Lee So-hee
Lee So-hee is a South Korean badminton player. She is considered one of the most consistent doubles players of the modern era, as evidenced by his achievements over the years with different partners. Partnering Shin Seung-chan, she claimed a silver and a bronze at the 2021 and 2014 BWF World Championships respectively. While with Chang Ye-na, she won two bronze medals at the 2016 and 2017 Asian Championships. Lee reached her peak partnering Baek Ha-na, when the two topped the women's doubles rankings in the BWF World Rankings in October 2024, with achievements including winning a gold medal at the 2024 Asian Championships, a silver at the 2022 Asian Games, and two consecutive wins at the BWF World Tour Finals in 2024 and 2025. In addition, Lee was part of the Korean national team that won the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games, as well at the 2017 Sudirman Cup and 2022 Uber Cup.
During her junior years, Lee was the gold medalists at the 2011 and 2012 BWF World Junior Championships, and also at the 2012 Asian Junior Championships. She represented Konkuk University and competed at the Summer Universiade, helped the Korean team clinching the gold medal in the team event in 2013 and 2015, and also won the gold in women's doubles with partner Shin Seung-chan in 2015.
Career
Early career
Lee So-hee was born on 14 June 1994, in Ulsan, South Korea. Growing up, she was an energetic child who was exposed to a wide range of sports from an early age. As time went on, her teacher began to notice her talent and encouraged her to try badminton. From her very first attempts, young Lee showed clear potential, quickly taking to the sport. Badminton became the perfect outlet for her energy, and before long, she was competing seriously. She made her debut on the competitive stage at the 2010 Korea Open Super Series, partnering with Choi Hye-in in the women's doubles. Though unseeded, the pair exceeded expectations by reaching the quarter-finals, where they were eventually defeated by the experienced duo of Ha Jung-eun and Lee Kyung-won. Lee competed at the 2010 BWF World Junior Championships, where she won the silver medal in the team event and a bronze in the girls' doubles with Choi.2011–2012: Asian and World Junior champions
Lee made her first major mark on the international stage by winning the gold medal at the World Junior Championships in the girls' doubles with Shin Seung-chan. This victory marked the beginning of their junior-level dominance as they topped the World junior ranking, which led Korean media to highlight her as a "future pillar" of the national women's doubles. Her potential was recognized early by the Korean national team, leading to her official induction into the senior national team at just 17 years old. On the international circuit, she reached the final in the mixed doubles and semi-final in the women's doubles at the Turkey International.Continuing her partnership with Shin Seung-chan in 2012, Lee successfully defended her World Junior Championships title and added an Asian Junior Championships gold to her collection. Lee and Shin also won the Iceland and India International, as well being finalist in the Korea Grapnd Prix Gold. She was then honored with the Gyeonggi-do Sports Award for her contribution to regional sporting pride.
2013–2014: World championships bronze medalist
Lee So-hee officially transitioned from a junior career to the senior international stage, immediately establishing herself as a cornerstone of the South Korean national team. She began 2013 by signing with the Daegyo Noonnoppi professional team in February. Representing Konkuk University, she also competed at the Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia, where she secured a bronze medal in women's doubles with her long-time partner Shin Seung-chan and contributed to Korea's success in the mixed team event. She also reached the finals in the Swiss and Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold, but lost to Jung Kyung-eun and Kim Ha-na in both occasion.In 2014, Lee and partner Shin Seung-chan secured a bronze medal at the World Championships. Beyond the championship majors, Lee displayed her versatility by winning the Canada Open with partner Choi Hye-in, and capping the year with a victory at the Korea Grand Prix with Shin.
