Singer WOODZ (Cho Seung-youn) has personally clarified that reports claiming he will appear in a Japanese film set against the backdrop of the Hiroshima atomic bombing are untrue.
During a live broadcast on the afternoon of September 27, WOODZ drew a clear line against news reports published the previous day regarding his scheduled casting in the Korea-Japan co-production film "Tamako". Earlier, an outlet reported that WOODZ was set to appear in the project alongside actors Shim Eun-kyung and Ando Sakura.
The film reportedly follows the journey of a boy who loses his parents to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945, follows a Zainichi Korean to Korea, and subsequently endures the Korean War. Following the reports, criticism mounted online over the film's subject matter.
During the live broadcast, WOODZ clarified, "After receiving the script, I became aware of the content and carefully shared my thoughts with my agency. The reports came out after I had already declined the role after much deliberation". Explaining why he was unable to issue an official statement immediately, he added, "I had a performance schedule the previous day, and I did not expect the issue to blow up to this extent".
Addressing his fans, he reiterated his wish that there would be no misunderstandings regarding his decision to turn down the role: "Please do not worry. I plan to handle everything while continuing to think carefully, deliberate deeply, and make an effort to learn as much as possible".
As actor Cho Seung-youn, WOODZ has been cast in the upcoming feature film "Nambeol" (directed by Lee Mo-gae), which aims to crank in during the second half of the year. "Nambeol" is a hard-boiled martial arts action film depicting nine warriors of diverse ranks and abilities in early Joseon who venture to Tsushima Island to rescue captives abducted by Japanese pirates. Cho Seung-youn plays the role of "Cheotnom," a sharpshooting archer. Additionally, he is scheduled to hold his world tour encore concert, "2026 WOODZ WORLD TOUR Archive. 1 : Completed," on October 31 and November 1 at KSPO DOME (Olympic Gymnastics Arena) in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)