Cho Jin-woong, who has built a steady career across major films and TV dramas, announced his retirement through his agency after the reports triggered a swift backlash. Photo: Handout
Actor Cho Jin-woong announced his retirement Saturday (Dec 6), a day after reports emerged of his decades-old juvenile record, sparking renewed debate over whether South Korea’s fast-moving "cancel culture" is veering into punitive excess.
While fans and broadcasters quickly moved to distance themselves from the actor, several legal scholars argued that reporting on sealed juvenile cases — long after penalties had been complete — was unnecessarily harsh.
The controversy erupted Friday when a local media outlet revealed that Cho had been sent to a juvenile detention facility while in high school for stealing cars and for charges that included robbery and rape.
Through his agency, Saram Entertainment, Cho acknowledged “wrongdoing as a minor,” but denied any involvement in sexual assault. He also apologised for other offenses as an adult, including an assault during his early years in theatre that resulted in a fine and a past drunk-driving license suspension.
Industry fallout
SBS quickly removed Cho’s voice narration from its four-part documentary series War On Crime. The national broadcaster said it had already re-recorded the narration and was updating the first episode, which aired Nov 30. His voice will not appear from the second episode onward.
Cable network tvN is deliberating on whether to air Signal 2, the highly anticipated sequel to 2016 hit Signal, which peaked at 15% viewership. The new season — written by acclaimed screenwriter Kim Eun-hee and starring original cast members Kim Hye-soo and Lee Je-hoon — was expected to headline the network’s slate next year. Although filming is finished, Cho’s past now threatens the legitimacy of a series built on themes of justice, conscience, accountability and humanism. CJ ENM, which oversees the project, has said that discussions are ongoing.
Legal pushback
As signs of a full-scale industry cancelation emerged within just two days of the initial reports, some legal experts warned that both the media coverage and public response had gone too far.
Han In-sup, emeritus professor at Seoul National University School of Law, wrote on Facebook shortly after Cho’s retirement announcement that the purpose of juvenile justice is to punish while enabling rehabilitation.
“Cho committed wrongdoing in his youth and received the appropriate legal sanctions,” he wrote. “The fact that he did not remain trapped in that darkness and instead worked for decades to earn social recognition should be commended. His path can serve as a guide for young people still lost in the dark.”
Addressing criticism that Cho had concealed his past, Han wrote, “No one is obligated to broadcast their past mistakes for life. We live in a system purposely designed so that people do not have to carry a scarlet letter on their foreheads.”
He also criticised the outlet that revealed Cho’s juvenile record.
“If someone dredges up decades-old history — whether for personal, political or sensational motives — to bury a person’s current achievements, the target of social condemnation should be the media, not the entertainer,” he argued.
Attorney Kim Jae-ryon, known for representing the victim in the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon’s 2020 sexual harassment case, also invoked the Juvenile Act in a Facebook post Friday. She cited Article 1, which states that the law aims to rehabilitate youths with antisocial tendencies, and Article 68, which bans reporting information that could identify juveniles involved in investigations or trials.
“Given the purpose of the Juvenile Act, reporting the real name of a now-adult actor seems contrary to the law’s intent,” she wrote.
Cho, who debuted in 2004 hit Once Upon A Time In High School and built a steady career across major films and TV dramas, announced his retirement through his agency after the reports triggered a swift backlash.
“This is the responsibility and duty I must bear for my past wrongdoing,” he said. “I will reflect deeply and strive to stand right as a human being.”
Saram Entertainment confirmed that Cho had “made mistakes as a minor,” but reiterated that he had no involvement in sexual assault. The agency declined to specify which allegations were accurate, saying it was “difficult to fully verify events from more than 30 years ago.”
An industry insider cautioned against viewing Cho’s situation as purely a case of overzealous cancellation.
“Because he also committed offenses as an adult — including assault and drunk driving — it’s hard to say the public and broadcasters are acting entirely unfairly,” the insider said.
“But when it comes to the juvenile offenses alone, the legal scholars raise important points. Modern society relies on systems of punishment and rehabilitation, and this case shows why we need to think carefully about what those principles mean.” – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
