Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk Review: A Fast, All-Wood Defensive Blade

By UltraSpin · 2026-07-13 · blade

The Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk is a signature defensive blade built with Korean chopper Joo Sae Hyuk, sold under Butterfly’s DEF speed class but reviewed again and again as one of the fastest, stiffest blades in that category, closer in feel to an oversized offensive board than a classic slow chopper’s blade.

Performance

Construction is 5-ply all wood: Planchonello wood face veneers sit over limba inner plies around an ayous wood core, at roughly 5.9mm thick. There is no carbon or arylate layer anywhere in the build, yet reviewers on MyTableTennis.NET note the blade is so stable that you don’t need carbon to remove vibration — the wood combination alone keeps the feel controlled at around 97g. Butterfly cuts the head to an oversized 165x152mm, well beyond a standard blade, which is exactly what defenders want: more surface area to get a racket on a ball chopped or blocked from well behind the table. Where the Joo Se Hyuk splits opinion is speed. Butterfly’s own box marks it DEF/medium, but players on forums argue it plays faster in practice, some call it ALL+, others say it is closer to OFF-, and Revspin reviewers describe it outright as a FAST defensive blade that is essentially an over-sized offensive setup. That speed lets a chopper drive back attacking loops and block confidently at mid distance, but it also means classical, slow, chop-every-ball defenders may find it overpowered and harder to control than a slower board like the Donic Defplay. Weight varies noticeably by individual blade, from the low 90s up to 104 to 110g, so buyers should expect a heavy racket once rubber, and commonly long pips on one wing, are added.

What Reviewers Agree (and Disagree) On

Every source agrees the oversized head, all-wood build, and no-carbon stability are real strengths, and that it is a top pick among choppers who also want to attack. The disagreement is almost entirely about speed class: official Butterfly specs and most shop listings mark it DEF, but plenty of players insist it plays like ALL+ or even OFF-, describing it as an oversized topspinning blade built for defenders who also loop, not classic chop-only defenders. Individual blade weight also varies noticeably, from about 93g to 110g, across production.

Who Should Buy It

This is for defensive players and choppers who already attack or counter-loop and want a fast, stable, oversized blade to do it with, not a general beginner attacking blade and not for a player who wants a slow, forgiving, classic chop-chop-chop defensive board. Beginners chasing pure, slow control should look at genuinely slower DEF blades such as the Donic Defplay Senso or Butterfly Defence 4 instead; the Joo Se Hyuk suits intermediate-to-advanced defenders ready for its extra speed and weight.

FAQ

Is the Butterfly Joo Se Hyuk an all-wood blade or does it have carbon?

It is a 5-ply all-wood blade: Planchonello wood surface veneers over limba plies with an ayous wood core. There is no carbon or arylate layer, and long-time owners note it stays stable with almost no vibration without one.

What speed class is the Joo Se Hyuk really?

Butterfly classifies it DEF, but many players report it plays faster than most defensive blades, closer to ALL+ or even OFF-, mainly because of its oversized head and stiff feel.

How much does it weigh?

Typically cited around 97g, though individual blades range from roughly 93g up to 104 to 110g, so it is a heavy blade, especially once rubber is fitted.

What rubbers pair well with it?

Reviewers commonly pair a defensive rubber or long pips, such as Feint Long II, on the backhand with an offensive rubber like Tenergy on the forehand, matching the blade’s dual defense/attack character.

Is it still in production?

No, Butterfly has discontinued it, and it is now found mostly through used listings and remaining retailer stock, which is why several forum threads discuss alternatives such as the TSP Diode V or Victas Koji Matsushita Offensive.