Supercar Abandoned on Han River Bridge?... Hwang Heechan Refutes 'Protocol Abuse' Allegations as False

Claims of Unreasonable Demands and Breach of Contract
Hwang Heechan's Side Vows Legal Action Against the Company

Hwang Heechan. Yonhap News Agency

National football team forward Hwang Heechan (30, Wolverhampton) has announced that he will take legal action, calling the recently raised allegations of abusing protocol services false.

Hwang Heechan's agency, Be The Hc Corporation, issued a statement on the 12th, refuting the claims as "an act that maliciously exploits the status of a star player."

The controversy began when vehicle protocol service provider Bahana claimed that Hwang Heechan had made unreasonable demands and failed to fulfill the contract. Earlier, the company told entertainment media outlet Dispatch that in May 2024, Hwang violated the Road Traffic Act by abandoning a broken-down supercar on Yeongdong Bridge in Seoul and leaving the scene.

The company also added that he demanded protocol services not stipulated in the contract, such as for travel and golf and other unofficial schedules, and thereby obtained free services.

Hwang's side immediately refuted the claims. Regarding the allegation that he abandoned the supercar, they explained, "He did not leave the scene immediately," adding, "After speaking with the company representative on the phone, he waited for about 15 minutes in the car for a tow truck to arrive."

They continued, "Because the road conditions were dangerous, he then moved to a nearby restaurant and waited again," and argued that the cause of the vehicle breakdown was also due to the company’s failure to sufficiently explain the precautions.

They also denied the allegation that he shifted responsibility for handling a minor collision to the company. The agency stated, "Immediately after the accident, he explained the situation in detail and offered a polite apology," adding, "He went through a normal resolution process, including asking to be informed if there was anything that needed to be compensated." They further stressed that the accusations of abuse of power and obtaining free services were unfounded, saying, "The contract clearly states that services are to be provided to Hwang, his immediate family members, and his agency," and that all activities were within the contractual scope.

The agency instead pointed to what it called the company’s unfair practices. It claimed that the company used Hwang Heechan’s portrait rights without permission and continued promotional activities even after the contract expired in August 2024. It also took issue with the fact that the company concealed that it had closed down during the contract period.

Hwang Heechan’s side stated, "We will pursue legal responsibility to the end for acts that defamed the player’s reputation by specifying false information," adding, "We will make every effort to prevent such acts from recurring."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.