The racket smashes the birdie into the ground within a split second. Adrenaline explodes all over the gym as players roar and spectators cheer.

With its easy accessibility, badminton has acquired numerous South Korean fans. After rounds of success on international stages, the sport gained popularity, and the badminton boom formed new courts all around

the country. On top of that, badminton player Se-Young An won the gold medal at the recent Asian Games. Mr. Zhao hopped on this bandwagon and started the club.

Coach Zhao’s passion for the sport beholds a history that goes way before his move to DIS. “I used to perform my play with other teachers and high school students,” he said. Upon arriving at DIS, Mr. Zhao realized that students shared this particular hobby and decided to host the after-school activity.

“[Badminton] is a fantastic sport that is easy to get close with. Smashing the shuttlecock relieves my stress, [and] it also provides various benefits to help with our athleticism,” said Becky Cho, a shuttler in eighth grade and last year’s SKAC middle school gold and silver medalist.

Students also enjoy the sport as a leisure activity with their best buds. “I wanted to have a new hobby that I can relish with my friends,” Michelle Kim in eighth grade said. She radiates energy amid rallies and refreshes herself with the heat of a game. Even better, continuous practice adds to her stamina and aids her in other sports. 

With Mr. Zhao’s incredible coaching skills and effort put into weekly practices, students show exceptional results and carry the hype. In the recent SKAC tournament in May, middle schoolers took home six medals, the most out of all the schools that participated. 

However, multiple roadblocks lie ahead of the young players. Originally, the Korean International Schools Activities Conference (KISAC) planned a middle school badminton tournament in Jeju on Oct. 20 and 21. Unfortunately, the matches got called off because the dates overlapped with another KISAC tournament, leading to a lack of participation. 

Players expressed their disappointment when they received the news of the cancellation. “The upcoming KISAC tournament being interfered with other schedules is disappointing, but I plan to practice more for upcoming games,” Cho said.

Later in the year, DIS plans to host friendly matches and look for new opportunities to showcase their skills. Audiences and players, look forward to updates. Middle school shuttlers anticipate future conference tournaments, or at the least, a few friendly matches. 

Gallery • 7 Photos

Raina Lee

Coach Zhao holds the birdie to serve for a drill on drop shots.