Defending champions and world No 1, Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon-seong, the tops in the men's doubles, marched into the final in the USD600,000 Victor Korea Open Superseries – with a straight sets 21-11, 21-16 win over China's Huang Kaixaing-Wang Yiulyu in the last four.
The badminton crowd at the Seong-nam Indoor Stadium is ready to give one Yong-dae – one of Korea's favourite badminton sons over the last decade – another round applause in Sunday's final with hopes and wishes that Korean pair retains the title against rising Chinese youngsters Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen.
The world junior champions are on a roll after winning the Yonex Japan Open Superseries last week. It was also their first Superseries final. In the semi-finals the Chinese came back from a set down to beat Malaysia's Rio Olympics silver medallists Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong 18-21, 21-15, 21-13 in a 51 minute match.
Yong-dae has announced that the Korea Open will be his last international tournament after donning national colours for the last 14 years. One regret is his failure to win a medal at the Rio Olympics.
Korea will feature in all five finals on Sunday after No 6 seed Son Won-ho came through a three-set battle against veteran Lee Hyun Il in an all-Korean semi-final before prevailing 21-13, 14-21, 21-12 in 63 minutes.
Wan-ho, however, will have to be at his best to stop world No 41 and China's young talent Qiao Bin. The 23-year-old Qiao Bin gave a polished display to down Hong Kong's Vincent Wong Wing Ki 21-18, 21-16 in 53 minutes.
Defending champion Sung Ji-hyun (No 5 seed) stayed on track to retain her title in the women's singles. In the semi-finals the champion needed only 33 minutes to brush aside compatriot Kim Hyo-min's feeble challenge to advance with a 21-5, 21-10 victory.
Ji-hyun will face Japan's No 7 seed Akane Yamaguchi who beat teammate Minatsu Mitani 21-17, 21-11 in 32 minutes.
Rio bronze medallists Jung Kyung-eun-Shin Seung-chan will face the Luo twins from China – Luo Ying and Luo Yu – in the women's doubles final.
The Luo sisters turned the tables on Olympic bronze medallists and Japan Open winners Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl for their semi-final defeat in Japan with 21-15, 17-21, 21-12 in 67 minutes.
Malaysia's challenge in the mixed doubles ended in the semi-finals when Rio Olympic silver medal winners Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying could not sustain their win in the first set and lost 21-15, 14-21, 18-21 to No 1 seeds Ko Sung-hung-Kim Ha-na of Korea.
Japan Open winners Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (No 5 seeds) defeated Hong Kong's No 8 seeds Reginald Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah in the other semi-final. The Chinese won 21-16, 21-18.
RESULTS (All Semi-Finals)
Men's singles
Son Wan-ho (Kor) beat Lee Hyun Il (Kor) 21-13, 14-21, 21-10
Qiao Bin (Chn) beat Vincent Wong Wing Ki (Hkg) 21-18, 21-16
Men's doubles
Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon-seong (Kor) beat Huang Kaixiang-Wang Yilyu (Chn) 21-11, 21-16
Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen (Chn) beat Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) 18-21, 21-15, 21-13
Women's singles
Sung Ji-hyun (Kor) beat Kim Hyo-min (Kor) 21-5, 21-16
Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) beat Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) 21-17, 21-11
Women's doubles
Jung Kyung-eun-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) beat Chang Ye-na-Lee So-hee (Kor) 23-21, 21-15
Luo Ying-Luo Yu (Chn) beat Christinna Pedersen–Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) 21-15, 17-21, 21-12
Mixed doubles
Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (Chn) beat Reginald Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah (Hkg)
21-16, 21-18
Ko Sung-hyun-Kim Ha-na (Kor) beat Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (Mas) 15-21, 21-14, 21-15
