Famed Korean Actor Indicted for Assault—Official Statement Released

Korean actor and director Yang Ik-joon has been accused of physically assaulting a junior colleague, with police confirming an ongoing investigation. Despite the allegations, Yang will still participate in promotional events for his upcoming film Confessions.

According to Seoul’s Seongbuk Police Station, Yang was booked for assault on February 10. Reports state that on December 13, 2023, Yang allegedly struck a film crew member multiple times with a stack of papers and verbally abused them at a bar he owns.

Despite the controversy, the press screening and stage greetings for Confessions are set to proceed as planned. The film’s production team confirmed:

"The press conference and stage greetings for Confessions, scheduled for February 12, will take place as planned."

Yang Ik-joon debuted in 2002’s Conduct Zero, featuring co-star Gong Hyo-jin, and later gained global recognition with his 2009 indie hit Breathless (Ddongpari), a film he directed and starred in. The movie won multiple international awards, including the Tiger Award at the 38th Rotterdam International Film Festival.

Beyond directing, Yang has built a strong acting portfolio, appearing in films like A Day (featuring co-star Byun Yo-han), My Dear Desperado (featuring co-star Jung Yu-mi), and the drama Bad Guys (alongside co-stars Ma Dong-seok and Park Hae-jin). Most recently, he starred as Detective Jin Kyung-hoon in Netflix’s Hellbound series.

Upcoming Film Confessions Still Set for Release

Yang’s latest project, Confessions, directed by Yamashita Nobuhiro, is set to hit theaters on February 19. The film is a Japanese production in which Yang plays Ji-yong, a Korean character entangled in the story’s central conflict.

As the police investigation continues, the allegations against Yang Ik-joon have cast a shadow over the film’s release. Whether this controversy will affect its box office performance remains to be seen.