Heartbreaking Message from Late Footballer Kang Ji-yong’s Widow Amid Tragedy and Turmoil: “Will I Be Able to Live?”
Lee Da-eun, the wife of the late professional footballer Kang Ji-yong, has drawn public attention with a deeply emotional message posted on social media. Her words follow a string of recent revelations, including a publicly shared dispute with her late husband’s mother.
On May 5, Lee wrote on her SNS:
“There are hundreds of times a day when I hate Ji-yong… then miss him, curse at him… then tell him I love him. I just want to hold him tight. The realist in me denies reality. Will things get better? Will I manage to keep living? I don’t know. I get rash and reactive to words I don’t understand because I can’t just let things go.”
This comes just days after she publicly posted a tense conversation with her mother-in-law regarding financial matters, sparking widespread discussion.
On May 2, Lee shared screenshots of their exchange, confronting claims that her late husband had taken large sums of money and had debts unknown to her. “Please stop spreading lies,” she demanded. “And where’s the transaction history you said you’d send?”
Her mother-in-law alleged that Kang had co-signed loans without her knowledge before marriage and claimed he had taken more than he gave. Lee Da-eun firmly denied the accusations, stating, “Nothing she said is true.”
Kang Ji-yong passed away on April 22. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Earlier this year, the couple appeared on JTBC’s “Divorce Camp”, where they shared their marital struggles — particularly financial tension — and sought to mend their relationship.
Born in 1989, Kang was a former K League defender who played for Pohang Steelers, Busan IPark, and Bucheon FC before retiring in 2022. His sudden death shocked fans and colleagues across the football and entertainment world.
