Actor Jeon Ho-jun, who is facing allegations of assault against his former girlfriend, has voluntarily stepped down from the play 'The Tonight Show' in which he was scheduled to appear.
The theater company Baekui announced on the 28th via SNS, "Recently, a controversy has arisen surrounding an actor who was supposed to participate in our performance," referring to the assault allegations against Jeon Ho-jun.
They added, "The actor has expressed his intention to resign voluntarily during this process, and the theater company has decided to respect and accept this," explaining that Jeon Ho-jun has stepped down from 'The Tonight Show'.
The theater company also stated, "We have not taken this matter lightly and have been carefully continuing internal discussions, including fact verification," emphasizing, "We expect that the exact facts will be clarified through the investigation process of the relevant authorities in the future."
They continued, "We value the freedom of art and the value of expression, but we also believe that ethical responsibility and social trust, both on and off stage, are equally important," adding, "To ensure that all cast and crew can focus on creation in a safe and respectful environment, Baekui has been continuously working to establish a more systematic and healthy production system. We will do our best to present a stage that audiences can trust and support in the future."
They also stated, "We will maintain a responsible attitude to ensure that nothing contradicts the principles of the theater regarding this controversy," and bowed their heads, saying, "We sincerely apologize once again for the inconvenience caused by this unexpected situation."
Jeon Ho-jun was scheduled to appear in the play 'The Tonight Show', which is set to open in July. However, following the assault controversy that arose on the 24th, his casting was put on hold.
A person identified as A, who claimed to be Jeon Ho-jun's partner, stated on SNS on the 24th, "I supported everything from coffee trucks to performances. I have paid for all the dating expenses, and I was extorted about 10 million won for items like a mobile phone, luxury scarf, and necklace under the pretense of marriage," and claimed, "I paid 5 million won alone for the Thailand trip airfare and 10 days of accommodation, and I was infected with a sexually transmitted disease, and I also gave 1 million won in cash every month for Pilates."
Additionally, she stated that she was assaulted when she visited Jeon Ho-jun's house early that morning, saying, "(When I went to his house at 2 AM after losing contact with him) as soon as I opened the door, (he) choked me and pulled my hair down to the floor." She continued, "While resisting, I hit Jeon Ho-jun's head, causing it to bleed. Then, he became furious and said, 'I won't let this go,' and called the police, and (because Jeon Ho-jun was bleeding) it became mutual assault."
Jeon Ho-jun explained on SNS on the 25th, "The assault situation claimed by A occurred during the process of stopping A from unlawfully attempting to break into my home in the early hours," stating, "Initially, I tried to calm the situation, but as physical conflict became unavoidable, it led to a scuffle, and I also sustained injuries with bleeding on my face and head."
He added, "I am also aware of the difference in physical conditions between A and me. However, this situation was an unavoidable physical conflict that occurred while stopping someone who unlawfully broke into my home, and it was a response that falls under self-defense."
On the 27th, he stated, "I have never assaulted A," expressing his frustration, "A released photos of the injuries she claimed to have received from me, but I am not a man who assaults women."
Meanwhile, Jeon Ho-jun debuted in 2007 with the musical 'Notre Dame de Paris' and has appeared in 'Cats', 'Chicago', 'Notre Dame de Paris', 'Wicked', 'Kinky Boots', and 'The Rocky Horror Show'. He also gained public recognition through the JTBC audition program 'Phantom Singer 4' aired in 2023.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
