by Anonymous
Hey Chris, you should not say insulting things about someone else's parents especially Michelle's. Do you know how much they gave up for their only daughter to be an amazing player? They just want her to be better, so deal with it. Last time I saw they were applauding for her daughter.

by James Kim
This article unfairly stereotypes Korean parents and doesn't adequately explain the success of Koreans on the LPGA tour. Are you saying there aren't pushy American parents? I would argue there are just as many pushy American parents. Consider the IMG David Leadbetter Academy where the sole purpose is to produce a professional golfer. If Korean parents were so pushy, why is KJ Choi the only Korean male to win on the PGA tour? As a Korean, I'm offended by the stereotype your're perpetuating.

by yuppie
Did anyone forget about the fact that Korean mean must spend two years in military service? Two years away from anything is HUGE! Look at the Korean drama actors like Won Bin who had to fulfill his duty; once they return, they're not the same people. People like KJ Choi is the creme of the creme of the crop. Unlike the females, the males must be extra tough to make it in sports.
In my honest opinion, I think the female Koreans have it much easier in its culture than the men. The men have a whole lot more pressure, as they need to focus on a multitude of the things, such as carrying the family name, building a career, military service... Men are great in team sports like soccer and baseball because of the team effort. When it comes to individual sports, the men are not as successful as their female counterparts. Korean society allows females the freedom to choose what they want to do, and place all of their energy on that one goal.
So in short, yes the parents have a play in the success of their girls. But society gives the girls more freedom then the boys.

by sangmanhahn
I think that most Korean parents don't want their boys spend too much time in "risky" adventures like in sports field, because only a few out of thousands who try may succeed. . I mean, they think it's OK for girls to fail because women usually are not the breadwinners.

by Greg
You claim that the original post "doesn't adequately explain the success of Koreans on the LPGA tour." So you acknowledge the abundance of successful Korean female golfers, yet you offer no alternate explanation for that success. It's very easy to criticize and righteously complain that you are offended. It's quite another to put forth your own well thought out theory and submit it for criticism. Since you are the expert on Korean culture, please tell me why the success of women golfers in Korea has not been mirrored by Korean men. Or is that question too loaded with cultural stereotypes to warrant an answer?

by Bruce
The reason the Korean men do not have the same level of success may in some way be attributable to the two years compulsory military training they are forced to undertake at a key age in their golfing development whereas the girls only need to do it 'if they so desire'

by Gene Smith
Sorry, but the article on the success of women golfers from Korea doesn't help---if parenting were the cause, why haven't the men golfers from Korea equally succeeded? And why haven't golfers from other countries in the world where strict parental oversight is common been so successful?
Truth is, American parents are as "pushy" as those from any country when it comes to producing high quality performance from their gifted children---
Also, not everyone has the talent to excel in a chosen sport, no matter how much "pushing" they get.
Got to be some other reason.

by Joe Bertola
It would seem logical that if any country that is enormously overrepresented statistically in a sport, the talent pool in that sport must be thin. Otherwise, pushy parenting or whatever else it is wouldn't work.

by Martha Huntley
Excellent column...interesting and I learned something! Thanks!

by Jimin
Martha Huntly, if you did find this column interesting and you learned something - then I guess you weren't too smart to begin with.