Lotte Giants pitcher Jung Chul-won breaks silence on divorce from Love Catcher's Kim Ji-yeon

Married in December, in court by January

Lotte Giants reliever Jung Chul-won and Love Catcher alumna Kim Ji-yeon wed on December 14, 2025, at an undisclosed Seoul venue. Their first son was born in August 2025—roughly four months before the wedding. The marriage lasted about a month.

On December 24, 2025, Kim Ji-yeon hinted at the split during a fan Q&A. "The divorce lawsuit seems to be going well," she said, noting her lawyer had sent a KakaoTalk summary after a recent hearing. She went public on April 30, 2026, uploading a YouTube video to her channel Haru Jiyeon titled 근황 알려드립니다 (feat. 라미네이트, 이혼소송, 방송출연, 시딩깡 등)—an update that explicitly listed the divorce proceedings among her recent news.

Jung Chul-won's side responds

Jung Chul-won's legal representative broke his silence on November 6, 2026. The statement cited concern over one-sided disclosures involving allegations of infidelity and domestic violence. Jung "fulfilled his duties as a professional baseball player even amid divorce and custody-related legal procedures that have continued since January, and has worked to fulfill his responsibilities as a father and create a healthy parenting environment."

He has agreed to grant primary custody to his ex-wife and pay child support. Property division is the real problem. Both sides remain far apart on the subject and scope, and negotiations have stalled. Kim Ji-yeon's legal representative submitted a resignation notice on September 21, 2025, which complicated things further.

Who they are

Kim Ji-yeon studied dance at Hanyang University. She became publicly known after appearing on Mnet's dating reality show Love Catcher in 2018.

Jung Chul-won was drafted by the Doosan Bears in the second round (20th pick) of the 2018 KBO draft. He won the KBO Rookie of the Year award in 2022, his first season in the first division. After the 2024 season he was traded to Lotte. In his first year with the club, he posted an 8-3 record with 21 holds, a 4.24 ERA, and 55 strikeouts over 70 innings across 75 appearances. The divorce proceedings have run parallel to what was, statistically, a solid season.