The current situation of Hwang Jae-gyun, the former husband of Jiyeon from T-ARA, has left many people shocked. After their divorce, the retired professional baseball player has experienced a noticeable decline in both his career path and public image. Once known as a successful athlete, Hwang Jae-gyun later attempted to transition into the entertainment industry. However, instead of receiving support and sympathy, he has repeatedly faced criticism from the public due to his appearances on television and comments that many viewers interpreted as indirect criticism toward his former wife.

On September 7, Newsen reported that Hwang Jae-gyun appeared as a guest on JTBC’s program Knowing Brother, where he opened up about his life after his divorce from Jiyeon. The couple officially ended their marriage in October 2024. Approximately one year later, Hwang Jae-gyun found himself losing his position within his baseball team and eventually decided to retire from professional baseball.

During the broadcast, the former baseball player spoke emotionally about the difficult period when he felt he was being pushed aside by the coaching staff. He explained that during the previous season, he was still an active first-team player. However, at the beginning of the following season, he was informed that the team would no longer include him in the main lineup because of his age.

Hwang Jae-gyun admitted that the decision deeply affected his pride as an athlete. He felt that if he remained with the club, he might experience the same painful situation again in the next season. He feared that continuing for another year could lead to an embarrassing retirement where he would be completely overshadowed by younger players.

After sharing his worries with his parents, they told him that their son should not leave the sport while feeling humiliated and encouraged him to retire with dignity. Hwang Jae-gyun revealed that he and his parents eventually hugged each other and cried together before he called the coaching staff to officially announce his retirement.

Hwang Jae-gyun began his professional baseball career in 2006. After the 2024-2025 season ended, he officially stepped away from professional competition and began pursuing activities as a television personality. However, what he expected to be a new beginning quickly became a challenging period. Every time he appeared on entertainment programs, he often received strong criticism from viewers, leaving behind an unfavorable impression among the public.

Many of the controversies surrounding Hwang Jae-gyun came from his repeated references to his past marriage with Jiyeon. On several occasions, viewers felt that his comments contained hidden messages that appeared to place responsibility on his ex-wife for certain issues in their relationship.

At the end of January, Hwang Jae-gyun appeared on MBC’s The Manager, where he talked about his dream of having children. Following the broadcast, many viewers believed that his statement indirectly suggested that Jiyeon’s inability to have children was connected to the failure of their marriage. This interpretation quickly became a topic of discussion among the public.

Only two days later, Hwang Jae-gyun once again attracted attention when he appeared on the talk show Zzanbro, hosted by Shin Dong-yup. During the program, he mentioned that he had married his first love, referring to Jiyeon, but his long sigh while talking about his former wife once again led viewers to believe that he was subtly expressing blame toward her.

While Hwang Jae-gyun continued to discuss aspects of their past relationship, Jiyeon chose a completely different approach. The T-ARA member focused on her group activities and personal career while never making public statements attacking or discussing the details of their failed marriage.

The situation became even more controversial because Hwang Jae-gyun had previously faced allegations of betraying Jiyeon, which many people considered one of the major reasons behind the collapse of their relationship. Despite this, his repeated remarks on television that were perceived as blaming his former wife caused him to receive intense criticism from the public.

Many viewers accused him of acting unfairly and believed that he should have handled the situation differently, especially since Jiyeon had remained silent throughout the controversy. Instead of gaining sympathy after sharing his struggles, Hwang Jae-gyun found himself facing even more negative reactions.

In addition to the criticism surrounding his words and actions, Hwang Jae-gyun has also drawn attention because of his dramatic physical transformation. In recent appearances, he has looked significantly thinner, with a more exhausted and aged appearance compared to his former image. His face appears much more hollow, and many people have commented that he no longer resembles the confident and athletic figure he once was.

The noticeable weight loss has changed his overall appearance, making him look older and less energetic. Comparisons between his past and present images surprised many viewers, with some saying it was difficult to believe they were looking at the same person.

Jiyeon and Hwang Jae-gyun officially became husband and wife after holding a grand wedding ceremony on December 10, 2022. The couple had decided to marry after dating for around one year.

However, by June 2024, rumors of trouble between the two had already begun spreading across Korean online communities. During the period when speculation about their relationship problems was increasing, Hwang Jae-gyun was reportedly seen drinking overnight with another woman at a bar. The incident was widely discussed and was considered by some as a turning point that contributed to the end of their marriage.

Eventually, in October 2024, Jiyeon and Hwang Jae-gyun confirmed their separation, officially bringing an end to their two-year marriage.

Today, while Jiyeon continues focusing on her career and maintains her silence regarding the divorce, Hwang Jae-gyun faces a difficult chapter marked by retirement, public criticism, and a major change in his public image. Rather than receiving the sympathy he may have expected, his actions and statements after the divorce have placed him in a situation that many believe was created by his own choices.