Top-ranked doubles badminton team embracing weight of crown

Korean men's doubles badminton players Kim Won-ho, left, and Seo Seung-jae pose with their gold medals from the men's doubles event at the Badminton World Federation World Tour Finals after a media scrum at Incheon International Airport, Monday. Yonhap

They reigned supreme as the world's top men's badminton doubles team in 2025, and Korea's Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae feel they are more than ready to keep carrying their crowns.

Reunited as a tandem this year after seven years apart, Kim and Seo tied a single-season record with 11 international titles, including their first world championship together. And they put an exclamation point on their memorable season by winning the Badminton World Federation World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China, Sunday, with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-14) victory over Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China.

"It was a huge honor to win the last tournament of the season," Kim told reporters at Incheon International Airport on Monday.

Seo chimed in: "We've had to overcome a lot of difficult situations, but we were able to finish strong with the title."

Seo was referring to Kim's wonky back that threatened to derail the duo's title bid.

Kim revealed Monday that he had picked up a lower back injury two weeks prior to the World Tour Finals. He wasn't able to train as much as he wanted, and he had to instead undergo treatment.

"We considered withdrawing from the tournament," Kim said. "But I didn't want to give up because it was our last tournament of the year. I was worried that if I got hurt seriously, then I would have to miss all of next season. But I would have been really disappointed to just give up on this event."

Seo said he was ready to cover for Kim in Hangzhou because his teammate had done the same for him all season long.

"Honestly, I didn't really have high expectations at this event," Seo admitted. "But we just took it one match at a time before we got a chance to win the title. Then we were able to capitalize on that."

Kim said he will fully embrace the pressure that will surely come his team's way next year, after their historic 2025 season.

"I think that kind of pressure is something we will have to get used to, and the biggest key for us is to stay healthy," Kim said. "We must keep doing what we've been doing all along, which is to stay in the present."

Seo said he was grateful for the wins and the records he and his partner set, although they never set out to break records in the first place.

"If we had been too caught up in those numbers, then I don't think we would have accomplished what we accomplished," Seo added. "If we take it one tournament at a time, then I am sure we will have an opportunity to go for another record."