Kim Yun-ja

{{Infobox badminton player

| name = Kim Yun-ja

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1963|5|15}}

| country = South Korea

| medal_templates =

{{MedalCountry | {{KOR}} }}

}}

{{Infobox Korean name/auto

|hangul=%김연자

|hanja=金練子

}}

Kim Yun-ja ({{Korean|hangul=김연자}}, born May 15, 1963) is a retired female badminton player from South Korea. She is the last player to win All England Open titles in both singles and doubles.

In 1989, Kim married Sung Han-kook, a fellow world-class player who later went on to become the national team head coach.{{cite news |url=http://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1991012500209228004&editNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1991-01-25&officeId=00020&pageNo=28&printNo=21368&publishType=00020 |title=Badminton National Team, rest, Wedding March |date=25 January 1991 |publisher=Naver News Library |agency=The Dong-A Ilbo |access-date=4 November 2017}} Sung and Kim's daughter Sung Ji-hyun is also a badminton player.{{cite news |url=http://www.badzine.net/2010/01/sung-ji-hyun-carrying-on-a-family-tradition/ |title=SUNG JI HYUN – Carrying on a Family Tradition |date=7 January 2010 |publisher=Badzine.net |last1=Hearn |first1=Don |access-date=4 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530144936/http://www.badzine.net/2010/01/sung-ji-hyun-carrying-on-a-family-tradition/ |archive-date=30 May 2019 |url-status=dead}}

Career

Kim was one of a Korean finest women's badminton player in early 1980's where she won 2 bronzes in women's singles and 2 silvers in women's doubles at 1982 Asian Games and 1986 Asian Games.{{cite web |last=Mohan |first=Kumud |title=Asian Games: An assessment of favourites in each sport |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19821130-asian-games-an-assessment-of-favourites-in-each-sport-772412-2013-08-02 |website=www.indiatoday.in |date=2 August 2013 |access-date=11 May 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210511003216/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19821130-asian-games-an-assessment-of-favourites-in-each-sport-772412-2013-08-02 |archive-date=11 May 2021}}{{cite web |url=http://www.doha-2006.com/gis/menuroot/sports/Badminton_HR.aspx-id=BD.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014170642/http://www.doha-2006.com/gis/menuroot/sports/Badminton_HR.aspx-id=BD.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 October 2007 |title=Badminton - Medallists from previous Asian Games |work=Doha2006 |access-date=13 February 2020}} Kim also snatched two golds and one silver medals in 1983 and 1985 Asian Championships which two of it in women's doubles and another one in mixed doubles.{{cite news |title=China win men's singles, S Korea get women's title |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Page/singmonitor19831209-2.1.42 |newspaper=Singapore Monitor |date=9 December 1983 |page=42}}{{cite news |title=Birthday boy gets his wish; all the Results |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Page/straitstimes19850422-1.1.25 |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=22 April 1985 |page=25}}

In the World Championships, Kim won two bronze medals in women's doubles, one at the 1985 IBF World Championships with Yoo Sang-hee,{{cite news |title=Frost and Han Jian to decide the title |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/straitstimes19850617-1.1.22 |access-date=4 January 2025 |work=The Straits Times |agency=Government of Singapore |publisher=National Library Board |date=17 June 1985 |pages=22 |language=en}} and another at the 1987 IBF World Championships with Chung So-young.{{cite news |title=Yang Yang Seventh Heaven - Results |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/page/straitstimes19870524-1.1.24 |access-date=4 January 2025 |work=The Sunday Times |agency=Government of Singapore |publisher=NewspaperSG |date=24 May 1987 |pages=24 |language=en}}

Post-Retirement

She has long been retired from the sports since 1988 and stay with the sports as a fulltime instructor specifically for badminton in Hansei University.{{cite web |last1=Jae-Cheon |first1=Ha |script-title=ko:배드민턴 김연자씨 한체대교수 발탁(Badminton player Kim Yeon-ja selected as professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) |url=https://www.khan.co.kr/article/200207171810271 |website=Khan.kr |publisher=Kyunghyang Shinmun |access-date=4 January 2025 |language=ko |date=17 July 2002}} In 1998, She became a professor and working in several universities such as Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Korea National Sports University{{cite web |title=[THANK YOU, MOM ! ]<5·끝>성지현 키운 김연자 교수([THANK YOU, MOM!]: Professor Kim Yeon-ja who raised Seong Ji-hyeon) |url=https://www.donga.com/news/Sports/article/all/20120713/47734236/1 |website=The Dong-A Ilbo |access-date=4 January 2025 |language=ko |date=13 July 2012}}

