South Korean international badminton saw the end of an era today as veteran doubles player Chae Yu-jung officially announced her retirement from the national team following her final tournament appearance. The announcement was made via a heartfelt post on her personal Instagram account.
Chae expressed gratitude to her supporters while explaining the difficult reasoning behind her decision to step away after a dedicated 15-year career representing her country.
In her statement, Chae revealed that the decision had been a long time coming throughout the current year, rooted primarily in the selection process for the national squad. With the qualification path for Mixed Doubles—a discipline where she has spent a significant portion of her international career—currently lacking a formal selection tournament, Chae found herself at a crossroads. She felt that switching focus entirely to compete for a spot in the Women’s Doubles category would have been an overwhelmingly difficult journey, one she no longer felt capable of conquering.
“I have been contemplating this for some time this year,” Chae wrote. “Because there is no selection trial yet for the Mixed Doubles event, I would have to compete in the Women’s Doubles selection trials. Having competed for so long as a Mixed Doubles player, I felt that challenging myself in Women’s Doubles would be too hard a journey, and I no longer had the confidence to fight my way back in, so I decided to give up.”
Chae affirmed that she poured her heart and soul into every training session and match over her decade-and-a-half tenure. “I trained with no regrets and gave my best in every match during my 15 years on the national team! I was able to endure until now because of the many coaches, colleagues, and countless fans who cheered and believed in me during tough times! Thank you so much for everything!!” she concluded.
Her final competition marked an emotional crescendo. Chae admitted that the pressure to finish well in her last international appearance may have inadvertently affected her on-court demeanor. She specifically mentioned being overly demanding of her Mixed Doubles partner, Lee Jong-min, during their final match, admitting that the desire for a perfect send-off may have caused her to push him too hard. She humorously included an apology to him in the post.
Despite the mixed emotions of her final outing, Chae expressed complete faith in her partner’s future success, stating that Kim Won-ho has the potential to excel with any partner moving forward and asked fans to continue their full support.
Chae Yu-jung’s career is marked by her tenacity and versatility in doubles disciplines, cementing her legacy as a dedicated servant to South Korean badminton. The news has prompted an outpouring of support from the Korean badminton community, wishing her well in her next chapter.