Actor Joo Jin-mo, after a 5-year hiatus… Hosting a fan meeting in Japan for the first time in 10 years and receiving a luxury watch for a hole-in-one.
After a controversy surrounding his private life last year, actor Joo Jin-mo has quietly returned. He is set to hold a fan meeting in Japan for the first time in 10 years. Recently, he has also been enjoying a successful run, receiving a luxury watch for a hole-in-one during a golf activity.
Joo Jin-mo's wife Min Hye-yeon reported her husband's recent activities through social media in January. The published photos included a new profile and an image of the fan meeting poster. Min Hye-yeon expressed her affection, saying, "The profile photo taken after a long time looks so pretty, and it is nice to see him preparing for the fan meeting step by step." She added, "Since my husband and his agency do not use social media, I'm posting this on their behalf." This fan meeting is the first event Joo Jin-mo is holding in Japan in 10 years, raising interest as it could signal his return amid a break from domestic acting activities.
Joo Jin-mo made his first television appearance in five years on TV CHOSUN's 'Food Master Heo Young-man's White Rice Travel' in January last year. In an interview with OSEN, he noted, "I needed time to recover my body and mind for a while. I also had time to reflect on myself." He explained, "Due to the timing coinciding with COVID-19, my return was unintentionally prolonged.
Joo Jin-mo married Min Hye-yeon, a family medicine specialist from Seoul National University College of Medicine, in 2019. However, just a year after their marriage, their private life was exposed due to a mobile phone hacking incident, leading to controversy. The agency announced a strong response, saying, "We received malicious threats, including privacy invasion and demands for money, simply because he is a celebrity." However, even after resolving legal issues, he has remained quiet instead of returning to broadcasting. Min Hye-yeon has shared updates about Joo Jin-mo through entertainment shows and YouTube, and Joo Jin-mo has occasionally participated in his wife's YouTube filming.
Amid this, Joo Jin-mo enjoyed unexpected luck through golf. In a video from the YouTube channel 'Byeong-gi Soo Golf TV' on the 27th, Joo Jin-mo was seen receiving a Swiss luxury watch, the Rolex Submariner, valued at 27 million won, after recording a hole-in-one during filming. He made the hole-in-one with a 7-iron at a country club in Sangju, Gyeongbuk, setting a record as the first among the channel's participants.
Joo Jin-mo attended the hole-in-one ceremony held in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam, and expressed, "I am so happy to receive unexpected luck through golf, which I enjoy," and thanked Byeong-gi Soo Golf TV and High Time for hosting such an event. The representative of the sponsoring company, Jiseong-sik, stated, "Honestly, I did not expect there to be a hole-in-one, but I am delighted to present the prize since actor Joo Jin-mo achieved it beautifully."
Fans and internet users showed great interest in Joo Jin-mo's recent activities and return movements. One internet user commented, "I thought Joo Jin-mo only appeared on his wife's YouTube, but wow! He's slowly gearing up for a comeback," while another user expressed their support by saying, "I hope the fan meeting is well prepared."
With the controversies surrounding his private life and a long hiatus behind him, attention is focused on whether Joo Jin-mo can kick off his domestic activities starting from the fan meeting in Japan.
[Photo] Social media, YouTube
[OSEN]