Police impose travel ban on Hwang Ui-jo over illegal sex tape allegations

Hwang Ui-jo speaks with the press in this file photo dated Feb. 22, 2023, in Seoul. [NEWS1]

Police slapped a travel ban on Nottingham Forest striker Hwang Ui-jo, accused of illegally filming sexual encounters without his partners’ knowledge.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced the ban on Thursday, adding it has been effective from Tuesday.

Hwang, in response, was said to have submitted a request to replace the police officer investigating his case, reportedly complaining of excessive investigations.

The police summoned and questioned Hwang on Nov. 18 and on Dec. 12 and 15 last year. The latter two summons were done without an announcement to the press, in which Hwang was said to have argued that his partner knew about the filming but did not disagree.

The police requested Hwang show up for another round of questioning by Dec. 27, but Hwang refused.

The investigation stems from an Instagram post in June last year shared by an unidentified individual who claimed to be an ex-lover of Hwang. The person posted a video in which a naked man was with a woman and claimed the man was Hwang.

She also accused Hwang of filming sexual encounters without consent and having sexual relationships with multiple women at the same time. Hwang denied the allegations later that month and sued for defamation and blackmail.

The police arrested the individual on Nov. 16 on charges of blackmail. It was later revealed that the arrested person was Hwang’s sister-in-law.

The case took a turn in late November when police analyzed the leaked footage and summoned Hwang for questioning on suspicion of filming the videos without consent. Hwang appeared before the police on Nov. 18, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Hwang was suspended from the Korean national team on Nov. 28, leaving him out of the Korean squad for the upcoming Asian Cup, where he would likely have been Korea’s starting striker.

Hwang had played for Forest since 2022 but has spent most of his time with the club on loan. After spells with Olympiacos and FC Seoul, Hwang started the 2023–24 season with Norwich City until the Championship club prematurely terminated the loan earlier this month. He is officially now back with Forest, although he has never made a Premier League appearance for the club.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]