He’s in a bit of trouble, he shared.
18 minutes ago
Actor Jang Dong Ju has personally addressed his sudden retirement announcement.
In the early hours of May 17, 2026 (KST), Jang Dong Ju appeared on TikTok Live, where he spoke with fans for around two hours and opened up about why he decided to step away from acting.
Jang Dong Ju | Star News
I’m sorry for causing concern due to recent events. First of all, I’m alive and well. As many of you were worried, a lot has happened, but I’m healthy. You don’t have to worry.
— Jang Dong Ju
The livestream came shortly after Jang Dong Ju abruptly announced his retirement on May 15. In his post, he reflected on his time as an actor and thanked the directors, fellow actors, staff, and fans who had supported him throughout his career. He then shocked fans by stating that he would be leaving acting behind.
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His sudden announcement drew even more attention because, according to previous reports, his agency was allegedly not informed beforehand.
During the broadcast, the actor drew attention for appearing with visible injuries on his face. He initially said the wounds were from being hit by a creditor. However, he later changed his explanation, saying the injuries were from MMA training.
These are injuries from being hit by a creditor. It would have been better if I had repaid on time, but I couldn’t keep the repayment schedule.
— Jang Dong Ju
He then revealed that his decision to retire was tied to the massive debt he has been trying to repay. He shared that he had already repaid ₩3.00 billion KRW (about $2.00 million USD), but still had ₩800 million KRW (about $534,000 USD)remaining, though he claimed that the debt isn’t related to the hacking incident that left his fans concerned.
As I said, I’m planning to temporarily stop my acting activities. Many people have asked about the hacking incident, but that is all in the past. Currently, I have a lot of personal debt.
With the help of my family and acquaintances, I have repaid more than ₩3.00 billion KRW (about $2.00 million USD). I still have around ₩800 million KRW (about $534,000 USD) left. There is still a lot of debt remaining.
— Jang Dong Ju
When one fan asked whether staying in the entertainment industry would help him repay the debt faster, Jang Dong Ju explained that he did not want his personal situation to affect others on set.
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I’m not sure. That may be true, but in my current situation, I shouldn’t cause harm to other actors or staff members. This decision wasn’t for myself, but for the creditors. Because I have a lot of debt issues, I couldn’t continue acting out of my own greed, join a project, and cause losses to the actors and staff involved.
Acting isn’t the only job in the world. If I ever get the chance to return someday, I’ll try. Now just isn’t the time. I think it would be better for me to focus on repaying my debt.
— Jang Dong Ju
He then claimed that some creditors had been threatening him. According to Jang Dong Ju, he received messages saying that if he did not repay the money, they would report him for drug use. He asked creditors not to send threatening messages or calls to reporters in an attempt to get their money back faster. Jang Dong Ju added that he understands why creditors are angry over delayed repayments but asked them to give him time to resolve the situation.
I received a text saying they would report me for drugs if I didn’t repay the debt. Tomorrow, I will go to the police station and undergo a drug investigation. I said I would take responsibility for the money issue and repay it. But please refrain from sending threatening texts or calls saying you will tip off reporters that I used drugs in order to get paid faster.
Financially, everything has become extremely tangled, and I’m in a difficult situation. I’m trying to resolve it quickly. What I want to ask of the creditors is that I am trying to repay through my own efforts, but if you continue attacking me, it becomes even harder. I fully understand that you are angry because repayment has been delayed, but please help me a little.
— Jang Dong Ju
He also stated that he does not plan to file for personal rehabilitation or bankruptcy, saying he intends to take responsibility for the debt.
If I can’t repay it on time, I’ll accept punishment. I said I would repay it until the day I die. I could continue acting, but I don’t want to pursue my own acting ambitions to the point of causing harm to others.
— Jang Dong Ju
Read more about Jang Dong Ju here:
Actor Who Suddenly Disappeared Finally Reveals The Reason Why In Recent Post
Source: xportsnews and Star News