Actor Cho Jin Woong announces retirement following revelation of past wrongdoings

According to a report by Korea JoongAng published on Friday, Cho was involved in multiple incidents in 1994 during his high school years, including allegations of sexual assault and theft.

Cho Jin Woong, best known for his acclaimed performance in the hit drama Signal, has announced his retirement from acting after admitting to serious misconduct committed during his teenage years.

According to a report by Korea JoongAng published on Friday, Cho was involved in multiple incidents in 1994 during his high school years, including allegations of sexual assault and theft. The report notes that he was subsequently sent to a juvenile detention facility as a result of these offenses.

On Saturday evening, Cho issued an official statement expressing deep remorse over his past actions. He stated, “I apologize for letting down those who supported and believed in me because of my past misconduct. I accept all reprimands. Starting today, I will suspend all my activities. I am putting a period to my path as an actor.”

Earlier, local media outlet Dispatch also reported that Cho committed several offenses in 1994, including sexual assault and theft, which led to his stay in a juvenile detention facility. The outlet added that he was again penalized in 2003—before he became widely known—for assaulting a theater troupe member during a drinking session, and that he later had his driver’s license revoked for driving under the influence.

Cho's agency, Saram Entertainment, released a response partially confirming his past wrongdoings but strongly denying the sexual assault allegations.

The agency stated, "We confirmed with the actor that he had committed wrongdoings when he was a minor. But the confirmation is based on facts that have been done more than 30 years ago and it is difficult to grasp the whole situation. But we want to make it sure that he wasn't involved in sexual assault behaviors."

In the wake of the revelations, broadcaster SBS announced it had replaced Cho's narration for its four-episode documentary War on Crime (translated), which had already aired its first episode. The broadcaster added, "We are taking actions on the first episode as well."

Cho had also completed filming for Season 2 of tvN’s widely praised drama Signal (2016–), where he appears alongside Kim Hye-soo and Lee Je-hoon. The new season is scheduled to air next year, though the future of his involvement now remains uncertain following his retirement announcement.