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Signal actor Jo Jin Woong has announced his retirement following controversy over his "juvenile record".
On December 5, an exclusive report from Korean entertainment outlet Dispatch revealed allegations about Jo Jin Woong's past as a juvenile offender. As allegations surfaced about the celebrity, debate spread rapidly, and public attention focused on whether the claims were true.
Jo Jin Woong's side made important statements:
1. A statement acknowledging his juvenile record while denying sexual assault (December 5)
2. A declaration of retirement from the entertainment industry (December 6).
With this, Jo Jin Woong's acting career spanning 21 years comes to an end.
For actor Jo Jin Woong, it was likely the best possible choice. Given the nature of a celebrity whose career depends on people's love and trust, it would have been difficult to overcome the disappointment and criticism. Moreover, responding to the allegations raised in the report could potentially lead to further harm to the victim, and for him — now with a family — it would have also been an immense emotional burden.
The actor's controversy brings major challenges; a major one of them is his involvement as the lead actor in tvN's The Second Signal, which has already completed filming.
The Second Signal is the long-awaited sequel to Signal (2016), a series that ended amid huge buzz and acclaim, and it is also a special project commemorating tvN's 20th anniversary. The 8-episode series finished filming this August and is currently in the post-production stage.
It was originally scheduled to air around June next year, but due to the allegations about Jo Jin Woong's juvenile record and his retirement announcement, the broadcast has been indefinitely postponed. The drama, starring Kim Hye Soo and Lee Je Hoon, features Jo Jin Woong in a large share of scenes. If the production were to remove him through editing, reshoots would be required. However, with a production budget exceeding 10 billion won, reshooting seems realistically impossible. Even so, the producers cannot ignore criticism likely from viewers at seeing Jo Jin Woong playing a detective who solves criminal cases.
Some predict that he may face astronomical penalty fees for the damage inflicted on the drama. However, demanding penalty fees in the broadcasting and film industries is complicated in Korea. While such clauses certainly exist in contracts, in the case of top-tier actors, the relationships and interests between production companies and broadcasters make it difficult to simply send a penalty bill overnight.
Though the actor has left the entertainment industry, the release of the K-drama — into which hundreds of staff members and over 10 billion won were invested — is left in limbo, and the production team now faces deepening concerns.
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