New claims have emerged in defense of actor Cho Jin-woong, who recently announced his retirement from the entertainment industry following suspicions of a juvenile criminal past. Previously accused of receiving criminal punishment in high school and using a stage name to hide his identity, Cho admitted to part of the allegations before declaring his withdrawal from showbiz.

On December 7, a post titled “A Junior Reflects on Cho Jin-woong’s High School Life” appeared on an online community. The writer, referred to as A, shared authenticated photos and revealed that they were in the same high school drama club as Cho, whose real name is Cho Won-jun.

A wrote, “I joined the drama club in 1995, and Cho Won-jun was a senior. He was like the tall, chubby, kind guy that every class has.” Recalling their school days, A claimed, “The school was rough there were many gang-like seniors. When we practiced for plays, third-year bullies would randomly barge in and beat up Won-jun for no reason.”

“Won-jun wasn’t a bully at all,” A continued, “In fact, he was someone who suffered a lot. I remember he was a year older than us and often got hit without ever fighting back.”

Regarding the recent allegations, A said, “Even when he came back after being beaten, he’d still try to lighten the mood with funny stories. He never took his frustrations out on juniors or cursed at them.” A explained that during that era, not following orders from bullies could result in being beaten, and Cho was someone who complied quietly, making him more of a victim of school violence than a perpetrator.

A concluded by acknowledging Cho Jin-woong’s past wrongdoings, saying, “Yes, he made mistakes and paid the price, and it might have cost him everything. But he was never the type to lead or incite criminal acts.” Although the accuracy of this testimony has not been officially verified, it has gone viral and sparked significant public interest online.

On December 6, Cho Jin-woong’s agency, Saram Entertainment, announced, “Cho has decided to end his career as an actor.” In his statement, Cho expressed deep remorse, saying, “I bow my head in apology to those I’ve disappointed due to my past misdeeds. I humbly accept all criticism and take full responsibility.”

According to a Dispatch report released the day prior, Cho had allegedly committed various crimes from his school days into his early acting career, including sexual assault, car theft, and physical assault. While Saram Entertainment admitted to some of the legal issues, they clarified, “The cases are already closed and cannot be confirmed. However, he is not involved in any sexual assault allegations.”

Sources: Daum