This comes 13 years after he joined NS ENM (formerly IOK Company), founded by Go Hyun-jung and her sibling, where they built a close professional relationship.
On March 3rd, NS ENM released an official statement, saying, “Jo In-sung’s exclusive contract has ended. After extensive discussions leading up to the contract expiration, both parties mutually agreed not to renew.“
The agency continued, “We sincerely thank Jo In-sung for sharing a long journey with us based on deep trust and affection. We will wholeheartedly support his future endeavors.”
Jo In-sung stated, “I am deeply thankful to the CEO and all the staff who have stood by me unwaveringly for so many years. Their generous support and encouragement have been a great source of strength. I will never forget the kindness and care they have shown me over the past 13 years. Once again, I extend my heartfelt gratitude.”
While Go Hyun-jung’s future with the agency remains unclear, there is speculation that she might stay, especially since her younger brother Go Byung-chul holds a key position in the subsidiary SBW. Despite a 10-year age gap, rumors of romance between Go Hyun-jung and Jo In-sung have persisted since they met on the set of SBS’s drama “Spring Day” in 2005, following Go Hyun-jung’s divorce.
In 2012, Jo In-sung appeared as a guest alongside Chun Jung-myung on Go Hyun-jung’s SBS talk show “Go Show”, where he famously said “Honestly, sis (Go Hyun-jung) is not my type”, which seemed to quell the rumors. However, three years later, rumors reignited when the two were photographed returning together from an airport.
Perhaps wanting to clarify things for the sake of her children, Go Hyun-jung addressed the rumors directly on the YouTube channel “Fairy Jae-hyung” in January 2024. She explained, “In the airport photos, Song Joong-ki and Lee Min-ho were right beside us, but only the two of us were captured. Jo In-sung is a really manly and great friend, but he’s not (dating) with me.”
A close acquaintance of Go Hyun-jung commented, “Though she seems cool on the outside, she’s actually very sensitive. The rumors caused her distress, and for the past 4~5 years, she has limited personal meetings with Jo In-sung. They no longer send or receive coffee trucks and don’t attend each other’s VIP screenings. They even unfollowed each other on social media.” Research shows that their last coffee truck exchange was in 2019 during the filming of SBS’s drama “My Lawyer, Mr. Jo 2: Crime and Punishment” starring Go Hyun-jung.
Meanwhile, Jo In-sung has completed filming for director Na Hong-jin’s movie “Hope” and is currently working on director Ryoo Seung-wan’s film “Humint”.
Source: Naver