Jang Dong-ju suddenly speaks out on his 'retirement declaration' but says, "I am communicating with my agency and parents" [Direct Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actor Jang Dong-ju, who suddenly declared his retirement, has spoken out again, but he has held back on specific reasons.

In a phone interview with StarNews on the 15th, when asked about the background of his retirement declaration, Jang Dong-ju said, "I will officially clarify with the company later," and added, "My parents are communicating with the company."

Even when asked if the reason was due to the 'Hyeu Daejeon-hwa hacking and extortion incident,' he repeatedly said only, "I will speak after communicating with the company." When asked about the possibility of reversing his retirement, he concluded with, "I am currently with my family. I am sorry. I will contact you again."

Earlier, on this day, Jang Dong-ju posted a message on his SNS hinting at his retirement. He stated, "As of today, I intend to lay down my life as actor Jang Dong-ju. Although I am leaving the stage, I will never forget the love and support you have given me. I sincerely thank you for loving actor Jang Dong-ju until now."

Jang Dong-ju continued, "Living as an actor for a long time, I received so much love and encouragement. All the moments of smiling and crying in front of the camera were the brightest times in my life. I sincerely thank the directors, staff, and fellow actors who believed in and supported me. Most importantly, thanks to the fans who have always been by my side, I was able to walk happily until the end."

However, according to StarNews' investigation, Jang Dong-ju's retirement announcement was made without prior discussion with his agency, Management W. A representative of Management W told StarNews, "We have not yet been able to contact actor Jang Dong-ju. (Regarding the reason for retirement) We need to verify it," and added, "There were no major issues until recently." This effectively means Jang Dong-ju unilaterally announced his retirement without consulting his agency. Another agency representative also said, "I do not know why he posted such a message," and held back, stating, "It is a delicate situation to comment on at this time."

Jang Dong-ju's disappearance incident is not the first time.

Last November, he disappeared after leaving only a black screen and a message saying "I am sorry" on his Instagram, raising concerns. His former agency, Nexus ENM, stated, "Jang Dong-ju is currently unreachable," and began searching for his whereabouts. His location was confirmed within four hours, and the situation was temporarily resolved. Later, about a month later in December last year, he moved to Management Run, but shortly after, he announced the termination of his contract.

Additionally, in January, he directly confessed to the hacking and extortion incident involving Hyeu Daejeon-hwa. At the time, he said on his Instagram, "I received calls from unknown numbers and discovered that my mobile phone was completely hacked. I borrowed money by any means necessary. My family even sold their house for me. Due to the sudden debt, more debt accumulated, and I lost billions of won. And I ended up sitting on a pile of debt," evoking sympathy. Although he announced a fresh start by signing an exclusive contract with Management W in February, his sudden retirement declaration has raised more questions among fans.

Meanwhile, Jang Dong-ju, who debuted in 2012 with the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream," has appeared in dramas such as "School 2017," "Revenge of Others," "Mr. Part-time," "I Will Be Your Night," "Trigger," and films including "Honest Candidate," "Count," and "Handsome Guys." Recently, he met viewers through the SBS drama "I Am Human Starting Today," which concluded in February.

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*This content was translated by AI.