'Debt Too Controversy' Kim Hye-sung Met Gocheok Kim "I'll pay you back 50 million won by next month"

By Minjeong, Cho

Nov 23, 2025

'Debt Too Controversy' Kim Hye-sung Met Gocheok Kim 'I'll pay you back 50 million won by next month'



Baseball player Kim Hye-sung finally bowed directly to the issue surrounding his father's 'debt controversy'.

SBS 'Curious Story Y', which aired on the 21st, appeared at the KBO League stadium for the seventh year and highlighted the debt conflict claimed by a man holding a yellow banner, a.k.a. Mr. Gocheok Kim. The man has been protesting with a protest banner around KBO stadiums including Gocheok Dome, saying Kim Hye-sung's father borrowed 120 million won from him during the 2009 nightclub operation and did not pay it back.

According to Kim's claim, Kim Hye-sung's father cut off contact and went into hiding, and since Kim Hye-sung's professional debut in 2017, he has continued to visit the stadium and protest banners.




Kim Hye-sung's father, who met with the production team, complained of unfairness, saying, `I owe 3 billion won due to bankruptcy and I've been paying it back little by little, but it wasn't easy.' He also claimed that `I have paid back 90 million won so far and the remaining debt is about 30 million won.' `When my son did well, I was asked for 200 million won.'

In the end, the two sides agreed on the condition of an additional payment of 50 million won by December 20 after adjustment in August. Controversy reignited as the fact was revealed through the broadcast.

After the broadcast, Kim Hye-sung posted a long apology on his SNS on the 22nd. He confessed, "'He's been in front of the school since he was a high school student, and since 2018, he's come to the stadium and the airport.'"I told him 'I'll pay him back, but he didn't accept it.'




He then bowed to recent controversial remarks at the airport. At the time, Kim Hye-sung said to the man during a reporter interview that `If you block him, I will interview himIt was met with public criticism for saying ".

Kim Hye-sung said, `There is no excuse for both my inexperienced words and my interview attitude at the time"I deeply apologize to everyone who was at the scene." He also reiterated his apology, saying, `I have been trying to fulfill my responsibilities on behalf of my family, but I realized that silence can be seen as an avoidance.'

Finally, he will be a better person on this occasion" he said.






mj.cho@sportschosun.com