Shin Yubin (left) and Lim Jonghoon, who won the mixed doubles title at the WTT Finals Hong Kong. WTT Instagram capture. The "golden pair" Shin Yubin (Korean Air) and Lim Jonghoon (Korea Securities Exchange), who clinched a bronze medal in mixed doubles at last year's Paris Olympics, have achieved a remarkable feat by defeating the Great Wall of China to claim the championship at the year-end grand finals of the World Table Tennis (WTT) series.

On the 13th, Shin Yubin and Lim Jonghoon teamed up to sweep the Chinese pair Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha 3-0 in the WTT Finals Hong Kong 2025 mixed doubles final held in Hong Kong, securing the championship.

Shin Yubin receiving, with Lim Jonghoon watching. WTT Instagram capture.

This tournament is a grand finals where only players with high ranking points based on their performances in WTT Series Grand Smash, Champions, and Contender events are invited to determine the ultimate champion.

Only the top 16 players in men's and women's singles participate, and only 8 pairs are invited for mixed doubles.

Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin, ranked second in the world in mixed doubles, won all three of their group stage matches 3-0 to advance to the semifinals as the top seed. In the semifinals, they faced the Chinese pair Lin Shidong-Kwai Man.

Lin Shidong-Kwai Man was the top-ranked mixed doubles pair, having achieved three Grand Smash titles (Singapore, United States, Europe Smash) in the highest tier of the WTT Series this year.

Notably, Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin, who had won three WTT Series titles themselves (Chennai, Ljubljana, Zagreb), had lost to Lin Shidong-Kwai Man in the finals of the US and European Smashes, finishing as runners-up on both occasions.

In the semifinals, Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin defeated Lin Shidong-Kwai Man 3-1, avenging their previous losses and earning a spot in the finals.

In the final, facing the Chinese pair Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha, comprising the world number one players in men's and women's singles, the momentum of Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin did not waver.

Luck was also on the side of Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin when Sun Yingsha, the world's strongest female player, withdrew from her mixed doubles match after suffering an ankle injury during her women's singles semifinal match against her compatriot Kwai Man.

Shin Yubin (left) talking with Lim Jonghoon. WTT Instagram capture.

The pair of Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha had been a formidable "nemesis" for Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin, proving difficult to overcome.

In the semifinals of last year's Paris Olympics, Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin lost to Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha 2-4.

After being relegated to the bronze medal match, Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin defeated the Hong Kong pair Wong Chun Ting-Doo Hoi Kem 4-0 to secure the bronze medal, while Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha took home the gold.

Misfortune continued at the World Championships in Doha in May of this year.

Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin were convincingly defeated 0-3 by Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha in the semifinals, earning a bronze medal, while Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha also won gold at this event.

Up until this year's World Championships, Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin had a losing streak of 0-6 against Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha.

Adding to the challenges, Shin Yubin had sustained a ligament injury in her knee during the group stage of the Mixed Team World Cup in Chengdu, China, which concluded on the 8th, and was not in optimal condition.

However, after about ten days of rest, Shin Yubin displayed exceptional fighting spirit in the mixed doubles, finally overcoming Wang Chuqin-Sun Yingsha and clinching Korea's first ever mixed doubles gold medal in the Finals.

Shin Yubin (right) and Lim Jonghoon high-fiving. WTT Instagram capture.

Lim Jonghoon, who married on the 30th of last month, not only won the men's doubles gold medal with Oh Joon Sung (Korea Securities Exchange) at the WTT Star Contender Muscat, his last tournament before his wedding, but also partnered with Shin Yubin to win the mixed doubles gold medal at the premier event, the Finals.

For Lim Jonghoon, who postponed his honeymoon to prepare for this tournament, this victory serves as the best wedding gift.

Lim Jonghoon (right) posing for a wedding photo before his marriage. Courtesy of Lim Jonghoon.

In a post-victory interview, Shin Yubin stated, "Oppa Lim Jonghoon helped me, allowing me to play well and win the gold medal." She also wished Sun Yingsha a speedy recovery from her ankle injury.

With this mixed doubles gold medal at the final WTT tournament of the year, Shin Yubin and Lim Jonghoon have concluded 2025 on a high note.