Achievements

= Olympic Games =

Women's doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

! Year

! Venue

! Partner

! Opponent

! Score

! Result

style="background:#F3E6D7"

| align="center" | 1988
(Exhibition)

| align="left" | Seoul National University Gymnasium, Seoul, South Korea

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|CHN}} Guan Weizhen
{{flagicon|CHN}} Lin Ying

| align="left" | 15–11, 14–17, 15–5

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | 16px Gold

= World Championships =

Women's doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

!Year

!Venue

!Partner

!Opponent

!Score

!Result

style="background:#F3E6D7"

| align="center" |1985

| align="left" |Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, Canada

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} Han Aiping
{{flagicon|CHN}} Li Lingwei

| align="left" |10–15, 15–9, 17–18

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Gold Bronze

style="background:#F3E6D7"

| align="center" | 1987

| align="left" | Capital Indoor Stadium, Beijing, China

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|CHN}} Guan Weizhen
{{flagicon|CHN}} Lin Ying

| align="left" | 15–12, 12–15, 4–15

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Bronze Bronze

= World Cup =

Women's doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

!Year

!Venue

!Partner

!Opponent

!Score

!Result

style="background:#F3E6D7"

| align="center" |1983

| align="left" |Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} Han Aiping
{{flagicon|CHN}} Li Lingwei

| align="left" |14–17, 3–15

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Bronze Bronze

style="background:#F3E6D7"

| align="center" |1985

| align="left" |Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} Lin Ying
{{flagicon|CHN}} Wu Dixi

| align="left" |4–15, 5–15

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Silver Silver

style="background:#F3E6D7"

| align="center" | 1988

| align="left" | National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|CHN}} Guan Weizhen
{{flagicon|CHN}} Lin Ying

| align="left" | 3–15, 7–15

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | Silver Silver

= Asian Games =

Women' singles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

!Year

!Venue

!Opponent

!Score

!Result

style="background:#FFB069"

| align="center" |1982

| align="left" |Indraprashtha Stadium, New Delhi, India

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|CHN}} Li Lingwei

| align="left" |5–11, 8–11

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Bronze Bronze

style="background:#FFB069"

| align="center" |1986

| align="left" |Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|CHN}} Han Aiping

| align="left" |7–11, 9–12

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Bronze Bronze

Women's doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

!Year

!Venue

!Partner

!Opponent

!Score

!Result

style="background:#FFB069"

| align="center |1982

| align="left" |Indraprashtha Stadium, New Delhi, India

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|KOR}} Hwang Sun-ai
{{flagicon|KOR}} Kang Haeng-suk

| align="left" |13–18, 15–7, 7–15

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Silver Silver

style="background:#FFB069"

| align="center |1986

| align="left" |Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} Lin Ying
{{flagicon|CHN}} Guan Weizhen

| align="left" |9–15, 15–8, 10–15

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Silver Silver

= Asian Championships =

Women's singles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

! Year

! Venue

! Opponent

! Score

! Result

style="background:#ECF2FF"

| align="center |1983

| align="left" |Netaji Indoor Stadium, Calcutta, India

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |6–11, 2–11

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Silver Silver

Women's doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

!Year

!Venue

!Partner

!Opponent

!Score

!Result

style="background:#ECF2FF"

| align="center |1983

| align="left" |Netaji Indoor Stadium, Calcutta, India

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} Fan Ming
{{flagicon|CHN}} Guan Weizhen

| align="left" |15–10, 6–15, 14–17

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Bronze Bronze

style="background:#ECF2FF"

| align="center |1985

| align="left" |Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|KOR}} Hwang Hye-young
{{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" |15–5, 15–4

| style="text-align:left; background: white" |Gold Gold

Mixed doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

!Year

!Venue

!Partner

!Opponent

!Score

!Result

style="background:#ECF2FF"

| align="center" |1983

| align="left" |Calcutta, India

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Park Joo-bong

| align="left" |{{flagicon|INA}} Hafid Yusuf
{{flagicon|INA}} Ruth Damayanti

| align="left" | 15–3, 15–2

| style="text-align:left; background:white" |Gold Gold

= IBF World Grand Prix (19 titles, 8 runners-up) =

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Women's singles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

! Year

! Tournament

! Opponent

! Score

! Result

style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1984

| align="left" | Swedish Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Fumiko Tookairin

| align="left" | 11–6, 5–11, 10–12

| style="text-align:left; background: white" | {{silver2}} Runner-Up

style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1985

| align="left" | Scandinavian Cup

| align="left" | {{flagicon|DEN}} Kirsten Larsen

| align="left" | 11–4, 11–2

| style="text-align:left; background: white" | {{gold1}} Winner

style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1986

| align="left" | German Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|ENG}} Helen Troke

| align="left" | 11–1, 8–11, 12–10

| style="text-align:left; background: white" | {{gold1}} Winner

style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1986

| align="left" | All England Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|CHN}} Qian Ping

| align="left" | 11–6, 12–11

| style="text-align:left; background: white" | {{gold1}} Winner

style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1987

| align="left" | French Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Lee Young-suk

