Club Spotlight:
Padel Society
- Published: 9th June 2026
- South Korea
- Club
- 6-min read
A Quick Word
Specials thanks to Marco Duarte from Play Padel SG who – after I told him about my upcoming trip to South Korea – kindly introduced me to Hakyung Goo and Jiwon Lee, founders of Padel Society, and very lovely people. I had the pleasure to play at their club with them and their community last month, who were kind and welcoming (see photo above!). Thank you, Jiwon, Hakyung, and the Padel Society community – hope to play padel again with you soon and show off the new Korean words I’ve learnt!
A honeymoon discovery that turned into a club
Padel Society’s story begins in Seville in 2022, when founders Hakyung and Jiwon stumbled into a social tournament while on their honeymoon. Neither had heard of the sport before, but it has stayed with them long after they returned home to South Korea.
Back in Korea, a quick search revealed a court near their home – something that felt close to fate, considering how few clubs there are (currently there are only 4 padel clubs in Korea). They started playing, and quickly fell in love with the game.
A move to Singapore in 2023 turned padel into a daily fixture for them and helped them to meet friends in a new city. Six months in Bali followed in 2024, where the couple trained seriously and earned their coaching certifications. By 2025, the vision had a name and a home: Padel Society opened its first location in Gimpo.
In 2023, we moved to Singapore for a while, and padel became a huge part of our lives there. The sport helped us build friendships quickly in a new city, and we saw firsthand just how powerful padel is as a social connector. That experience deepened our passion in a way we hadn't expected.
Built around community, designed for year-round play
Padel Society sits in Gimpo, around 40 minutes from central Seoul and within easy reach of Incheon Airport (very handy for me as I was flying back the next day after I played there). The club operates one fully indoor court, allowing for consistent play across every season.
On site, members can use shower facilities and browse the merchandise shop. As an Official NOX Distributor, the club also offers players direct access to premium equipment – a useful resource in a market still building its retail footprint for the sport.
Gimpo’s surprisingly strong base of experienced players made it the right place to begin. As Hakyung and Jiwon put it, “It felt like exactly the right place to start building the community we’d always dreamed of.”
Growing the game in Korea
In a country where padel remains unfamiliar to most, community-building is central to everything Padel Society does. The club’s Wine & Padel evenings have become a signature format, pairing the social side of the sport with a relaxed atmosphere that welcomes newcomers and regulars in equal measure.
This year, the focus is on broadening awareness through more social events, beginner clinics, and partnerships designed to introduce padel to a wider Korean audience.
Building community has always been at the heart of what we do — especially in a country where most people have never heard of padel. We've hosted events like our Wine & Padel evenings, which blend the social side of the sport with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere that's perfect for newcomers and regulars alike.
Looking ahead
Hakyung and Jiwon are clear about what excites them most: watching Korean padel grow, with Padel Society playing a central role in that movement. New events and collaborations are in the pipeline for 2026, with the founders confident the sport’s momentum in Korea is only beginning.
Written by Jamie Rowe
World Padel Network
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