Content Warning
Dispatch has exposed Korea’s most famous Korean to English translator Hwang Seok Hee as a habitual sexual criminal.
Hwang Seok Hee is Korea’s most well-known Korean to English translator, having worked on over 600 works, notably including Deadpool, Spider-Man, Bohemian Rhapsody, and recently, Project Hail Mary. He also released his own essay collection and earned the nickname “The Warm Translator”. However, he has a hidden past of 3 sexual crimes against women.
Incident 1
Hwang Seok Hee’s first incident was back in 2005 in Chuncheon. Near Kangwon National University Hwang Seok Hee groped victim “A” and assaulted victim “B”. Hwang Seok Hee spotted “A” from behind, groped her, and knocked her to the ground where he climbed on top of her and continued his groping. When she resisted, he hit her in the face 3 or 4 times, causing injuries that required two weeks of medical treatment.
“A’s” younger sister “B” witnessed what happened and attempted to intervene, but Hwang Seok Hee hit her in the jaw as well and pulled her hair. “B” also required two weeks of medical treatment.
Incident 2
Just 30 minutes after incident 1, Hwang Seok Hee attempted to grope another woman. “C” was standing outside waiting for a taxi when Hwang Seok Hee grabbed her face, attempted physical contact, and knocked her to the ground as well where he continued his assault.
“C’s” friend “D” attempted to intervene but Hwang Seok Hee allegedly stated “Who are you to stop me?” and punched “D” in the head. Both women required two weeks of medical treatment.
For both incident 1 and 2, Hwang Seok Hee was indicted on charges of aggravated indecent assault. He argued dimished capacity, claiming he was so drunk he was not aware of his actions.
The court ended up sentencing him to two years of probation, with 18 months in prison if violated.
Mapo Motel
While his translation for 2013 film Warm Bodies marked a turning point in his life, he also led a film translation course at a cultural center. But there, he committed sexual violence against one of his students in 2014.
A former acquaintance tipped off Dispatch, telling the media outlet he asked one of his students to drink with him and later took the heavily drunk student to a motel in the Mapo district of Seoul and attempted aggravated rape. Hwang Seok Hee was also caught photographing the victim’s naked body with his phone without her consent.
Hwang Seok Hee was charged with aggravated rape, meaning that the victim was unconscious or unable to provide consent. Despite his previous record of sexual misconduct, the court gave him another suspended sentence, taking into account Hwang Seok Hee’s remorse and his family situation. His wife, who he married in 2012, also pleaded for leniency. They sentenced him to four years of probation with two years in prison if violated. He also received 80 hours of sexual violence treatment education and 80 hours of community service.
The Contradiction
While Hwang Seok Hee left his position at the cultural center after the 2014 incident. But by 2016, he had entered the prime of his career, with translations of Deadpool and X-Men. The informant to Dispatch told the media company why they came out, saying they wanted to criticize his hypocrisy for speaking out against gender discrimination and misogyny when he has done such crimes to women. Hwang Seok Hee publicly stated in 2016 that he was a feminist.
In 2025, he also posted a message stating that women in their 20’s shouldn’t be attracted to men in their 40’s, urging men around his age to act their age.
Hwang Seok Hee was contacted by Dispatch about his past, and he told Dispatch that he has no comment, but if he does have something in particular to comment about, he will get in touch with Dispatch later.
