Hwang Young-woong to Appear at Gangjin Celadon Festival Amid Bullying Allegations

Trot singer Hwang Young-woong is set to perform at the 54th Gangjin Celadon Festival’s “Sound of Celadon Concert.” This marks his first official public appearance since denying allegations of school bullying (hakpok).

According to his agency, Golden Voice, on February 17th, Hwang Young-woong will take the stage for a solo performance at 4:30 PM on February 28th during the 54th Gangjin Celadon Festival, held at the Goryeo Celadon Museum in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province, from February 21st to March 2nd.

The Gangjin County, the host of the event, will kick off the festival on the 21st with performances by singers Ahn Sung-hoon, Choi Soo-ho, and Seo Ji-o. On the 22nd, Son Bin-ah will perform, followed by Kim Yong-bin and Geum Jan-di on March 1st, and the Not-So-Pretty Three Brothers and Hyun Jin-woo on the 2nd. Hwang Young-woong will have his solo stage on the 28th.

This appearance at a local government festival is Hwang Young-woong’s first in approximately three years since his departure from MBN’s “Burning Trot Man” in 2023. An event official stated, “Approximately 8,000 people are expected to attend the performance on the 28th. Of these, around 5,000 have already booked accommodation and restaurants in the area, making it difficult to secure rooms now.” It is also reported that over 170 tourist buses wrapped with Hwang Young-woong’s image have been booked, and banners promoting his performance have been placed throughout South Jeolla Province.

Hwang Young-woong gained popularity as a strong contender on the trot competition program “Burning Trot Man.” However, he voluntarily withdrew from the show amidst allegations of school bullying, a criminal record of assault and battery, and dating violence.

In January, his agency released an official statement, saying, “Hwang Young-woong remained silent instead of immediately addressing the controversies at the time, not because the allegations were true. It was the singer’s decision out of concern that the public stage of the competition and fellow artists would be harmed. A significant portion of the allegations currently circulating are maliciously edited or unilateral claims with unverified facts.”

The statement continued, “Hwang Young-woong clearly states that while there may have been disputes or wanderings among friends during his school days, he never continuously bullied a specific individual or engaged in the sadistic acts reported.”

According to his agency, Hwang Young-woong is also in talks to appear on terrestrial broadcasting music shows. Stay tuned for more updates on the **Hwang Young-woong Gangjin Celadon Festival performance**, **Hwang Young-woong comeback**, and **K-Trot music news**!