Se-ri Pak discusses payroll and tax burdens as entrepreneur

Former professional golfer Se-ri Pak revealed on the tvN STORY program 'Table Tales' on the 2nd that managing employee salaries during the first week of every month and handling taxes are her most significant business challenges.

Former golf legend Se-ri Pak has opened up about the practical hardships she faces while living as an entrepreneur following her retirement. She candidly revealed the weight of her post-retirement life, ranging from the burden of employee salaries and taxes—pressures unimaginable during her glamorous playing days—to the shifting interpersonal dynamics that require her to directly approach people and make requests.

During the broadcast of the tvN STORY entertainment program 'Table Tales' on the 2nd, former professional golfer Se-ri Pak discussed the realistic concerns she feels while running a business after retirement. Even for someone who reached the pinnacle as a world-class athlete, the monthly pressure of management and the process of adapting to a new social life have proven to be significant challenges.

Lee Young-ja asked Se-ri Pak when the most suffocating moments occur while running her business. Mentioning the reality of having to pay employees' salaries on time, Lee asked, "You have to match the employees' salaries, right? Because there is no money coming in. During the month, when is it most suffocating?"

Without hesitation, Se-ri Pak replied, "It is the first week. They go out on the 1st of every month." She explained that as the payday for employees arrives at the beginning of every month, the most immediate practical burden as a business owner is payroll. Unlike her life as an athlete, which focused on matches and training, she is now in a position where she must consider the livelihoods of her employees as she is responsible for an organization.

The next most burdensome item after salaries was taxes. When Lee Young-ja asked about other expenses besides payroll, Se-ri Pak answered briefly and clearly, "Taxes." Hearing this, Kim Chang-ok remarked, "That is thoroughly realistic. Number one is salary, number two is taxes. What is number three?" as he felt the weight of business management. The conversation revealed that the income earned as an athlete and the costs incurred while running a business are entirely different matters.

Se-ri Pak's concerns were not limited to financial issues. She confessed that the process of adapting to a new environment after retirement was not easy. "Since I am someone who only did sports, it was very difficult. Starting something new was not easy," she said, adding that broadcasting activities and meeting people were also unfamiliar.

During her playing career, her life centered solely on matches and training. In the process of preparing for and participating in tournaments, there was little need to seek out others or build new relationships. Se-ri Pak explained, "Before, I couldn't just go out and meet people like that. Because I was an athlete, everything else wasn't important. I was an athlete preparing for and participating in tournaments, so what else would I do?" Having focused on golf for a long time, she essentially had to learn new ways of social life after retirement.

However, the situation changed completely after retirement. She reached a position where she must seek out people herself, actively push for necessary tasks, and sometimes even make requests to others. "After retiring, I have to go out myself, do things, and also have to make requests and say things that are disappointing," Se-ri Pak said. She added that because she does not have a personality that approaches others in a friendly manner first, those processes were somewhat difficult at first.

In particular, Se-ri Pak's confession drew attention because it showed that life after retirement cannot be described simply as rest or a new challenge. While she only had to focus on her performance and results as an athlete, after transforming into an entrepreneur, she must directly take responsibility for employees, the organization, taxes, and external relationships. It was revealed that even for a successful sports star, running a business is a separate reality, and significant burdens follow the process of performing unfamiliar social roles.

Se-ri Pak, who accumulated numerous records and glories on the world golf stage, has expanded her life by challenging new fields even after retirement. However, that process involved various realities, from the cold numbers of salaries and taxes to the difficulty of relationships where she must reach out to people. The honest struggles of entrepreneur Se-ri Pak, hidden behind the glamorous name of the golf queen, provided a different kind of empathy to viewers.

Read the original (Korean)