YEOSU, South Korea — Victor Lai and Jason Gunawan will contest the Korea Open 2026 men’s singles final after taking contrasting routes through Saturday’s semifinals, while Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun suffered another defeat to world No. 1 pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
Canada’s second seed Lai recovered from a game down to beat Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu 19-21, 21-15, 21-12. Gunawan then ensured Hong Kong would have a representative in Sunday’s final by defeating Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wei 21-5, 21-17.
The November 8 showdown at Jinnam Stadium in Yeosu will produce a new Korea Open men’s singles champion, with both players reaching the tournament’s final for the first time.
Victor Lai Fights Back Against Lee Cheuk Yiu
World No. 6 Lai needed 72 minutes to overcome world No. 19 Lee in a three-game semifinal on November 7.
Lee took the opening game 21-19, leaving the Canadian with no further margin for error. Lai responded by winning the second 21-15 before extending his advantage in the decider, conceding just 12 points to complete the comeback.
For the two-time World Championships bronze medallist, the victory secured a meeting with world No. 22 Gunawan and an opportunity to add the Korea Open to his list of titles.
Watch: Victor Lai vs. Lee Cheuk Yiu
Source: BWF.
Jason Gunawan Beats Wang Tzu Wei to Reach Final
Gunawan’s semifinal began with the most emphatic game of either men’s singles contest. He allowed world No. 41 Wang just five points in the opener before completing a 21-5, 21-17 victory.
Wang made the second game considerably closer, but Gunawan finished four points ahead to record his first win over the Chinese Taipei player in three meetings.
The final brings Gunawan back up against a familiar opponent. He defeated Lai 21-12, 21-15 in qualifying at the 2025 Hong Kong Open, giving him a 1-0 lead in their senior head-to-head record ahead of Sunday.
The circumstances will be different in Yeosu: this time, their meeting will decide a BWF World Tour Super 500 title.
Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun Fall to Kim–Seo Again
Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun’s Korea Open campaign ended with a 17-21, 17-21 semifinal defeat to South Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
The third-seeded Malaysians, ranked world No. 9, were beaten in 39 minutes. The result extended their losing record against the top-seeded Koreans to seven matches without a victory.
Man and Tee had opportunities in the opening game. They led 17-15 before Kim and Seo won six consecutive points to take it 21-17. In the second, the Malaysians established an early 6-2 advantage, but the Koreans recovered and again finished four points clear.
The defeat ended Malaysia’s title challenge at this year’s Korea Open, with no Malaysian players remaining in contention.
Watch: Man Wei Chong–Tee Kai Wun vs. Kim Won Ho–Seo Seung Jae
Source: BWF.
Hoki and Kobayashi Prevent All-Korean Men’s Doubles Final
Japan’s fifth seeds Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi defeated South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Lee Jongmin 21-14, 21-18 to secure the other men’s doubles final place.
After losing the opener by seven points, Kang and Lee narrowed the margin in the second game, but the Japanese pair completed the match in straight games.
Hoki and Kobayashi will face defending champions Kim and Seo on Sunday, setting up a Japan–South Korea contest for the men’s doubles trophy.
Complete Tournament Results
The following Korea Open 2026 semifinal results cover the four men’s matches in the supplied text and all four completed matches visible in the earlier attached screenshot. All were played on November 7, 2026.
Men’s Singles — Semifinals
Victor Lai (Canada) defeated Lee Cheuk Yiu (Hong Kong), 19-21, 21-15, 21-12.
Jason Gunawan (Hong Kong) defeated Wang Tzu Wei (Chinese Taipei), 21-5, 21-17.
Men’s Doubles — Semifinals
Kim Won Ho / Seo Seung Jae (South Korea) defeated Man Wei Chong / Tee Kai Wun (Malaysia), 21-17, 21-17.
Takuro Hoki / Yugo Kobayashi (Japan) defeated Kang Min Hyuk / Lee Jongmin (South Korea), 21-14, 21-18.
Women’s Doubles — Semifinals
Kim Yu Jung / Lee Yu Lim (South Korea) defeated Chen Fan Shu Tian / Luo Xu Min (China), 21-17, 21-11.
Rui Hirokami / Sayaka Hobara (Japan) defeated Lauren Lam / Allison Quynh Lee (United States), 21-14, 21-18.
Mixed Doubles — Semifinals
Jiang Zhen Bang / Wei Ya Xin (China) defeated Akira Koga / Natsu Saito (Japan), 21-15, 21-13.
Gao Jia Xuan / Wu Meng Ying (China) defeated Zhu Yi Jun / Li Qian (China), 21-18, 14-21, 21-6.
