Singer Hwang Young-woong returns via KBS weekend drama OST amid school violence allegations

Singer Hwang Young-woong, who stepped back from public activities amid personal controversy, is making a quiet return through the soundtrack of a KBS 2TV weekend drama series.

The production company behind the OST for "Recipe for Love" announced Friday that it will release tracks featuring Hwang on a rolling basis.

The company said Hwang's involvement is limited to vocal performances and does not constitute a drama appearance or any separate broadcast activity, describing the decision as one driven by musical considerations.

Hwang rose to prominence on MBN's competition program "Burning Trotman" in 2023 before voluntarily withdrawing after allegations of school violence and personal misconduct surfaced.

Some individuals claimed they had been bullied by Hwang during his school years, but no court ruling or official school disciplinary record substantiated the school violence allegations. However, it was confirmed that Hwang received a summary order to pay a fine of 500,000 won ($332) for an assault incident in 2016, after he had come of age. He apologized, saying he reflected on his past behavior, and left the program.

About three years later, earlier this year, his agency Golden Voice released his school records and said "a significant portion of the allegations were maliciously edited or were one-sided claims whose facts could not be verified," adding that "while Hwang may have had disputes or gone through a troubled period among friends during his school years, there is no fact that he persistently bullied or inflicted harm on any specific individual."

On why Hwang withdrew from the program when the controversy first broke, the agency said it "was the singer's own decision, out of concern for the impact on the public stage of the competition and on fellow artists."