South Korea’s men’s badminton team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Asian Games after defeating Hong Kong in the team event. The decisive moment came when Yu Taebin (23, world ranking 46th), the first singles player, edged out a higher-ranked opponent in a thrilling three-game battle. Their next opponent in the quarterfinals is China, widely regarded as Asia’s top powerhouse.
The South Korean men’s team defeated Hong Kong 3-1 in the Round of 16 at the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games, held at the Ichinomiya City Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on September 21. Yu Taebin seized the initiative by pulling off an unexpected 2-1 comeback victory (18-21, 21-16, 22-20) against Hong Kong’s star Li Cheuk Yu (19th). After losing the first game, Yu rattled his opponent with powerful smash attacks starting in the second game and clinched the win in the third, capitalizing on Li’s unforced errors during a tense deuce battle.
In the second doubles match, world No. 1 Seo Seung Jae and Kim Won Ho dominated their opponents Deng Chi Pang and Hong Kiu Chun with a 2-0 victory (21-9, 21-10) in just 31 minutes. However, Park Sang Yong (79th) suffered a 1-2 defeat (18-21, 17-21) against Jason Gunawan (24th) in the third singles match. The final doubles pair, Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju (14th), sealed the victory with a dramatic 2-1 comeback (18-21, 22-20, 21-18) against Chan Yin Chak and Lui Chun Wah.
South Korea’s men’s badminton team is aiming for its first title in 12 years since winning gold in the team event at the 2014 Incheon Games. The quarterfinal clash against China will be a major hurdle, as the Chinese team boasts top singles players, including last year’s world champion Switch (6th) and Li Shi Feng (12th).
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