31-year-old South Korean actor Jang Dong-joo shocked fans on May 15 after suddenly announcing his retirement from acting. The actor had left only a single post on his social media account, a black image accompanied by a lengthy message, leaving many fans shocked.
He Leaves One Post on His Social Media
Jang Dong-joo wrote: “Hello, this is Jang Dong-joo. I have spent a long time living under the title of ‘actor,’ and during that time, I received so much love and support. Every moment I laughed and cried in front of the camera became some of the brightest moments of my life. I sincerely thank the directors, staff members, and fellow actors who believed in someone lacking like me and worked alongside me. Above all, thanks to the fans who always stayed by my side, I was able to walk this path happily until now. Today will be the last day I live as actor Jang Dong-joo. Although I am leaving the stage, I will never forget the love and support you gave me. I am sorry to everyone who cheered me on. Thank you sincerely for loving actor Jang Dong-joo until now.”
Although Jang Dong-joo did not specify the reason behind his retirement, it’s speculated to be related to the threats he previously revealed. In October last year, many were alarmed when he suddenly took to social media to say, “I’m sorry” before he was found. This January, he revealed going through the ordeal of being hacked and blackmailed. In an attempt to protect the secrets stored on his phone, the actor admitted he fell into a vicious cycle of borrowing money and accumulated significant debt.
Jang Dong-joo made his acting debut in the K-drama School 2017 and went on to play supporting roles in series such as Criminal Minds, Class of Lies, Trigger, and most recently No Tail to Tell, which may become his final drama project following his retirement from acting.
