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| ▲ Actor Cho Jin-woong (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) actor-teenage wrongdoing
(2nd LD) Actor Cho Jin-woong says he will retire amid criticism over past juvenile offenses
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES story with retirement announcement; TRIMS)
SEOUL, Dec. 6 (Yonhap) -- Actor Cho Jin-woong announced through his agency Saturday that he will retire from acting, as criticism continues to deepen over past offenses he committed as a minor.
In a message to media, he apologized for disappointing his fans and said that his decision is the right way to bear the responsibility for his past wrongdoing.
The controversy erupted after a local media outlet reported on allegations that Cho had committed an offense in his teens and was tried as a juvenile delinquent. Cho has acknowledged having juvenile records but denied allegations linking him to sexual assault.
"I sincerely apologize for disappointing everyone who has trusted and supported me due to my disgraceful past actions," he said in the message released by his agency.
"I humbly accept all the criticism, and as of today, I will halt all activities and bring my acting career to an end," he said. "I will do my utmost to reflect on myself and stand again as a better person."
Online rumors have surfaced alleging that Cho was involved in a car theft and sexual assault while in high school and subsequently served time in a juvenile detention facility.
The agency has also issued an apology to anyone affected by Cho's past actions.
The criticism already began to affect his career. South Korean broadcaster SBS said it has replaced Cho in the voice narration for a documentary.
CJ ENM, the media company behind the hit drama series "Signal," in which Cho had a lead role, said it is "in discussions" about keeping him in the second season, which has already begun filming and is scheduled to premiere in the first half of next year.
The 49-year-old studied theater and film at a university in the southeastern city of Busan before starting his career on stage.
He made his film debut in "Spirit of Jeet Kune Do: Once Upon a Time in High School" (2004) and gained critical acclaim for roles in films that include "Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time" (2012), "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" (2014) and "Believer" (2018).
He also starred in the 2016 hit South Korean TV series "Signal" and is slated to reprise his role in the sequel to the drama, set for release next year.
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