On October 5, the Korean entertainment world was abuzz with news that singer and actress Jiyeon (T-ara) and famous baseball player Hwang Jae Gyun filed for divorce.
Initially, the Korean media did not reveal the reason why the couple "went their separate ways".
Later that afternoon, Jiyeon's lawyer Choi Yuna issued an official press release stating: "The two parties could not overcome their differences and agreed to divorce after a period of separation. They filed a request for divorce mediation with the Seoul Family Court."
Jiyeon herself also made a statement: "First of all, I apologize for bringing you bad news. We have agreed to proceed with mediation to divorce.
I hope you understand that I cannot make a quick statement. I will try to greet you again with a better image in the future.”
Hwang Jae Gyun's side shared: "I apologize for bringing this unfortunate news to our fans.
Jiyeon and I agreed to divorce after much deliberation due to personality differences, and we filed a request for divorce mediation with the Seoul Family Court. We plan to resolve this matter amicably through mediation.
Although our relationship as a couple has ended, we will continue to support and cheer each other on in the future. I sincerely apologize for disappointing our fans.”
Jiyeon and Hwang Jae Gyun got married in December 2022, just 4 months after they publicly confirmed their relationship.
Rumors of the couple's divorce began to appear in June this year, when a broadcaster from a Busan - Gyeongnam regional TV station suddenly mentioned the issue.
The TV station later apologized for the announcer's statement, saying it was careless. Jiyeon's former management company also denied the rumor.
But in early September, Hwang Jae Gyun was spotted drinking at a bar with someone of the opposite sex until early morning, causing their divorce rumors to continue to be a hot topic.
