Korean Badminton: Record Run & Kumamoto Masters Quarterfinals

Korean Duo Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho Aim for Historic 10th Title at Kumamoto Masters

The world’s top-ranked men’s doubles team, Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho of South Korea, advanced too the quarterfinals of the 2025 Kumamoto Masters (Super 500) on Thursday, continuing their dominant season and fueling speculation about a potential record-tying tenth championship. Their extraordinary run also sets up an intriguing race against fellow Korean badminton star, Ahn Se-young, to reach 10 international gold medals first.

The pair, representing Samsung Life Insurance, secured their quarterfinal berth with a decisive 2-0 (21-11, 21-18) victory over fellow Koreans Jin Yong and Na Seong-seung, ranked 35th in the world, at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium in Japan. This followed a similarly straightforward 2-0 win against japan’s Masayuki Onodera and Daigo Tanioka in the round of 32, demonstrating their consistent form throughout the tournament.

Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho quickly established control in their match against Jin Yong and Na Seong-seung, winning the first game with a commanding 21-11 score. While the second game proved more competitive, featuring a fierce rally, the Korean duo ultimately prevailed 21-18, closing out the match in 33 minutes. They will now face Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi, ranked 52nd, in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Formed in January of last year,Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho have rapidly ascended to the pinnacle of men’s doubles badminton,achieving a world No. 1 ranking in an astonishingly short period. They have already secured nine international titles this year, beginning with a victory at the Malaysia Open in January. This was followed by triumphs at the German Open in February, the All England Open in March, the Indonesia Open in June, the Japan open in July, and the World Championships in Paris in August – earning them the title of ‘world champions.’ Their winning streak continued with victories at the China Masters and Korea Open in September, and the French Open last month.

Did you know? – Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho’s rapid rise to No. 1 is unusual. Most top teams take several years to reach the pinnacle of the sport, but they did it in under two years.

By claiming the French Open title, seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho surpassed previous records held by Lee Yong-dae and Yoo Yeon-seong, Kim Dong-moon and Ha Tae-kwon, and Park Joo-bong and Kim Moon-soo, all of whom achieved seven or eight wins in a single season. A win at the Kumamoto masters woudl see them equal the all-time record of 10 championships in a year for a men’s doubles team.

The race to 10 gold medals is also heating up with Ahn Se-young, the world’s top-ranked women’s singles player. Ahn Se-young has also secured nine gold medals in 13 international competitions this year, but has opted to sit out the Kumamoto Masters due to concerns about physical fatigue.should Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho win the Kumamoto Masters, they would surpass Ahn Se-young and reach the coveted 10-title mark first. “.

Pro tip: – Badminton doubles relies heavily on communication. Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho’s success is attributed to their seamless coordination and understanding on the court.

The rapid success of Seo seung-jae and Kim Won-ho…

Why: The article details the pursuit of a record-tying tenth championship in a single year by the Korean men’s doubles team, Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho. It also highlights their competition with Ahn Se-young for the most international gold medals won in a year.

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