On September 4th, a citizen revealed photos of Hwang drinking with a group that included women until 6 AM on September 1st. After finishing a game in Daejeon on August 31th, Hwang returned to Seoul and was seen drinking with male and female acquaintances until early the next morning. It was reported that September 1st was a rest day without any games or training.
However, a fan who submitted the photos criticized Hwang, saying, “Hwang Jae-gyun is the senior-most player in the KT Wiz team during an important regular season. With the fall baseball season approaching, it does not look good for a married man to be out drinking with women until 6 AM.” The fan added, “Given that there are already divorce rumors, Hwang’s behavior is even more difficult to understand.”
It has since been confirmed that the bar Hwang visited is a well-known hunting bar in Apgujeong. Located in Gangnam, this popular bar is open until 5 AM on Sundays through Thursdays and until 6 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. With its outdoor seating and “hot spot” reputation, the bar is a place where young people, especially from the MZ generation, gather to meet and socialize. On major search engines, it is commonly associated with the keyword “Apgujeong hunting bar.”
Another witness account has also surfaced. On September 1st, a netizen posted on a sports cafe message board titled, “Did Hwang Jae-gyun separate or divorce?” The post read, “I saw Hwang drinking with male and female acquaintances in Apgujeong Rodeo until 4 AM yesterday. Is he separated or divorced? Usually, married people do not stay out that late.”
The attention on Hwang’s bar visit is heightened by the fact that he and Jiyeon have already been entangled in divorce rumors. The two married in December 2022 and had shared updates about their happy newlywed life on social media. However, on June 25th, during a baseball broadcast by KNN, commentator Lee Kwang-gil stirred controversy by saying, “Did you know Hwang Jae-gyun got divorced?” and “I heard it from the director,” fueling the divorce rumors. These rumors gained traction when Jiyeon posted on June 20th that “Due to personal reasons, it will be difficult to upload YouTube videos for a while. I ask for your understanding and will return with a bright image.“
Jiyeon later denied the rumors through her close acquaintances, saying those were not true. Commentator Lee also apologized, explaining, “I heard it from someone who read it in a newspaper and misunderstood. I thought it was true, but I was wrong to say it without checking the facts.” KT Wiz, Hwang’s team, also commented, “We cannot confirm anything about his private life,” as they tried to calm the situation.
Although the sudden divorce rumors seemed to die down with the clarifications from both Hwang and Jiyeon, as well as Lee Kwang-gil’s apology, Hwang’s recent late-night outing has reignited the controversy.
Source: Nate