The K-Drama Actor Who Killed A Woman, Hid Her Body, And Still Didn’t Serve Jail Time

While they may seem untouchable, celebrities are just regular people. This means celebrities are just as likely to become involved in controversy as they commit crimes. In the past, a male actor shocked netizens when he did the unthinkable — killing someone and trying to hide her body.

Actor Jo Hyung Ki began his career in 1979, appearing in a guest role in the K-Drama, Chief Inspector. He continued earning fame through the 80s,  making a name for himself in supporting roles.

Jo Hyung Ki would commit the horrific crime he would become infamous for in 1991. While driving under the influence, he would hit and kill a woman in her 30s, then attempted to hide the body afterward. He was found sleeping in his car near where he hid the body and arrested. Even seven hours after the incident, his blood alcohol level still registered at 0.26%.

Jo Hyung Ki was originally sentenced to three years in prison, which was increased to five years in prison after an appeals trial. However, after another round of appeals, his original sentence was annulled, and he was sentenced to three years of probation, with two years of prison should he violate probation. After this, he continued his career as though nothing had happened, appearing on variety shows and acting projects and even starred in a car advertisement in 2003.

He continued working until 2017, when his crime resurfaced, leading him to retire from the entertainment industry. Prior to that, since the internet was brand new at the time of his crime, very few news outlets and online media reported on his crime.

There were no updates on his whereabouts until October 2022, when a netizen spotted what appeared to be the actor at a restaurant in the United States.

However, he was seen making an appearance on the YouTube channel Smile Troupe in December 2024, and stated he wished to be able to return to television.

I sincerely hope that everyone will be healthy next year and that it will become a reality that I am on television next year.

— Jo Hyung Ki