South Korea: Tee Kai Wun and Yap Roy King gave Malaysia another encouraging result from its men’s doubles reshuffle by defeating compatriots Man Wei Chong and Soh Wooi Yik to capture the 2026 Korea Masters title on Sunday.
Tee and Yap delivered the more composed performance in the all-Malaysian final, winning 21-13, 21-18 to secure the BWF World Tour Super 300 badminton championship.
Watch highlights of Tee Kai Wun-Yap Roy King vs. Man Wei Chong- Soh Wooi Yik in the 2026 Korea Masters:
The victory gave the Badminton Association of Malaysia its first men’s doubles title of the season and provided another positive indication that the new combinations being tested by national men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi are beginning to produce results.
Tee Kai Wun-Yap Roy King Dominate Opening Game
With both pairs familiar with each other’s strengths and playing styles, the final was expected to be closely fought. Tee and Yap, however, settled into the match more quickly.
They controlled the opening game with sharper exchanges around the net and were able to create attacking opportunities before Man and Soh could establish their preferred rhythm.
Tee and Yap steadily widened the gap and took the first game 21-13.
Man and Soh offered greater resistance after the change of ends and stayed much closer throughout the second game.
However, Tee and Yap remained composed when the match entered its decisive stage. They protected their advantage and closed out the championship 21-18 without allowing the match to reach a deciding game.
- Category: Men’s doubles final
- Champions: Tee Kai Wun/Yap Roy King of Malaysia
- Runners-up: Man Wei Chong/Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia
- Final score: 21-13, 21-18
First Title for Malaysia’s New Tee-Yap Partnership
The title is particularly significant because Tee and Yap are one of several new combinations created as Herry continues to evaluate Malaysia’s men’s doubles options.
Rather than needing a long adjustment period, the pair produced one of their strongest tournaments together in Asan and converted that progress into a championship.
Their road to the title included an impressive quarterfinal victory over another reshuffled Malaysian combination, Aaron Chia and Aaron Tai.
Tee and Yap defeated the recent Taipei Open runners-up 21-12, 21-15 before advancing to the final when Japan’s Shuji Sawada and Daigo Tanioka conceded a walkover in the semifinals.
They then completed the job against Man and Soh when the title was on the line.
Malaysia’s Men’s Doubles Experiment Produces Results
Having two newly formed Malaysian pairs contest the Korea Masters final represented a promising outcome for the national coaching setup regardless of which side won.
Man Wei Chong and Soh Wooi Yik were also competing in just their fourth tournament as a partnership and reached their first final together after defeating Japan’s Haruki Kawabe and Kenta Matsukawa 18-21, 22-20, 21-18 in the semifinals.
For Tee and Yap, however, Sunday belonged to them. Their straight-game victory meant they became the first BAM men’s doubles pair to lift a World Tour title this season.
Professional pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani had previously delivered Malaysian men’s doubles championships at the Indonesia Masters in January and the Indonesia Open in June.
Tee-Yap Follow Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik as Korea Masters Champions
The victory also placed Tee and Yap alongside Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik among Malaysian winners of the Korea Masters men’s doubles championship.
Aaron and Soh won the tournament in 2024, while Tee and Yap’s latest success gives Malaysia another men’s doubles title at an event that has been staged since 2007.
For Soh, there was no second Korea Masters championship this time, but reaching the final with a new partner still marked a productive week.
Korea Masters Prize Money for Malaysian Finalists
Tee and Yap collected US$19,750, approximately RM80,800, for winning the men’s doubles championship.
Man and Soh earned US$9,500, approximately RM38,900, for finishing runners-up.
- Champions: Tee Kai Wun/Yap Roy King – US$19,750 (approximately RM80,800)
- Runners-up: Man Wei Chong/Soh Wooi Yik – US$9,500 (approximately RM38,900)
Zhu Xuan Chen Beats Yoo Tae Bin to Win Men’s Singles
China’s Zhu Xuan Chen completed his Korea Masters campaign by defeating home player Yoo Tae Bin in the men’s singles final.
