Choi Jung-won Cleared of Charges After Five-Year Legal Battle, Says He 'Lived in Hell'

Choi Jung-won (최정원), 45, a former member of K-pop duo UN who transitioned to acting, became embroiled in controversy in 2023 after a man accused him of interfering in his marriage. Last year, he faced further accusations of repeatedly calling and harassing an ex-girlfriend after she ended their relationship, allegedly threatening to kill her and disseminate private videos while brandishing a knife at her residence. The cases garnered significant public attention. Prosecutors have now concluded their investigation, finding the knife threat credible but opting for a deferred prosecution, considering the victim's request not to pursue charges. Allegations of threatening to distribute videos and stalking were dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Following the news, Choi Jung-won spoke out for the first time, admitting the past five years felt like living in a dark swamp, but expressed relief that the series of lawsuits has finally concluded.

According to Korean media reports, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Women and Children Crime Investigation Division 2 issued a deferred prosecution for Choi Jung-won regarding the special intimidation charges on the 16th of this month. Deferred prosecution means that while prosecutors acknowledge the criminal suspicion, they decide not to send the case to court after considering factors such as the motive, method, relationship with the victim, and post-incident circumstances.

Choi Jung-won was accused of repeatedly calling a woman, identified as 'A,' in August of last year after she ended their relationship, and then going to her residence with a knife, allegedly threatening, "I will kill you" and "I will spread the videos." Police referred the case to prosecutors. Prosecutors determined the knife threat was credible but decided on deferred prosecution because 'A' expressed she did not wish to pursue criminal charges and requested leniency from the prosecution.

Regarding the allegations of threatening to distribute videos, prosecutors found insufficient evidence and dismissed the charge. For the stalking accusations, it was determined that both parties maintained regular contact before the incident, and 'A' had never explicitly refused contact, leading to a similar dismissal.

On the 29th, Choi Jung-won shared his feelings via an Instagram post, stating, "For nearly five years, I have been struggling in a dark and muddy swamp." He admitted that from being accused as a "third party in a marriage" to being labeled a "stalker" and enduring numerous insults and malicious criticisms, "those days were like a long and painful tunnel."

He continued, "Now it's really all over." He confirmed that he won the lawsuit regarding the marital interference allegations, with the court affirming no improper relationship. The stalking case also resulted in a deferred prosecution. "All cases have finally come to an end."

Choi Jung-won also stated that he was physically and mentally exhausted after everything he went through. "In the future, I just want to live as a devout and humble person." He lamented that whenever incidents broke out, much inaccurate information spread like wildfire, but very few people genuinely cared about the final outcome of the events.

Finally, he re-emphasized, "Whether out of gossip, curiosity, or genuine concern for me, I want to tell everyone again that all cases surrounding me for the past five years have resulted in non-indictment, and the false civil lawsuit against me also ended in victory."

In 2022, Choi Jung-won was involved in an infidelity scandal when a married woman, identified as 'B,' had her husband, 'C,' accuse Choi of interfering in their marriage. 'C' filed a lawsuit against Choi for 100 million Korean Won (approximately 73,000 USD) in damages.

In the first trial, the court ruled that the primary cause of the marital breakdown was 'B,' ordering her to pay her husband 30 million Korean Won (approximately 22,000 USD) in emotional damages. However, the second trial overturned this decision, concluding that Choi Jung-won and 'B's relationship did not constitute infidelity and that the marriage's breakdown was primarily due to the husband's long-term oppressive behavior.

The husband appealed again, but the South Korean Supreme Court dismissed the appeal in January of this year, officially clearing Choi Jung-won of the infidelity allegations.