Hwang Hee-chan "It's not torn"... Clarifies the 4 Million Won Padding Story

Rumors Spread That Expensive Padding Was Torn at Airport
Fans Say "It Wasn't Torn, She Probably Took It Off Because It Was Hot"

Forward Hwang Hee-chan, who contributed to South Korea's advancement to the round of 16 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, is departing for Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 10th to return to his club, Wolverhampton. Photo by Yonhap News

The padding is not torn.

Hwang Hee-chan (26, Wolverhampton), a key player in South Korea's advancement to the Round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA Qatar World Cup, personally clarified rumors that his padding was torn by fans who came to see him off at the airport.

On the 13th, Hwang Hee-chan posted on his Instagram, "The padding is not torn." On the day of his departure, he arrived wearing a padded jacket but entered the departure hall in a short-sleeved T-shirt. As a story spread that his expensive padding was torn by fans but he smiled and left, he seemed to clarify the situation.

On the afternoon of the 10th, Hwang Hee-chan boarded a flight to Spain at 12:15 a.m. on the 11th from Incheon International Airport, accompanied by about 100 fans along with his South Korean national team teammates Kim Min-jae (26, Napoli) and Baek Seung-ho (25, Jeonbuk).

Hwang appeared at the departure hall wearing a black glossy padded jacket from Saint Laurent. This padding is currently sold for about 3.9 million KRW at Saint Laurent. He received various gifts such as dolls and letters from fans gathered at the airport. Hwang provided fan service by shaking hands and signing autographs one by one.

Hwang Hee-chan giving an interview before departure. Photo by Yonhap News

Hwang Hee-chan was still wearing the padding when he was interviewed in front of the press. Afterwards, he took off the padding and entered the departure hall in a short-sleeved T-shirt.

Regarding this, a post appeared on social media claiming that Hwang's padding was torn while signing autographs for fans. Netizen A wrote, "Hwang Hee-chan's Saint Laurent glossy padding costs about 3 million KRW. The girls tore it, but Hwang just laughed and signed everything, then left wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt."

Hwang Hee-chan signing. Photo by Yonhap News

The post by A spread across various online communities and attracted attention. The airport story that day spread as Hwang Hee-chan's "padding anecdote," but some fans who were present claimed that there were several security guards at the time, making it difficult for fans to come into contact, and argued that the padding was not torn but taken off because it was hot.

Hwang Hee-chan, who returned to his club Wolverhampton, is expected to play after improving his physical condition. Wolverhampton will resume official schedules starting with the Carabao Cup (League Cup) match against Gillingham on the 21st.

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