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Cho Jin-woong Retires After Reports of Past Juvenile Offenses

The move follows reports on decades-old juvenile offenses that his agency partially acknowledged as youthful wrongdoing without sexual assault.

Overview

  • Cho announced through his agency that he will halt all activities and end his acting career, apologizing for past misconduct.
  • SARAM Entertainment said he committed wrongful acts as a minor but was not involved in sexual assault, citing limited verification after more than 30 years and issuing an apology.
  • Dispatch published allegations tied to 1994, including car theft and sexual assault claims, and online speculation linked him to a Seocho District case reported at the time.
  • SBS replaced his narration on a documentary, and CJ ENM said discussions continue on his role in Signal 2, which has begun filming for a planned release next year.
  • The controversy has prompted legal and public debate in Korea over revisiting sealed juvenile records, with some experts saying such exposure conflicts with rehabilitation-focused youth justice principles.