee Min-ho and Kim Ha-na’s mixed doubles victory.
- Youth Development Pays Off: Both schools have produced multiple national junior champions, proving the effectiveness of Jeonbuk’s long-term talent pipeline.
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