"Male Golf 'True Fan' Aspires to Become Foundation of Businessmen's Association President"

Interview with Gu Ja-cheol, KPGA President

Satisfied with over 30 billion KRW broadcasting rights contract in 5 years
Promoting foothold for domestic players' overseas tour advancement
"Golf is a microcosm of life, always maintain a prepared attitude"

"A sociable diplomat."

On the 9th, Koo Ja-chul, chairman of the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA), revealed in an interview with Asia Economy that his self-reported personality type according to the MBTI test is 'ESFJ-A.' It is summarized as 'extroverted, liking active work, valuing helping others, and having a tendency to plan and carry out tasks.' He proudly calls himself a true fan of men's professional golf, is not shy about expressing his emotions, and is also a trot music enthusiast who sings Jo Hang-jo's "Gomabso" in a soulful way. Chairman Koo laughed heartily, saying, "It seems to fit me quite well."

Koo Ja-chul, chairman of the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA), is showing a mobile phone screen displaying a self-report personality type test and MBTI type in an interview with Asia Economy.
[Photo by KPGA]

He is eagerly awaiting the opening event of the 2023 KPGA Korean Tour, the "18th DB Insurance Promy Open," which starts on the 13th. "I look forward to seeing what interesting records will be set this year and which outstanding stars will emerge," he said. This year’s Korean Tour fully reflects the achievements that Chairman Koo has devoted himself to during his four-year term, in line with his personality type.

A representative example is the new broadcasting rights contract signed with the SBS Medianet-Innocean consortium as the new main broadcaster. The contract value exceeds 6 billion KRW annually, totaling over 30 billion KRW for five years. This amount reflects added value, including rights fees, attracting new tournaments, and profit sharing from resale of broadcast footage. Chairman Koo said, "Even if Korean Tour players, who symbolize domestic men's golf, have excellent skills and content, it means nothing if they cannot show it to fans," adding, "I am satisfied that this reflects the efforts to have men's professional golf recognized in the market." Above all, he was pleased with the launch of a dedicated channel (SBS Golf 2) covering all KPGA tournaments, including the Korean Tour live broadcasts, the second-tier Srixon Tour, and the senior Champions Tour, saying, "I hope the refreshing and impressive play and spirited reactions highlight the unique charm of men's golf."

Since taking office as the 18th KPGA chairman in January 2020, Chairman Koo has focused on expanding the external environment where players can be active. He firmly believed that increasing the number of tournaments would raise the prize money players receive and increase their media exposure. He actively sought corporate sponsors and even used his own funds to create new tournaments. Thanks to these efforts, the Korean Tour, which had 17 tournaments and a total prize money of 15.6 billion KRW in 2021, has grown to a record scale this year with 25 tournaments and total prize money exceeding 25 billion KRW. Chairman Koo also believes that more star players should establish themselves on overseas tours through the Korean Tour. To expand opportunities for domestic players to advance to the DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, KPGA is about to sign business agreements with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

Koo Ja-chul, Chairman of the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA), is explaining current issues in an interview with Asia Economy.
[Photo by KPGA]

He likened players to "actors" and tour tournaments to "stages." He said, "Until now, we have been busy producing actors and stages according to the scripts desired by title sponsors," emphasizing, "Ultimately, we need to create our own private brand (PB) led by the association to generate revenue and encourage voluntary participation from companies expecting promotional effects." The reason he is considering re-election as chairman at the end of this year is because he wants to build such a foundation. He expressed his ambition, saying, "Rather than being a chairman with a rigid image focused on authority or public interest, I want to lay the groundwork so that KPGA can function like an investment company, like a businessman."

Chairman Koo is the youngest son among four sons and two daughters of the late Koo Tae-hoe, honorary chairman of LS Cable & System, and is a businessman who built his own enterprise. After working for Lucky-Goldstar Trading (now LG International) for 10 years from 1983, he founded Sale Industry, a manufacturer of flanges (wooden reels for winding cables), in 1993, and also engaged in construction and auto parts businesses. In 2013, he became chairman of Yesco (formerly Far East City Gas), an LS-affiliated city gas company. He started playing golf in 1984 while working as an LG International staff member in New York, encouraged by his senior, Koo Ja-yeol, current chairman of the Korea International Trade Association. His personal best score is 67, recorded in March last year. He said he is especially confident in putting.

Chairman Koo emphasized, "Golf is like a 'microcosm of life,' where hope can appear when you are discouraged, and when you are fully excited, you can collapse in an instant, which offers many lessons for business." He added, "Even when you are in a situation where you want to give up, if you do not lose hope, you can make a 'birdie' someday and have a chance to recover. It is important to develop basic skills and always be prepared with a positive mindset to overcome crises."