"Cho Jin-woong, Pretending to Be Righteous"... 21 Years Later, Juvenile Crime Revealed and Admitted as Fact

[Financial News] Cho Jin-woong (real name Jo Won-jun) has admitted to "wrongdoing" regarding allegations that he received a juvenile protection disposition in high school. Meanwhile, a post from seven years ago on an online community has resurfaced.

On the 5th, Dispatch reported that Cho Jin-woong was sent to a juvenile detention center after receiving a juvenile protection disposition for a serious crime during his teenage years.
According to the report, Cho Jin-woong faced criminal trial in 1994, during his second year of high school, on charges of robbery and rape under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
It was also reported that after becoming an adult, he assaulted a theater colleague and was caught drunk driving. There is speculation that he used his father's name as a stage name instead of his real name, Jo Won-jun, due to these incidents.
After the allegations surfaced, posts written seven years ago on an online community by users presumed to be Cho Jin-woong’s former classmates have drawn renewed attention.
In March 2018, a user posted on the 'Jo Jin-woong Gallery on DC Inside,' saying, "(Cho Jin-woong) attended Seohyun High School, committed group robbery with classmates, went to jail, and returned to school the following year."
Another user replied, "How did you know that? But to be precise, he didn’t return to school the following year. He passed the qualification exam and entered Kyungsung University as a freshman in 1996. Not many people know this." Another comment read, "Won-jun, why did you and your friends drink and set fire to the apartment wall? I wonder if you remember that I got you out. Still, you seem to be the most successful among us, so I’m somewhat proud."
As the controversy grew, Saram Entertainment, Cho Jin-woong’s agency, released a statement saying, "After checking with the actor, we confirm that there was wrongdoing during his minor years," but completely denied the sexual assault allegations.
The agency added, "However, this is based on partially confirmed facts, and since more than 30 years have passed, it is difficult to fully clarify the circumstances. The related legal procedures have already been concluded, so there are limitations. The actor himself deeply regrets and reflects on the moments when his poor judgment as an adult caused concern."
They continued, "We sincerely apologize to all those who suffered harm and pain due to the actor’s past mistakes. We are also sorry for disappointing those who supported Cho Jin-woong."
The statement further requested, "Please understand that Cho Jin-woong’s use of his father’s name as a stage name was not to hide his past, but rather a personal commitment to become a better person."
It is reported that this revelation came after 21 years because Cho Jin-woong has built an image by playing roles such as independence fighters and righteous police officers.
Cho Jin-woong has been seen as a righteous figure through his roles as an independence fighter and police officer. In the 2015 film 'Assassination (2015 film),' he played Choo Sang-ok, the last graduate of Sinhŭng Military Academy and an independence fighter. This August, he narrated the documentary 'La Resistance,' which covers the life and struggle of General Hong Beom-do.
In September 2021, he participated as a national envoy in the repatriation of General Hong Beom-do’s remains, and last year, he was invited to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at The 80th Anniversary of Liberation Day Ceremony.
Also, this August, he appeared on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory' and criticized former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s December 3 Martial Law.
Sources say that the whistleblowers were motivated by Cho Jin-woong’s public persona.
One whistleblower stated, "He was a perpetrator and a criminal who bullied the weak. Yet, by playing a police officer, he was portrayed as righteous. Now he even has the image of an independence fighter. How do you think the victims feel? I hope he reflects on his past, even now."
Meanwhile, Cho Jin-woong graduated from the Department of Theater and Film at Kyungsung University and began his acting career in 1996 by joining the Dongnyeok Theater Company.
He made his film debut in 2004 with 'Once Upon a Time in High School,' and continued his acting career with roles in 'A Dirty Carnival' (2006), 'Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time' (2012), 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents' (2014), and 'Believer' (2018).
Cho Jin-woong received much love for his role in the 2016 tvN drama 'Signal.' Next year, he is set to star in the sequel, 'The Second Signal,' alongside the original cast.
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter