Actor Jo Jin-woong (real name Jo Won-jun) has been accused of committing serious crimes during his high school years. His agency, Saram Entertainment, stated on the 5th that they are "verifying the facts" regarding the report and expressed a cautious stance. So far, no specific explanations or legal responses have been announced.

Dispatch reported that Jo Jin-woong was tried criminally in 1994, when he was a second-year high school student, on charges of robbery and rape under the Special Act, and was sent to a juvenile detention center through juvenile protection measures. According to the report, whistleblowers also claimed that Jo Jin-woong was involved in stealing a vehicle with a delinquent group and a sexual assault incident inside the stolen vehicle.

The whistleblowers said, "Jo Jin-woong stole a car parked on the roadside with the engine running, drove without a license, and committed several crimes," adding, "He was caught using stolen goods." They also claimed that Jo Jin-woong spent his third year in juvenile detention.

Questions were also raised about the fact that the stage name "Jo Jin-woong" is his father's name and the background of using a different name from his real name, Jo Won-jun. The whistleblowers suggested, "He may have partially hidden his name and personal information to erase his past from high school." However, this part remains at the level of allegations and speculation, and objective facts have not been confirmed.

Jo Jin-woong has built a strong image playing detective characters confronting violent crimes in works such as Signal, A Model Family, and Believer. Recently, he shocked the public by reciting the pledge to the national flag at the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day ceremony and participating in works related to the independence movement, which contrasts with the allegations.

Some whistleblowers reportedly said, "The perpetrator who bullied the weak is being portrayed with a righteous face." On the other hand, the facts regarding these allegations have not yet been confirmed. There is an opinion that criminal allegations from his minor years should be verified through objective materials such as investigation records and court rulings, separate from victim protection.

Jo Jin-woong began his acting career by joining the theater troupe Dongnyeok in 1996 and debuted on the screen with the 2004 film Once Upon a Time in High School. Since then, he has been active in dramas and films. However, Dispatch reported that in 2003, while working as a theater actor after graduating from university, Jo Jin-woong was fined for assaulting a troupe member, and that his license was revoked due to drunk driving after filming Once Upon a Time in High School.

Jo Jin-woong's agency, Saram Entertainment, said, "We are confirming the contents of the report" and "We will deliver an official statement after verifying the accurate facts." If the allegations are proven true, a considerable impact on the broadcasting industry is expected. Jo Jin-woong has played numerous police roles and recently participated as a presenter in the extended version of the SBS Special Gangster War. Next year, the sequel to the drama Signal is scheduled to be released.

If Jo Jin-woong's past is revealed to be true, he may argue that he has already paid his dues, but there is a high possibility of public opposition regarding the concealment of this past and the inconsistency with his criminal image. There is no disagreement that accurate fact verification and procedural validation must come first.