Actor Hwang Jung-min. [Newsis]
Actor Hwang Jung-min. [Newsis]

Amid an ongoing dispute over privacy allegations against actor Hwang Jung-min, a longtime fan has shared personal anecdotes about his treatment of fans, drawing wide attention online.

A post titled "I debated dozens of times whether to write this" appeared on an online community Thursday. The author, identified only as A, said she became a fan of Hwang after watching his 2007 lead performance in the film "Haengbok" and had since followed his stage appearances and performances for years.

A recalled a chance encounter with Hwang at a stage greeting for the film "Fists of Legend" in 2013. "I timidly introduced myself as a fan, and he turned around from his busy walk to take a photo with me before heading off," she wrote.

After joining his fan cafe and attending venues and events, A said she and Hwang reached a point where they recognized each other and exchanged greetings.

When A took an overseas work assignment in 2016, Hwang told her at a performance before her departure to "take care of yourself and come back safe" and that she would "do great." Two years later, when she returned and shared news of her marriage, Hwang warmly welcomed her back, took a photo with her now-husband and signed an autograph for them.

After obtaining Hwang's contact information, A said she later received a message from him — he was filming nearby — offering to treat her and her husband to a meal. A few days later, Hwang, his manager and the couple had dinner together, creating what A called "a memory I will never forget for the rest of my life." When she later shared news of her pregnancy, Hwang called right away to congratulate her and offer warm words of advice.

"I wonder if there is another person like this in the world, another actor who treats fans with such sincerity," A wrote. "Hwang Jung-min is someone who can show this kind of care even to a fan who was nothing more than a stranger following him around."

Turning to the person behind the privacy disclosures, identified as B, A said: "Watching this situation unfold as someone who experienced it firsthand from the very beginning, I am certain it was never the absurd situation the other party is claiming. Hwang Jung-min's feelings toward you were nothing more than gratitude." She added, "You know it too, don't you — that you simply wanted to be deeply entangled with him. That's enough."

Earlier, B posted on social media on July 29, claiming a personal relationship with Hwang and releasing what she said were recordings of phone calls and messenger conversations.

In response, Hwang's agency, Sam Company, said it had filed a criminal complaint against B last year, describing her as "a suspect in a stalking crime who persistently harassed Hwang Jung-min." A court imposed restraining orders and other provisional measures against B on three separate occasions and issued a summary order finding her guilty of stalking charges and fining her 3 million won ($2,110), the agency said. Sam Company added that it plans to take further legal action over what it called maliciously edited posts.

B, however, issued an additional statement claiming that Hwang had proposed a soju brand project and that she had carried out research and planning as a design practitioner, and that Hwang had encouraged her to write a novel, resulting in about 30 pieces of writing for which she received no payment or explanation. "At some point, Hwang unilaterally cut off all business discussions and contact," B said, adding that "this case is one of emotional and sexual exploitation, as well as labor exploitation, occurring within a stark power imbalance."


betterj@heraldcorp.com