Pak Se-ri appeared on the tvN STORY variety show "What Are You Doing with Leftovers?" and shared a perplexing anecdote about the time he treated Choo Shin-soo to a meal. Pak Se-ri stated that Choo Shin-soo is the wealthiest of the younger people he has treated to meals, and revealed that he felt a strange sensation watching Choo leave in a Maybach, unlike himself who took a taxi home after the meal.
On the show, Choo Shin-soo candidly disclosed his salary during his Major League days and the maintenance costs of his home in Texas. He explained that he received $130 million when he signed with the Texas Rangers, and that the monthly maintenance costs alone for his current residence, spanning 5,500 pyeong (approximately 18,200 square meters), amount to about 10 million won.
Furthermore, Choo recalled the financial hardships he experienced during his minor league days, contrasting with his glamorous present. He confessed that he endured a difficult life, receiving a monthly salary of $700 every two weeks and surviving on a single pizza for four days.
Choo emphasized that his time in the minor leagues was the hardest period of his life. He expressed his honest feelings, stating that he never wants to go back to those days and that even if a major league career were guaranteed, he would not want to repeat life in the minor leagues.
From Minor League Struggles to Major League Success
Former MLB player Choo Shin-soo recently reflected on his challenging seven-year minor league tenure, where he lived on a $700 bi-weekly salary and limited his food budget to $20 a day. Despite his current lifestyle, which includes a 5,500-pyeong Texas residence, Choo emphasized that those early years of financial hardship were the most difficult period of his life.
A Humorous Encounter Between Sports Icons
Golf legend Pak Se-ri shared a lighthearted story on the variety show 'Namgyeoseo Mwohage' about treating Choo Shin-soo to a meal, only to watch him depart in a Maybach while she took a taxi. The interaction highlighted the playful dynamic between the two athletes as they discussed Choo's career earnings and his transition from humble beginnings to major league stardom.