Netizens are now closely examining the reactions from the entertainment industry as well as legal and academic figures regarding Cho Jin Woong's controversy.
On an online forum, netizens are actively responding to entertainment insiders and legal and scholarly authorities who have publicly defended Cho Jin Woong following his retirement announcement, which came after allegations of past misconduct in his youth surfaced.
As reported, Han In Sup, a professor emeritus at Seoul National University Law School, expressed regret over the actor’s sudden retirement and likened the public backlash to an attempt at a "social burial." He encouraged Cho Jin Woong to return and evaluated his career positively, stating that the actor "can be an extremely good guide and model for teenagers wandering in the dark even now."
Additionally, lawyer Kim Jae Ryeon — known for representing the victim in the sexual harassment case involving the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won Soon — raised concerns about the media coverage, noting that "reporting facts or photos that allow one to guess who the juvenile is regarding cases under investigation or trial pursuant is punishable by law."
However, many netizens shaping public opinion voiced strong disagreement. Users on TheQoo criticized such defenses as being "too unfairly generous and listening only to the side of the perpetrator and not enough to the victim's side," arguing that since the case has already surfaced, it would not be unreasonable for Cho Jin Woong to step back from the spotlight as a gesture of remorse and respect toward the victims.
Some netizens further highlighted the nature and "severity" of Cho Jin Woong's alleged offenses, claiming that even though they occurred during his youth, the possibility that sexual assault — alongside theft — may have been involved remains a significant enough reason for him to remain off-screen and permanently inactive in the entertainment industry.
As the majority of K-netizens referenced the broader issue of "inequality" between genders when it comes to public accountability after crimes are revealed, one commenter additionally pointed to potential political influence behind the widespread defense of Cho Jin Woong.
Meanwhile, some users also argued that, while they do not necessarily support Cho Jin Woong, the authorities’ criticism of Dispatch for revealing private information was inappropriate and contributed to social confusion.
Reactions include:
"Despite his denial, do you really think back then there were many cases where rape charges were acknowledged? Even in that era, he committed crimes like that, yet people today are still spouting nonsense, acting their age poorly, and staying mentally stuck in that time period."
"No, seriously, this is terrifying. Since when did our country become this lenient about crime?"
"For Korean men, a woman being sexually assaulted, secretly filmed, or killed by a man means nothing. Even if these things happened to their own mothers, they wouldn’t care. Women might as well disappear from this country. Not a single one of them is angry or calling this out. They’re all the same."
"Wow, so you could go to juvenile detention and still become an actor because the public didn’t know? Wasn’t this supposed to be a time when even school bullying ruins your entire career?"
"With normal human sensitivity, if someone truly reflected on their past and matured, they wouldn’t choose to stand in the spotlight and become famous when there are seven victims. If the victims had fully forgiven him, there wouldn’t have been a tip-off. People aren’t even thinking about why this incident came to light in the first place."
"The way Korean men shield cases like this shows exactly what the state of this country is."
"The authorities are talking about the purpose of juvenile law while pointing to the collapse of the social system caused by Dispatch’s report, yet all the netizens responses here bury everything with one-dimensional arguments about the victims. It’s shocking, and even worse, some are pushing fascist-like propaganda about changing the juvenile law entirely. It’s horrifying."
"No. The collapse of the social system is when an unrehabilitated juvenile offender grows into an adult who still commits assault and drunk driving, living comfortably until finally getting caught. That’s the evidence of collapse. Acting holy and smart won’t work here, so please leave ^^"
"Now we have people defending the perpetrator and causing secondary harm. It’s complete chaos. Are they trying to be independence fighters or something? It’s said that even victims can’t access the juvenile court ruling, so it’s highly likely that co-perpetrators or people around them reported this."
"Why is everyone acting like this actor is someone important? Do you think students who lost college admission opportunities because of school violence would feel even a bit of reflection seeing him?"
"He even committed assault and drunk driving while working as an actor. Was he really aiming for rehabilitation?"
"Have they lost it? The victims themselves reportedly sent the tip. The old articles said the victims were ‘girls.’ While the perpetrator kept showing his face and pretending to be righteous, what about the time stolen from those girls? It must have been unbearably long and cruel. If the victims or their families came forward, I see this as a clear public-interest report, just like school bullying cases."
"Women's rights in this country are unbelievably low."
"People are acting like this actor is some national hero who saved the country… wow…"
"What, are they insane? He committed crimes as an adult too, but they keep reducing it by calling him a former juvenile offender. Even as a juvenile, the crime wasn’t some simple mistake or minor act of rebellion!!!"
"This is crazy. So in that community, even if a sexual crime happens, it’ll just get buried by political faction arguments, and victims will be forced into silence. Absolutely insane."
What are your thoughts?
SEE ALSO: Law school professor claims media is more at fault than Cho Jin Woong
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