Looking Back at Park Seri's Past Statement... "I Gave Everything to My Parents, Starting with Paying Off My Father's Debt"

Park Seri Hope Foundation Files Police Complaint Against Park Seri's Father for Forgery of Private Documents

"The sponsor contract money is bigger than the prize money, but I gave all of that to my parents." "I used the prize money first to pay off my father's debts."

As the ‘Park Seri Hope Foundation,’ chaired by former golfer and broadcaster Park Seri, filed a police complaint against Park Seri’s father, past statements made on broadcasts are being reexamined.

Park Seri is sharing the story of giving her prize money to her father during her appearance on SBS variety show 'Healing Camp' in 2013.
[Photo by SBS Healing Camp]

On the 11th, the Park Seri Hope Foundation filed a complaint against Park Seri’s father, Park Joon-cheol, on charges including forgery of private documents. The foundation reportedly reviewed filing the complaint after learning that Park allegedly secretly made and used the foundation’s corporate seal after receiving a participation proposal from a company establishing an international golf school.

After this fact was revealed, netizens’ interest in Park Seri and her father grew. Previously, Park Seri appeared on SBS variety show ‘Healing Camp’ in 2013 and revealed that she used her golf prize money to pay off her father’s debts. At the time, Park Seri said, “Before retiring, I earned about 12.6 billion KRW (approximately $10 million) in prize money in the U.S. alone,” adding, “That was just the prize money, and including additional earnings, my total income was about 50 billion KRW (approximately $42 million).”

Park Seri said, “Most of the prize money was used to pay off my father’s debts,” and shared, “The moment golf became fun for me, my father’s business suddenly faced difficulties, and he kept borrowing money to support my golf career.” She added, “That’s why I used the prize money first to pay off my father’s debts,” and “I gave all the prize money and contract money to my parents, who supported me tirelessly, even to the point of asking others for help.”

Park Seri Hope Foundation website
Photo by Homepage Capture

In 2015, she appeared alongside her father on SBS’s ‘Please Take Care of My Dad,’ showing a special affection. Park Seri said on the show, “I started golf at age 14 because of my dad. He was my first coach,” and expressed gratitude, saying, “Thanks to my dad, I was able to overcome everything. Being here today is all thanks to him.”

In a 2022 broadcast, regarding her total golf prize money, she said, “I don’t really know how much I earned myself. According to news reports, it’s just under 20 billion KRW (approximately $16.8 million). The sponsor contract money is bigger than the prize money, but I gave all of that to my parents.” At that time, Park Seri said, “I prepared a mansion in Daejeon for my parents. What I have done for my parents is never regrettable.”