Korean Actor Jang Dong-joo Reveals Devastating Phone Hacking Ordeal

Korean actor Jang Dong-joo has opened up about being a victim of phone hacking.

On the 29th, Jang shared on his social media account, "It was a day last summer. A call from an unknown number. A man who knew my exact movements. His voice is still vivid," he recounted. "'Mr. Jang Dong-joo, you went here on this date, right?' I checked the number, and it was a burner phone. What followed were a few extremely personal photos from my phone gallery, screenshots of conversations, and my contact list. My phone was completely hacked," he revealed.

He continued, "Then came the threats. From that day until today, every day has been hell. I changed my contact number countless times. Despite three attempts, I couldn't break free, and the hope that revived my life only made it more torturous. That man demanded things I could never do, and I had no choice but to comply precisely. As an actor, or rather as Jang Dong-joo, I had many vulnerabilities, and his ruthless exploitation changed my life entirely in just a few months," he wrote.

Jang Dong-joo confessed, "Before I knew it, I, the initial victim, was rapidly creating secondary victims. I borrowed money by any means necessary. I didn't hesitate to do anything that could raise funds. My family even sold their house for me. The sudden debt led to more debt, and the unpaid debt created even more unpayable debt. We lost billions, and my family suffered while I was buried under a mountain of debt," he admitted.

He added, "Perhaps my desperate efforts kept the secrets on my phone safe. But I lost everything I wanted to protect: my ordinary life, the people in my phone, and my family's happiness. The combination of my efforts to keep secrets and the lies I told to borrow money only led to more lies, and before I knew it, many people were hurt because of me. I felt trapped in a swamp I couldn't escape," he continued.

Jang Dong-joo concluded, "I have nothing left to lose. I don't know if the secrets were kept, but I couldn't protect anything. I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt and affected because of me. Please forgive me. If you trust and wait for me, I will work hard and repay every penny. Please help me," he pleaded.

Meanwhile, Jang Dong-joo is currently appearing as Hyun Woo-seok in the SBS drama 'Today, We Are Human'.

By Yeji Ryu, TenAsia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr