Actor Cho Jin-woong has announced his retirement after a bombshell report about his past as a juvenile offender, and the fallout is only beginning ― especially for tvN’s long-awaited follow-up to "Signal.
On Dec. 5, entertainment outlet Dispatch ran an exclusive investigation alleging Cho had a juvenile record, headlined “So I Used My Father’s Name.” The story ignited fierce debate as the industry wrestled with the claims about a still-active star.
Cho responded with two rapid-fire statements: first acknowledging a juvenile record while denying sexual assault allegations (Dec. 5), then announcing his retirement from entertainment the following day (Dec. 6). In two days, a 21-year acting career came to an abrupt end.
For a celebrity whose livelihood depends on public trust, continuing on would have been a steep climb. Contesting every detail also risked secondary harm to those involved, and posed a heavy burden for his family.
But retirement doesn’t solve everything. A major unresolved issue is his responsibility as the lead of tvN’s "The Second Signal," the 10-years-later follow-up to "Signal" (2016) and a special project marking tvN’s 20th anniversary.
The eight-episode series wrapped filming in August and is now in post-production. It had been targeting a June premiere, but plans are now on hold after the controversy and retirement. Starring Kim Hye-soo, Cho Jin-woong and Lee Je-hoon, the show reportedly gives Cho the lion’s share of screen time. Editing him out would severely compromise the story, while full reshoots on a budget north of 10 billion won are viewed as unrealistic. There’s also the likelihood that viewers will balk at watching him as a detective who solves violent crimes.
Some predict astronomical penalties tied to the production delays. In practice, though, clawbacks in TV and film are far trickier than in advertising. Even with morality clauses, top-tier talent deals are intertwined with long-standing relationships between producers and networks, making immediate penalty demands rare.
A recent parallel is Yoo Ah-in’s case. When his drug scandal broke, two completed films and one drama were stuck in limbo. Ultimately, those projects did get released. While the reputational damage to a title is hard to quantify, whether a project is released often becomes the key battleground in any damages dispute.
Cho exits the stage with a brief retirement statement. Left behind are hundreds of crew members and a series that has already consumed more than 10 billion won. For the "Signal" team, the toughest decisions may still be ahead.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)