Hwang Chul-soon, an established bodybuilding talent, has certainly faced his fair share of challenges outside of the sport. On January 30, 2025, he detailed his experiences in jail, revealing how the time behind bars molded him as a person and athlete.
The Korean Bodybuilding mainstay known as ‘Jingman’ has reached incredible heights as an athlete, having laid claim to first place overall at the 2016 Musclemania Universe in Professional Medium. He boasts incredible shape coupled with aesthetics, giving his physique a Classic look while still carrying impressive mass.
Given his status and physique as a bodybuilder, it’s challenging for Chul-soon to fly under the radar, especially when tempers are high. He allegedly slapped a lady out of anger in 2016. His actions eventually led to a stint in a detention center, where he had time to reflect on his troubled behavior.
Hwang Chul-soon Reflects On His Time In Prison, Looks Ahead to Promising Future
In a recent YouTube video, Chul-soon came clean about his time in prison, which stemmed from assaulting a female back in 2016. His first trial saw him sentenced to one year in prison. When the second trial rolled around, he received nine months and he was released on January 30, 2025. He hasn’t made any excuses for his wrongdoings.
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“Contrary to the initial idea that I can’t live here even for a single day, I’ve already been living a positive life day by day with my life of enlightenment. Regardless of the beginning and reason of the incident, I have not made any excuses for my wrong actions, but have continued to admit, reflect, and repent.”
Although it was hard to accept his new life, he was thankful to some of the prison guards who showed him kindness and comfort in a time of strife.
“The prison guards here also comforted me, not comforted me, saying they had never seen anyone arrested for a three-week assault diagnosis even though it was not a criminal period, but I thought it would be a wise decision to get beaten up quickly and set up as a new person rather than unfair because I caused a social stir, let alone an exemplary behavior, and enough to cause an antisocial personality. No, I thought I had to get hit hard and get my act together, he shared.
He admitted that while he was incarcerated, people at the jail said most assault cases didn’t result in a lot time in lockup.
“Some of them told me they had never seen anyone jailed over an assault case with a three-week medical diagnosis. But rather than dwell on whether it was fair, I accepted it as an opportunity to reset my life,” he explained. “If I made a mistake, then taking responsibility is the only way forward.”
He explained that he started forgetting names while pushing through life in isolation. In addition, he made it clear he’ll need to take drastic measures to get back into bodybuilding shape.
“I spent so much time reading and attending seminars in silence that I started forgetting names and common words. My vision has also deteriorated since I wasn’t able to focus on distant objects for months,” he added. “And physically, my back and ankles—already weak before—have worsened. I’ll need serious rehab to get back in shape.”
After losing 23 kilograms while incarcerated which he revealed in a previous letter, Chul-soon is attempting to start over in pursuit of a fresh start. Surely, in time, fans expect him to get back to the prime physique that many lauded thanks to his dedication to nutrition and training. He appears to be in a good place mentally as he navigates his way back into society.
You can watch the full video from Hwang Chul-soon’s YouTube channel below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23oZ0FhzXr0
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