The Dilemma of the OTT That Erased a Freedom Fighter: 5 Reasons Netflix Had No Choice But to Edit Cho Jin-woong Out of Its March 1st Commemoration Video

The actor who played an independence fighter disappeared from the March 1st commemorative video. And nobody thought it was strange.

TL;DR

• Netflix Korea used a key scene from the film Assassination in its March 1st Independence Movement (2026.3.1) commemorative video
• The original scene features Jeon Ji-hyun (An Ok-yun), Choi Deok-moon (Hwang Deok-sam), and Cho Jin-woong (Chu Sang-ok) posing for a photo in front of the Taegukgi (Korean flag)
• Netflix published the video with Cho Jin-woong's image digitally removed
• Cho Jin-woong announced his retirement in 2025 after a serious criminal history from his school years was exposed, and he issued an apology through his agency
• The 'brand cancellation' playbook — where OTT platforms preemptively erase controversial figures from historical commemorative content — played out once again

What Happened

On March 1, 2026, Netflix Korea posted a special commemorative video on its official social media (@netflixkr) to mark the 107th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement. The video was titled "Because They Were There, We Live in This Spring Today" — a curated compilation of highlight scenes from Netflix titles themed around the independence movement, including Assassination (2015) and Rampant: The Story of Yu Gwan-sun.

However, as soon as the video went public, sharp-eyed viewers noticed something: in the iconic scene from Assassination — where the three assassins An Ok-yun (Jeon Ji-hyun), Hwang Deok-sam (Choi Deok-moon), and Chu Sang-ok (Cho Jin-woong) line up for a commemorative photo against a Taegukgi backdrop — Cho Jin-woong was gone.

Jeon Ji-hyun and Choi Deok-moon appeared as normal, but Cho Jin-woong, who played Chu Sang-ok, had been erased from the frame. It was the latest chapter in a series of moves by streaming platforms to erase his presence from content, following the 2025 exposure of his serious criminal past.

5 Reasons the Edit Was Inevitable

1. Brand Risk Management Has Become Standard Practice

For global OTTs, removing controversial individuals from their content is now a standard response. Netflix has precedent — it re-edited content involving Kevin Spacey. In an era where associating a platform's image with a controversial figure directly translates into brand damage, this is especially true for content tied to a sensitive historical date like March 1st.

2. The Symbolism of March 1st Made Editing 'Unavoidable'

Having a person with a serious criminal record appear as a hero in a video honoring independence fighters is a double contradiction. If someone with moral failings appears as one of the heroes in a video honoring those who defended the nation against Japanese imperialism, the message itself is undermined. For Netflix, not editing was the greater risk.

3. Assassination Remains Core Netflix Content

Assassination (dir. Choi Dong-hoon, 2015) was a blockbuster that drew 12.7 million viewers, starring Jeon Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae, and Ha Jung-woo. Excluding an enduringly popular title entirely from a March 1st commemorative curation was not an option. Retaining the key title while surgically removing only the controversial individual was the practical choice.

4. Cho Jin-woong's Retirement Announcement Became the Industry Benchmark

Cho Jin-woong announced his retirement immediately after his criminal history was exposed in 2025, and issued an apology through his agency. That announcement itself was an expression of social consensus that the industry would no longer tolerate his public presence. Netflix's edit was a platform-level reaffirmation of that consensus.

5. Technology Has Made Editing 'Possible'

In the past, re-editing film footage was technically difficult and expensive. But advances in digital video editing have made it far easier to isolate and remove or blur a specific person. Technological feasibility now supports moral decision-making in ways that weren't possible before.

Why It Went Viral on March 1st

The fact of Netflix's edit spread rapidly through online communities (Fmkorea, DCinside, X / formerly Twitter) the moment the video was released. The paradoxical irony — "the actor who played an independence fighter has been erased" — captured public attention.

The date amplified the impact. March 1st is one of the days when Koreans' historical emotion runs highest, and independence movement content is consumed intensely. Netflix's editorial decision expanded beyond simple 'corporate risk management' into a question: who has the right to shape historical memory?

Context and Background

The Cho Jin-woong criminal history revelation (2025) was one of the events that shook Korea's entertainment industry that year. After crimes committed during his school years were exposed, Cho Jin-woong immediately announced his retirement, and his works had been going through a sequential processing period on streaming platforms.

Assassination was an ensemble film in which Cho Jin-woong appeared alongside Jeon Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae, and Ha Jung-woo. His character 'Chu Sang-ok' was a key supporting role, making the Taegukgi commemorative photo scene one of the film's highlights — which is precisely why this edit stood out so prominently.

Secondary Issues: The Dilemma of OTT 'Cancellation Editing'

This case raises a number of derivative questions beyond the simple 'deletion of a controversial actor.'

• Integrity of historical commemorative content: If a specific individual is erased from a video honoring independence fighters, does that undermine the completeness of the historical representation?
• Copyright and protection of the original work: Does the edit constitute an unauthorized alteration of the original film?
• The limits of cancel culture: How far is 'permanent erasure' of a person who has already retired and apologized justified?
• The platform's editorial authority: Should OTTs be permitted to arbitrarily edit works of art?

These questions are expected to continue being debated in the media, legal, and cultural spheres.

Estimated Lifespan & Risks

• Lifespan: Half a day to one day. This is a March 1st-specific issue; from tomorrow, attention is likely to shift to other news such as the opening of MWC 2026.
• Risk: If Cho Jin-woong's criminal record has not yet been fully confirmed through judicial proceedings, there is a risk of inaccuracy. This post focuses on the established facts (that Netflix made the edit) and does not describe the specifics of the alleged crimes.

Points to Watch

• 🎬 Netflix's standards: Lee Jung-jae and Jeon Ji-hyun from the same film (Assassination) were left in, while only Cho Jin-woong was removed. It remains to be seen how far the 'controversial actor standard' will be applied going forward.
• 📺 Other domestic OTTs: A comparison of how Korean platforms such as Watcha, Tving, and Wavve are handling content featuring Cho Jin-woong.
• ⚖️ Potential legal disputes: If the original filmmakers or the production company challenges the unauthorized edit, it could become a new area of legal contention.
• 🗓️ March 1st content practices: This may prompt broader discussion about the standards and responsibilities of media platforms producing commemorative content each year on March 1st.
• 🔄 Cancel culture fatigue: There are counterarguments that 'permanent erasure' of someone who has already apologized and retired is excessive — public opinion may become divided.

Reference Links

• Money Today — Cho Jin-woong, who played an independence fighter, deleted from March 1st commemorative video… Netflix also cancels
• Nate News — In the Netflix March 1st 'Long Live Korean Independence' video, only Cho Jin-woong is missing
• Sports Seoul / Daum — Only 'independence fighter' Cho Jin-woong omitted… Netflix's Assassination March 1st commemorative video draws attention
• allkpop — Netflix Korea's March 1st commemoration video draws attention for editing out Cho Jin Woong

Image note: No images available (direct attachment of Netflix official SNS content and stills from the film Assassination was not possible due to copyright restrictions)