Korea Open 2026 Prize Money: Champion to Earn $37,390 in Seoul
The Korea Open 2026 prize money reflects a major change for the Seoul tournament after it moved back from WTA 500 to WTA 250 status this season.
The tournament carries a total financial commitment of $283,347, with the women’s singles champion set to earn $37,390 and 250 WTA ranking points.
The Korea Open will be played from September 21 to September 27, 2026, on the outdoor hard courts of the Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center. This year’s event features a 32-player singles draw and 16-team doubles competition.
Using average August 2026 exchange rates, the singles champion’s prize is worth approximately €32,265, £27,618 or A$52,677.
Below is the full singles and doubles prize-money breakdown, including ranking points and estimated currency conversions.
Korea Open 2026 Prize Money
The 2026 Korea Open singles champion will receive $37,390, while the runner-up will earn $22,125.
Here is the full singles prize-money distribution:
| Round | Ranking Points | USD | EUR* | GBP* | AUD* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | 250 | $37,390 | ≈€32,265 | ≈£27,618 | ≈A$52,677 |
| Finalist | 163 | $22,125 | ≈€19,092 | ≈£16,343 | ≈A$31,171 |
| Semifinal | 98 | $12,331 | ≈€10,641 | ≈£9,108 | ≈A$17,373 |
| Quarterfinal | 54 | $7,025 | ≈€6,062 | ≈£5,189 | ≈A$9,897 |
| Second Round | 30 | $4,285 | ≈€3,698 | ≈£3,165 | ≈A$6,037 |
| First Round | 1 | $3,065 | ≈€2,645 | ≈£2,264 | ≈A$4,318 |
*Currency conversions are estimates based on average exchange rates for August 2026. The official tournament prize money is denominated in US dollars, so the actual value in other currencies may fluctuate.
The August 2026 average rates used throughout this article are:
- US$1 = €0.862922
- US$1 = £0.738648
- US$1 = A$1.408858
These rates are based on August 2026 monthly averages published by X-Rates.
The amounts shown represent what a player receives for finishing at the specified stage and are not cumulative.
How Much Will the Korea Open 2026 Champion Earn?
Winning the women’s singles title in Seoul will be worth $37,390 and 250 WTA ranking points.
Using the August 2026 average exchange rates, that is approximately:
| Currency | Champion Prize |
|---|---|
| US Dollar | $37,390 |
| Euro | ≈€32,265 |
| British Pound | ≈£27,618 |
| Australian Dollar | ≈A$52,677 |
The runner-up will receive $22,125, approximately €19,092, £16,343 or A$31,171.
That means winning the championship match rather than finishing runner-up is worth an additional $15,265.
Semifinalists will receive $12,331 each, while reaching the quarterfinals guarantees $7,025.
Second-round players earn $4,285, while competitors eliminated in the opening round receive $3,065.
Korea Open Prize Money Drops After Return to WTA 250 Level
The year-to-year Korea Open prize-money comparison requires some important context.
Seoul was staged as a WTA 500 tournament in both 2024 and 2025, but returns to WTA 250 status for 2026. The WTA confirms that the 2025 tournament carried a total financial commitment of $1,064,510, compared with $283,347 this year.
| Year | Category | Total Financial Commitment |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | WTA 250 | $283,347 |
| 2025 | WTA 500 | $1,064,510 |
| Difference | — | -$781,163 (-73.4%) |
The winner’s prize has consequently fallen sharply as well.
Iga Swiatek earned $164,000 for winning the 2025 Korea Open, while this year’s champion will receive $37,390.
That is a difference of $126,610, or approximately 77.2%.
The decline should therefore not be viewed as a conventional reduction in prize money at the same tournament level. It largely reflects the event’s move from WTA 500 back to WTA 250 status, which comes with lower ranking points and prize-money requirements.
Korea Open 2026 Total Financial Commitment
The official 2026 Korea Open total financial commitment is $283,347.
Using the same August 2026 exchange rates, that is approximately:
| Currency | 2026 Total Financial Commitment |
|---|---|
| US Dollar | $283,347 |
| Euro | ≈€244,506 |
| British Pound | ≈£209,294 |
| Australian Dollar | ≈A$399,196 |
The total financial commitment should not be confused with the singles prize-money pool. It represents the tournament’s overall financial commitment across the event.
Korea Open 2026 Doubles Prize Money
The 2026 Korea Open doubles draw features 16 teams, with the champions earning $13,600 and 250 WTA ranking points.
