South Korean Actor Jo Byeong Kyu Loses ₩4 Billion ($2.8 Million) Lawsuit Over School-violence Post; Court Says Falsity Not Proven

South Korean actor Jo Byeong Kyu, known for Sky Castle and The Uncanny Counter, has lost a high-stakes civil suit seeking roughly ₩4 billion in damages from an accuser who posted in 2021 that they were bullied by him during their school years in New Zealand. The court dismissed Jo’s and his former agency HB Entertainment’s claims, ruling it was difficult to conclude the online post was false based on the evidence presented.

The case stems from a February 2021 social media post by a user identified as A, who alleged bullying and assault during their time abroad; they later shared photos and school verification documents. Although Jo’s side produced statements from multiple acquaintances and previously denied the allegations as baseless, the court found the submissions insufficient especially as most statements came from Korea-based acquaintances and did not directly verify events overseas.

The court also noted that the accuser’s deletion of the original post was not proof of fabrication, pointing out it could have been removed out of fear of potential criminal or civil exposure. While earlier online claims from other individuals had been retracted or apologized for in separate episodes, this ruling focused narrowly on the 2021 post and whether Jo proved it false by civil standards.

About Jo Byeong Kyu

Jo debuted with Who Are You: School 2015 and rose to prominence with Sky Castle and Hot Stove League, winning “Best New Actor” at the 2020 SBS Drama Awards for the latter, before headlining The Uncanny Counter. His credits include Money Flower, The K2, Queen for Seven Days, A Beautiful Mind, Arthdal Chronicles, He Is Psychometric, and The Time, along with films such as Idol, Special Ending, I Had No Other Choice, Fantasy of the Girls, and Hardcore Romance.