Fitness athlete Hwang Cheol-soon hospitalized with scrub typhus, meningitis after trip with dog

Fitness athlete Hwang Cheol-soon, who appeared as the "Jingman" character on tvN's "Comedy Big League," has shared that he was hospitalized after contracting a viral infection.

Hwang said Tuesday on his social media account that he had "contracted scrub typhus — a tick-borne virus — while traveling with my dog, and was hospitalized for two weeks with memory loss and meningitis."

Hwang added that he had "lost 12 kilograms, and after being discharged … a bone fragment was removed from my pelvis for a biopsy — and now I'm banned from exercise and saunas for another two weeks! On top of that, a bone marrow test means an additional month with no exercise!"

Hwang also wrote, "At this point … it's clearly a conspiracy between the hospital and the government to force me into retirement." Hwang added, "But the world still doesn't seem to know that I'm a phoenix. I can't even begin to imagine how much stronger I'll come back."

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by bites from larval mites infected with the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi.

Hwang holds the title of the most decorated active competitor in fitness and is widely recognized as the Jingman on tvN's "Comedy Big League."

Hwang was, however, indicted on assault charges against a former partner. Hwang received a one-year prison sentence at trial and nine months on appeal, and the sentence was finalized after waiving the right to a further appeal.