[Sportschosun Kim Soo-hyun] Actor Cho Byung-gyu will return to the stage while the legal battle over allegations of school violence remains ongoing.
According to the theater troupe Lighthouse on the 21st, Cho will appear in the play "Visiting Room," which will run from August 5 at Hall 2 of Hansung Art Hall in Jongno District, Seoul.
"Visiting Room" is a two-person play set in the confined space of a prison visiting room. It follows a couple who had planned to marry as they confront the unexpected reality of a life sentence and begin to reveal the feelings they had kept hidden, meeting only through prison visits. Cho will play the male lead.
The appearance is drawing even more attention because it marks an official activity while the legal dispute continues.
Cho rose to mainstream popularity through the 2018 drama "Sky Castle" and later enjoyed a peak period with back-to-back appearances in "Stove League," "The Uncanny Counter," and the variety show "I Live Alone."
However, his activities were abruptly halted in 2021 after an online post accused him of being a school violence perpetrator during his study-abroad period in New Zealand.
The accuser, identified as A, claimed that Cho assaulted him and that he had to cover expenses for snacks and karaoke fees on Cho's behalf. Cho denied the allegations outright and responded aggressively, filing a 4 billion won damages lawsuit against A.
The court, however, did not accept Cho's side's argument. The trial court ruled in favor of A, saying, "Based on the materials submitted by Cho's side alone, it is difficult to conclude that A's post was false." It also ordered Cho's side to bear the legal costs.
The court also explained the background behind A's decision to delete the post, saying, "It is possible that this was due to the burden of a criminal complaint and a large damages claim." It added, "It is difficult to rule out the possibility that A felt psychological pressure after realizing that defamation based on factual statements can also be punishable in South Korea."
Cho has filed an appeal, and the second trial is scheduled to take place at the Seoul High Court on August 28.
shyun@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
