With Kim Jung Jun and Choi Jungman getting on with age, Park Haeseong and Yu Sooyoung have been touted as Korea’s next leading pair in WH1-WH2 men’s doubles.
At BAHRAIN Para Badminton World Championships 2026, that transition feels real.
Park and Yu booked their place in the semifinals after edging Malaysia’s Noor Azwan Noorlan and Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli 21-16 26-24 – a match that tested both their skill and composure.
“I’m relieved to have overcome one hurdle,” said Yu. “But this isn’t the end, I’m already looking ahead, thinking of this as preparation for the final.”
For Park, competing at his first World Championships, the key lay in emotional control.
“In the rallies, in a way, it’s not about competing against your opponent but fighting against yourself,” he said. “I think I controlled myself well, I didn’t get too excited.”
The 23-year-old Yu is already familiar with the sport’s biggest stages. With former partner Jeong Jaegun, he rose to world No.1 and claimed silver at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. After Paris, he teamed up with Park and won two titles in their debut season last year.
Yu believes the dynamic has evolved naturally.
“Because he’s younger than Jaegun, we get along better in terms of personality,” he said. “In doubles, the WH1 player gets attacked a lot, so I’ve been playing a more supportive role. With Jaegun, he led me initially but as time went on, I started to lead, and it’s the same now.”
Yu and Park engaging in an intense battle with Noorlan/Ramli.
While Yu and Park advance in Manama – next facing France’s Thomas Jakobs and David Toupe – Kim and Choi saw their campaign end in the quarterfinals against defending champions Mai Jian Peng/Qu Zi Mo.
For Yu, the moment is less about replacing the veterans and more about continuing what they built.
“Kim and Choi have been leading us well for a long time but we need to take the baton and try to continue that legacy,” he said. “We should follow their path to winning medals. Don’t get too arrogant and think we will be better than them in the future.”
Though they are increasingly viewed as Korea’s No.1 pair, they remain grounded.
“I’m kind of accepting the status,” Yu admitted. “However, we don’t always win and we are still in the process of learning. We don’t think we are No.1, rather just treating this as the journey to getting there.”
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