Hah Wonmi Draws Attention by Revealing Installation of "Panic Room"
Surging Interest in Panic Rooms Amid Rising Crime Rates
"Panic Room Market Expected to Exceed $1 Billion by 2030"
Former Major League Baseball player Shinsoo Choo and his wife Wonmi Ha. On the right is the couple's Texas mansion. Wonmi Ha Instagram·YouTube
Hah Wonmi, wife of former Major League Baseball (MLB) player Choo Shinsoo, has revealed that she has installed a "panic room" (a specialized security space) in their mansion in Texas, USA, drawing attention to the reasons behind this decision.
On the 24th, Hah introduced her family’s approximately 5,500-pyeong (about 18,180 square meters) home in Texas through her YouTube channel. She commented, "The house has become more expensive than when we first built it," adding, "It cost nearly 10 billion won, and now the price may have doubled." Hah particularly drew attention by mentioning that she had installed a panic room inside. A panic room is a room separately installed in a house to protect life and safety in extreme situations such as break-ins or terrorism.
Hah explained, "It’s a small space made of steel and is bulletproof," and added, "There is a system inside that allows you to view the outside through security cameras." She continued, "Even if the electricity to our house is cut off, the panic room still has power. We also installed a separate internet connection." She went on to explain the reason for installing the panic room, saying, "There are many people with guns in the United States, and my husband is a celebrity who is often away from home."
In fact, in recent years, global interest in panic rooms has surged due to rising crime rates, the risk of natural disasters, and social instability. According to a Forbes report in May last year, the global panic room market was valued at about $645 million (approximately 924.7 billion won) as of the previous year, and is expected to exceed $1 billion (approximately 1.43 trillion won) by 2030.
David Brannica, who sells bulletproof doors and related products, told the New York Post, "So far, I have installed more than 100 ‘hidden doors’ in homes across New York," and added, "People from all walks of life in New York are spending large sums of money to create secret security systems such as hidden doors or rooms in their homes." American clinical psychologist Yasmin Saad explained this phenomenon by saying, "A panic room serves not only as physical protection but also as a psychological barrier," adding, "It is a way for those who desire safety to regain a sense of peace."
Wonmi Ha revealed that she has prepared a "panic room" in her mansion in Texas, USA. Wonmi Ha YouTube
Meanwhile, Hah married Choo Shinsoo in 2004, and they have two sons and one daughter. Choo began his baseball career in the United States in 2001, and after his contract with the Texas Rangers expired in 2020, he returned to Korea and joined SSG Landers. He retired from professional play at the end of last year. Choo is currently serving as a special advisor to the SSG club owner and as the head of player development.
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