Ra Kyung Min is Coming out of Retirement!!

**ye333** · 08-21-2009, 11:29 AM

They are in Calgary.

Originally Posted by sting1988

I thought KDM and RKM are in Alberta, Canada. Hopefully I could see KDM play cause I've only seen the 2004 Olympics and All England 2000. Magnificent player!!

**ye333** · 08-21-2009, 11:30 AM

Hmm... that's very reasonable.

Originally Posted by huangkwokhau

I thought Ra is already Canadian citizen....she should represent Canada....

**Loh** · 08-21-2009, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by huangkwokhau

I thought Ra is already Canadian citizen....she should represent Canada....

Originally Posted by ye333

Hmm... that's very reasonable.

Maybe she has dual citizenship.

And maybe Korea offers better incentives?

But seriously, how old is mother Ra now?

It may be tough for her to make a return to professional badminton.

**OneToughBirdie** · 08-21-2009, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by huangkwokhau

I thought Ra is already Canadian citizen....she should represent Canada....

If Ra/KDM play for Canada, then they can keep playing and representing Canada till they turn old age and then collect old age security.

**bad_fanatic** · 08-21-2009, 01:44 PM

It would be so awesome to see DKM/RKM vs LYD/LHJ

**Athelete1234** · 08-21-2009, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by Loh

Maybe she has dual citizenship.

And maybe Korea offers better incentives?

But seriously, how old is mother Ra now?

It may be tough for her to make a return to professional badminton.

She's 32 according to the article....so about the age of PG.

**Armor_tec_14** · 08-21-2009, 03:42 PM

um, to the person that said it would be easy to get an olympic gold, seen as LYD/LHJ got one that is absolute rubbish. Yeah LHJ can be slightly inconsistent, but when she's playing well she plays really well.

**Siegfried_Li** · 08-21-2009, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Armor_tec_14

um, to the person that said it would be easy to get an olympic gold, seen as LYD/LHJ got one that is absolute rubbish. Yeah LHJ can be slightly inconsistent, but when she's playing well she plays really well.

Yes LHJ is a very good player, I always agree with this.

**Armor_tec_14** · 08-21-2009, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by Siegfried_Li

Yes LHJ is a very good player, I always agree with this.

So why is it easy?

***Cheung*** · 08-21-2009, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by Armor_tec_14

um, to the person that said it would be easy to get an olympic gold, seen as LYD/LHJ got one that is absolute rubbish. Yeah LHJ can be slightly inconsistent, but when she's playing well she plays really well.

A bit of an understatement. I don't think she's a big game player despite that Olympic gold.

Originally Posted by loh

But seriously, how old is mother Ra now?
It may be tough for her to make a return to professional badminton.

For her style of play, perhaps not. And for women, I do think it is easier. Mixed doubles is not all about power. For ladies doubles, I think it would be very tough given teh physical strength of China's ladies doubles players.

**george@chongwei** · 08-22-2009, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by OneToughBirdie

If Ra/KDM play for Canada, then they can keep playing and representing Canada till they turn old age and then collect old age security.

it would be awesome to see her representing canada

**pjswift** · 08-22-2009, 12:53 AM

Things can change very fast. LYD is not as sharp as before. LYD/LHJ deservingly won the OG08 gold because LYD could cover for LHJ. But not since this year.
LHJ has a real fear of ZB/MJ. The LYD/LHJ mix looks done for winning titles. RKM would do better with LYD. XD is about skills and guile. RKM has plenty of both, once she polishes off the rust.

**narnia** · 08-22-2009, 01:40 AM

You guys go beyond the facts.

- KDM will stay at Calgary, coaching some canadian elite players at the KDM Badminton Academy, and caring for his first son. (Their new-born daughter will be brought to Korea and cared by RKM's parents.)

- KDM/RKM are not Canadian citizens; maybe not PR either. FYI, Korea doesn't allow dual citizenship.

- RKM will give some tries playing at the Tournaments in Korea partnering with her colleagues in DaeKyo Team, which consists of only women. Nothing talked in the relevance of the National Team.

**tommy_bun** · 08-22-2009, 01:40 AM

After Minarti Timur...Now Ra Kyung Min...Parhaps next is Ge Fei

**ctjcad** · 08-22-2009, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by narnia

...
- RKM will give some tries playing at the Tournaments in Korea partnering with her colleagues in DaeKyo Team, which consists of only women. Nothing talked in the relevance of the National Team.

..and we all thought Ra would re-join the national team & team up with Yong Dae and form a kick a** XD pair...bummer!!

*Btw, thanks for sharing the tidbits of infos..

**event** · 08-22-2009, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by narnia

You guys go beyond the facts.
...
RKM will give some tries playing at the Tournaments in Korea partnering with her colleagues in DaeKyo Team, which consists of only women. Nothing talked in the relevance of the National Team.

This is partially correct. She is not yet back with the national team. However, the Daegyo manager said this was a test with a decision on her selection for the national team to be made later. Also, although the Fall Championships will only have a women's team event, Daegyo will be representing Seoul at the National Sports Festival in Daejeon and they always contribute a mixed doubles player, as when Hwang Yu Mi teamed up with Gangnam's Hwang Ji Man last year to win the NSF mixed doubles title. Also, remember that the last time Ra came out of retirement (granted, after only 8 months out of the national team), she played only mixed doubles, with Lee Jae Jin at the 2005 Sudirman Cup.

**Loh** · 08-22-2009, 11:44 PM

Just a thought.

Ra and her husband KDM have done Korea proud in the past and should be getting quite a reasonable pension. I'm not sure about the cost of living in Korea and whether their combined pension is more than enough for their basic needs. Or whether their pensions also take into account inflation.

They are also getting an income from their coaching work and perhaps from playing for their teams. However they are presently residing in Calgary, Canada where costs may be higher. If both intend to be PRs or citizens ultimately then they may have to find ways to increase their income. They may also lose their pensions if they change citizenship.

But of course they also have additions to the family, now comprising four members I understand from this forum, with the arrival of a baby girl recently to join their son and their financial needs will naturally increase.

Most Asian ladies would have retired long before they reached 30, especially those playing singles, with rare exceptions like Zhang Ning of China. To have Ra coming out of retirement at age 32 to represent Korea again would be something unusual and perhaps has never happened before in Korea. Ra then would have her attention diverted between her husband, children and professional badminton. And top-notch badminton now requires greater demands on training and related sacrifices. Accepted that Ra has already acquired more than the skills of her younger colleagues and she probably will concentrate on her pet event the XD, which is less taxing compared with singles.

Maybe event care to comment?