Kang Ji-yong, a former professional soccer player, passed away on June 22 at the age of 37.

A memorial has been set up for the late Kang at Soonchunhyang University Hospital Funeral Hall in Cheonan. His wife and daughter are listed as chief mourners. The news of his passing was shared by his close friend and fellow soccer player, Koo Bon-sang, via social media. The funeral will take place on June 25 at 6:30 a.m., and Kang will be laid to rest at Cheonan Memorial Park.

Born in 1989, Kang Ji-yong began his professional soccer career in 2009 after being drafted by the Pohang Steelers in the K-League. He later played for teams including Busan IPark, Bucheon FC 1995, Gangwon FC, and Incheon United, before retiring from professional soccer in 2022.

Earlier this year, Kang appeared on the JTBC reality show “Divorce Consideration Camp,” where he revealed that he had been working at a chemical manufacturing plant since his retirement. On the show, Kang spoke candidly about financial struggles and conflicts with his wife related to money issues involving his family.

His wife shared on the program that Kang had expressed severe stress over financial matters, at times threatening self-harm. She recounted a traumatic incident when, while she was heavily pregnant, Kang left home after making such threats and could not be reached. When she contacted his family for help, she was met with indifference.

She also described another distressing event that occurred about 100 days after giving birth, when Kang hung from the railing of their 35th-floor apartment, telling her to “watch closely.” The incident left her deeply traumatized. She also recalled a day when Kang was holding their child and staring out the window, prompting her to intervene out of fear for their safety.

The couple revealed that during Kang’s 11-year soccer career, his parents managed his salary, but no money remained by the time he retired. His wife said that she paid for both their wedding and the birth of their child with her own savings.

Kang explained that family circumstances and the tragic loss of his older brother had forced him to make sacrifices for his birth family. However, his wife expressed ongoing distrust and conflict with his family.