It’s about dreams. A successful life no matter what. She is the youngest inductee to the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame and holds the most wins (25 wins) for Koreans. This is the dream of coach Pak Se-ri (46), who is a popular influencer and broadcaster, coach of the women’s national golf team, commentator, and CEO of a company, who is also conducting a buddy show in the second round of her life.
At the end of March, the cherry blossoms that urge spring burst like popcorn. I met CEO Pak Se-ri at Baz International. She is called ‘Rich sister’ and has a busy daily life, but ‘human’ Pak Se-ri still dreams. Just like when he was active, he is constantly hitting shots called ‘Challenge’ to achieve his dream.
Before becoming ‘Rich Sister’, Pak Se-ri was called ‘pioneer’. Even though he was shy, he said, “The nickname of pioneer is thanks to his juniors.” She was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame and was selected as the only Asian to be selected as one of the “36 people who have contributed to the development of women’s sports in the world” by Business Insider, an American business magazine. .
He said, “I wonder if my nickname would have been different if her juniors hadn’t consistently improved as they do now on the LPGA tour. Of course, with me as the starting point, many juniors dream of becoming golfers, challenge the LPGA tour, and there is talk that Korean golf has developed rapidly, but it is possible thanks to juniors who have followed the path well.”
If you open a road and no one follows it, the road soon disappears. It is said that the name Pak Se-ri became a brand in itself thanks to the second and third Pak Se-ri who followed the path he opened.
Pak Se-ri said, “As a senior, I really thought a lot about whether more juniors should find a way to show off their good skills on the world stage even after retirement.” The driving force behind designing a ‘rich life’ chasing a dream and putting it into practice is also for the sake of juniors walking the path of hardship.
By the time I decided to retire, I wondered if there was anything I could do, but I came to the conclusion that creating an environment where I could exercise was the most realistic and intuitive help. Come to think of it, TV audition programs such as ‘Pak Se-ri’s Tomorrow’s Heroes’ and ‘The Queens’, in which he appeared, are focused on examining the talents of the players. In other words, the life of ‘Senior Se-Ri Pak’, who plays the role of a helper so that prospects with outstanding talent can realize their dreams as if they are enjoying it, has started in earnest.
Numerous ‘serikiz’ are still swinging their clubs in the driving range without rest. Pak Se-ri emphasized, “We need a culture where children exercise for their dreams, not for others.” You have to dream of becoming a great player through golf itself, but the moment you train to please your parents or look good to someone, it becomes stressful.
Pak Se-ri thinks that more promising players can dream only when a culture that creates dreams rather than burdens is established for young players. If you like it, you will have the tenacity to run without getting tired. He said, “I have seen too many juniors who are tired of their parents’ dreams. Those who are still thinking about whether to exercise their children should open up the environment so that they can approach happily, but think carefully about entering the path of an elite athlete.”
Because he knows the hard work of his parents who have devoted themselves to him more than anyone else, he is well aware of how heavy the weight of responsibility is to carry as a player. So, he repeatedly emphasizes that “exercise is something that children should enjoy in order to achieve their dreams.”
It is not as easy as it sounds to have fun, develop your talent, and use it as a stepping stone to grow into a world-class player. In a society like Korea where sports and athletes are neglected, it is close to impossible. The vicious cycle of being enthusiastic about geniuses who appear occasionally and then cooling off when they disappear like consumables is repeated.
In the 1990s, the environment was even worse. Pak Se-ri said, “The thing I heard most often in the US during my active career was, ‘What kind of system does Korea have so that it is particularly good at (golf)’? He looked back at the question, “What is the secret to doing well in a small country and short golf history?” He said, “I was a little embarrassed when I heard the question. In Korea, the environment for players to exercise was really poor. I am playing on the American stage with pride as a Korean, but I have nothing to say, so my pride is hurt.”
At that time, it was before the K-pop or Hallyu boom. Rather, it was a time when sports and culture were treated as marginalized. Pak Se-ri, in her early 20s, was uncomfortable with such gazes from foreigners. He said, “With the determination to become the best, I cut my sleeping, eating, and training time in seconds and kept it like a knife, even winning a major tournament, but I was angry at the gaze that looked down on Korea. However, I was more embarrassed because I had nothing to say about the training system.”
It is in the same context that he began putting his grand dream of establishing a so-called ‘Seri Park’ into action by signing a business agreement with Yongin City earlier this month and starting with the establishment of a golf R&D center.
Pak Se-ri said, “When you go outside the house in foreign countries, the so-called front yard is equipped with all the facilities. Not only football and baseball, but also golf can be enjoyed at ridiculous prices. Life itself is closely related to exercise, so interest in exercise naturally increases. Like a playground, there is an environment where you can play and play in the field, so the chances of developing your skills and physical strength increase. I thought that Korea should also have such a facility, and to do so, it should be accessible, accessible easily and comfortably, and a space where people can be curious about sports. The R&D center is the first step to meeting these needs.”
The goal is to build the only theme park in Korea that encompasses education and experiential spaces for sports, art, culture, and shopping, rather than simply playing golf. This was also inspired by the experience gained in the United States. Pak Se-ri said, “When I first entered the US, I was surprised by the environment where (people) welcomed me wherever I went and the golf course was perfectly equipped from the driving range to the course. On the course, you can experience various routes regardless of time. Assuming a tournament, you can set up your own situation and shoot various shots, so you can practice combat without getting bored. I couldn’t compare to Korean players in terms of amount of practice, concentration, and creativity.” 토토사이트
Golf R&D Center is not a junior academy, but literally means a sports facility close to life. If there is a life-friendly sports facility, more people will enjoy it. It’s like the government is doing what it’s supposed to do.
There are also concerns. It is because I have a memory of falling into an extreme slump while ignoring the signals sent by my body and mind with the determination to ‘become the best’. You may make the mistake of ignoring your inner voice again because you think you have to achieve your dreams. “It’s really important to time your training wisely. If you build up your stamina with sufficient training, resting is just as important, but I couldn’t do that.” He said, “Self-praise became the strength to overcome the slump. Previously, he was greedy that the more he did well, the better he wanted to do, and he lived by dividing the time between sleeping, eating and resting in seconds. I was exhausted, but I paid a heavy price for ignoring it.”
Thanks to that, I’m trying not to lose my composure to look around while chasing my dreams. The reason why she welcomes the nickname ‘Rich sister’ is because it seems to reflect her philosophy of life to enjoy life itself richly, not material abundance. Pak Se-ri said, “I may fall into burnout again, but since I experienced it once, I think I can deal with it wisely. When the signal comes, it’s like giving me some time to spare. So experience is important. There is absolutely no bad experience in the world,” he said, giving strength to his voice.
Dreamers are beautiful. A person who lives every day with a grateful heart, diligently and diligently is always a youth. Pak Se-ri, who has a smile as bright as cherry blossoms and an ear that listens to others, is already a good person and a respected senior. ‘Rich Unnie’, who pursues her dream of ‘creating a good environment for her juniors’, is walking step by step on the field of life. When he reaches his dream, the ‘Life Hall of Fame’ will be waiting for him.
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