| align="left" | 11–4, 5–11, 11–0

| style="text-align:left; background: white" | {{gold1}} Winner

Women's doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

!Year

!Venue

!Partner

!Opponent

!Score

!Result

style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1983

| align="left" |Denmark Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon

}
{{flagicon|}}

| align="left" |

| style="text-align:left; background: white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1983

| align="left" |Malaysia Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|ENG}} Jane Webster
{{flagicon|ENG}} Nora Perry

| align="left" |11–15, 15–4, 15–7

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1983

| align="left" |India Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|INA}} Ruth Damyanti
{{flagicon|INA}} Maria Francisca

| align="left" |15–7, 15–12

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1984

| align="left" |Denmark Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|JPN}} Atsuko Tokuda
{{flagicon|JPN}} Yoshiko Yonekura

| align="left" |3–15, 15–5, 15–13

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1984

| align="left" |Swedish Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|JPN}} Atsuko Tokuda
{{flagicon|JPN}} Yoshiko Yonekura

| align="left" |15–11, 8–15, 15–9

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1984

| align="left" |All England Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} Lin Ying
{{flagicon|CHN}} Wu Dixi

| align="left" |8–15, 15–8, 14–17

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1984

| align="left" |Scandinavian Cup

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} Lin Ying
{{flagicon|CHN}} Wu Dixi

| align="left" |1–15, 7–15

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1985

| align="left" |Japan Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|CHN}} Guan Weizhen
{{flagicon|CHN}} Wu Jianqiu

| align="left" |15–5, 15–3

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1985

| align="left" |Denmark Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|ENG}} Gillian Gilks
{{flagicon|ENG}} Nora Perry

| align="left" |15–7, 15–7

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1985

| align="left" |Scandinavian Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|SWE}} Maria Bengtsson
{{flagicon|SWE}} Christine Magnusson

| align="left" |8–15, 15–5, 15–1

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1986

| align="left" |German Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|KOR}} Hwang Hye-young
{{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" |15–10, 15–5

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1986

| align="left" |Scandinavian Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|KOR}} Chung Myung-hee
{{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" |15–7, 17–14

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1986

| align="left" |All England Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|KOR}} Hwang Hye-young
{{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" |5–15, 15–6, 8–15

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1986

| align="left" |China Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|INA}} Ivana Lie
{{flagicon|INA}} Verawaty Fadjrin

| align="left" |8–15, 10–15

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1987

| align="left" | Hong Kong Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|INA}} Ivana Lie
{{flagicon|INA}} Rosiana Tendean

| align="left" | 18–14, 11–15, 15–2

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1988

| align="left" |Poona Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Yoo Sang-hee

| align="left" |{{flagicon|DEN}} Dorte Kjaer
{{flagicon|DEN}} Nettie Nielsen

| align="left" |15–12, 15–2

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1988

| align="left" | All England Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung Myung-hee
{{flagicon|KOR}} Hwang Hye-young

| align="left" | 15–8, 9–15 retired

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1988

| align="left" | French Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung Myung-hee
{{flagicon|KOR}} Hwang Hye-young

| align="left" | 9–15, 13–18

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1988

| align="left" | Canadian Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|NED}} Eline Coene
{{flagicon|NED}} Erica van Dijck

| align="left" | 4–15, 3–15

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1988

| align="left" | U.S. Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Cho Young-suk
{{flagicon|KOR}} Lee Myung-hee

| align="left" | 17–14, 15–4

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} Winner

|- style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center" | 1988

| align="left" | Malaysia Open

| align="left" | {{flagicon|KOR}} Chung So-young

| align="left" | {{flagicon|CHN}} Guan Weizhen
{{flagicon|CHN}} Lin Ying

| align="left" | 6–15, 3–15

| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} Runner-up

Mixed doubles

class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

!Year

!Venue

!Partner

!Opponent

!Score

!Result

style="background:#D4F1C5"

| align="center |1987

| align="left" |French Open

| align="left" |{{Flagicon|KOR}} Park Joo-bong

| align="left" |{{flagicon|DEN}} Mark Christiansen
{{flagicon|NED}} Erica Van Den Heuvel

| align="left" |15–10, 15–7

| style="text-align:left; background: white" | {{gold1}} Winner

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20110719151408/http://www.badmintonengland.co.uk/core/core_picker/download.asp?documenttable=libraryfiles&id=2457&log_stat=0 All England champions 1899–2007]
{{World Games|2713|Kim Yun Ja}}
{{Olympedia|1202163|Kim Yeon-Ja}}

{{Footer All England Open Championships Badminton Singles Women}}

{{Footer All England Open Championships Badminton Doubles Women}}

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:South Korean female badminton players

Category:Olympic badminton players for South Korea

Category:Badminton players at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Category:Asian Games medalists in badminton

Category:Asian Games silver medalists for South Korea

Category:Asian Games bronze medalists for South Korea

Category:Badminton players at the 1982 Asian Games

Category:Badminton players at the 1986 Asian Games