The South Korean badminton teams face contrasting paths in the team events at the upcoming 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, according to draw results detailed by Sports Chosun reporter Choi Man-sik on September 20, 2026. While the women’s squad secured a favorable seeding position in pursuit of back-to-back titles following their 2023 Hangzhou victory, the men’s team enters the tournament unseeded and faces a challenging opening trajectory.
Korean Women’s Badminton Team Targets Historic Repeat at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
According to Sports Chosun, the South Korean women’s team earned the third seed for the Asian Games team competition, bypassing the opening round alongside top-seeded China, second-seeded Japan, and fourth-seeded Taiwan. The squad is scheduled to compete in the quarterfinals on September 22 against the winner of the preliminary match between Hong Kong and Malaysia. A victory would advance the team to a projected semifinal clash against Japan on September 23, with a potential final against powerhouse China.
The roster features world No. 1 singles player An Se-young alongside the world No. 2 women’s doubles pair of Lee So-hee and Baek Hae-na. Head coach Park Joo-bong and team officials must navigate a forced lineup adjustment in the doubles division after Gong Hee-yong sustained an injury, leading to a pairing of veteran Kim Hye-jeong with rising star Lee Yeon-woo. If the women’s team secures the gold medal, An Se-young could become the first Korean badminton player to capture consecutive double titles at the Asian Games, building on historical milestones set by former greats including Park Joo-bong, Kim Dong-moon, and Ra Kyung-min.
Men’s Team Faces Unseeded Struggle Against China in Early Rounds
The South Korean men’s team enters the 2026 Asian Games without a tournament seed, forcing a first-round encounter against Hong Kong on September 21, as reported by Sports Chosun. Should the team advance, they face a formidable quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded China. The singles lineup relies on Yoo Tae-bin, Choi Ji-hoon, and Jeon Hyeok-jin, who face an uphill battle in international experience compared to their Chinese counterparts. World No. 1 men’s doubles pair Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho anchor the squad, though recent international performances have shown a downward competitive trend.
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