A dark cloud now hangs over the long-awaited return of the hit series Signal. Its lead actor, Jo Jin Woong, has publicly acknowledged a troubled past involving juvenile crime, throwing the sequel’s broadcast and the actor’s career into serious doubt. The allegations, which include car theft and other offenses, have led major broadcasters to immediately remove his work and experts to warn he could face billions of won in penalties from production companies.
What Exactly Did Jo Jin Woong Do?
On December 5, 2025, the South Korean news outlet Dispatch published a report detailing actor Jo Jin Woong’s alleged criminal history. According to the report, the crimes date back to his high school years in the early 1990s. The allegations include involvement in a group that stole cars and drove without licenses. More seriously, the report states he faced a criminal trial in 1994 for charges including robbery and sexual assault under a specific aggravated punishment act and was subsequently sent to a juvenile detention center.
The actor’s agency, Saram Entertainment, released an official statement later that same day. In it, they confirmed that “there were wrongful actions taken during his years as a minor” but denied any involvement in sexual assault, stating, “we clearly state that he was not involved in any actions related to sexual assault”. The agency apologized on the actor’s behalf and noted that over thirty years have passed, making it difficult to fully verify all circumstances. The statement also addressed why the actor uses his father’s name, Jo Jin Woong, as a stage name instead of his birth name, Jo Won-jun. They claimed it was a personal pledge to become a better person, not an attempt to hide his past.
Why This Puts Signal 2 in Immediate Jeopardy
The controversy directly threatens tvN’s The Second Signal, the sequel to the massively popular 2016 drama. This project was a centerpiece of the network’s 20th-anniversary celebrations and one of the most anticipated releases for early 2026. Filming, which began in February 2025, has already been completed with the original cast, including Kim Hye Soo and Lee Je Hoon, all returning.
The problem lies in a severe conflict between the actor’s real life and his on-screen role. In Signal, Jo Jin Woong plays Detective Lee Jae Han, a character famous for his relentless, moral pursuit of justice. The character’s iconic line is, “There is no crime that should be buried or forgotten”. Fans and the production team now struggle with the stark contradiction of an actor who allegedly committed serious crimes portraying this symbol of justice.
The situation is so damaging because it destroys the audience’s ability to believe in the character. As one production insider noted, the actor’s history now clashes with the show’s core themes of “justice, conscience, responsibility, and humanity”. This has led to a genuine risk that the drama, which fans have waited nearly a decade for, may be postponed or even canceled.
Broadcasters Are Already Cutting Ties
The reaction from South Korea’s television networks has been swift and severe, indicating the seriousness with which they view the allegations. SBS took immediate action regarding a documentary series Jo Jin Woong was narrating called War On Gangs. The network announced it had re-recorded all narration and stated, “Beginning with Part 2, scheduled for December 7, Jo’s voice will be entirely removed”. They acted to maintain viewership trust, as the documentary deals with the subject of transnational crime organizations.
Similarly, KBS set a documentary on its official YouTube channel to “Private.” The documentary, Special Envoy Jo Jin Woong: Bringing General Hong Beom Do Home, was publicly available until December 5 but was hidden following the news of the actor’s past. These rapid moves by major broadcasters highlight the immediate commercial and reputational risk they associate with Jo Jin Woong.
A Multi-Billion Won Problem: Calculating the Financial Fallout
The biggest question now is financial. Legal experts analyzing the situation estimate that Jo Jin Woong could face staggering financial penalties for breaching the “morality clause” standard in actor contracts. These clauses allow production companies to seek compensation when an actor’s personal conduct damages a project.
Industry practice dictates that the penalty for causing a scandal is typically two to three times the actor’s appearance fee. Estimates suggest Jo Jin Woong’s fee for the eight-episode Signal 2 was around ₩100 million KRW (about $67,900 USD) per episode. This means his total earnings would have been roughly ₩800 million KRW. Therefore, the base penalty for violating his contract could range from ₩1.6 billion to ₩2.4 billion KRW (approximately $1.09 to $1.63 million USD).
However, the costs could climb much higher. If tvN and the production company decide to replace Jo Jin Woong and reshoot his scenes, the additional production expenses could reach “tens of billions of won”. Under recent legal trends, where courts increasingly side with production companies in misconduct cases, Jo Jin Woong could be held legally responsible for covering these reshoot costs as well.
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Fans React With Heartbreak and Anger
The news has devastated the fan community that waited nearly ten years for Signal 2. Online reactions are a mix of profound disappointment, anger over the betrayal of the show’s message, and some calls for understanding. The resurfacing of an old public service video has intensified the feeling of hypocrisy for many. In the video, made to promote the original Signal, Jo Jin Woong says, “We need your warm interest so that victims no longer shed tears”. Seeing this message now, in light of the allegations, has caused significant public anger.
On social media, fan responses are divided. Some express a deep sense of letdown. “The iconic scenes from Signal where Detective Lee fights corruption now feel like a cruel joke,” one fan commented online. Others question the focus on crimes committed during juvenile years. A comment on Facebook read, “He was a juvenile and he spent time in the juvenile detention center which means he did juvie time for it but y’all want to charge him and persecute him AGAIN?”. Another supporter wrote, “If he continued his criminal ways after becoming an actor then he should be blacklisted… But if he mend his ways & changed his fate through hard work & determination, then he shouldn’t be punished for that”.
What Happens Next for the Drama and the Actor?
As of December 7, 2025, the future of The Second Signal is uncertain. The drama is fully filmed but cannot be aired in its current state without facing a massive viewer backlash. The production team and broadcaster tvN are reportedly monitoring the situation closely, with the 2026 broadcast schedule now in jeopardy.
The options are limited and difficult. Replacing Jo Jin Woong and reshooting his parts would be extremely costly and time-consuming. Editing his character out is likely impossible due to his central role in the storyline. Postponing or canceling the broadcast altogether represents a huge financial loss and would disappoint millions of fans.
For Jo Jin Woong, the path forward is challenging. Beyond the potential multi-billion won lawsuit from the Signal 2 production, his reputation as an actor who specialized in playing upright, moral characters is severely damaged. The quick removal of his work by SBS and KBS suggests other networks and producers will be hesitant to work with him in the near future. His career, built over two decades, now faces its greatest crisis just as he was set to return to his most famous role.
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Source: Maeil Kyungje and Lawtalk News
