On October 5, Jiyeon shocked fans by confirming that she and Hwang Jae-gyun have “gone their separate ways” after 2 years of marriage. The couple filed for divorce mediation at the Seoul Family Court in September and are currently in the process of finalizing their divorce. The reason for the split was cited as differences in personality and life views.
As the divorce garners media attention, news outlet QQ brought up a statement from Jiyeon about her marriage, a year before the divorce,
In particular, at the time, Jiyeon expressed disappointment and sadness about the instability in her marriage. According to her, marrying Hwang Jae-gyun caused her career to stagnate, and she missed many job opportunities. Once a highly sought-after star, Jiyeon suddenly found herself unemployed, leading to a mental crisis.
“I became disillusioned after the wedding and felt life was empty. Due to the marriage, all the work I had done until now vanished. I feel like everything I’ve achieved has been overshadowed by marriage, and I started living in the shadow of my husband”, the female idol shared in a past vlog.
Additionally, Jiyeon also shared that being stuck at home for long periods left her feeling helpless, as she felt increasingly disadvantaged compared to Hwang Jae-gyun. The former T-ara member admitted she didn’t want to live dependent on her husband.
Before Jiyeon’s revelation, many people thought she was lucky to marry someone with status, a good financial background, and someone who could fully support her. It is known that Hwang Jae-gyun owns a fitness center, a golf course, and a café. After their wedding, the couple moved into a 6.7 billion won (approx 4.9 million USD) apartment in Seoul, South Korea.
However, at present, when people recall Jiyeon’s past statements, many netizens speculate that career direction may have been one of the causes of her and Hwang Jae-gyun’s conflict. Even after marriage, Jiyeon still desired to work, rather than solely focus on building a family. Many have questioned whether Jiyeon’s ambitions clashed with Hwang Jae-gyun’s views on an ideal wife.
Moreover, according to QQ, another reason for Jiyeon’s decision to firmly pursue divorce was Hwang Jae-gyun’s rumored involvement with a new person during their separation. This behavior indicated that Hwang Jae-gyun had no intention of reconciling with his wife, despite Jiyeon’s many sacrifices in the marriage. Jiyeon was reportedly heartbroken when her husband was photographed out partying with another woman in September. By the end of that month, she was seen without her wedding ring in a vlog.
On the other hand, Jiyeon and Hwang Jae-gyun, who is six years older than her, officially tied the knot on December 10, 2022, after a grand wedding. The couple moved in together after about a year of dating.
Since June 2024, however, the couple had been plagued by divorce rumors. Eventually, their separation became official after two years of marriage.
Following Jiyeon’s announcement, Hwang Jae-gyun also confirmed they are in the process of divorce. The athlete said that even though they are no longer a couple, he and Jiyeon will continue to support each other in the future.
After confirming the divorce, Jiyeon made her first move. On her personal Instagram and YouTube, the idol deleted all pictures and videos with her ex-husband, Hwang Jae-gyun.
Source: YouTube, QQ, K14,
