South Korean international footballer, Hwang Ui-jo, faces serious charges for allegedly filming non-consensual sex videos with two women, according to prosecutors in Seoul, sparking a tabloid-style scandal that has gripped his homeland. Signed by Nottingham Forest for £4m ($5.2m) in summer 2022, currently on loan at Norwich City, Hwang stands accused of illicitly recording sexual encounters between June and September 2022. The case uncovers a sordid family subplot, whereby a revenge plot led by Hwang’s sister-in-law, saw the videos posted online last year.
Hwang, who denies breaking any laws, has come under the spotlight following the Instagram leak of the intimate footage. It features a woman who was apparently unaware of being filmed during their sexual encounters. The person who posted the videos claimed to be a former partner of Hwang’s. Accusations soon surfaced of Hwang allegedly having multiple relationships, manipulating his partners and secretly filming sexual acts without consent. Hwang’s management agency, UJ Sports, denounced the allegations and enlisted lawyers to investigate the account.
Law enforcement authorities found that the IP address linked to the posts emanated from Hwang’s residence. Remarkably, the perpetrator was not an ex-partner as claimed, but was discovered to be his sister-in-law, a director at UJ Sports, using a laptop in Hwang’s home, where she served as his personal manager. Initially denying any involvement and asserting her innocence, the woman later confessed to the crimes, pleading guilty to committing blackmail and sexual offences.
Hwang’s sister-in-law was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. She revealed her revenge plot in a letter, stating her intention to teach Hwang a lesson as he failed to acknowledge her and her husband’s sacrifices. Following the upstream currents, a separate investigation launched in 2021 revealed that Hwang may have secretly filmed his sexual activities without his partner’s consent. His future in football is uncertain with numerous aspects of his private life shared with the media, including alleged conversations with the woman from the sex video.
Prosecutors indicted Hwang last week for the infractions of South Korea’s Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes. Ironically, Hwang was a celebrated national team player for South Korea, and now finds himself at the centre of a storm that has made headlines across the country. Hwang’s lawyer argues that the woman viewed the video with him after the recording, therefore dismissing any speculations of an illicit act. However, the victim’s lawyer argues the client discovered the video only after it had been circulated.
The future of Hwang’s football career is uncertain amid the ongoing controversy. Despite being an unused substitute and under intense scrutiny, Nottingham Forest continues to pay Hwang’s salary. The club had planned to offload him this summer but may face difficulties doing so given the sexual misconduct allegations against him. His legal representatives and Forest have not commented on the matter. Lee Eun-eui, representing one of the victims, accuses Hwang of receiving preferential treatment due to his sporting prominence but is optimistic justice will prevail.
