Commentator Lee Kwang Gil Releases Apology For Making Groundless Rumors on Jiyeon, Hwang Jae Gyun's Marriage

A KNN PowerFM commentator, Lee Kwang Gil, recently issued an apology for unintentionally spreading rumors about the divorce of T-ARA member Jiyeon and her husband, baseball player Hwang Jae Gyun.

The incident occurred during a live broadcast of a KBO League game between the Lotte Giants and the Kia Tigers on June 25.

In a subsequent exclusive interview with Xports News on June 26, Lee clarified that his comments were based on a misunderstanding.

LKG: Did you know Hwang Jae Kyun got divorced?

Caster: Is there an article about it?

LKG: I'll tell you later. I heard it from the director. There's a reason he's been struggling during games. What can you do when things are chaotic at home?

He had mentioned Hwang Jae Kyun's supposed divorce casually during the broadcast, which caused quite a stir among viewers. 

READ MORE: Jiyeon Reveals Problems She Faces After Getting Married: 'My life felt empty'

Despite promptly apologizing once he realized the mistake, the rumor had already gained traction.

Lee explained that he had heard about the supposed divorce from a newspaper report but failed to verify the information before mentioning it on air.

I felt sorry for him. I misunderstood. I thought (what I heard) was true. I should have confirmed it, but I made a mistake by just listening to others.

- Lee Kwang Gil

He expressed regret for causing harm to the couple and disrupting their personal lives.

Additionally, Lee reached out to Hwang directly to offer a personal apology for his error in judgment.

A single wrong word and the story I passed on caused a big issue. I didn't know Hwang Jae Gyun and his wife well, but I caused them harm. I made the story spread in public. I apologized to him for talking about something that wasn't confirmed. It's my fault for recklessly judging and interfering with a family doing just fine

- Lee Kwang Gil

The incident has sparked criticism from netizens who believe that discussing someone's personal affairs in a public setting was inappropriate, regardless of the circumstances.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE NETIZENS' REACTIONS: 

• "Why are you talking about someone else's family affairs? That's not right."
• "It seems like he was vulnerable to fake news because he's elderly... The broadcast is live, so please don't speak recklessly."
• "Why is he acting like that?"
• "What bullsh*t is that, really? TT I guess he spends his time reading fake news."
• "Really, watch your mouth."

Many have called for greater caution when sharing unverified information, particularly in a live broadcasting setting.

ALSO READ: No More Wedding Rings? THIS Celebrity Couple Sparks Divorce Rumors 

KdramaStars owns this article.

Written by Joan Cabigas.