The South Korean mixed doubles badminton team of Kim Jae-hyun and Jang Ha-jung was unable to overcome a formidable challenge from China, falling short in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
On September 27, at the Ichinomiya City Gymnasium in Aichi, Japan, Kim and Jang lost to China's Zhang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin with a score of 0-2 (13-21, 15-21) in a match that lasted 32 minutes.
Initially, the South Korean duo held their ground against the world-class opponents. In the first game, they aggressively targeted the court and briefly led 5-2, maintaining a 10-8 advantage. However, the momentum shifted when China scored three consecutive points, leading to a series of errors from the Korean team as the score widened to 12-19, ultimately losing the first game 13-21.
The second game started positively for Kim and Jang, who led 6-4 early on. However, they struggled against the defensive play and quick transitions of Zhang and Wei, entering the interval down 10-11. Despite rallying to close the gap at 11-14, the Chinese team pulled ahead again, finishing the match at 15-21.
Throughout the tournament, Kim and Jang demonstrated impressive skills. They began with a dominant 2-0 (21-1, 21-10) victory over Pakistan's Mahur Shahzad and Muhammad Ali Laroshi, allowing only one point in the first game.
In the round of 16, they achieved a significant upset against Malaysia's Tan Tze Yong and Cheong Su Yin, winning 2-1 (21-16, 20-22, 21-19) after a match that lasted over an hour. Despite facing a comeback in the second game, they regained focus in the final game to secure their place in the quarterfinals.
This year, Kim and Jang quickly established themselves as a new force in South Korean mixed doubles. They started the Asian Championships in April ranked 147th in the world but climbed to the top by defeating several strong competitors. They also finished as runners-up at the Korea Masters in August, continuing their upward trajectory.
Another South Korean mixed doubles team, Jo Song-hyun and Jung Na-eun (ranked 83rd), faced a tough match in the quarterfinals against Indonesia's 15th-ranked pair, Amri Shahnawi and Nita Violina Marwa. They lost 1-2 (9-21, 21-12, 19-21) after a closely contested three-set match, unable to maintain their lead in the third game.
As a result, both South Korean mixed doubles teams were eliminated in the quarterfinals, ending their medal hopes in this event. With their exit, South Korean badminton will now look to secure medals through An Se-young (women's singles) and the men's doubles teams of Seo Seung-jae & Kim Won-ho and Ki Dong-ju & Kang Min-hyuk, as well as the women's doubles team of Lee So-hee & Baek Ha-na.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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