As actor Cho Jin Woong officially announces his retirement amid controversy over his youthful criminal past, serious doubts have emerged over the future of the highly anticipated drama Signal 2. The upcoming sequel to the 2016 hit Signal had already completed filming and would air next year on tvN.
Signal (2016)
" data-medium-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2024/05/09191616/Signal-1-051324.jpg" data-large-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2024/05/09191616/Signal-1-051324.jpg" alt="Signal" class="wp-image-655139"/>The revelations, which emerged on December 5, allege that Cho had committed serious crimes in his youth and had been involved in problematic incidents even as an adult. Shockwaves rippled through the entertainment industry and among fans, not only because of his past, but because Cho had attended national events as Korea’s representative while keeping his youthful background under wraps.
Cho’s agency, Saram Entertainment, confirmed that he had committed “offenses as a minor,” but stressed that the actor had no connection to the sexual assault allegations that were circulating. They said the matter, which dates back more than 30 years, had already been resolved legally and that a full account of events was no longer possible due to time and constraints.
Just one day after acknowledging the past, Cho Jin Woong issued a personal apology on December 6 and declared his retirement:
“I sincerely apologize for disappointing everyone who supported me. I accept all criticism and, from today, I will end my acting career and suspend all activities.”
This withdrawal leaves the fate of Signal 2, also known as The Second Signal, in the balance. The drama was set to reunite Cho Jin Woong with co-stars Kim Hye Soo and Lee Je Hoon, following the cult success of the original in 2016. The project has been in high demand for years, with fans eager to revisit the time-spanning detective plot.
In a past appearance on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, screenwriter Kim Eun Hee openly expressed how integral Cho Jin Woong was to the role of detective Lee Jae Han:
“I wrote Lee Jae Han with Cho Jin Woong in mind.”
His comment is now being widely reshared online, adding emotional weight to the uncertainty surrounding the sequel.
Even Cho Jin Woong himself had acknowledged the link, stating in a recent interview:
“Writer Kim told me that it would be strange without Cho Jin Woong, and I agreed. Signal is a project that left a lot in my heart. I felt that I had to be part of the second season, before I became too old or weak.”
Now, with Cho Jin Woong stepping away from the industry, producers, cast and fans find themselves facing an unexpected dilemma: How to continue a series whose true heart, according to its creators, was Cho himself?
While Signal 2 awaits an official update on its release, all eyes are on tvN and the creative team to see whether the series will proceed, be rewritten, or shelved indefinitely in light of the actor’s departure.
Sources: NewsN, tvN
