Jo Yoon Woo announces marriage, retirement

South Korean actor Jo Yoon Woo made a big announcement on the first day of the new year.

Jo took to Instagram to announce his marriage to his non-celebrity girlfriend and his retirement after over 15 years in the acting industry.

"I’m writing this because I have something I want to tell you as we begin the new year," he wrote, as translated by Soompi.

The Hwarang actor said that he has met a "precious person with whom I want to spend the rest of my life."

That being said, after much thought, he has decided to end his acting career "in order to build a humble life of our own together."

"The 15 years I spent with only acting in my sights after debuting at the age of 21 have been truly precious to me, which is why I carefully debated this decision for a long time before finally sharing it with you now," he explained.

"Now, for the first time in my life, I have someone I want to protect forever, and I want to build a joyful life together with that person," he continued.

Jo asked his fans to support his next chapter with his partner of over four years.

"I hope that your 2026 will be full of health and happiness. Thank you," he ended.

Jo debuted in the 2011 tvN drama Cool Guys, Hot Ramen and went on to star in series including The Heirs and Hwarang. His most recent project was the 2023 drama Not Others.