Bodybuilder Hwang Cheol-soon has been released after serving a nine-month prison sentence for assaulting his lover.
According to the entertainment industry on the 2nd, Hwang posted an 8-minute and 41-second video on his YouTube channel on the 30th of last month titled 'I have been released,' in which he stated, 'Unlike my initial thought that I couldn't live here for even a day, I am now living positively day by day with a time of reflection and insight for over half a year.'
He added, 'Regardless of the circumstances and reasons surrounding the incident, I do not make any excuses for my wrongdoing and have been quickly acknowledging and reflecting on it, continuing to participate in this process.'
Hwang continued, 'The correctional officers said they had never seen someone detained for three weeks due to an assault diagnosis, even though it was not during a probation period, and offered a kind of consolation, but rather than feeling wronged, I thought it was wise to get punished quickly and reset myself as a new person, as I have caused public concern and displayed anti-social behavior.'
Additionally, Hwang mentioned President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been detained and indicted on charges of insurrection, stating, 'Recently, a high-ranking official moved into the room right below me, and it's bustling in front of the Seoul Detention Center.' He added, 'Regardless of the wrongdoing, I hope that as a person, that individual does not lose their health.'
He remarked, 'I am doing every positive action possible in this confinement life,' and noted, 'I wanted to live as someone incomparable in a world where I question myself about whether I am living diligently and set standards by comparing myself to others. I experienced living as if others' 24 hours were like my 48 hours and have gone through a lot of experiences while feeling exhausted by business and people.'
In closing, he expressed gratitude to those who have continued to show interest, provide guidance, encouragement, and comfort throughout his long period of self-reflection and remorse, stating, 'I will return as a new person through reorganization and repay you with a life that can create a positive influence.'
Hwang gained fame as 'Jingman,' who rang a bell at the end of each segment on tvN's 'Comedy Big League' from 2011 to 2016. However, he was sentenced to six months in prison with a one-year probation in 2015 for assaulting a person sitting next to him in a snack bar in Gangnam, Seoul, and later faced controversy over news of assaulting his lover.