Park Tae-hwan Reveals He Bought Parents a Luxury Apartment in Jamsil at 19

Swimming sensation Park Tae-hwan has shared a surprising anecdote about purchasing a high-end apartment in Seoul's Jamsil district for his parents when he was just 19 years old.

Appearing on the KBS2 entertainment show 'New Release Fun-staurant' on September 19th, during a special episode dedicated to mothers, Park Tae-hwan discussed his family home.

In an unfamiliar kitchen setting, Park Tae-hwan explained, "This is my parents' main house. We moved here when I was a third-year high school student in 2007, and I've lived here with my parents ever since." He added, "Coming to this house brings back a lot of old memories, and I'm glad I bought it back then," astonishing the other cast members.

Chef Lee Yeon-bok expressed his surprise, asking, "You bought a house when you were in your last year of high school?" Park Tae-hwan confidently replied, "I bought the house for my parents." MC Boom and Kim Jae-joong marveled, "Buying a house at 19! That's the definition of 'young and rich', especially in Jamsil!" acknowledging his early success.

Back then, Park Tae-hwan was inundated with endorsement offers. Kim Jae-joong noted his status, comparing him to other national sports icons like Park Chan-ho, Park Seri, and Park Ji-sung, calling them the 'Four Parks' of Korean sports history.

The show then displayed numerous commercials featuring Park Tae-hwan from his heyday. Boom commented, "He bought the apartment with the money from these ads," and Lee Yeon-bok recalled, "He was a top star in commercials."

When asked how many commercials he shot, a shy Park Tae-hwan admitted, "I don't remember the exact number." Boom humorously revealed that Park Tae-hwan had reportedly rejected 20 endorsement deals, lamenting, "If he hadn't refused those, he could have bought three apartments by now!" Park Tae-hwan playfully responded, "Why did I refuse them?" eliciting laughter.

The interior of his parents' Jamsil apartment was showcased, filled with memorabilia from his childhood and active career, resembling a personal museum. A photo of him with figure skating queen Kim Yuna also caught the viewers' attention.

Park Tae-hwan secured a gold medal in the 400m freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, marking a historic achievement for Korean swimming. His exceptional talent and public appeal at a young age led to numerous lucrative endorsement deals, significantly boosting his income. His success story has served as a major inspiration for many young aspiring athletes.