Kim Haneul Makes Commentator Debut: "I Was So Nervous"

Even a player known for her nerves of steel on the tours in Korea and Japan felt nervous. This is the story of Kim Haneul, the "golf beauty." After retiring from her golf career in 2021, Kim Haneul has made a glamorous return, this time as a commentator for SBS Golf.

On September 25, at the Blue Heron Golf Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, she picked up a microphone instead of a club for the first round of the Hite Jinro Championship, a major tournament on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. In an interview with Asia Economy right after her first broadcast, Kim Haneul said, "I didn't expect to be this nervous," and added, "The day went by so quickly." She continued, "It was my first time doing a live broadcast, so I was very nervous. I think I was even more anxious because I was worried I might make a mistake while speaking."

Kim Haneul made her debut as a commentator in the first round of the Hite Jinro Championship. Photo by KLPGA

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Kim Haneul is a player who was named KLPGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2007 and topped the money list for two consecutive years in 2011 and 2012, recording a total of eight wins on the domestic tour. In 2015, she joined the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour and collected six championship trophies. After her retirement, she engaged in a variety of activities, including golf entertainment shows, serving as an ambassador for golf equipment companies, and working as a YouTuber.

This day was one of her busiest yet. She laughed, saying, "I didn't even have time to take a selfie." She woke up at 8 a.m. and organized her materials. She reviewed previous broadcasts to get to know the players. She arrived at Blue Heron Golf Club around 11:30 a.m. and sat in the commentary booth from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

She said, "I had dinner with the broadcast staff and returned home around 8 p.m. As soon as I got home, I monitored today's broadcast," adding, "During the commentary, I said unnecessary words like 'um' and 'ah.' I need to work hard to break those bad habits."

Since retiring, she has enjoyed traveling and working as an ambassador. In April, she received an offer from SBS Golf to become a commentator. After passing the interview and camera test, she began preparing for her new role. She even practiced with a pen in her mouth to improve her pronunciation.

Her first priority was to get to know the players. Kim Haneul said, "I haven't watched a lot of broadcasts since retiring. After my broadcast schedule was set, I memorized the players' names and practiced hard during rehearsals," expressing concern that, "There aren't many players left on tour who played alongside me."

Kim Ha-neul said she will provide entertaining commentary drawing on her diverse tour experiences. Photo by SBS Golf

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Kim Haneul has a wealth of tour experience. Thanks to her long career, she understands the mindset of tour players better than anyone. She stated, "Based on my experience, I will make it easy to explain the flow of the game and course strategies."

Her dream is to become the best commentator as well. She plans to provide commentary that is easy to understand and entertaining for viewers. She said, "I want to talk about what options are available depending on the situation on the field and analyze the players' swings. I also want to explain why mistakes happen in certain situations and share a lot of information from various perspectives," showing the ambition of a rookie commentator.

Kim Haneul, who said, "I believe I had a fulfilling career as a player," added, "I want to provide commentary that communicates with viewers. Just as I showed my best as a player, I definitely want to succeed as a commentator as well." When asked which is more difficult, being a player or a commentator, she laughed and replied, "That's obviously being a player."

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