Korea Open 2026: Chia-Teo Bow Out in Quarter-Finals

The spectacular giant-killing run of Malaysian professional men's doubles pair Chia Wei Jie and Teo Ee Yi at the VICTOR Korea Open 2026 has officially come to an end.

The dynamic duo bowed out in the quarter-finals after a fierce battle against Japan's fifth seeds, Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, at the Jinnam Stadium.

Despite falling in straight sets 21-17, 21-18, the Malaysians showcased immense fighting spirit. Chia and Teo applied relentless pressure on the former world champions, particularly in a tightly contested second set where they desperately tried to drag the tie into a deciding rubber. However, the sheer international experience of Hoki and Kobayashi ultimately proved to be the absolute difference maker, allowing the Japanese heavyweights to kill off the Malaysian momentum and close out the match.

While their campaign in Yeosu is over, reaching the top eight of the prestigious Super 500 event is a massive milestone for the independent pair. It marks their very first quarter-final appearance at this elite tier since they officially joined forces in May.

The promising partnership heavily relies on the elite pedigree of Teo Ee Yi, whose glittering resume with former partner Ong Yew Sin includes a 2021 World Championships bronze and a 2023 Badminton Asia Championships silver. His world-class experience is rapidly elevating the game of Wei Jie—a former Guwahati Masters Super 100 champion and 2017 World Junior mixed team silver medalist—transforming them into a highly dangerous threat on the BWF World Tour.

Before hitting the Japanese roadblock, Chia and Teo proved they could trade blows with the best. They stormed into the quarter-finals following a commanding 21-9, 21-19 second-round victory over Taiwan’s He Zhi Wei and Huang Jui Hsuan. Even more impressively, they sent shockwaves through the tournament in the opening round by dumping out China's world No. 11 pair, Chen Boyang and Liu Yi.

Credit Photo : China Masters