Zhu, who had eliminated Malaysia’s Cheam June Wei in the semifinals, continued his winning run with a 21-16, 23-21 victory over the South Korean.
The Chinese player controlled the opening game before facing much stronger resistance in the second. Yoo pushed the contest beyond the regulation 21 points, but Zhu stayed composed and eventually completed the straight-game victory 23-21.
- Category: Men’s singles final
- Champion: Zhu Xuan Chen of China
- Runner-up: Yoo Tae Bin of South Korea
- Final score: 21-16, 23-21
Ashmita Chaliha Comes From Behind to Win Women’s Singles
India’s Ashmita Chaliha recovered from losing the opening game to defeat China’s fourth seed Han Qian Xi in the women’s singles championship match.
Han made the stronger start and claimed the first game 21-14, but Ashmita responded by taking control of the second with a 21-14 victory of her own.
The Indian maintained that momentum in the deciding game and won it by the same 21-14 score to complete the comeback.
- Category: Women’s singles final
- Champion: Ashmita Chaliha of India
- Runner-up: Han Qian Xi of China
- Final score: 14-21, 21-14, 21-14
Luo Yi-Wang Ting Ge Capture Women’s Doubles Title
China’s third seeds Luo Yi and Wang Ting Ge also had to recover from a game down to claim the women’s doubles crown.
Thailand’s sixth-seeded sisters Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard won the opening game 21-17 and put themselves in position to take the championship.
Luo and Wang answered in a tight second game, edging it 21-19 to force a decider.
The Chinese pair then established greater control in the third and completed their comeback with a 21-14 victory.
- Category: Women’s doubles final
- Champions: Luo Yi/Wang Ting Ge of China
- Runners-up: Benyapa Aimsaard/Nuntakarn Aimsaard of Thailand
- Final score: 17-21, 21-19, 21-14
Yuta Watanabe-Maya Taguchi Win Mixed Doubles Championship
Japan’s top seeds Yuta Watanabe and Maya Taguchi continued their impressive form by capturing the mixed doubles title.
The Japanese pair defeated South Korea’s second seeds Kim Jae Hyeon and Jang Ha Jeong 21-19, 21-14.
The opening game was competitive, with Kim and Jang staying within striking distance until the closing rallies. Watanabe and Taguchi nevertheless found the necessary points to take it 21-19.
They were more convincing in the second, pulling away to win 21-14 and complete the championship in straight games.
- Category: Mixed doubles final
- Champions: Yuta Watanabe/Maya Taguchi of Japan
- Runners-up: Kim Jae Hyeon/Jang Ha Jeong of South Korea
- Final score: 21-19, 21-14
2026 Korea Masters Badminton Champions
- Men’s singles: Zhu Xuan Chen of China
- Women’s singles: Ashmita Chaliha of India
- Men’s doubles: Tee Kai Wun/Yap Roy King of Malaysia
- Women’s doubles: Luo Yi/Wang Ting Ge of China
- Mixed doubles: Yuta Watanabe/Maya Taguchi of Japan
Tee-Yap Deliver Encouraging Badminton News for Malaysia
The all-Malaysian men’s doubles final was one of the most encouraging badminton developments for Malaysia during the week in Asan.
Instead of relying entirely on established partnerships, Malaysia used the Korea Masters to continue testing combinations that could provide greater depth for future World Tour events.
Tee Kai Wun and Yap Roy King emerged as the immediate winners of that process, but Man Wei Chong and Soh Wooi Yik reaching the final in only their fourth tournament together was also a significant result.
The challenge for both pairs will now be to carry their Korea Masters form into stronger tournaments, where the quality and depth of the international men’s doubles field will provide an even tougher examination.
For now, however, Tee and Yap leave South Korea as champions after winning an all-Malaysian final and delivering the first men’s doubles title of the season for BAM.
