Actor Cho Jin-woong Partly Admits to Juvenile Offense Allegations

Actor Cho Jin-woong's agency has partly acknowledged allegations that he received juvenile protection disposition for offenses committed as a teenager, bringing renewed attention to online comments posted seven years ago.

In March 2018, a netizen left a comment on an online community stating that Cho "went to prison for committing gang robbery with classmates while attending OO High School, then returned to school the following year." Another comment below read, "How did you know that? Not many people know about it." Yet another netizen wrote, "Won-jun~ Why did you guys get together, drink, and set fire to an apartment wall? I wonder if you remember that I got you out. Still, you seem to be the most successful among them, so I'm pleased."

Cho's agency, Saram Entertainment, said in a statement on January 5, "After checking with the actor, we confirmed that there was wrongful behavior during his minor years." However, the agency added, "It is difficult to fully ascertain the circumstances from more than 30 years ago," and "We clearly state that this is unrelated to any acts involving sexual assault." The agency continued, "We sincerely apologize to all those who suffered harm and hurt due to the actor's past wrongdoing."

Regarding why Cho uses his father's name as his stage name instead of his birth name Cho Won-jun, the agency explained, "It was not intended to hide the past, but stemmed from a determination to become a better person while making a promise to himself." The agency added, "We earnestly ask for your generous understanding of the actor's sincerity."

Cho graduated from Kyungsung University's Department of Theater and Film in Busan and began his acting career on stage. He made his screen debut in 2004 with the film "Once Upon a Time in High School" and has since taken leading and supporting roles in numerous works including "A Dirty Carnival" (2006), "Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time" (2012), "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" (2014), and "Believer" (2018). In 2016, he appeared in the popular tvN drama "Signal," and a sequel, "Signal Season 2," featuring reunited main cast members, is scheduled for release next year.