Jo Jin-woong. Provided by Saram Entertainment

Actor Jo Jin-woong has found little relief from announcing his retirement; as defenses have emerged, public opinion is flaring up again and his past conduct is being ‘exhumed’.

After reports on the 5th about his history as a juvenile offender, assaulting a theater troupe member, and being caught drunk driving sparked controversy, Jo Jin-woong announced his retirement on the following day, the 6th, saying “I will put a period to the path of being an actor.” Because he had built an upright image by portraying roles such as a righteous detective and the young Kim Gu, an even stronger wave of criticism poured out.

Although the uproar seemed to settle when Jo Jin-woong issued an apology and conveyed his intent to retire within a day, his name has remained on the main pages of multiple portal sites for a fifth day as supportive voices suddenly spread. Not only fellow entertainers such as actor Jung Jun and singer Lee Jeong-seok, but also a poet, a professor, and even members of the National Assembly, argued that it runs counter to the purpose of the Juvenile Act, which aims at correction and growth, using phrases like “being buried alive over one's past” and “how long must mistakes made in adolescence be borne.”

Attorney Kim Kyung-ho of law firm Hoin, who likened Jo Jin-woong to ‘Jean Valjean’, on the 7th filed a complaint through the National Sinmungo against two Dispatch reporters who first reported his juvenile record, alleging a violation of Article 70 of the Juvenile Act. He argued that “Article 70 of the Juvenile Act strictly prohibits relevant agencies from responding to inquiries about juvenile cases, and, judging from capture images circulating online, there are reasonable grounds to suspect it was leaked from within the court,” adding that “if prohibited information was extracted through an insider, that is a criminal act.”

Poster for the film ‘Captain Kim Chang-soo’, in which Jo Jin-woong played the young Kim Gu. Provided by Cineguru Co., Kidari ENT

In response, voices criticizing the defenses are also growing louder. Attorney Seol Ju-wan said on Channel A program ‘Political Signal’, “He stole cars three times, raped a victim, and then extorted money after the rape. It is questionable how this went as a juvenile protection case. Normally it would be handled as a criminal case the same as for an ordinary adult,” pointing to the seriousness of the offenses.

Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party said, “At this rate, people will even say Cho Doo-soon is pitiable”, while Lee Eon-ju, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out, “There can be various views and concerns about social criticism of an offender who has served all penalties, but whether to forgive the offender belongs only to the victim.”

As the back-and-forth extended from the public to the political arena, the controversy surrounding Jo Jin-woong appears to be growing. Even after debuting as a mainstream media actor with the 2004 film ‘Maljukgeori Cruel History’, past accounts of him assaulting colleagues have continued to emerge.

Dispatch reported that in the 2010s, during a film gathering at a karaoke room, Jo Jin-woong threw ice at actor A and rushed in to assault him, and that actors B and C and managers D and E were also slapped and otherwise assaulted at drinking gatherings. Film director Heo Cheol also wrote on social networking service (SNS) that in 2014 he was punched in the face by Jo Jin-woong in a car, revealing, “We met for the first time that day, and without any reason he suddenly struck me. I demanded an apology through the manager, but he did not apologize.”

Beyond the drunk-driving record that Dispatch disclosed, suspicions have also surfaced that there was another instance of being caught for drunk driving. In its initial report, Dispatch said it had received a tip that after filming ‘Maljukgeori Cruel History’, Jo Jin-woong drove while completely intoxicated and had his license revoked. Subsequently, in connection with a 2023 article about a film actor in his 40s being booked by police over a drunk-driving accident, the mention that the actor had appeared in ‘Blood of a Cop’ and ‘Black Money’, among others, has been resurfacing online.

As allegations about his past persist, Saram Entertainment, his agency, stated, “He has retired, so we have nothing to say.”