On September 4, a citizen revealed photos of Hwang drinking with a group that included women until 6 a.m. on September 1. After finishing a match in Daejeon on August 31, Hwang returned to Seoul and was seen drinking with male and female acquaintances until the early hours of the next morning. September 1 was reported to be a rest day with no matches or practices.
However, a fan who sent the photos criticized Hwang, saying: “Hwang Jae-gyun is the oldest player on the KT Wiz team during an important regular season. With the fall baseball season approaching, it doesn’t seem like a good idea for a married man to go out drinking with women until 6 in the morning.” The fan added: “With divorce rumors already circulating, Hwang’s behavior is even more difficult to understand.”
It has since been confirmed that the bar Hwang visited is a well-known Apgujeong hunting bar. Located in Gangnam, this popular bar is open until 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 6 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. With its outdoor seating and reputation as a “hot spot,” the bar is a place where young people, especially those 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 emerged. On September 1, a netizen posted on a sports bar message board a post titled “Did Hwang Jae-gyun separate or divorce?“The post read:”I saw Hwang drinking with male and female acquaintances at Apgujeong Rodeo until 4am yesterday. Is he separated or divorced? Usually, married people don’t stay out late.”
The focus on Hwang’s bar visit is heightened by the fact that he and Jiyeon have already been embroiled in divorce rumors. The two got married in December 2022 and have been sharing updates on their happy newlywed life on social media. However, on June 25, during a KNN baseball broadcast, commentator Lee Kwang-gil sparked controversy by saying, “Did you know that Hwang Jae-gyun got divorced?” AND “I heard it from the director,” fueling divorce rumors. These rumors gained traction when Jiyeon posted on June 20 that “Due to personal reasons, it will be difficult to upload videos to YouTube for a while. I ask for your understanding and I will come back with a bright image.“
Jiyeon later denied the rumors through her close acquaintances, saying they were untrue. Commentator Lee also apologized, explaining, “I heard it from someone who read it in a newspaper and didn’t quite understand it. 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 rumors of a sudden divorce seemed to have died down with Hwang and Jiyeon’s clarifications, as well as Lee Kwang-gil’s apology, Hwang’s recent late-night outing has reignited the controversy.
Source: Nate
