Choi Min-hwan of the band FT Island, who is facing a suspension of activities due to a personal life controversy, is being revisited in light of a past video of him throwing the first pitch in professional baseball.
In the ‘2019 Shinhan Bank MY CAR KBO League’ game between the LG Twins and the Hanwha Eagles, Choi Min-hwan threw the first pitch, but the way he did it—using so much force that his son’s neck appeared to bend violently—has stirred controversy. / YouTube ‘KBS News’
Choi Min-hwan and his wife Yulhee, a former member of the group Laboum, participated as the pitcher and batter, respectively, in the same game held at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park on June 8, 2019.
On that day, Choi Min-hwan, wearing a baby carrier, went up to the mound while holding his son, who had just turned one year old.
When on the mound, he threw the ball with great force toward his wife Yulhee, who was standing across from him. The problem arose when Choi Min-hwan twisted his body to throw the ball so hard that his son’s neck appeared to bend unnaturally.
This moment was captured on camera during the pitch. His son’s upper body twisted sharply for a moment, leaving viewers shocked.
Some pointed out that this was a careless action that could have led to a dangerous situation. Additionally, it was revealed that he had been holding his son without the baby carrier during practice, further adding to the controversy.
Ultimately, Choi Min-hwan expressed his regrets, stating, “I apologize to everyone who was concerned that my baby could have been in danger during the pitch. When I received the invitation to pitch, I was delighted to think I could share this glorious moment with my son. It was my negligence that put my child at risk.”
Meanwhile, former LABOUM member Yulhee attracted attention after she publicly revealed a voice recording that suggests her ex-husband, Choi Minhwan, visited entertainment establishments and engaged in potential prostitution activities. Despite this, videos of the two sharing affectionate memories remain on her personal channel.
On October 24, Yulhee shared on her personal channel “Yulhee’s House” that she discovered Minhwan’s visits to such establishments a year ago, which led to her life taking a dramatic turn and eventually resulted in their divorce.
She also disclosed details about the inappropriate behavior she endured, mentioning that Minhwan had inappropriately touched her in front of family members while intoxicated, including making inappropriate gestures towards her in front of her parents-in-law.
In addition, Yulhee shared a voice recording from 2022 where Minhwan could be heard asking questions about visiting a place with female workers, discussing prices, and asking about the availability of nearby hotels or motels.
This sparked accusations of prostitution, leading Minhwan to step down from KBS 2TV’s show “The Return of Superman”. The Seoul Gangnam Police Station have also launched an investigation into allegations of prostitution based on an e-People petition.
In response to the controversy, Minhwan’s agency, FNC Entertainment, expressed regret for disappointing the public and announced that Minhwan would be halting all media activities.
Meanwhile, Yulhee’s YouTube channel still contains vlogs featuring Minhwan and their children, showing their previously happy moments before the divorce, which has evoked feelings of sadness among viewers.
Source: Naver