Joo Woo-jae Reveals He Was “Kicked Out” Of YG Entertainment As Actor Division Disbanded

On the July 5 broadcast of MBC’s “Hangout with Yoo”, HaHa revived his iconic character “Hybrid Sammy Sosa Rio Leivi” for the first time in 13 years to sell figure inventory. Yoo Jae-suk, Joo Woo-jae and Lee Yi-kyung joined the effort to clear out the long-standing stock.

During the episode, Yoo Jae-suk and Jung Jae-hyung—both currently with Antenna Entertainment—talked about their agency ties. HaHa quipped, “Aren’t you two Antenna family now? People in the industry are saying Jae-suk basically owns Antenna now.” Jung Jae-hyung replied “He does“, jokingly adding, “Antenna used to be underground, but once he joined, we went above ground.” Yoo quickly corrected, “No, the agency moved above ground first, then I joined.“

The conversation soon shifted to Joo Woo-jae. When asked about his agency, he responded that he is currently signed with CAM. Jung Jae-hyung exclaimed, “CAM? That’s the hottest agency right now!” Others chimed in with teasing remarks like “How did you get in there?” and “You’re not even a singer.” Another added, “I heard you had to pay a signing fee.“

Joo Woo-jae responded “It’s not like I forced my way in“, trying to keep his composure. However, Jung Jae-hyung pressed on, “Weren’t you with YG entertainment before?“

That’s when Joo dropped the bombshell, “YG shut down its actor division.” He paused before adding emotionally, “I was kicked out. From YG. Do you think I left on my own? They disbanded the actor division.“

He further explained “Before joining CAM, I talked with several companies“, but Yoo Jae-suk playfully interrupted “He’s known for being picky“, causing everyone to laugh.

The lighthearted segment took a surprisingly raw turn with Joo Woo-jae’s confession, offering rare insight into the behind-the-scenes changes at major entertainment agencies and the uncertainty many actors face in their careers. Despite the industry shakeups, Joo Woo-jae seems to have found a new chapter with CAM, now earning praise and opportunities once again.