Questions have been raised that actor Jang Dong-ju's sudden retirement announcement might be related to allegations of skipping out on a bar bill.
On the 16th, one media outlet, citing people involved, reported that Jang Dong-ju visited an entertainment establishment alone in Seocho District, Seoul, on the night of the 14th and had a drinking party that cost about 3 million won.
According to the report, Jang Dong-ju was said to have told the venue that an acquaintance would pay and received 10 million won from the establishment as an advance payment, but by 3 a.m. on the 15th the party had not appeared and the establishment reported it to the police. A source told the outlet that Jang Dong-ju promised to deposit 13 million won by 6 p.m. the next day and was sent home, and that a post about retirement was later uploaded to social media.
OSEN attempted to contact Jang Dong-ju directly to confirm the allegation but could not reach him. Jang Dong-ju was reachable by phone with OSEN on the morning of the 15th but was reluctant to comment on the authenticity of the retirement, saying he would answer if asked by text message, and so far has not given any substantial reply.
On the 15th, Jang Dong-ju declared his retirement on social media, saying, "I will lay down the life of actor Jang Dong-ju after today. Although I am leaving the stage, I will never forget the feelings you have given me for the rest of my life. I sincerely thank you for loving actor Jang Dong-ju until now."
Jang Dong-ju, who debuted in 2012 in the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream," became known for the drama drama "School 2017," and appeared in Unmasked, "I will be your night," Trigger, No Tail to Tell and films such as "Honest Candidate," "Count," and Handsome Guys.
After suddenly disappearing last November and causing concern, Jang Dong-ju revealed in January that his phone had been hacked and he had been threatened, and said he was burdened with large debts. Nevertheless, he showed willingness to work through drama appearances and an exclusive contract with his agency, but his sudden retirement announcement has focused attention on its authenticity and background.
[OSEN]