A year ago, Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yu Jung reached the pinnacle of their careers, winning the World Championships title. Additionally, Seo Seung Jae claimed a second gold medal in the men’s doubles with partner Kang Min Hyuk.
On Friday, the Korean World Champions felt the agony of exiting the Olympics without a medal as they lost the bronze medal match to Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino.
While Seo tried to stay brave, Chae couldn’t hold back her tears, struggling to accept that this was her and her partner’s final match together.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed with the result,” said the senior partner, Chae, who took responsibility for the loss. “We weren’t in our best condition before the match, but I believe athletes need to cope with that, so it’s not an excuse. This was my last match with Seung Jae, and I wanted to achieve a good result, so it’s disappointing for me. I feel very sad because it’s my last match. I wanted to lead because I’m older and more experienced, but I think I didn’t fulfill my role, and I’m sad about that.”
The World Champions were unexpectedly defeated in the semifinals by a pair they had never lost to in five previous matches — their young compatriots, Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun. The 77-minute loss took a significant physical and mental toll, as the World Champions struggled to maintain their footing in the bronze medal match.
“It’s hard to say we weren’t affected by the previous match because it was a tough game, but we gave it our all, so in that sense, we’re satisfied with our performance and the energy we showed,” Seo Hyun Hee said.
“We didn’t carry the disappointment of the semifinals into the last match; we just tried to focus on playing each point well. Obviously, we were tired, but we still tried to play each point well.
“We gave everything; I did my best, so I’m satisfied with my effort.”
Kim Won-ho’s family will be adding another medal to their illustrious collection.
28 years after Gil Young-ah completed her set of Olympic medals, her son Kim Won-ho is set to ensure that the family collection grows. The only question is: what color will the medal be?
Gil Young-ah is one of only three badminton players to have won a complete set of medals. She earned a bronze in women’s doubles at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, a gold in mixed doubles, and a silver in women’s doubles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Her son Kim Won-ho, partnered with Jeong Na-eun in mixed doubles, is making his Olympic debut. He chose the perfect occasion to reach the most important final of his career. In the semifinals, the unseeded pair faced their compatriots and world champions Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung, winning a thrilling match 21-16, 20-22, 23-21.
Kim Won-ho has been aware of his mother’s heroic performances on the court since he was a child, and he knows how significant his achievement is:
“Ever since I saw her win the gold medal as a child, I’ve dreamed of the Olympics, always imagining what it would feel like if it actually happened. But I never thought it would really come true. Now that it has happened, I will accept it wholeheartedly and face my final challenge without any regrets.”
Did he seek any advice from her during the Olympics?
“First, she told me that the Olympics are a gift from heaven. She said, ‘You have done your best, so you just need to accept that fact.’
“When I call her, I tell her, ‘From now on, I am no longer Gil Young-ah’s son; instead, you will be known as Kim Won-ho’s mother.’”
Standing on the other side of the net in the final is another pair aiming to extend their own legendary status—Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, three-time world champions and Olympic silver medalists, now just one match away from the only major title that has eluded them.
They issued an ominous warning to their final opponents.
“We have a strong will and have prepared thoroughly,” said Zheng after the Chinese pair defeated Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino 21-14, 21-15. “We are very satisfied with our performance today. From start to finish, we never lost focus.”
“This final is just the beginning for us. Our goal is the gold medal. We failed last time, so we are well-prepared this time. Tomorrow is the real start for us.”
Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino dramatically turned the tide, dealing a devastating blow to Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, advancing to the mixed doubles semifinals of the 2024 Paris Open.
The Japanese pair repeated their Tokyo Olympics performance at the same stage, but the pattern of the match was entirely different. The Thai duo had a strong momentum and a clear lead, but Watanabe and Higashino gradually closed the gap. After they took the lead and won the first game, the Thai pair’s challenge suddenly collapsed with a score of 23-21, 21-14.
“I’m very happy, but I want to achieve even better results,” Watanabe said. “Three years ago (at the Olympics), we lost in the semifinals, so we want to perform better this time.”
The fourth seeds will face top seeds Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, who moved one step closer to the only major title they have yet to win. Zheng and Huang defeated compatriots Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping with a score of 21-16, 21-15.
“Even though it was a quarterfinal, the intensity of the match was like a final,” Zheng said. “We lost to Dongping at the last Olympics; she knows how to play at the Olympics, so we did a lot of preparation. We knew today’s match would be tough, so we’re very happy to have won this game.”
