“I really didn’t know we would win and couldn’t even imagine it,” Kim Yoo-jung said. The world No. 31 pair of Kim and Lee Yu-rim staged a dramatic comeback Thursday to reach the semifinals of the 2026 BWF World Tour Korea Open Super 500 in Yeosu.
Kim and Lee, who play for Samsung Life Insurance, defeated China’s Li Yijing and Wang Yiduo, the world No. 93 pair, 2-1 (17-21, 21-8, 22-20) in the women’s doubles quarterfinals at Jinam Gymnasium. After dropping the opening game, the Korean duo won the next two, with the decider going to deuce before they sealed the victory.
A Racket Thrown, Then Composure Regained
The most precarious moment came in the third game’s closing stages. Trailing after consecutive errors, the Korean pair faced a contentious call when a ball that appeared to land on the line was overturned to out. Kim admitted she threw her racket in frustration. “I thought I had hit it and it was in, because I saw the linesman make the call, but then the umpire suddenly overturned it to out. Without thinking, I just threw my racket,” she said.
But the pair quickly regained their composure. “There was only one point left anyway. I thought if I didn’t stay calm there, it would be the same. We told each other not to be swayed by the call, to forget it and start again,” Kim said. Lee added that she calmed her partner down, saying, “The score had already gone past, so it couldn’t be changed. We have to forget it and start again.”
First Super 500 Semifinal for the New Pair
Kim and Lee, who formed their partnership this year, have enjoyed a steep rise. They reached the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters in January, won the Indonesia International Challenge in August, and claimed their first World Tour title at the Vietnam Open in September. Thursday’s win marked their first semifinal appearance at a Super 500 event.
Kim credited their improvement to greater speed and steadier defense, while Lee noted they had reduced their errors. “I couldn’t have come this far alone. My sister has guided and encouraged me, and we leaned on each other,” Kim said.
Only Korean Women’s Doubles Pair Left
Kim and Lee are now the sole Korean women’s doubles team remaining in the tournament after compatriots Kim Hye-jeong and Lee Yeon-woo lost to Japan’s Rui Hirokami and Sayaka Hobara. They will face China’s Chen Fangtong and Luo Xumin, the world No. 66 pair, in Friday’s semifinal with a place in the final on the line.
Both players thanked the fans who traveled to Yeosu. “Thank you so much for coming all the way to Yeosu. We won today thanks to your support, and we hope you will cheer for us in the semifinal and final too,” Kim said. Lee promised: “There is no pressure. Yu-jung and I reached a Super 500 semifinal for the first time. We told each other to enjoy today and it worked out well. I want to enjoy tomorrow as well.”
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