Kang Ji Yong, Kwon Eun Bi's cousin and recent 'Divorce Camp' cast member, dies at 36

Former soccer player Kang Ji Yong has passed away, and all previously aired segments featuring him on the show 'Divorce Camp' have been removed.

On April 23, soccer player Koo Bon Sang shared the news of Kang Ji Yong’s passing via social media. He was 36 years old.

Just two months before his death, Kang Ji Yong had appeared on the JTBC reality show 'Divorce Camp' with his wife. At the time, the couple was experiencing deep conflict over financial issues, but the episode showed them reconciling through the program’s intervention. He garnered attention on the show when it was also revealed he was Kwon Eun Bi's cousin.

He appeared on episodes 27 to 30 of 'Divorce Camp,' which aired from February 27 to March 20, alongside his wife. At the time, Kang Ji Yong revealed he was working at a chemical manufacturing plant, earning 3 million KRW (~2,103 USD) a month after retiring from soccer. He also shared that the 500 million KRW (~350,503 USD) he had earned during his playing career was all taken by his parents, who claimed they couldn’t return it because they had no money.

Kang Ji Yong at the time said, “I feel like I’m going crazy because of money. I have loans totaling 30 to 40 million KRW (~21,030 USD to 28,040 USD).” He added, “I’m one of three brothers, but I no longer have my older brother. I once cosigned a loan for him, and then loan companies started contacting me. Eventually, my brother took his own life. After his funeral, everything collapsed - our home, collateral, guarantees, and all the loan documents. That’s when my whole family began to fall apart.”

JTBC has since made the couple's clips from 'Divorce Camp' private and removed the VOD replays. The network said, “We only learned of Kang Ji Yong’s passing after the fact. We express our deepest condolences and mourn his loss. To avoid causing harm to the deceased, we are in the process of deleting all relevant VODs. However, the April 24 broadcast of 'Divorce Camp' will air as scheduled.”

Born in 1989, Kang Ji Yong was drafted into the 2009 K-League Draft by the Pohang Steelers, marking the start of his professional career. After three years with Pohang, he transferred to Busan IPark in 2012.

He went on to play for Gyeongju Citizen FC, Bucheon FC, Gangwon FC, Incheon United, Gimpo FC, Gangneung Citizen FC, and Cheonan City FC before retiring from professional soccer in 2022.

Kang Ji Yong’s funeral will be held at 6:30 AM on the 25th, with the wake taking place at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital Funeral Hall.

※If you or someone you know is at risk of self-harm or suicide, seek help as soon as possible by contacting agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention in the United States and overseas.