Here is the complete doubles prize-money breakdown:
| Round | Ranking Points | USD | EUR* | GBP* | AUD* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 250 | $13,600 | ≈€11,736 | ≈£10,046 | ≈A$19,160 |
| Final | 163 | $7,650 | ≈€6,601 | ≈£5,651 | ≈A$10,778 |
| Semifinals | 98 | $4,390 | ≈€3,788 | ≈£3,243 | ≈A$6,185 |
| Quarterfinals | 54 | $2,620 | ≈€2,261 | ≈£1,935 | ≈A$3,691 |
| Round of 16 | 1 | $2,020 | ≈€1,743 | ≈£1,492 | ≈A$2,846 |
Winning the doubles title rather than finishing runner-up represents an additional $5,950 per team.
Semifinalists receive $4,390, quarterfinalists earn $2,620 and teams eliminated in the opening round collect $2,020.
Korea Open 2026 Tournament Details
Founded in 2004, the Korea Open has been a regular fixture on the WTA Tour for more than two decades.
The tournament is played on outdoor hard courts at the Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center in South Korea. Its main stadium can accommodate approximately 10,000 spectators.
Here are the main details for the 2026 tournament:
| Tournament Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Korea Open |
| Category | WTA 250 |
| Dates | September 21–27, 2026 |
| Location | Seoul, South Korea |
| Venue | Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Center |
| Surface | Outdoor Hard |
| Singles Draw | 32 players |
| Doubles Draw | 16 teams |
| Total Financial Commitment | $283,347 |
| Singles Champion Prize Money | $37,390 |
| Singles Champion Ranking Points | 250 |
| Doubles Champions Prize Money | $13,600 |
| Swing | Asian Swing |
| Time Zone | Korean Standard Time (GMT+9) |
When Are the Korea Open 2026 Finals?
Both championship matches are scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2026.
The doubles final will begin at 1:00 p.m. Korean Standard Time, followed by the singles championship match not before 3:30 p.m.
Korean Standard Time is GMT+9.
Who Is Playing at the Korea Open 2026?
The Korea Open field changed substantially in the days leading up to the tournament.
The WTA’s original Asian Swing preview highlighted Liudmila Samsonova, Tereza Valentova, Elena-Gabriela Ruse and McCartney Kessler among the notable entrants. However, several players subsequently withdrew.
Jelena Ostapenko has since entered on a wildcard and is the No. 1 seed in the main draw.
The eight seeded players are:
| Seed | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jelena Ostapenko |
| 2 | Kimberly Birrell |
| 3 | Lanlana Tararudee |
| 4 | Elena-Gabriela Ruse |
| 5 | Maya Joint |
| 6 | Anna Bondar |
| 7 | Magda Linette |
| 8 | Kamilla Rakhimova |
The main draw also includes players such as Sofia Kenin, Eva Lys, Katie Volynets, Moyuka Uchijima and Renata Zarazua.
Iga Swiatek Is the Defending Korea Open Champion
Iga Swiatek won the 2025 Korea Open, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova in the championship match.
Her victory came during Seoul’s second consecutive season as a WTA 500 tournament. Swiatek does not appear in the 2026 main draw following the tournament’s move back to WTA 250 status.
Recent Korea Open women’s singles champions include:
| Year | Champion |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Iga Swiatek |
| 2024 | Beatriz Haddad Maia |
| 2023 | Jessica Pegula |
| 2022 | Ekaterina Alexandrova |
| 2021 | Zhu Lin |
| 2019 | Karolina Muchova |
| 2018 | Kiki Bertens |
| 2017 | Jelena Ostapenko |
The tournament was not held in 2020. Its 2021 edition was staged later in the season than usual before Seoul returned to its regular place on the calendar. The WTA’s official honor roll confirms Swiatek, Haddad Maia, Pegula and Alexandrova as the four most recent champions.
From WTA 500 Back to WTA 250
The 2026 Korea Open marks another change in tournament level for the long-running Seoul event.
After operating at WTA 250 level for much of its history, the Korea Open was upgraded to WTA 500 in 2024 and retained that status in 2025. It returns to the WTA 250 category in 2026.
That change explains the large reduction in both ranking points and prize money.
The 2025 winner received 500 ranking points and $164,000, while the 2026 champion will collect 250 points and $37,390.
At the same time, the singles draw has expanded from the 28-player format used during the WTA 500 edition to 32 players in 2026.
