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Actor Cho Jin-woong's real name is Jo Won-jun. Cho Jin-woong is his father's name.
Cho Jin-woong has his birthday party on the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month. However, he was born on April 6, 1976. (If you convert that date to the lunar calendar, it's the 7th day of the 3rd month.)
There's very little information about Cho Jin-woong's high school days. Seoul, Bundang, Busan… there are no accurate records of his high school. There are only reports that he transferred (forcibly) at least twice.
Cho Jin-woong changed his name and hid his birthday. He erased his high school days in Seoul and emphasized his Busan native image. What was he so desperate to hide?
Cho Jin-woong's teenage years were stained with crime. It wasn't just simple delinquency. He committed serious felonies during high school and was sent to juvenile detention under the juvenile protection disposition. 'Dispatch' has confirmed Cho Jin-woong's criminal history. Tipsters said, "Cho Jin-woong was a 'iljin' (school bully). He stole vehicles with his gang. He was also involved in rape."
According to reports, Cho Jin-woong's gang mainly targeted vehicles that were temporarily parked. They explained that they stole, drove, and abandoned at least three cars. Then they moved on to stolen goods.
A tipster said, "He stole a car that was parked on the street with the engine running." and added, "He committed all sorts of crimes while driving without a license. He got caught using stolen goods."
'Dispatch' dug into Cho Jin-woong's case based on continuous tip-offs. It was confirmed that he went through criminal proceedings in his second year of high school. The charges at the time were aggravated robbery and rape (as of 1994).
A tipster stated, "Cho Jin-woong's gang attempted rape in the stolen vehicles." and added, "Cho Jin-woong and others were sent to juvenile detention for this incident. He spent half of his third year in correctional facilities."
Cho Jin-woong enrolled in Kyung Sung University's Theater and Film department in 1996. It's unconfirmed if it was a repeat year or a retake. However, tipsters described his return to Busan as 'laundry for his crimes.' They criticized it as a choice to erase his high school felonies.
'Dispatch' learned of another criminal offense by Cho Jin-woong during its investigation. He continued to visit police stations even after becoming an adult. This was during his time as an unknown actor.
After graduating from college, Cho Jin-woong began his theater career in a troupe. Around 2003, he severely beat a troupe member during a drinking session.
Cho Jin-woong was fined for assault. A tipster said, "He got into a fight at a drinking party and beat his troupe colleague severely." and added, "He had already been booked for assault before, so he received a fine."
He is also known to have a DUI record. A tipster said, "It was after filming the movie 'The Aggressives'." and added, "He got behind the wheel while heavily intoxicated, and his license was revoked."
Cho Jin-woong debuted in the movie 'The Aggressives' in January 2004. The role he played was 'Wild Horse Gang.' He abandoned his real name and started his career using his father's name, 'Cho Jin-woong.'
A tipster speculated, "When he got caught for drunk driving, his face wasn't well-known yet." and added, "Since he hadn't changed his name, the police probably didn't know he was actor Cho Jin-woong."
Cho Jin-woong mentioned the reason for changing his stage name to his father's name on a TV show. He stated, "I started doing movies while doing theater. I wanted to give myself a turning point."
However, those who knew his past thought differently. They believed he changed his name to hide his criminal record. They retorted, "How could he possibly use the name Jo Won-jun after doing something like that?"
Tip-offs about Cho Jin-woong started pouring in after the Liberation Day event on August 15th.
"I, before the glorious Taegukgi, for the eternal glory of the Republic of Korea, free and just."
Cho Jin-woong recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the National Flag at the 80th anniversary ceremony of Korea's Liberation. His participation as a special envoy for the repatriation of General Hong Beom-do's remains and as a narrator for 'The Korean Independence Army: The Unfinished War' served as triggers.
However, Cho Jin-woong's 'pledge' touched the wounds of the victims.
"He was a perpetrator and a criminal who bullied weak people. But he was portrayed as righteous by playing police roles. Now he's even got the image of an independence fighter. How do the victims feel? I hope he repents his past now." (Tipster)
Meanwhile, Cho Jin-woong has completed the image of a tough detective solving violent crimes through works like 'Signal', 'The Man From Nowhere', 'Suspect X', 'Believer', 'The Absence of a File', and 'The Devil's Game'.
"Netizens are shook by the allegations against Cho Jin-woong, discussing his past criminal record and its potential impact on his career, especially 'Signal 2'."
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