2015–2016: Universiade gold
In early 2015, Lee signed a sponsorship deal with the Incheon International Airport Skymons team. She competed in the Gwangju Summer Universiade, where she captured two gold medals: first by leading South Korea to a victory in the mixed team event, and subsequently by winning the women's doubles title alongside Shin Seung-chan after defeating China's Ou Dongni and Yu Xiaohan in a 21–16, 21–13. She also helping Korea secure a bronze medal at the Sudirman Cup in Dongguan. In preparation for 2016 Summer Olympics, Badminton Korea Association decided to separate Lee and Shin. Lee was paired with senior teammate Chang Ye-na, and the duo went on to win a title in the Korea Masters. This title also marks as Lee's first Grand Prix Gold title. Besides that, the duo also finished runners-up in the Korea Open, Thailand Open, and the U.S. Grand Prix.File:Badminton Olímpico.jpg|240px|thumbnail|right|Lee with her partner Chang Ye-na against the Stoeva sisters at the 2016 Rio Olympics In 2016, Lee focused on the women's doubles, primarily partnering Chang Ye-na. The duo enjoyed a successful year on the international circuit, notably capturing the China Open title after defeating Huang Dongping and Li Yinhui in the final. They also reached the finals of the French Open and the New Zealand Open, and secured a bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Wuhan. A major highlight of her year was making her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games; however, Lee and Chang were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
2017–2018: All England title
Lee achievements in 2017 began by winning the 2017 All England Open with Chang Ye-na. The duo demonstrated remarkable endurance, securing a bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Wuhan, and reaching the finals of Superseries events including the Indonesia Open and her home tournament, the Korea Open. Together with the national team, she secured a silver medal at the Asia Mixed Team Championships in Ho Chi Minh City when the team fell 0–3 to Japan, and later played in the quarter-finals of the Sudirman Cup, and South Korea reclaiming the world mixed team title by defeating China in the final. Mid-season, a strategic reunification with Shin Seung-chan yielded immediate victory at the U.S. Open, and a historic run in Europe, winning their first ever Superseries title as a pair in the Denmark Open and reaching the French Open final. She also won the Korea Masters in Gwangju. For these extraordinary efforts, including reaching the finals of the China Open with Kim Hye-rin, she was honored as the Best Player of the Year by the Badminton Korea Association.In 2018, Lee overcame early-season setbacks, including a nagging injury, to finish the year as one of the most dominant forces in women's doubles alongside her partner Shin Seung-chan. Their season reached a brilliant peak in November at the Fuzhou China Open, where they broke Japan's long-standing dominance by defeating both the reigning Olympic champions and the 2018 World Champions, Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara, in a straight-game final. This victory was a vital turning point for South Korean badminton following a medal-less run at the 2018 Jakarta–Palembang Asian Games, where Lee had competed but faced an early exit. Lee maintained this elite momentum through the end of the year, securing a runner-up at the Hong Kong Open, Korea Masters, and at the BWF World Tour Finals in Guangzhou.
2019–2022: Tour Finals title; World Championships silver; and Uber Cup champion
In 2019, Lee re-established herself as a dominant force in the women's doubles, overcoming early-season injury concerns to achieve remarkable consistency with partner Shin. After recover from the appendicitis surgery and thigh muscle tears, she made a comeback in the Basel World Championships, reaching the quarter-finals. The highlight of her year came in October at the French Open, where she captured the title after an intense all-Korean final against Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong, winning 16–21, 21–19, 21–12. This victory marked her first major title in nearly a year and signaled a full return to form. Beyond this triumph, Lee demonstrated elite level play by reaching the finals of several high-stakes tournaments, including the Korea Open, and the Fuzhou China Open. Lee concluded the season at the BWF World Tour Finals in Guangzhou, where she finished as a semi-finalist, solidifying her year-end standing among the world's top five pairs.Despite the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, Lee began the 2020 season with a strong run to the semi-finals of the All England Open, shortly before the international circuit was suspended. Upon the sport's return in early 2021, Lee reached her peak form in the "Bangkok Leg," where Lee and Shin finished runner-up in the Toyota Thailand Open to Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong, and a week later beating Kim and Kong to captured her first-ever BWF World Tour Finals title. This momentum carried into the late 2021 European leg, where she secured a runner-up finish at the Denmark Open before successfully retaining her French Open title. Despite a bittersweet fourth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that held in mid 2021, Lee ended the season on a high note by securing a silver medal at the BWF World Championships in Huelva, Spain.
In 2022, Lee experienced a milestone defined by high-stakes team success and a significant transition in her professional partnership. A crowning achievement occurred in May at the Uber Cup in Bangkok, where Lee played a role in South Korea's dramatic 3–2 victory over China to claim the world team title; Lee and Shin secured a crucial point in the final by defeating the world number 1 pair, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan. Latter half of 2022 marked a major turning point as her long-standing partnership with Shin Seung-chan was restructured by the national coaching staff. Lee began a high-profile experimental pairing with Baek Ha-na, which yielded immediate international success; in their very first tournament together, they reached the final of the Denmark Open, signaling the start of a new elite chapter in Lee's career.