“I’m worried it will happen to other players.”
South Korean soccer player Hwang Eui-jo (31-Norwich City) has been provisionally suspended from the national team after being accused of illegally filming sex scenes.
When videos and photos of him having sex went viral on social media in June and he filed a police complaint against the distributors, there was some sympathy among fans who wondered if he was a victim of revenge porn, a crime in which people leak naked photos or videos of their ex-spouses or ex-lovers to get revenge.
However, as the police investigation progressed, the case turned muddy.
On March 16, the suspect who distributed Hwang’s video was arrested, and surprisingly, it was his brother-in-law, who had been acting as his manager.
Hwang’s brother denied the allegations, saying, “I think my phone was hacked,” and Hwang filed a complaint with the police, saying, “My brother is not the kind of person who would do that,” but the police dismissed his claims, saying, “There is no possibility of hacking.”
On March 18, Huang was called in for questioning as a suspect.
He denied the allegations and was substituted in a North American World Cup qualifier in China on March 21.
The news sparked criticism among soccer fans, who asked, “Is it appropriate for someone who is a suspect in an illegal filming to play for the national team, no matter how much he denies it?”
When the woman’s lawyer stated that the video was taken by Hwang Ui-jo despite her denial, Hwang’s side countered that the video was taken between lovers.
At this time, it was also raised that Hwang’s lawyer “actually committed secondary harm” by disclosing some of the victim’s identity information.
The KFA announced on March 28 that it had “decided not to select Hwang Ui-jo for the national team until there is a clear conclusion from the investigative agency regarding the allegations against him.” 바카라사이트
In order to return to the national team, Hwang must be “cleared” of any wrongdoing.
Hwang’s indefinite suspension from the national team, which was used as a joker card in the Cleanse, has created an emergency situation for the South Korean national team, which hopes to win the Asian Cup in Qatar next January. “
In the end, it’s all about his complicated personal life,” said a soccer insider.
In 2016, when Hwang was playing for South Korea, a woman who claimed to be Hwang’s ex-lover revealed that Hwang had interacted with several other women during their relationship. “
If he went through something like that once, he should have been more careful about managing his personal life,” Ahn said.
In soccer, there is a fear of “another scandal” breaking out. This is because scandals involving other national team players are also spreading through agents and the entertainment industry. “
There is a rumor that an overseas player is sending DMs (a type of personal message sent on social media) to famous celebrities and idols to contact them, and whenever he comes to Korea, he books a high-end residence to meet them,” said Mr. B. “
These rumors may be exaggerated or false, but similar stories are circulating everywhere, and I worry that if something happens, it will have a negative impact on the player and the national team.”
Mr. C, a soccer insider, said, “The problem of soccer players’ promiscuous personal lives is endemic.
Although there are many players who take good care of themselves, there have been quite a few cases of promiscuity. “
In the past, there have been cases of overseas players excessively socializing with local women, and even now, there are revelations about various players such as ‘cheating’ and ‘encouraging abortion’.”
“Even if such rumors or revelations are not true, the root cause of such repetition is the inability to have a smooth and healthy relationship with the opposite sex,” Mr. C said.
In the United Kingdom, a soccer-oriented country, dirty laundry is often dismissed as ‘gossip’.
Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs, 50, who played alongside Park Ji-Sung, came under fire when it was revealed that he had an ongoing affair with his sister-in-law during his playing days, while Chelsea legend John Terry, 42, was found to have an affair with a teammate’s wife.
In the UK, where prostitution is legalized, it’s not uncommon for prostitutes to expose the nightlife of high-profile athletes, but the controversy hasn’t affected their playing days or their post-playing careers.
However, it is not acceptable to add illegality to such a promiscuous personal life.
Mason Greenwood, for example, was suspended from playing and training last year after his girlfriend accused him of rape and assault.
Although all charges were dropped earlier this year, the club decided not to reinstate Greenwood after its own investigation, forcing him to resume his career in Spain.
Brazilian left-footed winger Anthony, 23, whom United signed for around €100 million ($142 million) last year, was also provisionally suspended by United after he was dropped from the Brazilian national team in June following allegations of domestic violence.
United later reinstated Anthony, who was cleared of any wrongdoing in a police investigation, after the club deemed his case sufficiently made. “
As the soccer market becomes huge, the wealth, stardom, and influence of players grows so much that it becomes increasingly difficult for clubs to control and manage them as they did in the past,” said one soccer commentator. “
Korea is following a similar trend, and it all comes down to how well each player maintains professionalism.”