Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho advanced to the men’s doubles final at the 2026 BWF World Tour Korea Open, moving within one win of their title in seven months, newspim.com reported. The South Korean pair defeated Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun 2–0 (21–17, 21–17) in the semifinals at Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu.
Semifinal Victory Over Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun
The semifinal match lasted 39 minutes. Seo and Kim entered the tournament having won all six of their previous encounters against the Malaysian duo, who won the French Open title last month.
In the opening game, the South Korean pair fell behind 3–11 at the first interval after conceding five consecutive points and struggling against fast front-court attacks. They responded with a five-point run to reclaim the lead at 14–13, eventually closing out the game 21–17 following opponent unforced errors.
The second game presented similar early struggles as Seo and Kim dropped to a 2–6 deficit. Mid-game defense and court rotation narrowed the margin. Kim retrieved a shuttlecock while losing his balance to spark a rally, and later ran off the court to change a broken racket while Seo defended alone. Kim returned to the court to execute a decisive smash for a point, helping secure a 21–17 victory in the second game.
Chasing the Title Since April
Seo and Kim secured 11 tournament victories last year, setting a joint record for most men’s doubles titles in a single season. Their 2026 campaign began with wins at the Malaysia Open, the All England Open, and the Badminton Asia Championships.
However, the pair experienced a title drought following their April victory at the Asian Championships, going winless across nine international appearances and falling short at the World Championships and the Asian Games. They last reached a final in July at the China Open, where they finished as runners-up.
Korea Open Final Matchup
Seo and Kim entered the Korea Open seeking to defend their title from the previous year and claim their fourth trophy of the season. In the final, they face the winner of the semifinal match between compatriots Kang Min-hyuk and Lee Jong-min and Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi.
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