Cho Jin Woong is facing explosive allegations that he was a juvenile offender involved in serious crimes during his high school years.
Korean media outlet Dispatch reported on December 5th that Jo Se Ho had committed serious offenses as a teenager, which reportedly led to him being sent to a juvenile detention center for rehabilitation under a protective order.
The report stated that Cho and a group of peers allegedly stole a parked vehicle and were involved in sexual assault. The report claims he faced criminal charges for robbery and rape under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes during his second year of high school.
The allegations have cast a new light on the actor’s decision to use a stage name. Born Cho Won Jun, the actor has famously worked under the name Cho Jin Woong, which is his father’s name. Informants cited in the report speculate that this name change may have been an attempt to distance himself from his criminal record.
Cho’s agency, Saram Entertainment, responded cautiously to the breaking news. An official from the agency told SPOTV News on December 5th, “The company is currently verifying the reported content. We will release an official statement after confirming the precise facts.”
The allegations come at a critical time for the actor, who is currently preparing for his next project, Second Signal.
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