Grace Park: The Seoul Sisters Magazine
Exclusive Interview

Grace on Saturday
SeoulSisters.com photo

SS: There's a website called www.gracepark.co.kr. Is that your official website?

GP: (Nods) Kind of...

SS: It's a bit strange...

GP: It's very strange...

SS: (Laughs) What's the deal with those cartoons? (The site has a lot of Korean cartoons that have nothing to do with Grace; some have a sports theme, while others are seemingly random).

GP: I have no idea.

SS: You don't know the people who do that?

GP: Not directly. I don't openly (?) know them. My dad hired a company to... it's not really updated, and it's not really being taken care of. I don't know if I should continue it. I don't really have time to be active and be involved in my own website. Yet, I let other people do it and I'm not satisfied with what I'm seeing.

SS: How big a star would you say you are in Korea? On a scale of one to ten, where 'one' is you can walk down the street and no one notices you, and 'ten' is....

GP: Three. I did notice that this year I was more recognized than ever. Everywhere I go now, people recognize me. (It's more than) it used to be. You know, last year, once in a while, here and there, or if I'm on the golf course, obviously. But it's anywhere now. I could be valeting my car, and the valet attendant will know me, will want to shake my hand. Everybody: at a restaurant, a cafe, anywhere. And it's... I don't like it.

SS: I was just going to ask you that. Because if Nike ever does do a big advertising campaign for you, you could become pretty well known in this country. Are you ready for that? (Grace makes a goofy face, and I laugh) Or not?

GP: (Laughs) I love to have my commercial, and be at the top and everything... but I don't like the "entourage".

SS: So you don't want to be like J.Lo or anything?

GP: I would never be like J.Lo!

SS: (Laughs) One more question. What's a cool perk of your job? What's something you get as Grace Park that's really neat? A good parking space or a good table at a restaurant? Get to meet anyone cool? I saw a picture of you with Bill Clinton.

GP: Yeah, that was very neat, but... I'm very kind of... in myself (I think she means she likes to keep to herself). I don't like to be out much.

Grace practices her putting on Thursday
SeoulSisters.com photo

Grace practices her pitching during the pro-am
(Click to enlarge)
SeoulSisters.com photo

SS: You spend a lot of time by yourself at home? Do you like to watch TV?

GP: Not even that. No, I mean I like to go out and everything, but with my friends, not out in the public as 'Grace Park'. I like everything to be as normal as possible.

SS: You'd like to be a top golfer, but without all the other stuff.

GP: Right!

SS: As a final thing, do you have anything you'd like to say about your fans that follow you?

GP: There are some dedicated people! I honestly think that you and everybody, I'm not going to name everyone because I'll probably forget a few... But it's amazing, because I don't go on very often (onto the LPGA message board), but every time I go there are all these things, and everybody's checking up every day, every tournament, and... it's really neat. And I go on at night sometimes, after a good round or a bad round, and it makes me feel good that I have supporters who follow me and be my fans regardless. It means a lot to me.

SS: Thanks! Good luck this week!