In the lower half of the draw, World Champions Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yoo-jung easily defeated Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet. They will next face compatriots Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun, who shattered Malaysia’s hopes by defeating Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei with a score of 21-19, 21-14.
Yu Jung Chae (Hangul: 채유정, May 9, 1995) is a South Korean female badminton player. Her mother is the South Korean badminton player Kim Bok-seon.
In October 2013, Choi Eui-dong appeared at the World Junior Badminton Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, where Korea won the gold medal in the first mixed team event; in women’s doubles, she was paired with Kim Ji-gwon three times, and finally reached the final, defeating the Chinese duo to be crowned women’s doubles champions. In Mixed Doubles, she and Choi were defeated by the Chinese team in the semifinals, but she became the “double champion” of this year’s World Youth Championships.
In December 2013, Choi and Choi played in the Vietnam Grand Prix badminton tournament. In the mixed doubles final, facing the tournament’s No. 3 seed, Chinese Taipei’s Liao Minjung / Chen Xiaohuan, a three-set battle to beat their opponents 2-1 (22-20, 19-21, 21-14), but also since the two people work together for the first adult championships.
In January 2015, Eugene Choi teamed up with Kim Chi-waki and Choi Rate-kyu in the Thailand Badminton International Challenge, respectively. In the women’s doubles, the pair took on the tournament’s top seed and hosts Dang Kiatnong Alun Gesong/Kyung Chakra Worawit Chichichai Kyo and were defeated in straight sets, 0-2 (17-21, 19-21). As for the mixed doubles, they turned back Malaysia’s Tan Chik Yuen/Lai Kit Min in the final 2-1 (18-21, 21-19, 21-12) to win the international series for the first time.
In November 2015, Cai Yuding and Shin Baek Che went on to play in the Macau Badminton Golden Grand Prix. Taking on teammates Hyung Rate Kyu/Yim Hye Won in the Mixed Doubles final, the former knocked off the tournament’s No. 7 seeds, Ronald Alexander/Melati Dajwa Oktaviani of Indonesia, to wrap up the title final early for South Korea. The two battled it out, eventually winning 2-0 (21-18, 21-13) in a light victory, the first title for the pair since they teamed up.
In September 2016, Eugene Choi teamed up with Kim Cho-Young to play in the Indonesia Badminton Masters. In the women’s doubles final, they faced the tournament’s No. 3 seed and Thailand’s top pair of Jongkornphan Jiditrakong/Rawinda Bazongya, and defeated their opponents 2-1 (21-18, 22-20, 21-14), which was also the first title since the two teamed up.
In May 2017, Choi Eui-jung was named to the main mixed doubles roster of the Korean team for the Sudirman Cup. She helped Korea win the Sudirman Cup team title in the final against China.
In May 2018, Choi Eui-dong and Seo Seung-jae played in the Australian Open Badminton Championships. In the mixed doubles final, she performed even better against the tournament’s No. 7 seed and Olympic runners-up, the Malaysian pair of Chan Byung Soon/Goh Liu Ying, thwarting their opponents 2-0 (21-12, 23-21) to win their first title together.
In August 2023, Eugene Choi and Seo Seung-Jae won the World Badminton Championships, defeating Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong in the Mixed Doubles final 21-17,11-21,21-18.
In September 2023, Choi won her first career 1,000 mixed doubles title with Seo Seung-Jae, defeating France’s Gikel/Del Rue 21-19,21-12 in the final.
World Ranking – MixedDoubles 3, Week 30, 2024
Olympic Points – Mixed Doubles 4, 92693 points
Finals Ranking – Mixed Doubles 19, 37500 points
Equipment Used
BG-80; VBS-66 NANO; AC-102C; JETSPEED S 12 F; NANOFLARE 700; JETSPEED S 11; NANOFLARE 700 New Color; 75TH AERUS Z; HYPERNANO X 900; SH-P9200DX
Major Achievements
Singapore Open Badminton Championships 2024 Mixed Doubles Quarter-finals
2024 Asian Badminton Championships Mixed Doubles Runner-up
2024 French Open Mixed Doubles Runner-up
2023 Badminton World Finals Mixed Doubles Quarter-finals
2023 China Shenzhen Badminton Masters Mixed Doubles Runner-up
2023 Kumamoto Badminton Masters Mixed Doubles Quarter-finals, Japan
